Freedom

Chapter11: How the World Turns Part I

"Who has not hoped
To outrage an enemy's dignity?
Who has not been swept
By the wish to hurt?
And who has not thought that the impersonal world
Deserves no better than to be destroyed
By one fabulous sign of his displeasure?"

J. Bronowski, (The Face of Violence)

Inuyasha was being really quiet. Not like before when someone would ask him something and he would give a short, one word answer. He was sulky, more subdued…he was…being annoying.

Kagome huffed and glanced over at her partner. They were currently in their camp's alcove in the arena, watching a demon from the Kaji clan attempt to fight a large Oni. The demon was only a fraction of the Oni's height and was striking at one of the beast's clawed toes. Kagome sighed. The fight wouldn't last that long. All she had to do was turn away before the Oni mauled the demon. Oh…speak of the devil.

Kagome heard Inuyasha chuckle beside her and turned in his general direction, a hand firmly clasped over her eyes. "Why are you laughing at me? How can you sit there and watch that?"

She waited for Inuyasha to answer, her eyes still firmly covered. When he spoke his voice held a dark humor that made the hairs on the back of Kagome's neck stand on end. "It's easy to see it, once you've seen it enough… and you can look now. They've picked up his pieces."

Kagome grimaced and peeked in between her fingers. Slaves were filtering into the arena to throw buckets of water onto the blood soaked sand. Kagome wrinkled her nose in revulsion. "Disgusting."

"I agree," Inuyasha said flatly as he lazily eyed the field. "They missed a piece of his foot."

Kagome glared at him before she huffed again and turned away. "You're repulsive," she mumbled softly.

"I agree."

Kagome looked up in surprise to see a pair of deep cerulean eyes staring at her intently, inches from her face. Kagome gasped and leaned back, almost falling forward off of the bench when the owner of those eyes reached out and grabbed her wrist before she hit the ground. Inuyasha first looked down at her, then at the owner of the hand wrapped around her wrist. "Hands off Kouga!"

For the first time Kagome recognized the youkai as the one that almost had a face off with Inuyasha when they had arrived at the arena. His face was rugged and handsome and his long black hair had been pulled back in a high ponytail. Kagome's mouth fell open in the shape of an 'O'. Why were all youkai males so good looking? Kagome paused as she thought back to Iyana…….Why were most youkai males so good looking?"

"I was just making sure she didn't brain herself on the ground half-breed, jeez…Not like it's any of your business anyway."

At the phrase 'half-breed' Kagome expected Inuyasha to become angry like he had before but his eyes suddenly looked tired and he gave Kouga a weary look. "Fine wolf…whatever…" Then he turned back to the arena as the crowd began to cheer on a new demon that had entered the ring, from the Kaeru clan.

Kagome gave him a concerned look as he began to regress into the same mood he'd been in since the day before yesterday. And he'd just started to act normal again too…well normal for him. Kagome sighed, then noticed that there was something still attached to her wrist.

"Umm…can I help you?"

Kouga blinked and shook his head no. Kagome gave him a deadpan look and jiggled the hand that was still clasped firmly in his. He still didn't let go.

"What do you want?"

Kouga's eyes narrowed and he leaned forward, ignoring Kagome's question. She frowned but allowed him to get so close that her eyes were nearly crossed as she tried to focus on him. After a few moments his eyes suddenly brightened and he smiled.

"You're pretty. You are now my woman."

Kagome blinked and him and finally reached down to pry their hands apart. She slowly backed away and sat back down next to Inuyasha. "I'm sorry but…I'm not interested."

For a moment Kouga looked shocked, but he quickly got over it and growled at Inuyasha.

"Hey mutt! I saw her first!"

Inuyasha blinked and looked up from his claws for the first time in the whole conversation. "What are you talking about?"

"Kagome's mine! She could do way better than some dirty half-breed, so I've claimed her."

Inuyasha frowned and glanced over at Kagome, who was trying to ignore them, to Kouga, who was giving him a hot glare. "I have…no idea…what you're talking about…"

Kouga bared his teeth and if possible his glare grew in intensity. "She's mine!"

