~Ch. 1- Orochi Returns~

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Okami © Capcom

Sunset in Kaede's Village. The time of the day when the villagers finished their work and the children came home from playing to eat their dinner and then go to bed. It was a typical routine that the villagers did every day, day in and day out.

As the villagers headed inside to rest for another day of hard work, Kagome sat in Kaede's herb garden, picking medicinal herbs for the elder priestess.

"There, that's enough of them for now," said Kagome as she picked up the basket. "That's enough work for one day. Time to head inside." She then stood up and prepared to head into the hut that she shared with Kaede...but then, just as she was about to take just one step forward, she paused. She glanced over her shoulder, eyes narrowing as she stared beyond the fence.

"...Whoever you are," Kagome began, "come out, right now."

A pause...but then, something streaked through the tall grass and leaped over the fence as it jumped into her arms, causing Kagome to gasp in surprise at first, but then she laughed as she held up whoever it was.

"Hi, Shippo!"

"Hi, Kagome!" exclaimed what appeared to be a little boy of at least five years with auburn hair and turquoise, but the only thing that differentiated him from most human children was that for one thing, his ears were pointy and he had tiny fangs in his mouth. Not just that, but he had a thick, fluffy tail sticking out of his rear end, as well as two little paws for feet. His attire consisted of a dark green yukata with a white leafy pattern and a vest made out of fox fur.

This little boy was Shippo, a young fox demon and Kagome's dear friend. Just last winter, she found the poor thing all alone, about to die from starvation and hypothermia. Apparently, his parents were both killed by Thunder Demons, leaving him the only survivor. Kagome took pity on the poor kit and, though it took some doing, convinced Kaede to let her take him back to the village, where he was soon nursed back to health. So grateful was Shippo that he made a den near the village so that he could visit Kagome every day, and since then, she would often play with him when she wasn't busy with her priestess duties.

As Shippo nuzzled Kagome, she noticed that there were little burs sticking to his vest, causing her to giggle.

"I guess someone's been rolling around in the shrubs again, huh?" she asked, causing Shippo to giggle...but then his eyes took on a bit of an uneasy look.

"Umm...Kagome?" Shippo asked. "Is it okay if I spend the night in the village with you and Kaede again? Pretty please?"

Kagome's face fell from happiness to one of concern. Lately, Shippo didn't seem to want to stay in his den at night and would spend the night in the village with her. She could somewhat understand. He was probably scared to be on his own since his parents were gone...but she couldn't help thinking that wasn't the only reason why he was so intent on staying in the village with her every night.

"Shippo?" Kagome asked. "It's not that I don't like you being around or anything...but you've been spending the night here in the village with me and Kaede for the past few days. Is there something wrong?"

"Something wrong?" Shippo repeated before he shook his head. "Err, no! Th-there's nothing wrong, Kagome! I just thought you'd be lonely here, that's all."

"Shippo," Kagome began, "I know you can be a little proud, sometimes, but...there's no shame in admitting that there might something wrong. You might feel better if you tell me why."

Shippo looked up at Kagome, seeming a bit unsure...but then she gave him a gentle, warm smile and suddenly, he felt his heart be at ease.

"...Well...to tell the truth," the kit admitted, "I'm scared to be in the forest at night."

"Why?" Kagome inquired.

"Kagome...weird things have been happening lately," Shippo said. "You know that forest where the dog-eared guy is pinned to the tree?"

"Inuyasha's Forest?" Kagome asked. "What about it?"

"...Lately, all kinds of demons have been showing up there," Shippo answered, "especially at night! And I don't mean the nice demons like me. I'm talking about the scary demons like imps and ogres...and even that creepy Mistress Centipede!"

"Mistress Centipede...?" Kagome repeated as she looked toward the forest. "She hasn't been active in the forest since I was a little girl."

"I don't know what's going on," Shippo began, "but I'm scared to be in the forest at night! What if they try to eat me?"

"Oh, Shippo," Kagome said as she gently stroked Shippo's head. "If it'll really help you feel better, you can stay here tonight and tomorrow, Kaede and I will do something about the demons, okay?"

"Really?" Shippo asked as his face lit up with hope. "Oh, thank you, Kagome! I knew I could count on you!"

Kagome giggled as the kit hugged and nuzzled under her chin.

"Kagome?"

Kagome turned to see Kaede, standing in the doorway of her hut.

"Are ye coming inside or not?" she asked.

"I'm coming, Kaede," Kagome replied as she grabbed the herbs and headed inside, carrying Shippo in her other arm as she entered.

"I see that Shippo will be joining us again, tonight," Kaede said.

"Hi, Kaede," Shippo replied as he hopped out of Kagome's arms. "Something smells delicious!"

"Dinner will be ready shortly," said Kaede as she walked to the firepit with Kagome's help.

"...Kaede?" Kagome asked, prompting the elderly priestess to look to her.

"Yes, child?" Kaede asked.

"Shippo says something strange is happening," Kagome answered. "Lately, demons have been spotted in the forest, especially at night...even Mistress Centipede was skulking around."

"Mistress Centipede?" Kaede repeated. "I have not from her for quite some time, now..."

"Kaede...what do you think this means?" Kagome asked. "I know that sometimes, the village gets menaced by a demon or two...but Shippo makes it sound like a lot of them are gathering."

"It is not just Shippo who has made such testimony," said Kaede. "Rikichi has also made such claims. He says he spotted demons while out looking for firewood." She then gave Kagome a serious expression. "Kagome...I sense foreboding in the atmosphere."

"But what?" Kagome asked, worriedly.

"That, I am honestly afraid to find out, my child," Kaede replied.

