A/N: Two days later then I planned, but here is chapter seventeen. I hope everyone had a pleasant Christmas^^
Thank you all for the lovely comments and welcome to my new followers (I hope you'll keep enjoying the story). And of course, already in advance, A happy new year!
Enjoy the chapter^^
InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
o.O.o
Chapter Seventeen, Naraku's minions
'You'll never really see how toxic someone is until you breathe fresher air.'
Ominous grey clouds had rolled in, lightning flashing through the sky and rain thundered down onto them. A jet of light, of pure energy, was released, the arrow cut through the air shot upwards. Like a sheet of light and colour it tore through the yōkai's huge shoulder. The animal growled, jaws grinding, crunching, tearing and now quickly approaching.
"Chiharu!"
"Yes," she cried back, jumping up and aside until she felt her feet land on the rough bark of a tree. The ground rumbled and split open, debris flying everywhere. Kagura the Wind Witch sent her flying feather up into the air, her face scrunched up. Chiharu glared at her. The Wind Witch had almost decapitated her with her dancing winds and now she was fleeing. She peered at Naraku's newest creation.
Goshinki, tall as a flat and ugly as roadkill, moved quickly through the village. The spider burn on his back identical to that of Naraku's and his disgusting ease with killing just as identical.
With a grim expression, she notched another arrow up and shot it at the large yōkai. Inuyasha jumped up, Tetsusaiga out and he snarled when the bulky yōkai swept at him. Purple fur covered his arms and red eyes narrowed.
"I know your thoughts!" he snarled and as claws were about to open large wounds all over his chest, Chiharu released another of her arrows.
With a hiss, the yōkai moved for her. Ever since she returned to her friends, her speed had grown. She hadn't thought it would yet not only did she feel quite a bit better, she had also become stronger.
She fought, trusting as much on her instincts as she could, trying not to think about where she jumped to. She knew for a fact she was not even relying on her own reiki, she was relying on Sesshōmaru's youki to lead her. After he had stabilised the mark, drawing in her very essence to him, he'd left her there. It still made her blood boil. Arrogant arsehole practically assaulted her and then left her to be eaten.
Chiharu gasped as Hiraikotsu hurled passed her, towards the yōkai surging toward her. "Chiharu-chan! Keep your mind on the fight."
"Yes," she mumbled notching up another arrow. The boomerangbone was deflected off the stomach of the yōkai, a sadistic smirk playing on his face. Huge claws swiping at the young taijiya. She wasn't fast enough, but Inuyasha pushed her out of the way. Sango yelped when she fell to the forest floor, and Inuyasha howled loudly. Blood spurt out of his chest and he slammed in the ground. Inuyasha growled, blood oozing out from the fresh large gash and out between his fingers.
Chiharu swallowed, the scent of blood thick and she aimed. "I wouldn't do it, Miko," the yōkai whispered, his stench so awful it made the hairs on the back of her neck and arms stand on edge. "You won't surprise me again. I've turned myself in on your thoughts."
"Good thing I don't overthink what I am doing half of the time then." She snapped back, kicking off and sailed through the air. The arrow she had shot was sticking out of his neck, a solid reminder that, although he might be weakened he was by no means beaten. He swept his arm at her and she jumped out of the way, landing on the roof of a hut. Inuyasha pushed himself up to his feet, swaying slightly, Miroku stalked towards his form.
"Sacred Sutra!" Miroku cried throwing an enchanted scrap of paper at the Yōkai, but without the use of his windtunnel, that was about all he could do. However, his enchanted sutra gave them just enough time to pull the injured Inuyasha away. He was still clutching his father's sword in a tight grip, but the gash was deep, cutting cleanly through muscle and vein and he coughed up blood.
Kagome crouched over Inuyasha's form while Sango threw her boomerangbone again forcing the yōkai a few steps back.
"Do you need my help?" Chiharu asked, batting Inuyasha's arm away before pressing a cloth against his bleeding wound. "We need to get out of here." She continued when she truly saw the extent of the wounds. Already weakened from the recent fight with Kana the soul-stealer, Inuyasha was in no condition to fight.
