Chapter Eleven
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"You wish me to draw out this game, I see." Hiten chuckles cockily, still hovering a good ways above Inuyasha. "Fine, I shall relish in your prolonged suffering."
'Well…he is elegant in his speech at least.' I think to myself dryly, before glancing towards my bow.
"I've heard similar threats from a number of poor fools who's memories I keep alive by dancing on their tomb stones." Inuyasha bites back, and I'm mildly surprised by the detail he put into it.
Wonder how long he'd been practicing that one.
"Perhaps in your dreams! Enough delay!" Hiten replies, twirling his staff. "Time to meet your own unfortunate demise!" He cries, before diving back down towards Inuyasha. Inuyasha barely manages to dodge the first blow, the ground erupting under where he had just been standing. Hiten hardly takes a moment before he starts to come down at Inuyasha with his staff once more. Inuyasha parries each blow, but he's continuing to be driven back by the onslaught from the older Thunder Brother.
'He won't be able to keep that up for much longer.' I think to myself in worry. Then Manten starts to cheer with joy beside me.
"I'll lend my assistance, brother!" He calls, his mouth filling with lightening. My eyes widen in disbelief.
"I don't think so!" I cry out, shoving him forward off of the cloud as a knee jerk reaction. My eyes widen in shock as it works, and he falls head first into the ground, his lightening flashing about him through the dust. When it clears he's seen laying in the bottom of a large crater, clearly unconscious.
Then the cloud starts to disappear from under me.
"I really didn't think this through!" I shout out, screaming as the cloud disappears completely and I start to go hurtling towards the ground.
"Yua! I'm coming!" Inuyasha shouts as I fall, and I can't help but think that he definitely wouldn't be making it in time as Hiten launches another series of attacks. I look down, realizing that I'm going to land directly in the crater created my Manten when I had shoved him from the cloud.
'Use your energy to slow your fall, or you'll be killed!' Mayumi shouts at me. I bring my hands in front of me, extending my arms forward. With the palm of my hands facing downward I let out a blast of my aura, and it works just as Mayumi says. I land with a grunt on my hands and knees beside Manten's body, saying a silent thank you to Mayumi for her guidance. I was sure I would end up a pancake!
"Now that wasn't very nice." Manten's voice rumbles from beside me. My eyes go wide as I stiffen up, before frantically looking around for my bow and arrows. Elated I see my bow laying just within the reach of my hand, quickly grabbing it and scrambling back away from the furious Thunder Brother.
'Where are my arrows?!' Looking upwards behind Manten I'm greeted with an unwelcoming sight.
There was my quiver, laying at the top of the crater, behind Manten.
'Just my luck, they are in the worst possible place!' I groan, shakily standing up. Manten stomps towards me, and my eyes zero in on the arrows still in his nose.
"Time for some fox magic!" Shippo's voice suddenly calls out as he appears, a top on a drawstring in his hand. He lets it rip loose, spinning as it lands on Manten's head.
"Holy crap!" I stare in amazement when the top gets larger as it spins rapidly, effectively pushing Manten's head back down into the dirt. I turn towards Shippo as he stands on the edge of the crater, his little hand holding onto my quiver of arrows. I quickly climbing up the steep incline and to the little fox demon, kneeling before him he drops my arrows to the side, leaping into my chest as my arms instinctively wrap around him.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Shippo cries out, and I can hear the relief in his voice. Touched, I hug him tightly for a moment, running my hand over his unruly hair.
"It's alright, Shippo. We're going to be fine, but we have to keep moving." I frown, standing and grabbing my quiver from him. I clip it securely to my belt once more, throwing my bow over my shoulder. Looking back down into the hole I can see Shippo's attack still working. "That was impressive by the way."
"It's an illusion." Myoga speaks up from Shippo's shoulder. "That's what fox magic is all about."
"You couldn't keep your big mouth shut, could you?" Shippo growls, looking extremely annoyed at his secret being outed.
