Chapter Forty-Eight
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Yeah, it's been a while...again. BUT as I promised I'm not abandoning this story :).
ONWARD!
We had started the journey together nearly two days ago, heading for the mountain region in the distance where Totosai lived. Inuyasha and I both seemed to silently agree to take it at my pace, a human pace, rather than him running with me on his back the entire time. Maybe it was to conserve energy, but I would like to think that he and I both unconsciously just needed to spend more time alone together.
'Just like old times,' I reminisce as we walk in a comfortable silence. 'Though I wouldn't change meeting Shippo, Miroku, Sango, and Kirara for anything, this has been really nice,' especially being able to curl up in his warm, strong arms each night and wake up to my face nuzzled into his chest. We refrained from sleeping together for the most part when with the group, both of us seemingly under a silent agreement it wouldn't be appropriate. It was only on the odd occasions, or when one of us really needed the contact, that we allowed it to happen.
Inuyasha also admitted that it took more self control than he sometimes had to not go further than falling asleep in each others arms.
"What are you thinking about over there?" Inuyasha asks suspiciously, his eyes slightly narrowed as he watches me carefully. I give him a small smile and easy shrug, before tilting my head back to look upwards at the sky. The warmth of the late afternoon sun on my face was soothing.
"Just enjoying the peace and quiet. It's a nice change," I comment vaguely, not wanting to seem too love-sick. "How much longer till we reach the mountain range do you think?"
"Tomorrow at this pace," Inuyasha replies, using his hand to shadow over his eyes so he could get a better look towards the horizon.
"Did you want to move faster?" I ask lightly, wondering if perhaps he was starting to get a little anxious. If I were in his shoes I would be too. Inuyasha shakes his head after dropping his hand back to his side.
"Nah," he simply answers, not offering any explanation for his choice, though he shyly refuses to make eye contact.
Warmth bubbles in my gut at this.
'He's not exactly a hard read these days,' I giggle inwardly, before turning my gaze forward once more, instead of staring at his handsome profile.
"We'll make camp in that grove of trees ahead. Looks like the last place we're going to find any semblance of shelter before we hit the ash fields," Inuyasha observes. I nod in agreement, having started to smell the faint scent of sulphur in the air. "Are you going to be alright inhaling that junk?" He asks in concern.
"I can use my aura to purify the air around us to breathe," I had no idea how I'd react to the volcanic ash in the air, or how heavy it would be. Not to mention any toxic gases. It was best just to go in prepared. "Depending on how hot the ground is, though, you might have to carry me through," I warn him lightly.
"I figured on as much," he commented easily, folding his arms into opposite sleeves. "I just hope this isn't a wasted trip," Inuyasha adds lowly. Frowning, I feel my stomach clench with that exact same worry.
"Me too," I agree softly, hands clenching tightly into fists.
I couldn't lose Inuyasha to his demon.
I wouldn't.
We came upon the ash fields around mid day, though with how dark it was with the soot hovering densely in the air you would have thought it close to evening. As planned I had created a protective bubble around Inuyasha and I to filter out the toxins, though he of course wouldn't have needed it.
'I'm still amazed to see him walking barefoot across the ground,' I frown, looking around at the spots of bright reddish orange glow that signified molten rock laying in small pools on the surface. To me that meant that the ground itself was no doubt hot enough to burn skin from bone. Inuyasha, however, was hardly fazed as he carried me through on his back.
"There it is," Inuyasha murmurs, breaking the silence and me from my thoughts. Looking up my eyes widen slightly seeing the skull of some sort of large demon, it's fanged mouth open and acting as they entrance to the cave behind it.
"This is where Totosai resides?" I ask softly in shock, though in reality I shouldn't have been. I mean, the elderly swordsmith lived inside a semi-active volcano. When we enter Inuyasha silently allows me to slide from his back, having obviously felt it was safe enough for me to be able to walk. I wiggle my toes once they're planted firmly on the ground, the heat still seeping up through my shoes. It was warm, but it wasn't scorching as it had been outside.
'Actually, it's kind of nice for the poor circulation in my feet,' I remark inwardly, before looking up as Inuyasha moves forward.
"Hey! You there, Totosai?!" He called into the cave, his voice echoing all around us. I follow him in, a torchlight easily visible from not too far in the distance. When my eyes finally adjust, I can see the elderly man bent over a new sword he was currently working on forging. Totosai looks curiously over his shoulder as we come to stand behind him. "We need to talk," Inuyasha states rather than requests. His voice and body are both tense, and I can feel the stress radiating off of him in waves. Now that we were here, he was really allowing his frustration to shine through, covering what I knew to be anxiousness as well.
"Ah, yes. I expected you would come," Totosai throws over his shoulder, and I can't help blinking slightly in surprise.
"You had?" I ask, tilting my head curiously at the swordsmith. Totosai places the sword he is currently working on down and turns around, still sitting crossed-legged.