Goshinki gave a low, deep chuckle, revealing razor-sharp teeth. "Ah, you're thinking to let Kagome, Sango and Miroku get away on the firecat, while you carry Inuyasha's weight." He said and took a step towards them. "I don't think so."
The evil youki emanated from his form like a small tornado and evil red eyes peered around. He seemed to be enjoying himself to the fullest and Chiharu slowly stepped away from her older sister.
"Get away."
"Are you insane?"
"Just do as I say!" Chiharu snapped, peering at Miroku. The monk caught her gaze and then nodded, steering Sango towards Kirara. Inuyasha struggled to a seated position and Chiharu exhaled softly before kicking off against the ground.
Leaving her older sister to tend to his wounds, the young girl quickened her pace to match the beast's next attack, but without the solid experience to fight a much larger foe like this, nor the advantage to not overthink a strategy, she was at a disadvantage. He avoided her when she shot an arrow, shining brightly with purifying energy, and when he slammed his arm down she put up a kekkai in the nick of time. His fur smoked when purifying energy scorching away the fur on the left side of his forearm. She couldn't tell if it was a smart move because of a moment later, he used part of a broken roof, throwing it at her and her concentration broke.
Although she was quick on her feet, avoiding the first swipe of his claws, she couldn't exactly move out of the way when she took to the air. Her hair flailed around her and she yelped when he suddenly moved behind her. Her vision shifted when his claws connected with her back, talons cutting through the skin, slicking across her back. She smacked to the ground with a sickening crack, the side of her face connecting with a rock. She supposed she should actually be happy with the youki and the fast regeneration Sesshōmaru had bestowed upon her. It was because of those two factors she could survive wounds like these, but as the flesh closing back over the wounds, filaments knitting back together.
"Chiharu!"
She heard the whiff of something moving very fast towards her and she uselessly rolled out of the way, coughing on her own blood as she went. Rolling onto her side, she watched Inuyasha charge at the large abomination Naraku had recently given birth to. Goshinki the mind reader was after Kagura the wind witch, Kanna the soul-stealer, one of the most troublesome foes they'd stand against.
Goshinki easily moved out of Inuyasha's path and laughed and she tried to get up. Why didn't they flee? How useful was it, if they all died tonight?
Sango's face suddenly appeared above hers and fingers clasped around her upper arms, dragging her away. Even with the skin knitting back over the large gashes, blood was seeping to the forest floor, spreading and adding to the ever-growing puddle.
"Are you all right?" Sango whispered, her face was pale and her mouth slightly slacked open. When fighting the white-haired Kanna, she'd got hit by her own weapon. Chiharu nodded, swiping the roof of her hand over her mouth.
"I'm okay," she whispered softly, her tongue tasting the rich metallic tang of blood and she coughed again. "I will be fine! Why are you all still here?"
Sango frowned, her dark chocolate brown eyes flashing. "You can't really expect us to leave you here to die, do you?"
"But Inuyasha—" Goshinki's red eyes shone with malice as he glared at her and the young girl tried to sit up, but Sango kept an arm pressed against her torso keeping her down.
"Don't worry little Miko, I'll eat you just after I deal with the half-breed." The Oni grinned.
"Not likely," Inuyasha snarled, breathing out slowly and gazing straight at the Oni. He steadied the Tetsusaiga with two hands and Chiharu presumed he was about to use the wind scar on this new opponent. Goshinki chuckled.
"About to use the cutting wind, hm, Inuyasha?"
"If you know that, then you know you're about to die!" the Hanyō snapped back, staring straight at him while bringing his sword back. Goshinki laughed suddenly moving forwards, straight through the path of the wind and his jaws closed around the blade of the sword. Inuyasha cursed, still trying to drive the sword further down but suddenly a might snap sounded through the silence of the night.
Goshinki laughed, Tetsusaiga crumbling to pieces. The large yōkai swiped at Inuyasha again, blood spurting from his torso and he slammed into the muddy ground. "It seems an Oni's fang is stronger than a dog's fang."