"That's an illusion?" I ask dubiously as I watch the big top continue to pin the Thunder Brother down. I look to Shippo. "Either way it's still really cool."
"Thank you, Yua!" Shippo grins then happily. This kid really responded well to positive praise.
"Observe." Myoga comments, and I look back down from Shippo to Manten. The top slowly seems to shrink in size once more as it's speed drops, before finally toppling over in it's original side off of Manten's head. Holy shit, that kid had tricks! Manten sits up slowly, reaching for the top and glaring down at it. As he does, the worst thing possible happens.
His single strand of hair slowly breaks from the top of his head, and drifts down in front of him.
"Oh no! My beautiful hair!" He cries out, his voice filled with anguish. "Gone! They're all gone! Every last one of my hairs!"
'Seriously, he only had three strands left. This shouldn't be the end of the world for him!' I think to myself frowning. Nevertheless Manten tilts his head back, his mouth opening and filling with lightening. I can feel the force of his power building, and it's even more charged than when he had lost his first two stands.
"YOU HAVE PLUCKED MY LAST STRANDS OF HAIR!" Manten's voice echoes throughout the area as his lightening streams from his mouth in wayward directions. I pick up Shippo quickly, racing away as fast as I can as I feel the ground breaking apart behind me. The hair on my neck is standing on end from the power of the lightening just barely missing us. I race towards the cover of the trees, momentarily thinking of the irony. You weren't supposed to hide under trees in a thunderstorm, after all.
"Now we've done it." I groan as I slump back behind a tree, still holding Shippo as I catch my breath. "I swear he's worse than most girls I know!" Little fires burn all around us from the charred landscape, and I chance a glance around the tree, hoping to see Inuyasha out there somewhere and still alive.
"I can smell your fear." Manten's voice suddenly washes over us both as approaches. "I will hunt you down, and use one for my hair potion, and the other for a new belt." He promises as we both hide behind the tree while he passes. I feel protectiveness for the little fox demon I was holding flare up at his specific threat towards Shippo.
"Stay here." I set him down, frowning. "Not matter what happens you stay hidden, alright?"
"But what about you?" Shippo asks, worry clear in his voice.
"I'll be fine. I'm not going to let him hurt you." I reply firmly, before quietly taking my bow back into my hand. "Just stay here and stay quiet!" I hiss lowly at him, slowly moving from our hiding spot. As I move quietly around another tree I can see Manten continuing back towards the clearing. Making sure to get as far away from Shippo as possible, I make myself known to him as I approach to the side.
"Yo! Baldy!" I notch my arrow, waiting for him to turn. As he does I narrow my eyes at the jewel shards gleaming in his forehead.
And this time I wouldn't miss. I take a deep breath in, and release the arrow.
'Come on…' I think as Manten seems frozen in place. My eyes widen in shock as I watch the arrow hit my intended target, the jewels flying out from his forehead.
"My jewel shard!" Manten cries out, turning towards it. Before he can reach them, however, Shippo bounds in. The little fox demon snatches it up, before racing towards me. I catch him as he leaps into my arms, taking the offered jewel shard. He moves up to sit on my shoulder, little hands grabbing onto my hair gently for balance.
"It's ours now." I reply firmly, holding the jewel shard between my index finger and my thumb. Manten snarls as he glares at us.
"So be it, I don't need that thing to kill you both!" He proclaims cockily. "Besides, my girth has been increasing as of late, and I need another little fox pelt to widen this belt." He smirks cruelly, patting at the fur of Shippo's Father. "You'll soon be reunited with your Father, boy." I can feel my rage building. "Should I kill you first, or skin you alive like your Father?" He goes on, Shippo physically shaking with grief and fear on my shoulder. "Perhaps I'll even use your toes for a new set of earrings!"