Inuyasha gave Kouga an exasperated look. "The only reason you want her is because she's my Enjo. Go hit on you own. What her name? Ayame?"

Kouga's looked confused. "Is that her name?"

Inuyasha shook his head and went back to examining his nails. "Yeah, idiot wolf…"

Before Kouga could come up with anything to say Karan came rushing over and placed herself right between the two youkai. "Inuyasha are you up for another fight?"

Inuyasha gave the trainer a questioning look and she rushed to explain herself. "That fighter that we brought to replace Miroku at the last minute just passed out."

"From what?" Kagome asked, finally coming out of her own little world.

"He was walking out onto the field and stepped on a piece of the last fighter. It was his foot I believe--" Inuyasha gave a small smile. "--but now we're down a fighter. Do you think you can manage? I know this is your first tournament."

Inuyasha stared at her for a moment before he shrugged and got to his feet. Kagome wordlessly handed him his sword and gave him an encouraging smile.

"Wait a minute! You could've asked me!" Kouga exclaimed sharply, also jumping to his feet.

Karan gave the wolf youkai an odd look. "Are you jealous Kouga?"

The youkai's eyes bulged. "No!"

Karan blinked at him before she laughed in his face. "Yeah you are. Go tell Ayame to give you your weapon. You two can double-match. I'll go tell Touran so she can inform Lord Jishin."

Kagome and Inuyasha eyed Kouga dubiously as the noble Hyou youkai walked off but Kouga ignored them as he suddenly grasped Kagome's hands in his own.

"Don't worry about me. I'll survive this fight and come back to you."

Kagome's eyes narrowed in confusion as the wolf-youkai took off down the alcove, searching for his Enjo. "I always get the weird ones. I can never meet a guy that's sane and…not evil," Kagome mumbled to herself.

She sighed and sat down on the bench, reaching for the lead block. Since they had a couple extra minutes, she could sharpen Inuyasha's sword for him. She reached out and snatched it away from him before he could stop her.

"What are you doing? I can do that myself!"

"This is my job," she snapped in exasperation "It's basically all I do!"

Inuyasha watched her for a few moments before he gave in with a huff, plopping down next to her. Kagome scrapped the block over the blade extra hard and just like before and was rewarded with Inuyasha's heated glare.

"Wench."

"Jerk."

"Bitch."

"Stinky."

Kagome just sighed and handed him his sword back. "Fine you win. Good luck in your fight. Be careful okay? You're still injured."

Inuyasha gave her a weird look. Hadn't they just been fighting? The hanyou didn't dwell on it. He just nodded and walked over to Karan, who was waving him over, Kouga already at her side.

"Are you afraid half-breed? Don't worry. I'll take care of your Enjo when you die."

Inuyasha's lip curled back in disgust and he tightened his grip on his sword. "You really are an idiot. Kagome doesn't even know your name."

The wolf blinked in surprise and thought for a moment. "Well, that's okay. I'll tell her after the fight and then she'll be my woman."

Inuyasha made a revolted sound in the back of his throat and glared at the youkai. Karan cleared her throat as a bell began to toll, meaning that one of the large cages that were underneath the arena was being opened.

"I believe you two have money to make us. Go and remember, you're fighting the Oni, not each other."

Both men grunted and stalked out of the alcove and into the ring. The crowd screamed as the two Shihitou walked out and waited for the opening across from them to open.

"You scared mutt?"

Inuyasha laid a hand on his sword and ground his teeth. "If you don't stop asking me that I will rip your tongue out and wrap it around your head."

Kouga just snorted and gripped his own weapon. The crowd was beginning to quiet and the two fighters could easily hear the sound of heavy breathing coming from that gate. The bell stopped ringing when the metal bars of the cage opened fully and the crowd hushed completely. Everyone's eyes were on that door.

Inuyasha bent his knees slightly and squared his footing. He flicked the hilt of the blade out of the scabbard and narrowed his eyes. Kouga mirrored his stance and the two Shihitou narrowed their eyes.