"I figured it was only a matter of time before Inuyasha's demon nature made another appearance," Totosai answers matter-of-factually.
"You were the one that told us that as long as he had the sword his demon side would be repressed," I point out, trying to keep the bite out of my own voice as I take a step forward. "His sword isn't broken, and yet his demon side emerged a few days ago when taking on a group of bandits and their demon leader."
"Was either Inuyasha or you in mortal danger?" Totosai asks, rather than addressing what I had said.
"He was. Along with Miroku. They were caught in a moth demon's poisonous cocoon," I answer, Inuyasha crossing his arms impatiently beside me.
"So what gives, old man?" He asks sharply, Totosai sighing then.
"Sit down, we have a lot to discuss," he requests, motioning to the floor in front of him. I look towards Inuyasha, his own gaze finding mine, before we both sit ourselves down next to one and other. Inuyasha takes Tessaiga and places it down between us and Totosai, no doubt inspiring the swordsmith's next choice of topic. "I want to start my stating how very disappointed I am in you Inuyasha," my mouth drops open in blatant shock at the wordsmith's words. "It's hard to believe that you still have trouble wielding the Tessaiga."
"That's why I'm here to ask you to make my sword lighter, old man!" Inuyasha argues, amber eyes narrowed in annoyance at the swordsmith. "There must be some way?"
"Then why don't you figure it out?" Totosai snaps back as a reply, and I can't help groaning and hanging my head.
"I'm in a hurry okay?!"
This was going to get us absolutely no where.
"And besides," Inuyasha continues on, his tone much softer now, and it causes me to raise my head and look towards him, "I don't want to transform anymore." My heart clenches so tightly that it hurts at his admission. I barely restrain myself from reaching over and taking his hand, knowing it would hurt his pride for me to do so.
It was bruising his ego enough that he was coming here and begging for help in his own way.
"Tell me once more what happened the last time that you transformed," Totosai requests then, his own tone changing drastically to one that sounded more helpful than argumentative.
"I wasn't able to use Tessaiga properly, and so I got trapped by that petty demon Yua was talking about earlier," Inuyasha re-tells. "I totally lost control of my sense of self. I don't want to go through that again. It was terrifying," he admits, his thoughtful gaze drawn to Tessaiga that now lay between us and Totosai. Totosai gives a thoughtful hum at that, while I find my own eyes burning slightly with unshed tears at my mate's clear distress, along with his willingness to forgo his independence and pride to keep myself and our friend's safe.
'Words can't express how proud of him that makes me feel, how much more it makes me love him,' I think to myself tenderly, before jumping when Inuyasha lets out an exclamation of irritation. Looking at him curiously as he pulls back some of his silver hair, I can't help a small laugh seeing who had attached himself to Inuyasha's neck.
"Master Inuyasha! Nice to taste you again!" Myoga greets happily.
"Myoga. We should have known!" I exclaim, genuinely happy to see the little flea demon. "It's been a while since-" I cut myself off, wincing slightly as Inuyasha punches the little flea demon, effectively squishing him between his fist and his neck.
Well, I mean, by now what should Myoga expect?
'In fact, you'd think he would be smarter about it and anticipate the slap,' I think to myself, watching with amusement as the flea demon floats down off of Inuyasha's neck.
"And here I was worried about you," Myoga states weakly as he slowly comes back to his senses.
"So, this is where you've been hiding out, is it?" Inuyasha bites out with the clear annoyance.
"I knew you would find your way here, Master Inuyasha. I was simply waiting for you to arrive!" Myoga protests, his voice panicked. I smile and shake my head slightly.
"Oh Myoga," I sigh softly at the tiny flea demon as he jumps up to my shoulder, conveniently the one facing away from Inuyasha.
"I've missed you as well, Lady Yua. Even if your blood isn't as sweet as my Master's," Myoga greets happily, and I can't help a small laugh hearing him.
"I have to master the Tessaiga, or else," Inuyasha intercedes, bringing the discussion back to the more pressing topic at hand. "That's the only way…" he trails off, leaving the rest unsaid, but the invisible words echo loudly in my heart.
It was the only way to keep me safe, to keep the other's safe.
To keep him safe.
"I see you've put quite the good deal of thought into this," Totosai comments, crossing his own arms thoughtfully as Inuyasha nods and picks up Tessaiga, propping it on the blunt end of the sheath. "You've had enough transformations? You no longer desire the strength that comes from being a full demon?" My back straightens as that, and I can't help watching my mate intently.
"I'm tired of being unable to control my demon side. Not the strength that comes with it," Inuyasha replies evenly, and I have to swallow down my disappointment at his answer. There was a pregnant pause, as if Totosai were considering Inuyasha's words carefully, before he broke the tense silence.
"Well, I suppose you have one choice," The old swordsmith begins, Myoga letting out a sound of surprise hearing him. "Inuyasha, you must kill Ryukotsusei."
"Ryukotsusei?" I ask softly, frowning. "Who is that?" I ask after seeing Myoga looking extremely nervous, even stuttering out clarification on the name.
"He is the demon that Inuyasha's father battled and sealed into a dormant sleep," Totosai answers, before directing his sole attention back to said half-demon. "Inuyasha, why do you think Tessaiga is so heavy? It is because your fang has not yet reached the same power as your father's."
"Where do we find this Ryukotsusei?" I ask softly then.
"We?" Inuyasha asks sharply, causing me to look at my lover with a raised eyebrow in question. "No, there is no way I'm bringing you with me on this one Yua. It's going to be too dangerous."
"Which is why you need someone there to watch your back," I counter evenly, hands grabbing fistfuls over my pants and squeezing tightly, readying for a fight. I look to Myoga on my shoulder. "You would know where this demon is, wouldn't you?" I question the flea, watching as he gazed between myself and Inuyasha nervously.
"Do not tell her anything, Myoga," Inuyasha growls out in warning, but I pay him no heed. Instead I continue to stare down the increasingly anxious flea demon on my shoulder. I could see the sweat building and building the longer I continued to stare at him.
Then, predictably, he cracked.
"He's pinned to a cliff side in the Valley of Ryūkotsusei overlooking the Plains of Musashi!" Myoga gets out all in one breath, and I can't help blinking slightly in surprise.
"Wow Myoga that was…specific," I can't help commenting lightly, before turning my head to look at Inuyasha with a small smirk. "So either I come with you, or I come after you. You can make the choice," Inuyasha frowns deeply, obviously not liking either option I had just presented him with.
"Yua, I can't be distracted with protecting you when going up against this demon," Inuyasha murmurs, a last ditch effort to argue his way free of taking me along. I lift an eyebrow, raising my right hand and allowing it to glow with my aura.
"Good thing I can protect myself then."
Inuyasha had begrudgingly allowed me to accompany Myoga and himself on they quest to find and destroy his father's old enemy.
'Begrudgingly is actually putting it lightly,' I think to myself with mild amusement, his amber eyes still narrowed and facing forward, refusing to look at me. 'He's pissed,' I admit to myself, uneasiness settling in my stomach, but my instinct not to be separated from him was stronger than any uneasiness I was feeling manipulating my way into going. Soon enough the silence became too much for even Inuyasha to bear, and spitefully he began a conversation with Myoga, asking about the battle between his father and Ryukotsusei.
"In other words, if I defeat the demon my father then I'll surpass the old man in strength?" Inuyasha asks, a gleam of hopefulness in his voice. I just barely refrain from rolling my eyes at him.
I mean, the man is dead and he's still trying to compete with him.
'Wow, that sounded a little callous,' I can't help wincing slightly to myself, only just realizing how that had sounded after the thought had hit me. 'After all, I feel like it's more so Inuyasha wanting to live up to his father's image, rather than him competing with his old man.'
"Now, listen, Master Inuyasha. By destroy all you have to do is pierce the demon's heart since his powers still lay dormant," Myoga reminds him for what felt like the hundredth time in our short walk together.
"What? I don't have to fight him?" Inuyasha asks sharply then, confusion clear in his tone.
"Of course not!" Myoga states firmly. "It took every ounce of your father's strength to put this demon under a seal! He wasn't able to levy a finishing blow!" The flea demon goes on, hectically jumping on Inuyasha's shoulder.
"So now I'm the one that gets stuck slaying him like a coward?" Inuyasha asks, hardly sounding impressed. I sigh softly, shaking my head.
"Why can't you look at it as your father helping you from beyond the grave?" I can't help asking him, Inuyasha frowning as he glances at me, before looking straight ahead and shaking his head. He was about to retaliate, but Myoga hilariously cut him off.
"If you keep complaining I won't show you the way!" Myoga exclaimed, pitching a fit on Inuyasha's shoulder. I place a hand over my mouth to hide my amused grin, though Inuyasha catches the movement and gives me an unimpressed look. He raises his opposite fist at Myoga on his shoulder, glaring at the small flea.
"Just who do you think you're talking to, Myoga?!" Inuyasha demands angrily. Myoga stutters then, as if realizing what he had just said, and begins to try to hastily retract. My half-demon lover, however, allowed his temper to get the best of him and began to beat on the poor flea demon.
But over all the commotion, I could hear a buzzing noise, and my back goes ramrod straight as I feel Naraku's cold, slimy presence washing over me. I grab my bow from over my shoulder along with an arrow, able to sense where the poisouness insect was before I could even see it, and twisted my body around to let my arrow fly. Inuyasha and Myoga had both stopped their bickering at my motion, clearly surprised at the sudden defensive move, before Inuyasha sees what I see as the large bee drops from the sky with my arrow in it's torso.