"Very clever, Manten!" Hiten suddenly calls out, and I look over to see him hovering over Inuyasha. The half demon was on the ground, hand clenching at a wound in his shoulder as Tessaiga laid nearby, useless.
'Did he get hurt because he was too distracted with me?' I think, remembering hearing his voice yelling at me before. Guilt washes over me, before anger quickly comes back to replace it.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were becoming something of a villain." Hiten delivers his backhanded comment, but Manten doesn't seem to take it that way. He grins proudly, throwing his head back in happy laughter. Was he really so desperate for his older brother's approval?
"Why thank you, brother!" Manten exclaims happily. "It is so kind of you to say so!"
"What a twisted family." I mutter to myself. Shippo leaps down from my shoulder before I can stop him, charging towards Manten. He jumps up, digging his little fangs into Manten's neck.
"Shippo!" I frown, Manten grumbling with annoyance as he begins to try and push the small demon off.
"Trying to hasten your fate? Release me at once you little pest!" Manten raises his fist and begins to punch Shippo on the head repeatedly. The stubborn little guy still hangs on. "Release me immediately, fox tyke! Remove those baby teeth from me right now!"
"Manten! What do you think? Should we make this half-breed whelp watch as we kill his woman first?" Hiten shout to his brother, and I inwardly groan.
I wasn't his woman!
Manten momentarily stops punching Shippo to respond. "Brilliant idea, brother! Then I'll kill this little pest and add him to my collection of fur!" He agrees, his beady eyes turning towards me. I quickly notch another arrow, aiming it directly for Manten's chest.
'But what if I hit Shippo by accident?' I worry then, the little bugger hanging onto the demon's jugular with everything he had.
"I'll be the first to admit that I've earned my share of bad karma in the past." Inuyasha speaks up, slowly moving to stand. "But I'm innocent compared to you two swine!" His voice is filled with anger, his gaze deadly as he stares up at the elder Thunder Brother. He reaches his claws into his wound, before throwing his hand outward.
"Blades of Blood!" He cries out, the red streaks of his blood coated energy flying towards the unsuspecting Hiten. He brings up his staff, blocking the attack.
"Finally this is starting to get interesting!" Hiten proclaims cockily, looking at Inuyasha with a deranged smile. Inuyasha takes the time to race for Tessaiga, the sword transforming once again as he took hold of it and pried it from the ground. He leaps up into the air, tossing Tessaiga directly at Hiten.
But that hadn't been his intended target.
'SHIPPO MOVE!" I shout, before dropping my bow and arrow and using my energy to surround his little body. I manipulate it, forcing him to let go of Manten as his body flies directly into my arms. I hold onto him tightly then, holding his head to my chest as my eyes watch on in wide eyed shock.
Manten was kneeling on the ground, impaled by Tessaiga.
Inuyasha had used his opportunity to hit Hiten to kill Manten instead, to make sure that Shippo and I were both safe.
'Alpha…' The term hits me hard then as I look from where Manten was now dying, over towards where Inuyasha stood confidently. His amber eyes flickered from Manten to me, locking on my own green ones. There was something in them, an emotion I hadn't seen before and couldn't put a name to, but it made me feel safe.
'Tessaiga! I need to get it to Inuyasha!' I rush forward with Shippo, the poor boy barely conscious in my arms from the beating he had taken to his head. I grab Tessaiga, the sword having reverted back to it's dulled form, pulling it from Manten's body.
"MANTEN!" Hiten shouts, rage clear in his voice.
"D-don't leave my Father behind." Shippo begs, and I look to where the fur was still wrapped around Manten's body. Putting Tessaiga down I reach for it, tugging it loose and wrapping Shippo up in it. I pick the sword back up then, holding Shippo and his Father in my other hand.