Inuyasha didn't move anymore, blood seeping out on the ground, mingling with the mud. The tang of metallic so strong, it made Chiharu slightly nauseous.
"Is he dead?" Sango whispered softly and with her otherwise engaged, Chiharu sat up with a pained groan. Inuyasha lay still with his face in the dirt. He didn't seem good and she stood up when Miroku was thrown through the clearing, landing heavily against a wooden hut. The Oni turned towards them, his eyes gleaming evilly. A slight sense of panic ate at the edges of her mind when he smiled at her. Kagome squeaked, hiding behind her and suddenly everything that was happening around them seemed as it was happening in slow motion. Goshinki was still moving towards them but somehow slower and she watched Inuyasha push himself up to his knees, but her mind was not catching up.
"Inuyasha's mind is blank, he's gone, you fools he—" The Oni started but suddenly Inuyasha flew forward, slashing at Goshinki. Blood spurted around and Goshinki's right arm slammed down onto the floor. Kagome's fingers dug into Chiharu's arm and she peered with growing horror at Inuyasha's face. His eyes were blood red and he had magenta stripes — reminding her strongly of his older brother — upon his cheekbones.
"He looks like a full-yōkai." Kagome gasped softly and Chiharu nodded slowly.
"His scent is different," Chiharu whispered. The strange moment where time had almost stopped passing by and now a furious Inuyasha stood, a smile stretched across his face.
"Are you not seeing his face?" Kagome asked and Chiharu was about to snap something back when a wave of dizziness ran through her. Although the gashes and deeper wounds were healing steadily she was not used to so much blood-loss. Inuyasha charged at Goshinki again, the latter for some reason could no longer read his mind.
Inuyasha, claws and arms drenched in blood, leapt at the large yōkai again. Goshinki, fangs bared and evil eyes narrowed, howled and lashed out with his claws again, but Inuyasha was too quick and lengthened claws sliced through Goshinki's body. In an instant blood and gore, parts of Goshinki's body, littered the ground and Inuyasha landed almost gracefully on the forest floor.
"That was fun, I enjoyed that Goshinki." Inuyasha laughed and Kagome slowly took a step towards him.
"Inuyasha?"
The Hanyō looked up sharply. Kagome wrung her hands together slowly approaching him. "It's okay Inuyasha, there are no enemies left."
"Don't get near me!" he snarled and as Kagome stepped even closer he slowly backed away. He fidgeted backing even further away. "As I am right now, I don't know what I might do." Chiharu frowned. Was he no longer in control of himself?
"Osuwari!" Kagome screamed. The beads of subjugation glowed brightly and Inuyasha smashed face first down against the floor.
"What the hell, Kagome?"
"Thank god!" Kagome whispered, falling to her knees beside him. Inuyasha still pressed to the muddy ground, could only lift his head to glare at the girl and Chiharu sighed gratefully. While Kagome inspected the large gashes on Inuyasha's chest the Hanyō caught her stare and held it. In a way they both seemed to have some corruption running through their blood they couldn't control and Chiharu felt her cheeks flush. Was that what would have happened if Sesshōmaru had left her with the incomplete mark? She felt a tingle of fear run down her spine. Slowly everyone started to retreat, no one wishing to stay near the destroyed village and Chiharu was silent when they returned to a wooden hut in the woods. Inuyasha carried his broken Tetsusaiga with a pale face and when they reached the hut he slumped down onto the ground.
I-I. ⌡. Γ┐
The aftermath of the battle was melancholy and nasty. The wounded had been tended to, Inuyasha sulking in the highest branch of the highest tree and Miroku sleeping his injuries off. The girls had decided to wash up in the nearby hot springs. The hot water soothing to Chiharu's aching muscles and her hands scraping a cloth over her the caked blood on her back and chest. As she dipped the cloth against one gash that was still healing — a trickle of blood seeping from the wound — she peered at her own reflection. Her hair was a tangled mess, yet her face had regained some colour.
Chiharu massaged her fingers into her scalp, her favourite scented shampoo thickly smeared into her hair. The warm water of the hot spring easing her aching muscles and she slowly turned away from her reflection. Kagome and Sango were both standing behind her. Sango crouched over her yukata, scrubbing at one persistent stain and Kagome was nursing a small gash on her shoulder.