"It's one of Naraku's poisonous insects," Inuyasha confirms as we walk up to the dead creature, my nose wrinkling in disgust at the heavy miasma smell it was giving off.
"There's another!" Myoga exclaims, and I curse as I see the distant dot in the sky. Much too far for either Inuyasha nor I to intercept now.
"What on earth is he doing having his bugs following us?" I ask softly then, frowning in confusion. "Surely he wouldn't be looking for Ryukotsusei as well? What would he want with a sleeping demon?"
"A sleeping very powerful demon," Myoga corrects, voice nervous. "I think it best we keep our eyes peeled for the foreseeable future."
"I don't like this at all," Inuyasha murmurs, frowning as he looks towards me. "Would you please go back to Totosai now?" He requests one more time, and I shake my head firmly.
"Definitely not now, not if Naraku is going to be on our trail. You'll need all the help that you can get," I retaliate, but to Inuyasha's chagrin.
"I'm your mate. I could order you back to Totosai's," his empty threat rests heavy in the air for a moment, a tense silence overcoming all three of us as I give him the most unwavering stare that I could muster.
"You wouldn't dare," I whisper to my lover harshly, heart thumping in my chest. He was right after all. A command from him, a true command, would have me fighting against my own wishes to stay by his side, and would make it difficult to do so.
"I would, if only to keep you safe," Inuyasha states with a conviction that leaves me no question to the validity of his statement.
"Then you know I would fight your command, and be in more danger due to the distraction of it," I argue logically, Inuyasha's lips thinning out to reveal the tip of one of his fangs as his gaze grows fierce. A tense moment more goes on, before his next reply has a shudder rushing down my spine.
"We'll discuss this later," he murmurs, tone low and voice vibrating in his chest. It sends goosebumps down my arms and causes my hair to stand on end. I swallow thickly, and morbidly wonder with some excitement what that 'discussion' was going to look like.
'If it's anything like scenting…I would never obey an order…' the desperate thought is enough to make me flush, but Inuyasha's scowl doesn't relax into a smug smirk as it typically did when he knew he was affecting me. A coldness washes over me now, realizing for the first time that he was actually pissed with me.
I now doubted that the impending conversation was going to be anything remotely pleasant at all.
It was only when we came upon a rushing river, just meters from a large waterfall, did Inuyasha break the tense silence the three of us had been under.
"Get on my back," it was a shadow of a command, though I still felt the tug deep down in my belly. The heated look in his amber eyes told me that this was a test he was conducting, one to see how I reacted to the simplest of his orders.
When I slid onto his back, as commanded, I could feel the confidence of an alpha oozing from his every pore.
And I would be lying if I said it didn't do things to me.
And his intimate grip on my upper thighs as he leapt us over the rushing river told me that he could smell exactly what was happening.
I could almost taste the male pride coming off of him in waves.
I fully expected him to let me go once we had crossed, but to my slight surprise he kept his grip firm even as I tried to wiggle off of his back. I took the wordless gesture for what it was. He could no doubt smell the demon, knew that we were close, and wanted me even closer to know I was safe.
'He's allowing me to stay, I can give him this much without complaint,' especially when we had to begin to scale stone pillars to get where we needed to go. With an ease that spoke volumes of his physical strength, he did so with the weight of me still on his back. I could feel his back muscles working against my front as he climbed, my legs tightening even more around his waist the higher we climbed. I told myself it was to ensure that I didn't fall.
Though, if I was being honest with myself, I tightened my hold for other reasons.
On a particularly high cliff side, however, I could tell he was starting to get impatient.
"How much further, Myoga?" Inuyasha asked irritably as he found another natural hand hold in the rock face.
"Not much. We'll be able to see it soon. Keep moving," Myoga encourages from where he relaxed on Inuyasha's shoulder.
"Easy for you him to say," I mutter softly into Inuyasha's ear, the dog-like appendage twitching as he felt my breath wash over it.
"No kidding," Inuyasha grunted lightly as he continued to move up higher. I frown then, chewing on my lower lip as I feel the first waves of guilt wash over me. I mean, I by no means a light girl, and he was carrying me up this cliff side despite his desire to have left me behind.
Was I actually more trouble than I was worth in this moment?
"I should squash you," Inuyasha growls lowly to the flea demon, making in another ten feet or so before Myoga speaks up excitedly.
"Wait, Master Inuyasha, look!" Myoga exclaims, his little arms pointing to our left. I frown as I turn to look at what the flea was pointing at, my eyes widening at what I saw. In the dim light of the valley, it almost looked as if the demon's body couldn't have been a large, elaborate statue carved into the very rock face of the cliff he was pinned to. As the sun broke through the overcast, however, it gave colour to the beige dragon demon, and in a sense giving Ryukotsusei life.
