Chapter Seventeen
Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!
Thank you to: Kat, 95, Hina714, yorrusorra, Kiwimari, loserbopeep, Kagz419, RubyGemGreen, JumbledThoughts, FearofFalling, Huggies90, Tiggs1990
To those I couldn't private message:
Kat: Thank you again so much for your wonderful review! And you're welcome for mentioning you, haha, I was the least I can do for such amazing support for this story! I really appreciate hearing from you and enjoy your clear anticipation for each chapter! I look forward to hearing from you again soon!
'Mayumi?' I try again as we walk the path the following day. Holding back a groan of frustration when she doesn't answer, I try once more. 'Seriously, Mayumi, come on! You can't just go on ignoring me! You need to start answering some of my questions! You owe me answers!' I demand, knowing I was right. What had happened between her and Naraku?
'I do not owe you anything.' Mayumi finally responds, her tone uncharacteristically scathing. I blink in surprise.
What was her problem?!
"Hey, you alright?" Inuyasha's voice breaks through my mental trance, and I look up to him feeling slightly dazed.
"Yeah…yeah, I'm alright." I respond shakily, frowning as I look back to the ground.
"Then why do you look like that?" He pokes, and I clench my hands tightly into fists.
"I've been trying to get Mayumi to answer some questions, but she's refusing." I can hear the hurt in my own voice as I say this, swallowing thickly. And I was hurt. After all, she knew everything there was to know about me. I trusted her with parts of me I'd never trust with anyone else.
So why couldn't she trust me?
"Give her some time." Miroku speaks up gently from my other side, Shippo having made a new home on his shoulder. "No doubt the questions you are asking her are hard for her to answer." He states wisely. Begrudgingly I admit that he's right.
It still doesn't make me feel any better.
Apparently it doesn't make Inuyasha feel better either, and he goes into a tense silence for the remainder of the day. By the time the sun was setting we had reached another forest, and made camp under one of the large trees. Its roots had grown out of the ground, providing a good cover for us to all sleep under. Supper went by uneventfully, Inuyasha still looking sullen even as he dug into his bowl of stew. The only thing that got a reaction from him was when the monk tried to insist he could keep me warm during the chilly night.
That had ended in Miroku face first on the ground, Inuyasha standing over him with a raised fist.
The monk seriously didn't know when to quit.
Trying not to think about why Inuyasha was acting so territorial over me, or more so, trying not to overthink it, I snuggle in with Shippo for the night.
"Yua…" My eyes snap open, lungs filling with the crisp air surrounding me as I slowly raise myself to sit up. The fire was out…odd, because usually Inuyasha would keep it going during the night to keep us warm. Looking around I see everyone is sleeping, which is weird because I swear someone just called my name…
'Yua…' My back straightens as I hear that voice again, ice slowly creeping down my spine. Looking towards my companions once more, I finally can see that their sleep doesn't look natural.
"I'm dreaming." I murmur to myself, the cold voice chuckling in response.
"Very good, Yua. It's time to come out and play." His voice coos sadistically. I frown as I push the blanket off of me, before ensuring that Shippo was tucked back in underneath it. Despite it being a dream, it still didn't feel right letting the kid get cold. Standing slowly I walk away from the group, trying to keep in mind that this was a dream and he couldn't hurt me here.
"Are you so sure about that?" His voice suddenly comes from right behind me, and I start, turning sharply. There he was, looming over me now in that same baboon pelt. Even though I couldn't see his face, I knew he was smirking cruelly under the mask.
"Who are you?" I demand once more, the man behind the mask chuckling in amusement.
"Come now, Yua. You can't tell me you don't already know?" He asks smoothly. "Not with everything that has recently come to light." My eyes widen, remembering something he had told me in a previous dream.
"I will not lose you to him again."
"Naraku…" I whisper out his name, the feeling ice flowing through my veins increasing tenfold.
"Very good, Yua. You're almost as intelligent as your predecessor." Naraku responds slyly, taking a step closer to me as I step back. "Mayumi may have escaped from me all those years ago, but I will not make the same mistake twice." He snarls angrily, reaching out to grab my wrist. I wince, his hand wrapping like an iron cuff around it with bruising force.
This was a dream, so why did it hurt so badly?
"Let me go!" I exclaim, trying to wiggle free. When that didn't work I reached for my powers as I gripped the arm holding my wrist with my open hand, only to find nothing. Not even the presence of Mayumi just beyond the barrier. The shock must have registered on my face, because he let out another cruel laugh while pulling me forward against his fur clad body.
"This is my dream, Yua, I'm in control here." He growls, hooded face bending down closer to my own.
"What made Mayumi so special?!" I snap finally, leaning back as far away as I can from his masked face. He stops, clearly surprised by the question.
"You mean, she hasn't told you?" He asks, amusement clear in his voice, before his head tilts back as he barks out a laugh. "Well this should prove to be very interesting indeed." Naraku murmurs, tilting his head back forward. I yelp as his grip tightens on my wrist, feeling like my bones were grinding together. "There, now you shall have a mark to remember just how real our conversation was tonight." He coos, letting go finally to reveal a perfect hand-shaped bruise wrapped around my wrist. It was dark purple and blue in color, contrasting starkly against my pale skin. I hold my sore wrist to my chest, looking at him in disbelief, before anger quickly takes over.
"We're going to make your life a living hell." I promise him, my voice shockingly steady.
"I look forward to watching you try."
My eyes snap open as I wake, this time to a still burning fire and the very real bodies of my friends all sleeping nearby. Shippo was still fast asleep with his back against my chest, clearly unaware of the dream I had just had. I grimace feeling the sweat on my forehead, reaching up to wipe it off. As I pull my hand away I freeze, a chilling sight glaring at me from my wrist.
The bruise, exactly to the shape of his hand.
'No, no, no, no.' I breathe heavily, trying to stay as quiet as possible as I stare wide eyed at the bruise. Quickly covering it with my sleeve, I gently remove myself form Shippo. Tucking him back in I tip toe past Miroku and Inuyasha, inwardly praying I didn't wake the later up as I move from the camp and towards a nearby spring. My wrist is throbbing with pain now as I stumble through the woods, finally hearing the bubbling of water. Coming to the edge of the small spring I kneel down beside it and submerge my wrist in the cool water, hoping to bring some relief to the ache. It works, but tears still build in my eyes as my body begins to shake.
It was real…he had left his mark, just as he said he would.
'Mayumi, please…' I beg shakily then. 'You need to tell me what happened. I can't keep going on like this.' It was silent for a moment, before relief floods me as I feel her warmth in my mind.
'Sixty-five years ago Naraku found me and imprisoned me.' Mayumi begins solemnly. 'At least, I saw it as being a prisoner. He wasn't a demon at the time, he was a human thief named Onigumo. Even as a human he was cunning, and powerful.'
'How did he become a demon then?' I can't help asking, frowning.
'Half-demon.' Mayumi corrects softly. 'He became a half-demon shortly before I escaped.'
'You're so powerful…how did he keep you as a prisoner?' I can't help thinking in confusion. Mayumi was silent for a moment, before answering.
'He threatened my family.' Mayumi answered lowly. 'I had a Father, Mother, and little brother once. We lived together in the Northern Lands, far away from most villages. It was just us, and a small group of our people. We were all that was left, having been hunted down to near extinction from where we had originally began in the Southern Lands.'
'What are you talking about?' I frown deeply, slowly taking my wrist out from the water with it nearly being numb now. 'Why were you hunted?'
'For our abilities to be able to transform and purify.' Mayumi responds softly. 'We were by far stronger than any priest or priestess. At first people would come from far and wide to our peaceful village for help warding off evil spirits, and purifying sacred objects. It was how our village survived. We would trade our services for food, clothing, anything we needed to sustain ourselves. For hundreds of years my ancestors and the peoples of this land lived with respect for one and other, and in harmony.' She takes a pause for a moment. 'Then, nearly a decade before my birth, one of my people revealed something about our powers that they should not have.'
'What's that?' I ask, feeling completely gripped by the story.
'We can create jewels like the Shikon no Tama, filled with power.' Mayumi frowns deeply. 'We can only do so once, if we choose, during our lifetime. Only when we are of the age of nineteen. It takes all our powers, leaving us completely human once it is created. The first time my ancestors discovered this they destroyed the jewel, wishing it into non-existence.'
'And the second time?' I ask, feeling like I already knew.
'It became what you are now chasing all over the countryside. One foolish ancestor by the name of Takashi had created it in Kaede's village hundreds of years before she was born. He was convinced he was in love with a young peasant girl. He wished to become human so he could live a natural life with her. Before he could use the jewel the elders of the village decided in their greed to steal it for themselves, killing Takashi and his lover. News soon flew about the power of the jewel and its creation. Demons and humans alike came to us in droves. When we refused to give into their greedy ambitions, they killed us. Only a few had managed to escape, my Grandparents being among them.'
'So Naraku, found your village back when he was still human.' I realize, chewing on my lower lip.
'He did.' Mayumi confirmed with a frown. 'When I refused to give him what he wanted he kidnapped me and my family, taking us with him and his group of thieves. He said that he would give me time to think about it, that my family's lives depended on my decision.' She sighed softly. 'I was stubborn, and I think that might have been what drew him to me at first. He was clearly a man that wasn't used to hearing a woman tell him no. Over the weeks I could feel his eyes always on me, watching me.' I can feel her shudder as she remembers. 'It wasn't long before he started to force himself on me.'
'Mayumi…' I feel my stomach twist, a sickening feeling from deep within rising. 'I'm so sorry, I had no idea.'
'Neither does Inuyasha.' She responds firmly. 'And I wish to keep it that way.'
'You know I wouldn't tell him unless you wanted me to.' I confirm, staring down sadly at the stream. 'I'm sorry you had to go through something like that.'
'I was weak. I nearly broke the first time it happened' Mayumi admits, upset. 'Finally when he had, had enough of my stubbornness he brought in my little brother, Mitsue. He held the dagger to his throat, and I knew…I knew he would do it.' She takes a deep, shaking breath. 'So I told him I knew where he could find a jewel like the one I can create, that he could have them both, if he let my brother go.' My mouth drops open in shock then.
'You brought him to Kaede's village?'
'I had no other choice!' Mayumi defended, though she didn't need to in my eyes. 'He obviously agreed, his greed for power overcoming good sense. He ordered his men to watch me and my family while he sought out the jewel. After he didn't return for weeks, his men began to get restless. His second in command took over, and the cycle started all over again with the change in power. When Naraku did return, jewel-less, his men revolted. They stabbed him, burned him, and then threw him into the river to die.'
'What happened to you and your family then?'
'The same as before. We were all held hostage for months, until Naraku returned, as a half demon.'
'What is he a half demon of?'
'Many demons.' Mayumi replies, my eyes widening. 'Kikyo was the one that ironically found his wretched body and tried nursing him back to health from the brink of death. When he was strong enough, as far as I know, he called demons to him of all shapes and sizes using his corrupted soul, allowing them to feast on his body in exchange for giving him a piece of their's. Thus, the countless demons were bound together in one body with Onigumo serving as a connector. Naraku was born, a half human shapeshifter. His need for the Shikon Jewel was renewed, this time to rid himself of his half human side.'
'Did he attempt to get it from you again?'
'He did, and this time he changed his tactics drastically.' Mayumi replies, her voice shaking. 'He killed my family right in front of me, hoping that I would just give up and give him the jewel in my grief. His deranged mind also thought I would feel as if I needed to rely on him for protection, that I would accept him as a mate. I did the exact opposite.'
'You fought him off and got away.'
'Escaping him was easy, it always would have been had my family not been the reason I stayed. I managed to allude him till my nineteenth year passed, and I could no longer exchange my powers for a Sacred Jewel. It was then I knew where his attention would shift.'