XXX

Not very far from the village, to the east of the Shinshu Field and across the sandy beach lies a vast cave on the sea...over which an ominous cloud hung. Thunder rumbled and lightning split the heavens. As the dark clouds swirled and the wind blew harsh and wild, there on a large boulder lies a large sutra with red markings...but it was tattered and worn with age. Suddenly, as the wind blew harder...the sutra suddenly flew off from the boulder and landed on the water's surface, only for it to sink below the depths.

Then...the cave trembled, and out of nowhere, the boulder suddenly shattered into smithereens. Not long after...a huge shadow suddenly emerged, writing and slithering around. Soon after, the shadow split into eight long heads, growling and snarling with glowing red eyes.

"At last...I am free!"

Soon after this declaration, the beast turned all eight of its heads to the sky and let out a thunderous roar!

XXX

Kagome gasped as she sat up from her futon, prompting Shippo to yelp as he sat up, too.

"D-d-d-d-did you hear that, Kagome?!" Shippo questioned. "It sounded like a m-m-monster!"

"Yeah, I did hear it," Kagome whispered as she looked around. "What in the world was that?!"

"...It cannot be..."

"Huh?" Kagome muttered as she looked over her shoulder to see Kaede, staring out the door in horror.

"It has been many years since I last heard such a fearsome roar...and felt such powerful demonic energy," said Kaede, grimly. "I feared this day would come."

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked. "Kaede, what's wrong?!"

"I should have seen the signs sooner," said Kaede. "The demons appearing at night...the storm clouds in the sky...and now, the seal has broken and the thing that we have dreaded for so long has come to pass." She turned to Kagome with a horrified expression. "The Dreaded Orochi...has returned...!"

"...What...?!" Kagome whispered in shock.

"Wait...who's Orochi?" Shippo asked, but before he could get his answer, a loud shriek suddenly pierced through the air.

"HELP! DEMONS!"

Kagome gasped before she hurriedly grabbed a longbow and a quiver of arrows before she headed outside...only to gasp in even more horror at the sight: the village was being laid waste to hordes of demons, from small imps wearing masks over their faces with menacing kanji to large ogres wielding giant clubs. The villagers screamed as they ran for their lives while others attempted to stand their ground and fight, using backhoes and pitchforks for weapons...but unfortunately, their efforts were met with disaster. The demons either bludgeoned them to death with their weapons or devoured them alive.

"What's going on?!" Shippo questioned as he hid behind Kagome.

"I don't know!" Kagome cried.

"This is the result of Orochi breaking through his seal," Kaede said. "Now that that monster has resurfaced, the demons are free to attack the village as they please!"

"AAAAHH! MOTHER!"

Kagome turned to see a little boy screaming in horror as his mother was held in the jaws of a large, topless woman with huge fangs and six arms. She had long, flowing, black hair...and she had the long body and legs of a centipede.

"Mistress Centipede...!" Kagome whispered in shock.

"MOTHER, NO!" cried the little boy. "MOTHER!"

"Kokichi...!" his mother gasped...before the demon squeezed her body so tightly in her jaws that her neck snapped...and she soon fell limp.

"NOOOOOOOO!" the boy cried with tears in his eyes. "MOTHER!"

"Kokichi, come on!" cried the boy's father as he ran up and grabbed Kokichi before he ran, taking his son with him. "It's too late for your mother! I'm sorry!"

As Mistress Centipede devoured the flesh of Kokichi's mother, Kagome suddenly found herself thrown back in time as she stared at the demon. She saw herself as a little girl, standing in the cold winter snow...staring up at Mistress Centipede while she glowered down at her with several imps at her side, some of them lying dead beneath her. In the monster's jaws...she could see her father, Hikaru, who had dropped his bloodied ax on the snowy ground.

"KAGOME, LOOK OUT!"

Kagome gasped, brought back to reality by Shippo's call as Mistress Centipede soon lunged for her, causing her to scream as she dove out of the way. As she did, Kaede fired several arrows at the demon, but they were nothing against her hard armor. The monstrous woman cackled as she glared at Kaede, who stood her ground as she prepared to fire another arrow.

"Well, well...if it isn't Kaede," Mistress Centipede smirked. "It's been quite some time, hasn't it?"

"Kaede!" Kagome cried.

"Run away, Kagome!" Kaede shouted. "I shall handle this demon, myself!"

Kagome gasped as she glanced back and forth between her tutor and the demon that towered over her.

"Kagome, what do we do?!" Shippo asked as he clung to her shoulder.

"I don't know...but we have to do something!" Kagome exclaimed...and then she gasped. "I got it!" She then looked to Mistress Centipede as she placed an arrow on her bowstring. "HEY!"

"Huh?" Mistress Centipede muttered as she turned around...only to screech in pain as an arrow was soon shot into her left eye.

"Come and get me!" Kagome called as she turned and fled toward Inuyasha's Forest, taking Shippo with her.

"You little brat!" yelled Mistress Centipede as she chased after her.

"Kagome, no!" Kaede called. "Come back!"

Kagome panted as she ran through the forest while Shippo clung to her shoulder, and Mistress Centipede wasn't too far behind.

"I'll get you, Kagome~!" she screeched.

"Kagome, where are we going?!" Shippo asked.

"We need help!" Kagome answered. "And I know someone who just might help us! I just have to wake him up!"

"Huh?!" Shippo questioned. "Who?!"

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing!" Kagome exclaimed as she looked to the ground...following the red string that led her deeper into the forest while Mistress Centipede continued to pursue them.

"You won't get away from me~!" she called after them, and that's when Kagome drew in a deep breath and shouted at the very top of her lungs.

"HELP ME, INUYASHA~!"

Deep within Inuyasha's Forest...the inugami's eyes suddenly flew open, revealing two glowing amber orbs...and a growl rising in his throat.

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