'He is only sleeping after all,' I think nervously to myself, hands tightening on Inuyasha's shoulders. I could feel him tensing as well, as if finally coming to terms with the enormity of this slumbering beast.
"That's your father's claw?!" I whisper-exclaim in shock as I saw said claw protruding from the demon's chest. As silly as it sounded, I was scared to awaken Ryukotsusei if I shouted too loudly. Inuyasha quickly climbs up to the plateau, allowing me to slide from his back this time after making sure I was steady on the slopping rock.
"Woah…so that's Ryukotsusei," Inuyasha murmurs, not bothering to hide his wonder as we approach the edge of the plateau. We both have to crane our necks and tilt our heads back as far as possible to truly take in the enormity of Ryukotsusei this close up.
"Correct, and look where your father's claw has pierced him, rendering his powers dormant!" Myoga reiterates my awe from earlier. "Right above his heart."
I feel Naraku's presence before I see him.
Not bothering with my physical bow this time, I instead create my aura bow and arrow, aiming it high up towards the claw where Ryukotsusei had been impaled. There he was, dressed in his baboon cloak, casually standing on Inuyasha's father's claw.
"Naraku!" Inuyasha growls lowly as the man in question laughs coldly down at us. It sends a cold shiver down my spine, quickly followed by the wave of heated anger as I remember he has Mayumi imprisoned. I let my arrow fly, snarling as I do, only to gape in shock as another arrow just like my own hits it and dispels my aura.
"Mayumi," I breathe out, sensing her presence now as well. Looking around wildly I finally spot her on a small edge of the cliff to the side of Ryukotsusei's body. Her brown eyes are focused, and arms still poised from loosing her own arrow to destroy mine. I could hear Inuyasha's breath hitch beside me, her name leaving his own lips in a reverent whisper.
It hit me that this was the first time Inuyasha has seen Mayumi since she had been resurrected.
My heart aches for him as I look over towards my mate, his amber eyes looking so vulnerable as he stares at the woman who had once been the love of his life.
"Ah, that's right. This is the first time that you've laid eyes on her, isn't it Inuyasha?" Naraku asks cruelly. I could imagine the wicked smirk on his face beneath that baboon mask, and it makes me shake with rage. Unconsciously my hands begin to glow with my aura, the purple flashing with red as my hands shake with restraint.
"Her aura…it's…tainted with rage," Mayumi's soft voice carries over the breeze, directing both Inuyasha's and mine's attention back towards her. She staring at me now with wonder, rather than suspicion, her gaze flickering down to my hands. I take a calming breathe, the red bleeding back into a solid purple once more.
Tainted? What did she mean by tainted? Was it not simply a reflection of my emotions?
Or was it indication of something darker residing within me?
"Indeed," Naraku agrees sardonically, "I've been at the receiving end of her 'tainted' aura before," He recounts, and I can't help smirking with satisfaction, remember catching him off guard all that time ago.
"My aim has gotten better since then," I promise him. Inuyasha frowns, stepping slightly in front of me as Naraku simply laughs. Naraku raises his hand, pointing his finger at me, and in response Inuyasha raises his own arm, but instead to push me more behind him. To protect me.
"I cannot wait to do as I promised," Naraku growls lowly, "to break you and breed you like the bitch you are."
"Shut your fucking mouth," Inuyasha snarls out, his tone almost feral as the very air around us pulses with his barely contained demonic energy. I feel my heart leap into my throat, recognizing Inuyasha's demon straining just below the surface.
"Inuyasha…" I caution breathlessly, gripping onto his shoulder with one hand, the other resting on his upper back. He's tense, to the point his muscles are trembling.
"I won't let you get your filthy hands on her. Not now, not ever. She's mine," Inuyasha claims openly, his chest vibrating with a possessive growl.
"A mate…a human mate," Mayumi murmurs softly, her voice filled with awe and sounding like the tinkling of bells compared to the tense moment passing over us. "I've never heard of such a thing."
"Well she is my mate," Inuyasha proclaims, though his voice is slightly more gentle as he addresses Mayumi this time around. "And she has my protection."
"For whatever that amounts to," Naraku snorts derisively, clearly not intimidated at all my Inuyasha's flux of power as he pulses once more with demonic energy.
'Why do I feel like Naraku is goading Inuyasha to react? To unleash his demon side through threatening me?' I frown deeply, hands tightening their hold on his fire-rat robe. 'Not to mention the confusion with having Mayumi near as well,' I glance back towards the woman in question, watching as she continued to gaze at us with guarded curiosity.
"What have you done to brainwash her?!" Inuyasha demands, clearly speaking of Mayumi. Naraku's confidence was palpable in the very air around us, even through the acrid scent of his miasma.
"Brainwash? Who said anything about brainwashing Mayumi? She joined my cause of her own free will," Naraku replies evenly.
"I highly doubt that!" I can't help snarling out, unable to believe such a lie.
