Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha
Chapter 45
Sango brushed some of Kohaku's hair out of his sleeping face. She looked up. She could smell the salt in the air. They were near the sea. Miroku was also asleep, leaning his head down behind her. Kuragari held Kagome. She slept peacefully. Clutching the front of his kimono. Sesshomaru still held Rin on A-un while Jaken leaned on the dragon's head. Taka sat in front of Inuyasha leaning back on him. They were both asleep also. Isamu ran across the forest floor as softly as he could. Shippo lay on Kirara's neck also fast asleep. A-un flew in level with Kirara.
"We should wake the others," Sesshomaru suggested, "We are there."
Sango nodded. Kirara roared softly and shook. Miroku, Shippo and Kohaku awoke. Miroku stretched.
"How long has it been?" he yawned.
"Quite awhile," Sango said.
Kagome awoke in Kuragari's arms.
"Isamu!" Sango called.
Isamu looked up as he ran.
"Wake Inuyasha and Taka!"
Isamu nodded and shook slightly like Kirara did. Neither awoke. He roared slightly and shook again. Sesshomaru jumped off with Rin and put her standing on the ground sleepily. He walked over to Isamu.
"Inuyasha... wake up," he hit his younger brother over the head with the Tokijin sheath.
Inuyasha awoke with a start and fell off Isamu. Taka shrieked slightly and got dragged off when Inuyasha fell.
"What was that for!" Inuyasha exclaimed.
Isamu snickered.
"Well, little brother, you wouldn't wake up when Isamu tried to wake you," Sesshomaru smirked.
Inuyasha growled.
"Where are we?" Taka asked sleepily.
"We're at the sea where the sorceress is supposed to be," Kuragari stopped by them.
Inuyasha stood and helped Taka up.
"Just beyond these trees the ocean will be visible," Sesshomaru raised a hand.
He used poison claw and slashed down the row of trees. The sun shone brightly and the ocean shimmered.
"Where's the cave Akemi spoke of?" Kagome looked around.
"She said ask the creatures of the ocean," Sango landed with Kirara, Miroku and Kohaku.
"And how we supposed to ask them?" Inuyasha growled, "they live underwater!"
"I think they found us," Shippo whimpered and hid behind Kirara's mane.
Sure enough it looked as if heads were poking out of the water. One submerged and came up at the shore.
"Mer-people!" gasped Kagome when she seen that they looked human.
The front lifted her head from the water.
"What is it you want in our master's land?" she asked.
Her hair was long and green while her eyes were red. She wore a purple bikini like top. There were two others with her. Both were male and quite muscular. One had red hair and blue eyes and the other had an orange color hair with brown eyes.
"Akemi sent us," Sango explained, "she told us your master could help with my brother."
The mermaid looked at Kohaku and her eyes narrowed.
"A strange magic encircles the boy," she growled, "what is it?"
"A shard of the Shikon no tama."
They all smirked. The female made a high pitched whistle. A small fish emerged and she whispered in it's ear. It nodded and swam off. After awhile a woman walked along the shore. She had ankle long wavy blonde hair, a really light blue color eyes and wore a long white robe.
"Akemi-san sent you?" she asked politely.
"Hai," Sango and Kohaku got off Kirara.
"The boy Akemi spoke of," the woman glanced at Kohaku.
"Can you help us?" asked Miroku.
"Of course I will," she turned and started walking away, "follow me."
The mer-people swam after her and the others followed. The mermaid smirked and dived under again.
"By the way... I am Kumiko," the woman said while walking.
The group nodded. They came to a cave and Kumiko walked in.
"Stay out here... I'll be back," she disappeared into the darkness.
A splash of water was heard from the shore behind them. Inuyasha turned. The two mermen grabbed him and Taka dragging them into the water, since they were the closest to the shore.
"Taka! Inuyasha!" everyone exclaimed.
Kumiko walked out.
"Kumiko!" Kagome cried, "you have to help them!"
Kumiko smirked.
"I'm afraid I can't do that," she said simply.
"Nande!" Kuragari snarled.
She raised her hand.
"Youkai spellbound," she whispered.
Sesshomaru and Kuragari snarled and fell to their knees. Kirara roared and shrunk along with Isamu. Even Shippo fell to the ground in pain.
"Kuragari-kun!" Kagome kneeled beside Kuragari.
He looked up at Kumiko and growled before he snarled in pain again.
"And you miko..." Kumiko's hair rose and some chains encircled Kagome.
She cried out when they tightened.
"Kagome-chan!" Sango tried to get the chains off.
Her hand got shocked back. Kuragari snarled at Kumiko viciously. Kumiko laughed.
Underwater Taka and Inuyasha struggled to get released from the grip of the mermen.
'Got to get hot enough!' thought Taka.
Her hand glowed a bit and she grabbed the merman's arm. He cried out in pain and pulled away. Taka swam over to Inuyasha and burnt the other merman's arm. Both began swimming to the surface from the depth they were at.
"Kazanna!" Miroku exclaimed removing the prayer beads.
Kumiko disappeared and reappeared behind Miroku. She ran a knife down his arm and he pulled away, closing the tunnel in pain. Kumiko smirked.
"The chains will keep the miko busy... the youkai are under a bind to keep them from attacking... and you and Sango best keep out of my way," she warned.
"Or what!" Sango growled.
"Or... your dear brother will pay the price," she smirked.
"Don't touch him!" Sango threatened.
"Don't worry all I want is the fragment he has in his back... I'll let him live," she raised a hand.
Kohaku cried out. Some kind of magic flew from Kumiko's hand and at Kohaku. Once it was all inside him the shard shot out. A small amount of blood splattered from the small wound.
"Kohaku!" Sango cried.
The shard landed in Kumiko's hand. She smiled.
"I don't think you'll keep that for long!" Taka shot out of the water and slashed at Kumiko's pale hand.
Inuyasha also jumped out of the water.
"Keh... think a couple of fish will kill us?" he smirked.
Kumiko growled and held her bleeding hand. Taka made a run for the shard that flew out of Kumiko's hand. A large undescribable creature burst from the water snarling. It was disgusting. Taka stopped in her tracks, the shard right in front of the monster. Kumiko laughed.
"The creatures of the ocean all love me... meaning they will do anything for me... and this one... I might order it to kill you all if you don't hand over the shard peacefully."
Taka growled and stared up at the large beast. Tentacles from it wrapped around Sango and Miroku and dragged them to the ground. Taka and Inuyasha dodged a few that flew at them.
"Aneue," whispered Kohaku.
Sango opened her eye and smiled a bit at Kohaku before she cried out in pain as the tentacles tightened.
"Aneue!"
Sorry Toshi didn't appear in this chappie. Toshi will do something at the end of the next chapter... then we'll see what she's up to