A gust of wind whipped through the arena and with it came a deafening roar. Suddenly three, large, beast-like, Oni came charging out of the gate, causing the crowd to gasp and scream, then cheer. The Oni were bear-like in appearance and at least 12 feet tall, with lumbering bodies and small heads. With a crash they used their body weight to fall down from standing on their hind legs to walking on all fours.

The two Shihitou had straightened and stood shock-still in awe.

"Whoa…"

Inuyasha nodded.

"Why'd we…get the big ones?"

Inuyasha nodded again.

"Scared half-breed?"

Inuyasha started to nod again but caught himself and suddenly unsheathed his sword. "I told you! I fucking told you not to ask me that again!"

With that Inuyasha threw himself at Kouga and the Oni attacked.

Touran banged her head against the wall in front of her. Anyone would think that this would hurt after a while but with as long as Touran had been living…and as long as she's had the habit…it's amazing what the body can get used to.

"What." Bang "in the world." Bang "caused you." Bang "to put." Bang "those two." Bang "in the ring." Bang "together?"

Karan just smiled as she leaned against the very same wall Touran was using to vent her frustration. The two of them were standing just outside the door that led to the special observer's seats. Behind the door was a flight of stairs that led to the balcony overlooking the entire arena. Usually the Lord that was sponsoring the tournament sat up there, along with his family or any guests he wanted to bring. Touran had been sitting up there with Lord Jishin when Karan had arrived and asked the Lord directly (she completely ignored Touran altogether) if she could alter the next fight. Lord Jishin had readily agreed. When Touran had seen who Karan had switched out she hadn't been able to believe it and had only waited until Inuyasha had drawn his sword against Kouga to pull Karan aside.

"I don't think it's a bad idea. Inuyasha's convinced that he needs no help from anyone except Miroku and even then he gives in fighting. Inuyasha's the type of person that needs to be proved wrong before he'll bend," Karan stated, as she trained her ears on the fight outside.

Touran paused for a moment before continuing her self abuse. "But why those two?" Bang

"Kouga needs to be knocked off his mountain and it someone he thinks is inferior to him does it, all the better."

Touran groaned. "I don't want to know what's happening…" Bang

Kouga dodged Inuyasha's sword as the hanyou swung at his head, drawing his own and moving to counterattack. He was blocked, not by Inuyasha, but by Oni #1's right paw. The wolf glared and stabbed at the paw with his sword but only managed to pull an irritated roar from the thing.

"Damnit!"

The wolf jumped back but had to immediately jump to the left to avoid being squished by Oni #2. Kouga stabbed at that one as well but his sword only glanced off its thick fur and once again Kouga cursed. He heard a similar curse from Inuyasha who was trying to fight off Oni #3 in order to get to him.

Kouga ducked under another paw and jumped up at Oni # 2's face, managing to slash him across the nose. The Oni roared and swatted at the pest in front of him and managed to send Kouga flying. Oni #3 finally seemed to get the better of Inuyasha and it sent the hanyou flying in the same direction. Both Shihitou hit the ground and skidded back a few feet until their momentum gave out and they slid to a stop.

The crowd screamed. The two fighters groaned.

"That hurt," Kouga murmured as he stared up at the sky.

Inuyasha just heaved a sigh.

"This isn't working."

Inuyasha grunted.

"You're scared aren't you?"

Inuyasha let out a snarl that made the three Oni's sound kitten-like. He rolled over and reached for Kouga's neck.

"I'll kill you!"

The two Shihitou rolled around on the ground and began to kick up dust. Inuyasha managed to get the upper hand and basically straddled Kouga's chest while punching him in the head.

"Stupid wolf! I told you what would happen! I told you! Go straight to hell!"

Kouga managed to free one of his hands and jabbed two fingers into Inuyasha's eyes. "Take that dirty half-breed!"

Inuyasha snarled again and jabbed him back. "Bastard!"

Touran stared down blankly at her two Shihitou from the balcony as kicked up dust around them. The crowd was still screaming, laughing hysterically at the two men, who seemed oblivious to everything but each other. Lord Jishin also was watching the two Shihitou, an amused smile pulling his curling his lips.

"This is very entertaining Touran. Is it a new idea you're trying?"