'To Kaede's village.'
'Precisely. I traveled there, my only plan being that I would defend the Shikon Jewel with my life. I never expected to find Inuyasha, and to want to start a life there.' Mayumi ends warmly. 'I believe you now know the rest of the story.' I nod in agreement, swallowing thickly.
'So…what are you?' I can't help asking, looking up then as the golden rays of the first morning light cut through the canopy of trees.
'We do not have a name for ourselves. We are neither demons, nor humans. My people live exceptionally long lives, our powers prolonging them well beyond one thousand years.' My eyes widen at that.
'You almost sound like gods.' I can't help reflecting, and Mayumi laughs softly at that.
'I wouldn't go that far.'
"Yua?" Inuyasha's voice suddenly cuts through the clearing, and I jump, looking over my shoulder towards him. His amber eyes are watching me with worry, flickering from my face down to where I held my injured wrist against my chest.
'You're going to have to tell him…' Mayumi responds then, frowning. 'Just don't tell him what Naraku did to me…I couldn't bare it if he thought of me differently now.'
'I promise.' I respond softly, Inuyasha approaching and kneeling down beside me by the spring. He reached for my injured hand, and I allow him to take it. He sees the angry bruise instantly, his nose flaring and his eyes going hard.
"Who grabbed you?" He growls low in his chest, ears twitching to listen for the sound of someone else in these woods. He wouldn't find them. His fingers gently brushed over the angry hand print, and I feel warmth flood through me as my skin tingles with his touch.
"I have something I have to tell you. It's going to be a lot to take in." I murmur softly, looking from where he was touching my wrist so tenderly, up to his eyes. He frowns, looking confused, before I start.
"Why didn't you tell me about these dreams?" Inuyasha asks finally after listening to the entire story. He had asked questions along the way, all pertaining to Mayumi, and most of them being the same I had asked her so they were thankfully easy to answer. Not once had his hand left my injured wrist, his thumb now soothingly rubbing over it as he held it in his hand.
"I thought that was all they were." I answer truthfully, shrugging my shoulders before looking down at my wrist. "This was the first time I finally knew who was in them, and he was able to hurt me." I frown, still wondering how that had happened.
"So back in the woods all those weeks ago, when I found you upset?" Inuyasha clarifies, and I nod.
"He didn't touch me then. I really had thought I was dreaming."
"Do you have the ability to make the jewel, like Mayumi had?" I blink in surprise at his question, having honestly not thought to ask it myself.
'Yes, in two years time, when you turn nineteen, your powers will be developed enough to create a Sacred Jewel.' Mayumi answered solemnly. 'If we do not defeat Naraku by then, that is when you will be most vulnerable. We have to ensure he doesn't get his hands on you.' I feel fear grip me, my breath freezing in my chest.
"Apparently so." I managed to choke out, looking towards Inuyasha with slightly panicked eyes. He frowns deeply, reaching forward with his open hand and cupping the back of my neck, bringing me forward towards him. His forehead presses against my own, and the familiar comfort washes over me, ceasing my shaking.
"I won't let him touch you. Not again." Inuyasha growls lowly to me in promise, and I let out a shaky laugh.
"How are you going to get into my dreams?" I murmur softly in response, and his eyes harden.
"Maybe the monk has an idea of something that can be done." Inuyasha offers, and I'm slightly surprised.
Was he willing to ask Miroku for help for me?
"Inuyasha…" I murmur breathlessly, his eyes slowly closing as his nose brushes against my own. We lean together like that for what feels like ages, before Shippo comes bounding towards us.
"I FOUND THEM!" He shouts over his shoulder, no doubt towards Miroku. We pull apart, Inuyasha's hands dropping from the back of my neck and my wrist as he puts space between us. Miroku comes walking gracefully after Shippo, a sly look on his face.
"Oh, did we interrupt something?" He asks, sounding sarcastically apologetic. I can feel the blush working it's way onto my face, but before Inuyasha can growl out his annoyance, the monk's eyes land on my wrist.
"What happened to you?"
Fuck…not again…
It was nearly mid-day by the time we finally get moving, and Shippo kept glancing at me with concern as we walked out of the forest. He had been very affected by the story, it would seem, and by the threat that was clearly made on me. No matter how much I tried to tell him it wasn't something we had to worry about yet, he still held an air of anxiety, jumping at any noise made.
'You didn't tell Inuyasha that Naraku intends on making you his mate, like he had me.' Mayumi chimes in, and I inwardly sigh.
'I didn't think I needed to add that on top of everything else.' I answered honestly. 'He was mad enough as it was…'
'He cares for you.' Mayumi murmurs softly. 'More than he can even admit to himself right now.' I blush, for the first time feeling that Mayumi might be right. I mean, with the way he held me…how he protected me…
Did I take that chance though?
'I don't want to get rejected.' I admit finally, reluctantly. 'How could I ever compare to you?'
'Don't do that to yourself.' Mayumi frowns deeply. 'You're not supposed to compare yourself to me. You are your own person.'
'But he compares me to you…has since the beginning.' I reply, feeling my chest tighten up. 'Maybe not as much now, but I can tell he still does.'
'What are you saying, Yua?' Mayumi asks gently.
'That if it ever came to a point where he had to choose, he'd always choose you. I'm a consolation prize.' I admit, swallowing thickly to try and push the hurt down from the truth of those words. Mayumi goes silent at that, only confirming my thought. 'I can't take that kind of rejection, not from him. It would ruin me.'
Suddenly the scent of decaying flesh washes over us, and I can't help choking slightly as I bring up my sleeve to cover my nose. As we come to a small ridge, the source of the smell becomes apparent. My eyes widen as I look below, a whole army laying dead in the small valley.
"What happened here?" I ask quietly, glancing towards Miroku's and Inuyasha's solemn faces. Shippo jumped up into my arms, wrapping his own tiny ones around my neck as he stared out at the decaying bodies. 'What a thing for a child to see…'
"Look at all the dead bodies, it must have been some battle." Shippo states nervously, his cheek pressing against my own then. I rub my hand over his back soothingly, silently agreeing with him. "Hate to see what the other guys look like."