"It's true," Mayumi's calm voice intercedes, and I feel my shock rock my whole body as both Inuyasha and I regarded her with astonishment. "Naraku saved me from what would have certainly been a terrible fate. In return, I've freely offered my services."
"He's lying, you must sense it!" I plead with Mayumi, unable to bear the thought of her naively walking into a trap. Mayumi to my relief seems to falter, though Naraku quickly interjects, no doubt having saw that himself.
"Now, back to business," Naraku murmurs, before kneeling down and placing his hand on the large claw protruding from Ryukotsusei's chest. I watch in fascinated horror as his miasma begins to melt through it, and Myoga spoke up from where he now stood atop Inuyasha's head.
"That claw seals his powers!" The flea demon needlessly reminds us. I take in a shaky breath, summoning my bow and arrow once more and taking aim again at Naraku.
Before both his and Mayumi's forms waver, then disappear completely.
I curse under my breath, redirecting my arrow to the still slumbering demon. A bright light pulses forth from the now open wound, Inuyasha, Myoga, and I all waiting on bated breath for what happens next.
Ryukotsusei's clawed hand begins to move.
The skies being to darken above as unnatural lightening sparks the sky, and suddenly the red glowing eyes of the dormant dragon demon snap open. Above Ryukotsusei's head Naraku reappears alone on the plateau, laughing manically at his obvious success of waking the large beast.
"Ryukotsusei, over yonder stands the son of the demon that hurled you to dormancy. Do with him as you please," Naraku bids, sealing our fates. The very ground below us begins to shake as rocks start to fall around Ryukotsusei, the demon fighting to be physically free from the rocky confines where his body was still half sealed by the cliff side itself.
"Yua, go," Inuyasha commands, sending a shudder through my entire body and tugging at my gut.
"No."
"Now, Yua," he growls lowly with frustration, before cursing when I still resist his command. "Dammit! Now is not the time to disobey me!"
"Oh, I think this is the perfect time to do so," I comment easily, fighting valiantly past the command, my arms only shaking slightly as I keep control of my aura-formed bow and arrow. "I'm not leaving you alone to fight Ryukotsusei yourself, especially now that Naraku has incited his wrath."
"Yua…" My name comes out as more of a sigh of resignation this time, Inuyasha looking at me with a stern gaze laced with adoration. I meet his stare head on, lifting a challenging eyebrow. He clicks his tongue, turning back to look at Ryukotsusei. "Wouldn't be having this problem if I had claimed you properly by now," he grumbled under his breath, but I can easily hear what he said.
"Promises, promises," I can't help quipping lightly, even though knowing that now wasn't the time. Inuyasha simply shakes his head, not taking his eyes from the now mobile dragon as he finally breaks from from his rock cage, sending a rock slide crashing into the valley below. A great gust of rock debris suddenly overtakes us, causing me to disperse my bow and arrow and to instead create a shield in front of us as a means of protection. The larger rocks that would hit my barrier would turn to dust and be deflected around us. When the dust settled I allowed my barrier to drop, the three of us looking up towards the large dragon demon with open awe.
He was massive!
'He has to be at least two hundred feet tall!' I think to myself, remembering the skeletal frame of Inuyasha's father that we had seen long ago resting against the mountains of his gravesite. 'That must have been some battle between those two giants…'
"No, no, no! This is bad! This is really bad!" Myoga panics from where he had moved down to Inuyasha's shoulder, hopping up and down frantically. "We need to flee, Master Inuyasha!" I swallow thickly. Looking up at this monster before us, inwardly I couldn't help thinking that Myoga might be right this time.
"You must be out of your mind!" Inuyasha protests, squaring his shoulders. "This is much better than slaying some defenceless demon like a pathetic coward!" He goes on to proclaim, grabbing onto the hilt of Tessaiga and smoothly drawing it from it's sheath. "If I'm going to make Tessaiga lighter, then I want to face him head to head," he brandishes his sword, having to still grip it with two hands, and even then the blade rested precariously close to the ground. "I'm going to take you out!" Inuyasha addresses Ryukotsusei then, filled with confidence. I frown, closing both hands into fists and allowing my aura to seep into them once more, standing at the ready.
'Though Inuyasha is determined to defeat Ryukotsusei on his own, it doesn't mean that I shouldn't be ready to jump in, or at the very least, make sure I stay out of the way,' I think to myself, making ready for the battle ahead. Staring up at the dragon demon, it's only then that I notice the mask like face sitting on top of it's forehead, right in the enter between his two giant horns. It rested at the base of Ryukotsusei grey mane, the colour of which was many times light in shade compared to the darker purple-grey of his body. The mask itself was white with blue stripes along the sides of the face, and a mouth filled with fangs, almost like a pathetic imitation of its owner's much larger ones.
"Little man, you think that you can destroy me?" It's the face-like blemish on Ryukotsusei's forehead that speaks, his voice deep and echoing around us. It actually sends small vibrations through the ground, tiny pebbles clattering against the surface as he spoke. "This should prove amusing," he chuckles coldly, a large smirk on the mask's face.
"Amusing?" Inuyasha scoffs, before Ryukotsusei launches his first attack. In a rather clumsy move, he launches his entire body forward, but Inuyasha, and I surprising, are much faster. Using my aura to jump away to safety, I also throw up a shield against the large boulders that Ryukotsusei kicks up as he hits the plateau Inuyasha and I had just been sitting on.
"Good move, Yua!" Myoga cheers from my shoulder, having apparently switched hosts midway through the first attack.
'Figures,' I scoff, allowing myself to be lowered slowly to another plateau close by. I lean forward, watching intently as Inuyasha runs up along Ryukotsusei's spine, Tessaiga held as high as he could muster. Ryukotsusei flicks his body, however, causing Inuyasha to forgo his attack and instead jump to the safety of a nearby cliff, keeping his momentum as he runs along the curved face of it.
"It's hopeless!" Myoga cries out desperately, and I resist the urge to twist the bug under my thumb.
"Don't say that," I order sharply, before tensing as Ryukotsusei straightens his body, much like the way a snake would move to attack.
"Such an eyesore," the dragon demon grumbles, before opening his mouth and sending a wave of energy on a crash course towards Inuyasha.
Only…it never makes contact.
I blink in shock as the ball of lighting streaks past my mate, instead hitting a far off plateau. "That seems odd. I wouldn't think a demon like Ryukotsusei would miss." I comment, looking towards Myoga on my shoulder for an explanation.
"That's because he wasn't aiming for Inuyasha," My eyebrows furrow in further confusion.
"Then what was he aiming for?"
"A lowly demon puppet. Hardly a warm-up," Ryukotsusei comments, and I'm able to piece it together.
Naraku's puppet must have been watching over the battle from that vantage point.
'And I had been too distracted to notice,' I frown at myself.
"Little man!" Ryukotsusei addresses Inuyasha once more, my silver haired mate turning his stunned gaze from the demolished plateau to the demon in question. "I hope you'll provide me more amusement than he could," Ryukotsusei challenges, a confident smirk back on his face.
Inuyasha matches it with his own.
"More than happy to oblige you," Inuyasha replies, his tone borderline cocky. In response Ryukotsusei tilts his massive head back and lets out a might roar, before looking back down at Inuyasha with contempt.
"Come at me, little man. Don't deny me some entertainment," Ryukotsusei goads. Inuyasha scoffs.
"I'm the one that's going to be entertained," Inuyasha states, before leaping into the air with a giant yell. I frown deeply, leaning forward before my eyes widen as I see his intended target.
"The wound left by his father's claw. Would that be a weak spot?" I ask Myoga, watching intently for Inuyasha to deliver the blow.
"It's his best hope," Myoga replies ominously, and my heart skips a beat when Tessaiga finally makes contact with Ryukotsusei. A bright light flashes forth as the blade meets Ryukotsusei's strong dragon hide. It's so bright that I have to momentary look away until the light finally begins to fade.
My stomach drops when I see Inuyasha laying on the ground, and Ryukotsusei hardly looking fazed.
"Inuyasha!" I can't help shouting his name, summoning my bow and arrow then. "Ryukotsusei, over here!" The demon looks to me, a cruel smirk spreading across his face.
"What are you doing, Lady Yua?!" Myoga freaks out on my shoulder, even as I hold my arrow steady. Ryukotsusei laughs, the sound washing over me like icy water.
"Your pitiful arrow will be even less effective than his sword. My skin is stronger than steel - no weapon can penetrate it," Ryukotsusei informs me. "But go ahead little girl, give it a try," the dragon demon challenges me now, and I find myself eager to prove him wrong.
"Yua, don't interfere!" Inuyasha shouts from where he is standing, causing me to hesitate as I frown, glancing towards him. "This battle is only just getting started and I need to be the one to take Ryukotsusei down if I'm going to master my own fang," begrudgingly I slowly lower my bow and arrow down.
Because he was right.
"This is foolishness! It took everything in my late Master's power to force Ryukotsusei into dormancy, and the wound that was inflicted upon him during the battle proved to be fatal!" Myoga goes on, very near to being in hysterics once more.
"Oh, so he perished, did he?" Ryukotsusei must have obviously heard Myoga, causing all three of us to tense up. I look towards Inuyasha, trying to gage his reaction. He looked shocked at this revelation, and his confidence seemed to wane ever so slightly.
'No, he can't have that hanging over his head for this battle!' I think to myself, feeling my worry increase ten fold.
"And you, his wretched son, don't tell me you can to avenge him with the ridiculous looking sword?" Ryukotsusei asks sarcastically, his question obviously rhetorical. Inuyasha scoffs, hiding behind his cockiness once more.