Touran rested her elbow on the stone railing of the balcony, heaving a heavy sigh when a particularly loud curse reached her ears. "No Jishin. I have nothing to do with this."

The ancient youkai shook his head but gave a loud bark of laughter when the Oni suddenly became tired of watching their two opponents attack each other, and rushed the two Shihitou brawling on the ground. They both jumped away from each other and dodged the three Oni's vicious attacks only to lunge at each other again, snarling and assaulting the other Shihitou with claws and fangs.

Touran's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. She sat in shock for a moment as the Oni once again tried to get their opponents to fight them instead of themselves. Inuyasha and Kouga merely did the same thing again, dodging the three Oni and resuming their heated fight.

Touran's eyebrow twitch and she gave a soft growl. The others seated in the balcony looked up at her in surprise as she jumped to her feet and climbed up onto the stone railing.

"Both of you stop that at once!"

Surprisingly her voice managed to carry over the crowd's cheers and they slowly fell silent so they could turn their gazes to the noble panther-youkai balanced on the railing of the balcony. Even the Oni stopped their attack to peer at her curiously. The only ones not paying her any attention were the very ones that she was yelling at. That fact only angered her further.

"Would the both of you stop fucking around!"

Touran saw Inuyasha glance up at her before he quickly turned back to Kouga to block one of the ookami's kicks to his head.

"Wolf! Wait a minute!"

Kouga paused just as he was about to throw another punch and sneered at the hanyou. "Oh? Scared now are you?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and he quickly forgot why he had paused the fight in the first place. He scooped up the sword that had been knocked out of his hand when he had been thrown by the Oni and swung at the wolf's head. Kouga knocked the sword away with his wrist guard and jumped back a few paces. Inuyasha rushed again and was about to land the perfect hit in Kouga's unprotected side when a large rock hit him in the back of the head.

The hanyou's eyes crossed and he staggered forward slightly, blinking owlishly. Kouga began to laugh but was quickly cut off when a rock even larger than the one that had hit Inuyasha, had hit him in the temple. He staggered back as well and donned a look similar to the one Inuyasha wore.

"Both of you stop being idiots and fight those Oni. You're costing us money you know!" Karan yelled from their camp's alcove, recovering from her throw of both rocks.

The crowd had gone back to screaming so any retort that the two disgruntled Shihitou could have made would have been drowned out. Kouga scooped up his own sword with one hand and rubbed the growing knot on the side of his head with the other.

"Shit…that hurt…"

"I'm surprised that you felt it with a skull that hard," Inuyasha groused as he swaggered over to stand beside the wolf.

Kouga glared at him but didn't say anything as they both turned to face the Oni who were pawing the ground as they prepared to rush.

"How about this mutt? We finish off these Oni and when we get back to the compound we'll finish our own fight."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and regarded Kouga suspiciously. "Are you saying you want a truce?"

The ookami-youkai turned his nose up as if the very idea revolted him but he gave a jerky nod. Inuyasha mirrored his expression and grunted. "Fine wolf…but as soon as this is over I'm gonna kick your ass."

Kouga smirked and let out a bark of laughter. "Yeah right mutt…"

Inuyasha growled deep in his throat but didn't have a chance to say the snappy comeback that had leaped into his brain. The three Oni had finally seemed to tire completely of their opponents' procrastination and jumped toward the two Shihitou as one huge, snarling, intimating mass.

(AN): Is it late? Most definitely so. But is it here? You've just read it. Let's count our blessings…

I'm guessing that most of you are aware what is happening it New Orleans right now. This is about as serious as you'll ever see me. The loss of life is horrendous and disheartening. So many people that I'll never get a change to know…

Please, if you're able to, do all you can to help?

I'm not trying to depress anybody (too late for me) so I'll end by saying: HIGH SCHOOL ROCKS! (But happens to be very time consuming)

Which is why this chapter is so late (short too). Sorry but…:shrugs: What are you gonna do? Nothing…Nothing at all. And guess what! It was LD's birthday last weekend!

Now she's old…ha ha…

(Don't kill me!)

Watch this space. Review and no I don't own Inuyasha. (Yes I do! :Gets smacked by Muse: OW!)