"You're mistaken. This was no battle." Inuyasha replies seriously, and I look to him in confusion. "Somethings not right. There isn't any blood. At least, I can't pick up the scent of any." He observes as Miroku says a prayer for the warriors.
"It must be the work of some demon." Miroku speaks up after finishing his prayer. "A very strong one to have brought this destruction." He adds solemnly. "It may mean that the demon possesses a shard of the Shikon Jewel." Miroku's tone turns hopeful, and I can't help inwardly laughing as Inuyasha smirks in return.
'No wonder these two didn't get along at first. They're cut from the same cloth.' I think to myself ironically, both men clearly reading each other's thoughts. The smirk suddenly falls from Inuyasha's lips as his nose tilts into the air, sniffing. Without a word he suddenly dashes over the ridge, disappearing from view.
"AH! A DEMON!"
"Fucking fantastic." I mutter lowly, glancing towards Miroku. "Come on." I sigh heavily then, walking over towards the ridge he had disappeared over. When we get there I'm greeted with one of the more unusual sights I had seen concerning the half demon thus far. He had taken what looked to be a scroll from the man, holding him off as he frantically fights to try and get his scroll back. Inuyasha is sniffing at the writing, a perplexed look on his face as he does.
"Is this what I smelled before?" He mutters to himself, just loud enough for us all to hear. The man starts to freak out even more, and Inuyasha shows no sign of either letting him go or giving him his scroll back.
'Oh, fuck it.' "Down boy!" I call out, watching as he screams and his body pulls down into the ground from his neck. Miroku blinks, before a giant smile grows on his face.
"Now that is a neat trick! May I try?" The monk asks a little too eagerly, and I can't help laughing, even as Inuyasha stands back up glaring up towards me.
"Sorry, only I can give the command." I reply, shrugging my shoulders in apology.
"What the hell was that for?!" Inuyasha shouts angrily, while the man gathers his scroll and scurries away.
"The man looked like he was about to shit himself."
"So?!"
"Did you want the human to poop all over you?"
"No…"
"Well there ya have it." I smack my hands together like I'm dusting them off, Shippo having moved up onto my shoulder. "Another job well done." Grinning innocently at him, Inuyasha grumbles as he moves back up to the road with us.
"That guy was giving off the same scent as that battlefield." Inuyasha replies, crossing his arms in annoyance. "If I can track down the source it will probably lead us to the demon."
"The demon, or anyone that happens to have a letter on hand." Shippo retorts, and I can't help inwardly admitting that he was right. Inuyasha glares at him.
"Do you have a better plan?" He insists, leaning towards the little guy threateningly.
"Actually, I think it might be best we separate here." Miroku states as he smirks calmly. "I have my own effective ways of tracking down demons." Inuyasha raises an eyebrow at that.
"You sayin' my nose won't do the job?" He asks, his chest puffing out slightly.
Oh brother….
"Not at all." Miroku raises his hands in a placating manner. "I just think the more land we can cover, the better."
'Yeah right. You've just turned it into a challenge. Men.' I can't help rolling my eyes, seeing Inuyasha's eyes narrow even further. Yep, and Inuyasha was rising to the challenge, or the bait, however you might look at it.
"Fine. Let's see who gets to the shard first." Inuyasha replies then.
"What shall be the prize?" Miroku asks, looking suggestively at me then. I blush, eyes wide.
"NOT her!" Inuyasha scrambles the rest of the way up onto the road, shoving himself between Miroku and I. "The winner gets to keep that fraction of the jewel shard…for now." He smirks cockily then. Miroku's eyes light up.
'I guess I'm just not enticing enough.' I can't help inwardly sighing, feeling oddly slighted when I know I shouldn't be.
I mean, come on, apparently I'm a potential creator of the Sacred Jewel. You'd think that alone would give me some props.
"Deal. I will find you once I have retrieved the shards." Miroku agrees, turning and bowing towards Shippo and I. "Until later, my friends." He bids farewell, before turning and leaving down the road. I watch him go, before looking towards Inuyasha with a raised eyebrow.
"Alright dog-boy, point the way."
The sun was nearly set as we walked further down by the river, Inuyasha continuing to try and follow the scent from the battlefield. Up head we see a man in a blue and grey kimono, and he's laughing to himself.
"Uh…Inuyasha?" I ask as Inuyasha goes to approach him. "That one doesn't sound too stable." I comment lightly, Shippo agreeing as he stood beside me. Inuyasha scoffs, shaking his head.
"I think I can handle him." He replies dryly, flashing his claws. We approach, the man continuing to talk and laugh to himself. He clearly didn't even realize we were there. True to fashion, Inuyasha grabs him by the back of his kimono, lifting him slightly from the ground.
"Hey, mind if we ask a few questions?" He interrupts the man's laughter, his words polite in contrast to his hold on the poor guy. The man looks terrified as he sees Inuyasha over his shoulder.
"So what number are we at?" I can't help asking dryly as I stand away from the two with Shippo.
"Six innocent peasants down, hundreds of thousands to go." Shippo replies dryly.
"Who are you?! I warn you I am powerful!" The little man exclaims, before seeming to flinch and quickly retracting his statement. "I mean, I'm no more than a second rate artist." He corrects suspiciously. Inuyasha, however, looks hardly phased.
"An artist? Then answer me this, little man!" Inuyasha's tone turns hard with accusation. "Why do you smell if fresh human blood?!" My eyes widen in shock at that, looking at the tiny man within his grasp. He looked terrified.
'This guy doesn't look like he could hurt a fly…even if he wanted to.' I couldn't help thinking with a frown. 'So why does he smell like blood?'
"Release me! Free me at once!" The peasant exclaims, suddenly putting up a fight. He manages to wiggle loose, racing away from Inuyasha as fast as he can.
"COME BACK!" Inuyasha shouts, raising his fist in the air. The man surprisingly turns around, releasing the scroll he was currently holding. I tilt my head, looking at the picture on the paper. It was some kind of ogre looking creature, holding a staff with a crescent shaped blade on the top.
'Wow, he really is second rate.' I can't help thinking, before my mouth drops open in shock as his picture seems to leap right from his scroll and come to life! All thirty feet of it! I step in front of Shippo, grabbing my bow and notching an arrow just as Inuyasha dodges being squished by the demon-ogre's large hand. The man who had created this monster slide down the bank towards the river, a boat conveniently waiting for him there.
"You have got to be kidding me!" I exclaim in disbelief, drawing my arrow back. Before Inuyasha even has a chance to draw Tessaiga I let my arrow fly, watching as it glows brightly with my aura when it hits the demon directly in the forehead. My eyes widen as I see the head expand unnaturally, before it suddenly bursts, the rest of the demon's body falling in quick succession. Black blood comes out in a tidal wave, completely coating Inuyasha from head to foot. There is so much of it that it actually forces him to sit on the ground, and when it's finally done, he looks at me from over his shoulder with an unimpressed twitching eyebrow. I grin a little sheepishly, shrugging my shoulders.
"Oops…" I murmur, unsure of what else I could really say in that moment. He growls lowly in annoyance, before starting to sputter. I frown, the overpowering scent of ink washing over me.
"What the hell?!" He exclaims after the fit is over, looking down at his own hands in wonder. "This is blood and black ink!"
Then he promptly falls backwards, clearly dizzy from the fumes.
Frowning I use my aura to surround him and float him out of the ink, laying him down on the clean ground by Shippo and I.
"His nose is so sensitive that the smell of the blood and ink got to him." Shippo states exactly what I had been thinking moments ago. Frowning I lean down, grabbing him under his arms as and lift him up as I glance over towards the opposite bank where the mystery artist had fled to. His boat was there, but he was long gone.
"That has got to be our guy." I murmur, grunting as I try to help Inuyasha to his feet. "Inuyasha! Come on! He's getting away!" I shout at him, trying to motivate him back to his feet. It doesn't do any good as he slumps even further back to the ground.
Well fuck.
Later that night found us camping near the river, Inuyasha having finally come back to his senses once Shippo and I had managed to drag him far enough away from the blood and black ink mixture. I had set up the fire for Shippo and I while Inuyasha had set up his own temporary fire down by the river so he could wash up and wash his clothes. Shippo was fed and put to bed well before Inuyasha finally returned.
Bare chested and still dewy from his bath.
He hand the white pants to his under kimono on still, having obviously let them dry, before coming back up to our camp with his white kimono top and the fire-rat kimono ensemble still soaking wet. My eyes were drawn to him as he moved through the camp, back facing me as he hung the rest of his clothes over a nearby low hanging branch, close enough to the fire to let them dry as well. He had his hair tucked over his shoulder, and I could see the muscles in his back moving smoothly under his dewy skin as he hung his clothes to dry.
'Why is he half naked?!' I can't help thinking to myself as I blush, quickly adverting my eyes when he moves to turn around. I fight back a blush, just barely, as I busy myself with scooping out some soup for him into his wooden bowl. I realize I'm going to have to look at him to hand him the bowl, steeling myself as I look up from the fire.
He's staring at me as he moves his hair back over his shoulder, revealing his equally toned chest and stomach once again. I meet his gaze, doing my best to put on a face that showed I wasn't bothered by his half nakedness.
Meanwhile my heart felt like it was about to race from my chest.
"Here you go." I murmur softly, thankfully keeping my voice from cracking. He reached over the fire easily, taking the bowl with a nod before sitting down across from me. "Feeling better?"
"Much." He nods, tilting the bowl up to his lips and sipping at the broth. "I don't get it." He frowns then, brows furrowed. "I'm not sure if he has a jewel shard or not."
"I honestly didn't catch anything." I admit, having already been mentally beating myself up about not being more observant earlier. "But that doesn't mean anything either. I was too preoccupied with that demon ogre."
"I should be able to pick up his trail by tomorrow." Inuyasha admits, and we fall into a silence as he finishes his soup. I look down at the flames, feeling like that was my only option so I wouldn't be caught starring at his lean body instead. He'd think I was a creep!
'Or maybe he did this on purpose?' Mayumi decides now was as good a time as any to make my life a living hell.
'Please. I mean, look at him!' I exclaim to her, my green eyes flickering up from the flames to watch as he leaned on his side, his dewy skin drying slowly by the fire. His muscles seemed to ripple along his abs as he shifted into the more comfortable position. Why did I want to run my tongue along them so badly? 'Guys built like him don't find girls like me attractive.'
'He found me attractive, and you and I are the same size.' Mayumi refutes easily. I blanch at that.
'Well…I mean…he probably liked who you were first before he found you physically attractive.' I sputter out, at first not realizing how insulting that sounded.
'Excuse me?' Mayumi asks dryly, and I can't help inwardly flinching.
'I don't mean that you aren't pretty! I just-it's so hard to explain!' I groan at her, trying to back-pedal, but failing miserably. 'Where I am from women like me usually have to have a good personality to be found attractive by guys that look like him.'
'So now you're stereotyping against attractive men?'
'Oh. My. God!' I cry out, realizing I was trying to fight a losing battle.
"What's going on inside that head of yours? You look like you're ready to pass out." Inuyasha speaks up, breaking my concentration on my conversation with Mayumi. I look up, his amber eyes watching me with slight amusement from his relaxed position.
Does he seriously have no idea what he's doing to be right now?!
"Aren't you going to be cold tonight?" I ask, trying to bring up a new topic. He looks down at himself, before looking back towards me.
"Nah, besides, my clothes should be dry soon enough." He answers, looking over his shoulder towards where his kimonos were still dripping.
'Not soon enough for my sanity's sake.' I think as I move towards Shippo, deciding this awkward night needed to end. Now. I slide in gently behind the fox demon, laying down so his back was to my chest. "Goodnight, Inuyasha."
"Hey." Inuyasha responds instead, sitting up now to look at me seriously. "If you have another bad dream, even if I'm asleep, wake me okay?" I blink in surprise hearing him, nodding slowly before forcing my eyes closed.
Something told me that I wouldn't be having any bad dreams tonight.
"Yua! Yua you need to wake up!" Inuyasha's voice broke through my sleepy haze what felt like minutes later. I blink, my eyes focusing enough to realize that he was fully dressed now. Looking around the dark camp I saw everything packed, the fire doused, and even Shippo up and ready to go.
"What's going on?" I slur sleepily, shifting from under the warm blanket reluctantly. I hiss at the cool evening air, wishing I could wrap back up instead.
"I can smell the scent of blank ink and blood, and it's heavily concentrated. Something has happened towards the East." Inuyasha frowns, reaching a clawed hand out to help me up. Once I'm up he gathers everything into my bag, helping me get it over my shoulders before wrapping the blanket he had left out around me. "Shippo, you and Yua get on my back, I'll take us where we need to go. It'll be faster that way." He looks to the younger fox demon, who looked way more alert than me right now. I grab my bow and arrows, before climbing onto his back as I stifle a yawn. Shippo climbs onto Inuyasha's shoulder, sitting right beside my head.
"Wake me when we get there?" I mutter sleepily as my head rests against his back. I can feel his arms locking around my legs, the familiar grip of his hands settling underneath my thighs.
"Come on, you've gotta stay away Yua so you can pay attention and sense the jewel shard!" Inuyasha gripes, and I groan lowly.
"Maybe if you would have stayed shirtless you would have had my attention."
I feel him stiffen under me before I fully realize what I just said.
'Shoot me now!' I think, burying my burning face against his back. Thankfully he doesn't say anything before taking off down the road, the awkward silence hanging over. How could this get worse?
"Yua, why would Inuyasha being shirtless make you pay attention more? It doesn't seem like a good idea to me."
FUCK, SHIPPO!
"She's half asleep and doesn't know what she's saying, brat!" Inuyasha snaps, clearly feeling just as awkward as me now. Yeah, let's go with his logic, his logic his sound. I force my head to stay upright, the coolness of the night air against my face helping me to stay away. We finally seem to happen upon a large residence, clearly belonging to a royal family. Surprisingly the gates are unguarded, and Inuyasha's ears twitch before he lets out a scoff.
"Figures the monk would be here." He mutters, and that peeks my interest.
"Miroku is here?" I ask, sounding eager. Inuyasha growls low in his chest.
"Don't act so happy about it." He mutters sarcastically, and I can't help smiling goofily and gently rubbing my hand over the top of his head.
"Don't be jealous!"
"I'm NOT." He gripes, and soon we can here Miroku's voice drifting out into the small courtyard.
"For the princess's protection, I should remain in her room…perhaps even share her very bedding to ensure her safety."
"At it again, you lecher?!" Inuyasha grips as we jump into the open room, Miroku sitting in front of no doubt the King, food surrounding him and the Princess kneeling respectful to his right. I look at her, mentally shrugging.
Couldn't blame the monk for trying.
"Oh, it's Yua and Inuyasha!" Miroku grins widely, waving at Shippo as he jumps down from Inuyasha's back. "Can't forget little Shippo either!"
"Dammit, we just missed them!" Inuyasha shouts out in irritation. I frown, shifting slightly to slide down from his back, but his grip tightens, not letting me.
What was up with that?
"Missed whom?" Miroku asks with a curious frown.
"Ink demons, as best we can tell." I respond from over Inuyasha's shoulder, the King and what looked to be his advisor watching us curiously. "We ran into a man earlier this evening who created some sort of demon from his picture. When I destroyed it with my bow we found out it's blood was mixed with blank ink. Inuyasha was incapacitated for almost an hour." He throws me an annoyed glance over his shoulder at that. Miroku stands, a frown on his face.
"There were demons here, yes, but I didn't realize that they were made of ink."
"Let us leave you and your friends, it appears you have much to discuss." The King speaks up, standing and bowing as Miroku and I bow with respect in return. Once the King, his daughter, and his advisor had left, Miroku and I sit across from one and other, whilst Inuyasha and Shippo moved out on the deck just outside the sliding door.
"So this artist can manipulate his ink into physical demons?" Miroku asks in bewilderment after I get done telling him the entire story.
"Right. We don't think he's a demon, at least, he didn't look like one to me." I reply, frowning. I glance over towards where Shippo, my heart warming as I saw he was leaning against Inuyasha's right leg as the half demon sat cross-legged on the deck. It was clear Shippo had fallen asleep against him, and surprisingly Inuyasha was allowing it. He wasn't being overly fond, keeping his hands to himself as his arms were crossed over his chest, but he wasn't shoving the boy away either. Something about seeing him like this with Shippo settled a warmth deep in my stomach.
"This is very troubling." Miroku breaks me from my thoughts, and I turn my eyes back to him. "For a human to have such a power he must be drawing strength from a jewel shard."
"That's what I've been thinking too." I answer, nodding.
"So how do we stop an artist who has the power to bring his demons to life?" Miroku asks, cupping his chin in clear thought.
"I was hoping you might have some answers considering you have obviously gone up against advisories with jewel shards yourself." I reply, having noticed the three shards he kept hidden under his robe days ago.
"What?" Inuyasha's back snaps straight as he turns around to look at us with narrowed eyes. I wince as he moves, paying no mind to the sleeping boy as Shippo bangs his head hard off of the floor. While Shippo wakes and sleepily rubs at his head, Inuyasha has already stomped across the room towards Miroku.
"Oh great." I mutter, standing and placing my hands on his chest to stop him before he reached the monk. I had to work hard at forgetting just what his naked chest looked like as I feel the solid muscle there under my hands. "Inuyasha, stop. He obviously collected them before he met us. He didn't steal them from me this time!"
"How many?!" Inuyasha demands angrily, glaring at Miroku from over my shoulder.
"Three, and Yua speaks the truth. I acquired them long before I ran into you three." He states calmly, laying his hand over where they were hidden. He turns his attention towards me. "So you can see the shards?"
"Yeah, it's really the only use I am to him." I mutter dryly as I let go of Inuyasha, turning so my back was to his chest and pointing my thumb over my shoulder at him. "Or so he constantly tells me."
"Dear, Yua." Miroku sighs heavily in over exaggerated sadness, standing and taking my hands into his own. "Your kind heart surely recognizes my own. I would not take you for granted as such if you would consider honouring me with a son."
"Uh," I blush brightly still, the flirtation not growing old, "we already discussed this, Miroku."
"You could always change your mind." He winks playfully. "I'd make it well worth your while."
"THAT'S IT!" Inuyasha shouts angrily from behind me, grabbing me suddenly around the waist and throwing me over his shoulder like some caveman!
"Inuyasha!" I exclaim, beating my visually ineffective fists against his strong back. "Come on! You know he only does that because he gets a reaction from you!" 'Although why it gets a reaction, and yet you've not made a single move on me…'
"Now who is the thief? Stealing Yua away." Miroku goes on smoothly, and I can feel Inuyasha's entire body tense at the insult.
"Who are you calling a thief?!" He retorts angrily. "Especially when we first met, you not only tried to kidnap Yua, but ran off with our shards!"
"Well, your powers of recall are greater than I would have imagined." Miroku hums with sarcastic surprise. I sigh, propping my elbow against his back so I could rest my chin in the palm of my hand. Shippo, meanwhile, has gotten up and sleepily made his way to where I was hanging over Inuyasha's shoulder, looking up at me.
"What's his problem?" Shippo asks innocently, placing his hands on his little hips. I can't help a small smile at this, shrugging my shoulders easily.
"Who knows."
I felt like I had finally managed to get comfortable under my blanket, before suddenly the doors to our room slide open. My eyes snap awake, turning around sharply in my makeshift bed to see two men stabbing their swords into Miroku's sleeping body.
"Miroku!" I shout in horror, throwing my hand out in front of me and calling on my power. It hits the men like a tidal wave, sending them flying across the room and back outside. Shippo wakes up during the commotion as I scramble from under our blanket over towards Miroku's bed. "Miroku?!" Breathing heavily I grab at his blanket, ripping if off of what I was sure was now his corpse.
"What?" I murmur in confusion, seeing more blankets where his body should have been. The divider between the two rooms falls down, and I'm met with the stunned expression of the monk.
"Well then, apparently I'm of no use here. There was no need to worry, Yua." He laughs, smirking a little. I can't help the small blush, sitting back on my legs that remained tucked under me.
"Did you suspect those men would come in here?" I ask in bewilderment. He nods in confirmation.
"I had heard them whispering outside while we were up. I figured they must have heard about my jewel shards, and would be after me on behalf of their king." Miroku stands, staff in hand. "Let's see if my assumptions were correct." He adds solemnly, looking to the doorway where Inuyasha now stood, holding both the barely conscious men by the back of their kimonos.
"What a couple cowards." Inuyasha states in distaste, roughly throwing them to the floor at our feet. Miroku points his staff at one, Inuyasha draws Tessaiga and points it at the other. In an instant both the men seem more alert, looking at one and other in panic before looking towards their opponents.
"What is this about? I remember doing nothing to warrant this violent and traitorous attack. At least, not yet." A handsome, devious smirk spreads over his face.
"We wanted the jewel shards!" The man at the end of Miroku's staff exclaims, easily giving up their intentions.
"It's as I thought." Miroku nods, frown on his face now.
"Our Lord demanded that we seize the shards for himself!" The man at the end of Inuyasha's sword squeals out as Inuyasha inches the tip of Tessaiga closer.
"Kaede was right, men really are corrupt and greedy creatures." I frown, remembering her warning from so long ago.
"He even wants to take the shard from the artist!" I frown as the man at the end of Miroku's staff goes on, moving around and kneeling down to his eye level. His scared brown eyes lock onto my green ones, my face set in a serious frown.
"Your Lord knows where he might be, doesn't he?" I ask, voice hard. "You're going to tell us, or my friends are going to have fun turning you into human pincushions."
Well, true to form, both the men didn't take long to blab about a hut in the woods to the south where the artist had last been spotted. Not only that, but the King had taken his small army there to steal the shard. Little did the King know that he was leading his men to slaughter.
"I'm not going to get any sleep tonight, am I?" I can't help but asking wearily, finding us keeping a quick pace on the road towards the south now. Miroku was surprisingly fast, all things considered, and I was having trouble keeping up with him as he ran. Inuyasha, meanwhile, was miles ahead it felt like, just a blur of red in the distance. Shippo had joined him on his shoulder, helping to try and pinpoint the artist's scent.
"Head up, Yua, we've got to try and make it there before all the men are killed!" Miroku frowns, Inuyasha suddenly turning sharply and bounding back towards us.
"He's just ahead!" He shouts, turning sharply forward once more. He grabs my arm, easily swinging me onto his back and keeping pace with Miroku now as Shippo tucked down against my side. I wrap my arm over him, gripping onto the back of Inuyasha's kimono with my other hand. I could hear the sudden roar of men yelling, my heart dropping knowing it had already started.
"We're too late." I murmur softly in horror, before my eyes widen as we finally come into full view of the destruction being had. Demons were slaughtering the men, all of the warriors retreating despite the King's instance that they stay and fight. The cloud covering the demons comes down on him full force as Inuyasha skids to a stop in front of him.
"Wait! You can't slay them all! You'll pass out again from the fumes!" The little fox demon accurately observes. He growls, shaking his head stubbornly.
"Just watch." He mutters before leaping into the air with both of us as he draws Tessaiga. He slices through a dozen of the closest demons, before landing in front of the King once more.