"I don't even remember what my old man looked like," he informs the dragon easily, though I could hear a tinge of regret in his voice. It pulls on my heart, knowing that even if he didn't admit it, he had always wanted to know his father. He looked up to him, even if it was just to challenge himself to be stronger in comparison. "As if I would even care about avenging his death!" My mate goes on, trying to sound callous.
"How dare he say that?! He's been saved countless times by the very sword that his father passed down to him!" Myoga points out, obviously feeling heated about Inuyasha's feigned disregard for his father's legacy. Inuyasha hears Myoga, his gaze turning towards us as he prepares to snap in irritation at the flea, but gets cut off as Ryukotsusei swings his large tail around and takes out the plateau Inuyasha had been standing on. He's caught by surprise, and goes sailing into a cliff face not far from where he had just stood. When he falls to the ground below it takes all my will power not to go to him, but his command still echoes in my mind.
He needed to be the one to kill him.
'But at what cost?' I think desperately to myself, nails digging painfully into the palms of my hands as I squeeze them into tight fists. Inuyasha gets to his feet, still struggling to lift the Tessaiga up as Ryukotsusei bears down on him once more. He manages to brace it over his shoulder.
"This is not good! Not good! Master Inuyasha needs help!" Myoga cries, but before I could protest, and remind him of Inuyasha's command, the flea demon is gone from my shoulder. I swallow thickly, looking back towards my mate as I feel my resolve to obey him waver once more. Horrified, I watch Ryukotsusei open his mouth to launch another attack, and the next comes directly after the first.
I finally snap on the dragon demon's fourth consecutive blow.
"That's enough!" I shout out desperately, throwing my hands up and creating a barrier around Inuyasha, the half demon looking absolutely winded from trying to evade Ryukotsusei's blows. The dragon simply laughs, before bearing down on Inuyasha for a fifth attack.
Only to have his energy ball deflect off of my shield and go sailing into the sky.
"Obviously this is going to be more tedious than I expected," Ryukotsusei growls out, actually sounding frustrated as he turns his attention towards me. "You dare to impede on my fun?"
"Your version of fun is sickening." I bite back, holding the barrier steady around Inuyasha, even as he shouts at me.
"Yua! Stop!"
"No!" I shout back to him, eyes narrowed. "I'm not going to sit back when I can help! Don't make me!"
"The thing is, you can't help, little girl," Ryukotsusei's mouth opens wide, and suddenly I'm looking into a blinding light. Quickly I drop my barrier, instead throwing my hands forward and summing my aura into a ball of light of my own.
'What the hell am I thinking?!' I gasp at myself, before crying out as I let the crackling energy ball fly seeing Ryukotsusei release his own. As our powers meet, the resulting explosion is enough to send me flying backwards, though not far. I roll to a stop, wincing as I slowly rise up onto my elbows and knees, shaking. Inuyasha suddenly appears in front of me, pointing Tessaiga directly at the dragon demon.
And he's not having to brace the blade on his shoulder or the ground.
He's carrying the full weight of it, his body pulsing with energy.
"I'm going to kill you for trying to harm her," Inuyasha's growled promise sends a shiver down my spine as I slowly rise to my feet. Ryukotsusei seems hardly fazed by the threat.
"Destroying you will do nothing to relieve the anger I feel towards your father," Ryukotsusei admits, a smirk on his masked face on his forehead. "But perhaps I would feel a modicum of pleasure letting you watch me kill your disgusting human mate before I kill you!" Without warning Rykotsusei's tail comes around, and Inuyasha has to act fast to grab me and leap out of the way.
But it left him open to another attack.
"Inuyasha!" I shout out, raising my hands to create a barrier as best I could with my depleted energy as Ryukotsusei energy ball bears down on us. Inuyasha turns, tucking me into his chest, and though I am able to deflect some of Ryukotsusei's attack, I'm not able to handle it all. It sends us both flying, Inuyasha doing his best to take the impact.
'No, no, no!' I gasp to myself in horror as we fly through the air, before wincing when we both make contact with the ground once more. I shift out from under my mate, panicking when I notice he's not moving.
"Inuyasha? Inuyasha, please, speak to me!" I beg him, rocking his shoulder to try and rouse him.
I feel the pulses of his demon energy starting to get closer together, and stronger.
Where was Tessaiga?
Looking around frantically, I struggle to stand, before breathing out a sigh of relief as I see it, off in the distance.
A low growl coming from behind me stops me in my tracks.
'I'm too late,' I think fearfully, turning slowly towards my lover, knowing exactly what I would see. Though his face is partially covered from him laying on his front, it's clearly visible.
A glaringly red eye.
"I-Inuyasha?" I ask softly, taking an unsure step towards my mate.
His snarl stops me in my tracks.
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Until next time!
T.O.T.