"I really thought we were goners," Kagome whispered.
Sango nodded slowly. Her torso was still badly bruised, but she seemed to be doing a little better.
"Chiharu-chan?"
Chiharu froze and slowly waddled over towards the two girls. "Yes?"
"Are you all right?"
Chiharu cocked her head. Her clothes were ripped and she was somewhat dizzy, but her skin was healed and she was alive. She smiled: "I'm okay, I think."
"I didn't know you would heal this fast," Kagome whispered eyeing her sister in a worried way and the younger Higurashi twin shrugged.
"I'm pretty sure my broken arm healed in less than an hour, so I suppose the fast healing shouldn't come as a surprise to you." She told her sister pushing herself up on a boulder and wrapped a towel around her body before pulling her dripping Miko garb towards her. Kagome always carried a first aid kit and needle and threat into her rucksack. Chiharu had never been happier about that.
"Seeing Inuyasha like that was frightening." Kagome continued, choosing to ignore Chiharu's slightly sarcastic comment and dipped her head back into the hot water, her hair fanning out around her face.
Sango nodded thoughtfully flattening her hands over her yukata and dipped one foot into the warm water. "He looked like a completely different person."
"We should probably head back when we're done," Kagome said and Chiharu nodded, holding her haori up for inspection. Her reparations were hardly legible, but at least they would hold. With a heavy sigh, she pulled her hair up into a messy knot and dressed.
When they returned Tōtōsai's three-eyed ox yōkai stood there. Miroku was standing next to Inuyasha, trying to placate the situation. Myōga the flea-yōkai was sitting on Inuyasha's hand, rubbing all of his four his hands together.
Chiharu hadn't seen him after he'd left with the old sword smith, Tōtōsai, but, although looking anxious, he looked fine. Myōga often fled during a battle. The young Miko supposed it was a way of self-preservation she couldn't really fault him for and slowly followed her sister towards the men.
"Hello Myōga-san," she greeted softly. "You seem well."
"Chiharu-sama," he greeted her happily and Chiharu wondered if that pleased glimmer in his eyes was a warning that he would try to suck her blood. He hadn't tried yet, but the way his large eyes went to her throat made her wonder.
"Yes, me," she mumbled dryly.
"Why are you here, Myōga-jii-chan?" Kagome asked politely.
"He's here for Tetsusaiga." Inuyasha answered softly and Chiharu's eyes widened.
"Can it be fixed?"
"Yes, Chiharu-sama," Myōga replied. "We'll have to travel to Tōtōsai's mountain. We can travel together till the edge of the mountain, but Inuyasha-sama will have to make the journey up the mountain alone. Humans cannot enter it."
They travelled north for a duration of thirty minutes. The forest, dark and sombre without the green leaves on the branches of the trees, were ominously quiet. The wind stirred the myriad of fallen leaves and the sun blearily peaked out from dark clouds. The higher they climbed the more depressing the scenery became. Brown stiff leaves creaked under their feet and death logs lay on the path before them.
Smoke, white and hot, ascended from small craters in the dry ground, and lay upon the forest floor as a layer of fog. The path started to become dappled and a strained sort of silence had befallen them. Sango sat on Kirara her face slightly pale and they reached the top of a slope. Below them, almost all the way down the trees were clustered together, throwing a large shadow at the bottom over the rocky ground. The smell of smoke and hot stone cascaded down the top of the mountain and the grass under their feet stirred softly in the wind. Small patches devoid where steam puffed out of the earth.
The mountain path grew wide where the dirt was soft and turned narrow in the rocky passes. The ox moved up on the challenging path and Myōga jumped from his back on Kagome's shoulder.
"This is where you have to stop." He told them. "Now Inuyasha-sama has to travel alone."