"YUA! Get OUT of there! He's going to kill you!" Inuyasha's screams at me, and looking up I can see Hiten racing towards us. He raises his staff, and I raise my hand holding Tessaiga at the exact same time. Forcing my energy outwards into the sword I meet his lightening head on, the blast sending all of us backwards. I let go of Tessaiga to hold Shippo tight to my body as we fall to the ground, grunting as I take the brunt of the fall. Groaning I sit up with Shippo out cold against me, looking over towards Hiten as he now kneels beside his brother. Tessaiga is laying near.
"Hiten, they're gone. Every last strand of my hair has fallen." Manten groans weakly. "With them so is lost my hopes of becoming happy."
Well that seems a little dramatic.
"Don't be so foolish Manten, we can make it grow back!" Hiten replies, helping to hold his brother up.
"It's no use kidding myself, I'll never have your beautiful hair." Manten goes on, and I can't help lifting an eyebrow. "You were fortunate enough to inherit Father's looks, but fate smote me. It was my unfortunate lot in life to take after our homely Mother, and her receding hairline and decidedly reptilian countenance. How I longed for the looks of you and Father!"
Seriously. These could be the last few moments of your life and this is what you choose to have a discussion about with your brother?
"Beauty isn't about what is on the outside! I wouldn't change anything about you brother, I love every last bald inch of you!"
"Thank you, even if you don't mean it." Manten replies pathetically. "Say a prayer for me when I'm gone. Pray that I'll return as a fuzzy caterpillar, covered in hair from head to furry toe." My mouth drops open slightly at that.
'This was the guy that had kicked my ass earlier? This fucking pansy?' I can't help thinking in embarrassment. 'Inuyasha is never going to let me live that down.'
"No, who am I kidding. I would be reborn bald again, if that meant being reborn your brother. Wouldn't that be nice, Hiten?" Manten corrects. I frown, having enough of this sappy shit and slowly getting to my feet, eyes narrowing in on Tessaiga.
How was I going to get past Hiten long enough to get the sword to Inuyasha?
"Manten! Please don't die!" Hiten exclaims as Manten goes slack in his arms. Inuyasha comes running up to us then, looking at me with concern, his eyes dropping to Shippo in my arms.
"Are you guys okay?" He asks urgently, and I nod.
"Thanks to you." I frown as I look at his shoulder. "How about you?"
"Oh, you know, just another easy day saving your ass." Inuyasha replies dryly, and I can't help but roll my eyes at him.
"I'm sorry for once again slowing you down." He easily reads into the sarcasm, his face taking on an expression of annoyance.
"Damn right you are! I'll tell you what, though, sword or no sword I'm not going to let Hiten get the better of me!" He pauses for a moment. "And it's not because I'm your lover!"
"Shut up! I didn't say that!" I groan, throwing my head back in frustration as a blush heats my cheeks. "That asshole assumed it!"
"I know, I just like seeing you blush." Inuyasha backs off in a shocking one-eighty, shrugging his shoulders easily. My mouth falls open in disbelief, before I reach out and smack him hard on his shoulder.
His injured shoulder.
"OW Hey! I'm wounded here!" Inuyasha shouts indignity, hand moving to hold onto his shoulder.
Okay, I feel a little guilty. Definitely not enough to apologize, though.
"YOU WRETCHES!" Hiten's voice bellows out from over his brother's dead body, effectively ending our banter. Lightening was streaking wildly across the sky as thunder roared in it's wake. "You slaughtered my brother!" There were actual tears falling fro the demon's eyes, and I'm shock to see that real grief was apparent on his face. "My dear Manten, rest assured that we shall always be as one!"
Then he bites his brother on the head. Fangs and all.
"Uh…what the hell is he doing?" I ask as I cradle Shippo's head to me with one hand, the other arm holding his body to me. The instinct to cover as much of him as possible with my arms to block out the danger was overwhelming. I had never felt so protective over someone before. Something deep inside of me was thrumming, something protective and…maternal?
"He is fusing the powers of his brother's body with his own. Luckily Yua was able to get the Sacred Jewel shard out before, or else he would have grown exponentially in power." Myoga hops up with the explanation. Inuyasha blinks in surprise, looking to me.
"You got the shard?" He asked dubiously, and I reach into my pocket, pulling it out to show him. "Well, maybe you have been useful this time."
'This time?' I think with annoyance, remembering all the times I had helped him before. Of course he wouldn't remember that. Inuyasha takes out the silk bag from his pocket and I place the shard inside, before hanging the silk bag around my neck once more and tucking it safely away.
"You must be careful, Lord Inuyasha. Sacred Jewel shard or not, Hiten's power coupled with Manten's will make for a formidable opponent." Myoga goes on.
"You think?" Inuyasha asks dryly as Myoga jumps onto his shoulder, looking down at the flea unimpressed. "Hey, by the way, want the explain your noticeable absence up until now?" He pressed, Myoga giving his usual bashful laugh.
"I didn't bail on you! I had to make an itch that needed scratching!" Myoga states frantically, and I can't help sighing and shaking my head.
Suddenly light pours over us from where Hiten had been with Manten moments ago. Inuyasha grabs me around the waist as I hold onto Shippo, leaping away as Hiten's lightening strikes just where we had been standing. I look over Inuyasha's shoulder, eyes wide as I see the fissure in the earth where we had all just been.
"How dare you strike down my beloved brother?" Hiten's voice is low and filled with deadly rage. "I shall not stop until I have returned the deed!"
"Yua, you need to take Shippo and get as far away from here as possible." Inuyasha suddenly orders, and I frown at him, shaking my head.
"I'm not leaving you here to fight this guy by yourself!" I protest sharply, narrowing my eyes at him. Inuyasha seems a little taken aback for a moment, but his own eyes narrow at me in return.
"Do as I say. Now." His voice is lowered, growling low in his chest. That same damn warmth spreads through me that makes me want to listen to him, even as I try to fight it.
"Fine, but I'm not going far." 'In case you need me.' I think inwardly, Inuyasha frowning but not arguing. I turn, rushing away from him with Shippo while looking over to where Tessaiga is. If only there was a way for me to get it to him. I find a spot behind a hill a good distance away, making sure that I could see everything from where I was. Looking down at Shippo I can't help feeling a prang of worry. 'Poor little guy.'
"I shall avenge my brother! Prepare to die!" Hiten exclaimes, his focus solely on Inuyasha as he raises his staff into the air. A large orb forms on the end, so big that as I turn to look I know that Inuyasha won't be able to dodge it.
"INUYASHA!" I can't help shouting in fear for him, heart racing in my chest. He raises the sheath to his sword suddenly. Shockingly the sheath holds together as Inuyasha manages to block the blast, surprising even Hiten.
The light slowly fades and reveal Inuyasha standing there unscathed, deep crevices to either side of him where the lightening could escape. I feel movement against me, looking down then as I see Shippo slowly waking up.
"Hey, you alright?" I ask softly, allowing the fox demon a moment to wake up fully before I set him down with his Father's fur.
"Inuyasha is getting his butt kicked out there!" Shippo exclaims when he sees what is going on, frowning. I look over as well, worry seizing at my stomach as he continues to just barely block attack after attack Hiten makes.
"I wish there was some way we could help." I frown deeply, chewing on my lower lip as my gaze lands on Tessaiga once again.
"He probably wouldn't be as bad to fight if he couldn't fly." Shippo replies thoughtfully, and my eyes wide as I look towards the wheels by his ankles. That's it!
"You're a genius, Shippo!" I exclaim, before standing.
"What are you doing Yua?!" Shippo panics slightly. "Get down before he sees you!" I frown turning to look at him.
"I want you to get away from here, move as fast and as far as you can." I instruct him, paraphrasing the order that Inuyasha had given only moments before. Shippo looks up at me wide eyed, hesitating. "Go!" I lower my own voice, letting him know not to question me. There wasn't time for that. Inuyasha didn't have time for that. He nods solemnly then, leaving without any more hesitation.
'If Hiten is going to target me after I do this, I don't want Shippo caught in the cross-fire.' I think to myself waiting for the little fox demon to hide behind another hill a distance off. 'Mayumi, give me strength.' I think, closing my eyes for a moment. I feel her then, her familiar signature washing over me as her energy mingles with mine. I summon my energy, raising my left hand to create my bow, then my right to create an arrow. I open my eyes in time to see Inuyasha go down hard, struck by Hiten's lighting. Knowing there was no time to lose I draw it back my bow, taking aim at the wheel floating near his right ankle. "Don't miss." I mumble to myself, before releasing my arrow. It glowed brightly with my aura as it flew at Hiten, but he saw it too late. The arrow hit my target dead on, shattering the wheel.
I can't believe it actually worked!
Watching on in astonishment as Hiten wobbles unsteadily in the air, I can't help the swelling of pride I have. Inuyasha takes advantage as Hiten lowers to the ground unwillingly, grabbing his staff and pulling him in closer.
"You're mine." Inuyasha growls lowly, glaring up at the last living Thunder Brother.
"Your confidence is annoying!" Hiten responds, before his lightening sparks along his staff and directly into Inuyasha.
"What is he thinking?!" Myoga cries out as he appears in front of me watching the battle. "Lord Inuyasha may be strong indeed, but he is foolhardy grabbing onto the lightening pike like that!" He starts to jump up in down in his worry. "Let go of the pike, milord!" He pleads. I frown, watching Inuyasha intently as he either doesn't hear Myoga, or just ignores him.
"I don't need this thing anymore!" Inuyasha states as he throws the sheath belonging to Tessaiga to the side carelessly.
"Don't let go of the sheath, you fool, it's your only chance to triumph!" Myoga shouts in frustration at the bull-headed half demon.
"I'm going to do things my way!" Inuyasha shouts, before delivering a strong punch with his right hand to Hiten's cheek. It sends the demon flying backwards into the ground, surprise evident on his face. He slides along the ground, crashing into a nearby ridge, dirt raising up into the air. Inuyasha has a glare on his face as he breathes hard, his teeth grit together in determination.
'That was…kinda…hot.' I have to admit to myself, feeling a little warm now. He had taken him out with a single punch, and he looks dangerous as he stands there with his shoulders squared and ready. 'What the fuck is wrong with me?!' I groan to myself. There was something different about him defeating his opponent with a sword, and taking out a guy with his bare hands.
"Not bad for a half-breed, eh?!" Inuyasha childishly calls out to him.
The hotness of the moment is ruined.
"K.O. for master Inuyasha!" Myoga now cheers, completely changing his tune. "He slugged him right in the kisser! Downed him in the final round with the old right hook, yeah!"
Hiten slowly sits up as the dust settles, rubbing at his cheek with a frown on his face. "Hm, I've never been struck in the face before." He states as he slowly moves to stand. "I refuse to allow it again." He adds in a deadly calm voice.
Well somebody is pissed that they just got bitch slapped.
Then Hiten starts to glow blue with his aura, his power rising exponentially.
"This can't be good." I murmur weakly, his blood red eyes glaring at Inuyasha. Inuyasha hunches over at the ready, glaring right back at him defiantly.
"I'll see you in Hell you swine!" Hiten exclaims, before speeding towards Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha! Your sheath! Get your sheath!" I cry out, realizing that was the only way he would survive this next blow. Apparently he does as well as he dives for it, grabbing it and bringing it up to block just as Hiten's staff arches down at him.
A crack echoes through the clearing, my heart stopping with it. 'The sheath is starting to crack!' I think, eyes wide.
"I shall relish your demise more than any other half-breed!" Hiten proclaims, and something inside of me snaps. I jump from my hiding spot, throwing my arms in front of me with the heels of my hands touching.
'Yua, what on earth do you think you're doing?!' Mayumi shouts at me in disbelief. 'You're going to get yourself killed!' I ignore her, instead concentrating my energy into a purple ball that grows from where the heels of my hands meet. As it expands it touches my fingers as they spread outward, containing it. 'Yua! Even with this power you still aren't strong enough to beat him, and you're going to drain any energy you have left!'
'I can give Inuyasha a chance!' I argue back, before yelling out and sending the orb flying towards Hiten. He looks up too late, once again underestimating me, and my purple orb hits him directly in the side sending him flying. He lands yards away, skidding along the ground and creating a crevice in his wake. Inuyasha looks at me shocked, blinking as his mouth falls open while he lays there with the sheath still held above him.
"When the hell did you learn that one?!" He demands, and I grin wearily.
"It's new, thought of it on the spot." I reply honestly, though really, I had been thinking of a cartoon I used to watch back home. The characters had been able to create energy like I had just did, and would blast away their opponents in a single shot. However, unfortunately, I had not succeeded in killing mine. Hiten sat up, looking pissed as ever. My legs are barely holding me up, shaking so badly that I didn't know if I could move.
A bright yellow light forms in his mouth, Manten's attack, and it comes rumbling across the valley like a freight train straight towards me. My stomach sinks in realization knowing there was nowhere for me to run, or to hide.
"YUA!" Inuyasha screams, thankfully outside of the reach of the blow. He watches in disbelief, knowing he wouldn't be able to get to me in time.
"NO!" Shippo suddenly leaps into my arms with his Father still wrapped around him, naively trying to save me from the blow.
"Shippo!" I exclaim, turning swiftly as the lightening bore down on us. I tucked him in as tightly as I could into my chest, praying that my body would save him. The ground underneath of me erupts as I am paralyzed, unable to move. Thrown up into the air I hold on tightly to Shippo, the heat from the lightening searing at my skin.
Or was it?
We land hard together, Shippo knocked out almost instantly. I blink blearily, fully expecting to be burned alive as the flames rose around us.
Wait…those were blue flames, like Shippo's!
"Thank you for protecting my son. Now it is my turn to protect you." A deep voice resonates about us, and I can't stop the gasp of shock understanding who it is.
"Y-you're Shippo's Dad…" I trail off, speaking to the fire that now surrounded us.
"Please look after him for me. Tell him I love him very much." The voice added, before fading. The flames around us are completely covered in blue as a reach for Shippo, gathering him into my arms. His eyes open slightly, before snapping right open as he sees the familiar fox fire.
"Dad?" He asks weakly, and I nod, noticing that his Father's pelt was gone from around him.
Inuyasha's yell of fury brings my attention back to the battle as I stand, the fox fire continuing to surround us in protection. He was so lost in the fight that he didn't notice us, so intent on ending Hiten's life after he thought the demon had taken ours.
'He really does care.' I think to myself, watching as he fights passionately, rage clear in his face. It rivaled the anger that Hiten had showed when his brother had been killed.
'See, loyal.' Mayumi chimes in, and I have to admit that she's right.
Inuyasha's POV
"You'll regret the day that you crossed me!" The rage boils over, overwhelming the horrified guilt I had felt moments ago when Yua and Shippo's bodies had been struck. My instinct was to avenge them with everything I had, but what would I do afterwards? Where would I be? That damn woman had come here to my time, and fucked with my head to the point I actually felt a hole in my chest knowing she was gone. The damn fox demon pup too. Even if I had only known him for a day I had grown inexplicably attached. They were mine to protect, both of them, and I had failed.
I swing my head forward, clashing against Hitan's and effectively breaking the lock that we had been in. Hiten snarls, but he actually looks a little nervous now. Good, he should be nervous. He killed my friends…my pack. "All this because I killed the woman that you loved?!" Hiten asks in disbelief. "When will you learn that no woman is worth risking a battle over?!" I snarl at him, eyes narrowing. That's where he was wrong. He had sealed his fate the moment he had even looked in Yua's direction. Hell, his death had been decided the moment his brother had chosen to kidnap her. "A brother's revenge, on the other hand, is well worth fighting to the death for!" Hiten continues, letting out a cry as he charged towards me once more. I block him, momentarily flinching as the sheath bends further under the press of his staff, cracking more.
Then a pulse echoes from the sheath.
It's like the pulse I had felt the moment Tessaiga had come to life for me back in my Father's tomb. My eyes widen in shock as I see the sword suddenly racing towards me, like it had been summoned. I grab it in my right hand as it flies by. "Tessaiga!" I shout, Hiten's only warning before I bring the sword down onto Hiten. His eyes are wide, and I watch with intense gratification as the Thunder Brother's staff breaks in half, everything else seeming to freeze in the moment. Hiten slowly falls to his knees, his body disappearing leaving only the four jewel shards in his wake. I breathe heavily, looking down at the shards. Where was the relief that I had won? Where was the joy at having obtained the jewel fragments? Instead I was overwhelmed with cold grief and anger at myself as I kneel down weakly. I was their protector, I was Yua's protector, and I had let them both down.
'Yua…' I frown, shoulders hunching as I think of her green eyes, not wanting to look where her charred body no doubt now lay.
Yua's POV
The entire battle was intense, Inuyasha fighting with strength than I had ever seen him use before, not even with his own brother. I frown deeply as he falls to his knee in front of the jewel shards, exhaustion and pain from his wound no doubt taking it's toll. HIs head bows forward, but before it does I catch the sadness in his amber eyes.
Maybe it wasn't exhaustion…maybe it was grief?
"Lord Inuyasha, the jewel shards." Myoga murmurs, his voice holding a hint of sadness.
"I don't care about them." Inuyasha admits, and I feel shocked to the core. "If only I had taken care of Hiten sooner. I could have saved Yua and Shippo." His voice his filled with this heart-wrenching regret. I hold Shippo tighter to me then, my heart warming as I realize how much he really does care, even if he never admits to it.
"Inuyasha?" I speak up softly, the fox fire slowly starting to dim around Shippo and I. Inuyasha stands, turning quickly with a look of disbelief in his eyes.
"Y-Yua? Shippo?" He questions, looking incredibly fragile as he does. The last of the blue fire dissipates around us. "You're alive?!"
"Shippo's Father saved us using his fox magic." I explain softly, before looking down to Shippo in my arms. "Your Father said he loves you very much." I add gently to the boy, Shippo's eyes filling with tears then as he tucks his face against my chest. It's like the floodgates had finally opened on him, all the bravery he had shown since his Father's death now able to be put aside with the Thunder Brother's dead. He could finally allow himself to properly grief, his sobs muffled by my shirt. I feel a hand grab my right upper arm, looking up as Inuyasha is suddenly in front of us, pulling us in. He rests his forehead against my own, our breaths intermingling as Shippo sobs quietly between us. His amber eyes are burning into my green ones, a fierce look in them that sends a wave of warmth through me. His right hand never lets go of my arm, as if he was afraid if he did I would float away, and all this wouldn't be real.
"Inuyasha?" I question, my voice barely a whisper. I was afraid that if I spoke too loudly he'd come to his senses and push me away.
"Just shut-up and let me feel you." Inuyasha's gruff voice snaps, his eyes closing as he takes a deep breath. His left hand comes up, cupping the back of my neck under my ponytail, as if trying to prevent me from pulling away. Oh, he didn't have to worry, I wasn't going anywhere.
I was right where I belonged.
Soooooo, what do ya think? :D. Please feel free to leave some reviews about how you feel this story is progressing, any any thoughts on what you may like to see more of, or even less of. I just finished editing up to Chapter 17, and man, is THAT one a doozy! Lots of answers about Mayumi's past!
Until next time!
T.O.T.