"You there! You saved me! You shall be compensated for your heroism!" The King exclaims happily, as I look back up to see if there are more.
"Oh crap." I mutter lowly, seeing the tidal wave of black ink and blood coming for us. I reach up just in time to create a barrier over the three of us with the aura, the mixed liquid spilling all around us and on the King. Looking cautiously over Inuyasha's shoulder to his face, I frown.
"You alright?" A few tense minutes pass as he stares straight ahead.
Before falling flat onto his face.
I yelp as we land on the ground, rolling off of him as quickly as I could to avoid hurting him.
"I told you so!" Shippo groans as I grab onto my bow and arrow. Turning sharply I see a demon on a horse racing towards us, drawing back my arrow and taking aim.
'If I hit this guy, I save us, but his blood will make Inuyasha sicker.' I can't help thinking with a frown, hesitating. In a split second Miroku appears, hitting the horse riding demon with his staff, the body disappearing without leaving behind the blood. I blink in surprise, slowly lowering my arrow.
Well that was cool.
Inuyasha moves behind me, and I glance towards him to see the unimpressed look on his face. Rolling my eyes I shake my head, before turning back to Miroku. He stands before us, opening his arms wide as he faces the army of demons. I feel the breath in my throat catch when I notice him take the prayer beads off of his right hand.
"Stay behind me, my friends!" He proclaims. "This is going to be dangerous! I'm going to unleash the Wind Tunnel!" He calls, throwing forward his right hand and opening his palm up. I watch in amazement as the wind storm we were now so familiar with begins to suck in all the demons closest to us. It had to be hundreds of them! Moments after he started, however, he closed his hand and brought it to his chest, groaning and kneeling down on one knee. I move from Inuyasha then, crawling over to him and placing my hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, you alright?" I ask, frowning with worry.
"It's the first time I've used my Wind Tunnel to this extent. I've never before tried to suck in so much evil." He answers, looking awfully pale. "I just need to rest a bit." Suddenly the earth begins to shake, the hut before us rattling. I feel Inuyasha grasp my arm, pulling me back towards his chest protectively. In front of us the hut breaks apart into hundreds of wooden pieces, a multi-headed monster raising nearly a hundred feet into the sky.
"Three heads." I gasp softly out-loud. "Like a Hydra." My eyes widen as the three heads come rushing for us, Inuyasha grabbing both Shippo and I and pulling the three of us to the ground. The wind rushes by us as the demon races over, and sitting up I notice the artist now riding on the middle of the three heads.
"There it is!" I exclaim, seeing the ink pot at his waist glowing. "It's in the ink pot!"
"I've got it!" Inuyasha proclaims, jumping onto the body of the monster. He kneels down, before looking back over towards Miroku and I. "Hey, Miroku! You'll never impress anyone with those flashy antics!" My mouth drops open in shock. Seriously? He's still making this a competition?
"Unbelievable." I mutter, my hand still on Miroku's shoulder.
This also catches the artist's attention, and he turns while unveiling a new scroll filled with illustrations. "Behold! The demons of death!" He exclaims, the demons leaping to life right off of the paper. I frown deeply, forgoing my bow and arrow this time as I stand. Pressing the heels of my hands together in front of me, my energy grows exponentially into a familiar orb. With a yell I let it go, watching as it arcs over Inuyasha, and straight into the oncoming demons. Much like with Miroku's staff, the demons seem to just evaporate upon impact, leaving no traces of ink laced blood behind.
"Isn't that trick getting old?!" Inuyasha asks the stunned man, his beady eyes watching me with disbelief, before looking towards Inuyasha as he leaps up the monster towards where the artist still sat on the head. "Now hand over the jewel fragment!"
"My hell fire shall burn you!" The man exclaims, two of the monster's heads turning and unleashing fireballs directly at Inuyasha. My breath catches in my throat, feet moving to take me towards him and the monster. Miroku grabs onto my arm, stopping me.
"Wait, Yua, look!" He shouts, pointing with his open hand to where Inuyasha was crawling back up the monster's body. Once on his feet he drew Tessaiga, the fire dispersing as he charges towards the artist. In one last attempt at escape the artist jumps from the head of his monster, Inuyasha swinging Tessaiga with precision to cut loose his ink pot. In a final swing he cuts the ink pot in half in mid-air, the monster below them disappearing.
"NO!" The man exclaims as he recovers from his fall, looking horrified as the ink starts to splatter the ground. He eyes the sword next to him, grabbing it and shocking us all when he stabs himself in the forearm. "Take my blood! I shall not let another half you!" Crazed, he holds his hand out, the ink around us all seeming to be sucked in his direction. Inuyasha lands just feet away, and as we meet up with him the artist starts to yell in horror, his body being sucked dry of it's blood.
"That fool!" Inuyasha snarls, all of us only able to watch before his body seems to dissolve into the ink completely, a large puddle left where the artist had once stood. Right there, in the middle of the puddle, I could see the jewel shard floating near the surface. Leaning over I'm able to grab it, pinching it between my forefinger and thumb as it shines bright on contact. Leaning back up I look between the two men, raising an eyebrow.
"Well?" I ask, Miroku suddenly smiling kindly.
"Keep it, Yua. You purified it, you deserve it." He murmurs softly, and I can't help a small smile as I tuck it into the palm of my hand.
"At least someone is being mature about it!" Shippo teases, earning him a glare from Inuyasha as the fox demon sits protected on my shoulder.
"I would like to continue with you on this quest. Work with you, rather than against you in collection of the shards." Miroku states, and I blink in surprise.
"Well, we'd be happy to have the help!" I grin, glancing towards Inuyasha. He's frowning, but he doesn't protest to the idea. Of course, he's the type to never admit when help is needed.
"Besides, Inuyasha is growing on me." Miroku adds.
Inuyasha's scoff of disbelief is his only answer.
Soooooo what did ya think? We only need four more reviews to get to the goal for me to update on Wednesday, instead of waiting till next weekend. Can we make it?! :D
T.O.T.