The mountain path ahead was slightly hidden in a dark shadow by the dappled shade of a large boulder. The greenery further up was almost none existent and the dry ground had cracks from the heat. Inuyasha sniffed disdainfully before following the path further up. Tōtōtosai's ox leading the way, yet Myōga didn't follow. As night was almost upon them they divided the tasks. Miroku and Sango collected firewood, while Chiharu helped Kagome make dinner. A good few hours later the little group of shard hunters were seated around a warm fire, enjoying a bowl of vegetable soup.
"So Inuyasha-sama did transform, didn't he?"
"Yeah, he did." Kagome nodded, "Does that have some connection to Tetsusaiga being broken?"
Myoga nodded, still seated on Kagome's shoulder and the others slowly inched closer. "Tetsusaiga is a protective sword left to Inuyasya-sama by his father, yet it was also made to constrain Inuyasha-sama's yōkai blood."
"Constrain his blood?" Sango asked slowly, her eyebrows furrowed and her face scrunched up in thought. "There is such a thing?"
"Oh yes, in order to protect Inuyasha-sama his blood was bound to the sword. Without Tetsusaiga essentially means that Inuyasha-sama's yōkai blood awakens when his life is in grave danger. Once his yōkai blood is awake, only Tetsusaiga can control it, but it won't ever be the same. Not now he had felt the joy of killing."
"So his blood could literally overload his system en drive him into fits of feral rage?" Chiharu summarised, carefully readjusting Shippō on her lap. The small boy snuggled contently against her and peered around at the members of the little group with heavy-lidded eyes.
"Yes," Myoga admitted, he gave her a long look before continuing slowly, "It's because youki is toxic to humans that Inuyasha's hanyō body and mind can't handle the power of his father. Repeated transformations should be avoided."
Chiharu shifted uncomfortably beneath the weight of so many pairs of eyes and fumbled with her empty bowl. She nodded slowly, fisting her hands through the material of her haori. If youki was toxic to humans and could force them to lose their mind then— She shook her head resolutely and shivered. The fire flickered ominously and an almost full moon rose into the sky.
Shippō yawned before nodding off and suddenly tumbled forward. She only just managed to catch him before he tumbled into the fire and she carefully pulled him to her front. The young boy sighed contently but didn't wake up.
"I think we should try and get some sleep," Miroku said softly.
Chiharu nodded, standing up slowly while stretching her legs and cradled the sleeping kit in her arms. "That sounds like a plan, Onee-chan?"
Kagome jerked her head up and slowly, reluctantly, nodded: "I suppose,"
Carefully they started to set up their sleeping gear, Kagome rolling out her sleeping bag and Sango and Miroku laying out their bedding. As the others slowly dozed off, she carefully looked at Myōga.
"I don't understand." She whispered softly and Myōga peered up at her.
"I thought if the mark was complete—"
"It won't kill you." Myōga admitted, "But you can still harm the ones around you if you ever lose the control over it."
"So am I like Inuyasha?"
"In a way."
Chiharu nodded slowly, worrying her lower-lip before stretching down on her sleeping bag. As the embers of the fire died out, she dozed off, but only to be awoken an hour later when Inuyasha returned, tiptoeing into the campsite and propping himself up against a large boulder. She felt his eyes on her, staring across the smouldering embers of the fire at her and she carefully peered back at him through her lashes. He looked troubled, peering at his hands as if he couldn't believe they were his and Chiharu pursed her lips. Even if he hadn't been there when they discussed his yōkai blood, he wasn't entirely unintelligent. It must have been just as frightening to him as it had been to them and she exhaled softly. If only he would talk about his problems, she watched him as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, dozing off, if only to the eye. She stayed awake for a long time, her mind actively processing the meaning of such corruption.
To be continued…
A/N: Although I'm still no planning on following the precise storyline of InuYasha, this part was rather important to the story and I didn't want to skip it (I already skipped meeting Kagura and Kanna, so I decided to actually write about Goshinki). Either way, this was also important for Chiharu because in a way her human essence and Sesshōmaru's youki won't mix that well either...
Ah, problems in paradise. It's how I like it the most. Next chapter will probably sooner than Thursday because I will travel abroad for a short vacation (and I could try uploading something, but let's face it I'll probably forget to anyway).
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please let me know what you think of this one^^
Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi