Blanket Disclaimer: The writer does not own any characters created by Rumiko Takahashi but like everyone else wishes she did. All original characters or concepts are the author's Inuma Asahi De's (with the exception of historical figures).
Chapter Thirty One
Her Power; His Mutiny
Inuyasha felt his heart race in his chest, he felt the beads of perspiration drip from his nose to the ground, he felt his stomach turn with impending nausea, he felt the tingle of demonic energy within him receding as if it was the night of the new moon, he felt his pupils contract as the world around him was flooded with light—an unmistakable glimmering luminosity—as bright as a sun that hung within a sky.
It filled the deck, highlighting the face of every astounded crewman who was stationed there, showing the amazement, the utter astonishment that filled their individual visage as they dropped the ropes they held, as they lost their grip on the sails they were meant to tame, as they stood unable to move, frozen to their post, useless from their shock.
"It ain't possible." One mumbled as he clung to the rigging, his eyes staring at the girl on the helm's deck, the girl who had raised her hand and lit their world. Around him the other riggers agreed, their heads nodding up and down, their jaws slack and opened with their own disbelief.
"Amazin'," They whispered to each other none of them, human or demon alike, having ever seen a power such as this, a magic this extraordinary.
"Unbelievable." A man on the Quarter deck underneath them agreed, his grip loosening on the rope he had been securing, allowing the main sail to flap wildly in the unnatural wind that now surrounded the ship and its crew or more accurately surrounded her, accompanied by an ethereal glow that seemed to sheath her as if she was a sword.
That wind fluttered in her hair, touching every tendril as if it was alive, a hand from an unseen creature that was gently caressing the whimsical curls with loving strokes. It moved over her clothes, pushing at the untucked material of her shirt causing it to billow around her revealing the smooth flesh of a flatten stomach and the underside of tightly bound young subtle breast, both of which were strangely highlighted by the faint pink glow that encompassed her whole body, creating an almost heavenly image, an angel about to fly.
It encased her every feature, from her shoeless toes to the tip of her nose, encircling her with a mild crimson hue that appeared to flow throughout her as water flows through a stream, intensifying as it traveled up her raised hand to her fingers, a rapid of energy. It grew darker and darker the closer it came to reaching those fingertips, strengthening in magnitude until it was a deep blood red, resting within the palm of her soft white hand, becoming brighter and brighter with each passing second, becoming more and more powerful with each passing moment, increasing in caliber the longer she held it above her head.
Slowly, instinctively, Inuyasha began to back away from her, his eyes still glued to the girl but the demon within him pushing him, commanding him to distance himself. It recognized the power, it recognized it for what it was as well as for what it could do to the demon within him. It could kill it, it could destroy it, push it out of Inuyasha's body until he was nothing more than a normal human and that was not something he was willing to let happen, it was not something the demon within him would ever let occur.
Yet he couldn't accept that, he couldn't run from her, he'd never turn his back on her—there was a part of him that was not afraid of the terrifying possibilities of purification—a part of him that simply didn't care or perhaps cared more for her well being than its own. It pushed at the back of his psyche, it called to him, yelling and clawing, fighting with the demon inside of him.
"Run!" The demon snarled, screamed, raged, the fear of purification permitting it to momentarily take control of his mind, forcing him to take another step away from Kagome.
Inuyasha closed his eyes, breathing heavily, digging his boots into the ground refusing to step backwards again. "No." He told the demon as he squeezed his eyes shut even tighter, his head beginning to pound as the blood of his father rushed within his veins.
The demon snarled in return a fight running rampant within him, a battle for dominance. "Mate will kill!" The demon barked within him, arguing, pushing, trying to take over his body so it could get away. "If we don't leave, we will die."
"I don't care!" He told it firmly, pushing the voice back down, ignoring it as he opened his eyes, his body beginning to shake as the glowing ball of energy in her hand started to emit a scorching heat. He could feel it as it radiated off of the orb, as if it was the sun rising over the horizon, warming the earth and bringing it back to life from the coldness of night.
His eyes were forced closed as the orb's light seemed to explode, doubling in flourish from its place within her hand, so bright that no man on the crew could actually look directly at it any longer, all of them blinded by the sheer vivacity of the illumination in her palm. Crewmen fell to their knees, dirty hands covering their faces as they screamed and groaned, the demons of the crew feeling as if they were being burned by the pure light that was emitting from her.
Inuyasha's ears twitched almost violently on his head as he heard his crew cry out to him begging him to act. He gritted his teeth hating the sound of men screaming, the flames of the purification energy lashing out at them like flares, hitting anything that was not pure in its wake, attacking it regardless of its position as friend or foe.
"Fuck," He cursed as he tried to look at her, tried to see her among the blinding light but it was too bright, too forceful, too powerful and concentrated for his eyes to even attempt to see. He growled low in his throat his instincts telling him to run, the demon in him snarling viciously as it told him to take flight, as it encouraged him to leave her. "No!" He screamed at it as he forced himself to look back at the girl standing a few feet away from him at the helm.
The white intensity of the light blinded him again, causing him to wince and gasp as his pupils constricted to the smallest point they had ever been, pain searing throughout his retina's as his whole body shuddered before sinking to the ground. He felt as if he was about to pass out, the energy too much for the demon side of him to bear. Breathing heavily he opened his eyes half way, forcing himself to look around at his crew below him, they weren't moving, the humans from fright and the demons from pain.
"She's killing them." He acknowledged horrified as he leaned farther forward pain shooting throughout his body causing him to wince, a bit of his hair falling over his shoulder in the process, catching his eye.
He sat straight up pain forgotten, his hand gripping the abnormally colored strands, they were still silver but now were turning darker and darker by the minute, appearing more grey than demonic. Panicked he reached up to his head, feeling for his ears, they were still there, twitching when he made contact with them. He gulped, his heart racing in his chest and forced himself to look at her despite the pain and burning sensation the light caused his eyes.
"She's purifying me." He shivered, the first sign that the demon blood was starting to retreat fully and the human was taking over, he knew he didn't have much time.
Breathing forcibly he looked around him, trying to figure out what to do, if he got any closer she would purify him but—it was his duty to his crew to protect them and right now, they needed protection. As if in slow motion he took in the sight of his demon crew members withering in pain as the light sought them out, touching them, purifying their very skin, their very hair, their very eyes, bones, hearts, and souls. He watched as they fell, their bodies convulsing as the demon within them was yanked out. His breath hitched when he noticed the telltale purple vapor rising off of a raccoon demons chest as he fell to the ground, the pure light sinking on top of him sucking the demon out of very soul.
Soon, the Captain knew, that man would be nothing but bones.
Inuyasha reached for him even though he was impossibly far away, his eyes catching the sight of his own lack of claws—he brought his hand to the front of his face, studying the human fingernails he had never grown accustomed to seeing. He knew his transformation was imminent as imminent as that man's death.
"I—," His thoughts felt slow. "I have," He felt dizzy, his skin tingled. "To-o," It started to burn. "Stop—," He felt the pain of his ears shifting on his head, his eyes widened in fright. "Kagome!" He yelled out her name unable to think of anything else, of any other way. "Kagome!" He screamed, the name ripping from his throat, hurling into the air. He squeezed his eyes shut dropping forward, supporting himself with his hands and his knees.
"Inu—," A breathy whisper. "Ya-sha—."
His eyes snapped opened, his head snapping forward as well, he could have sworn he heard his name.
The white light in her hand grew even brighter as he looked at her, coating the ship in an unnatural daylight that burned his flesh. He hissed from the force wincing as he turned away panting from the effort it took for him to stand against that terrible pure energy. He gasped, he whizzed, the men around him mimicking the pathetic noise. Standing on shaky feet he made his eyes open, they only made it half way but it was enough to see her, enough to see that she had not only lit up the whole of his ship but had single handedly lit up the whole of the mouth of the Mississippi River, casting it in supernatural daylight.
He looked around himself amazed, disbelief flooding him, saturating his mind so heavily that he forgot all his pain. His hands dropped to his sides, his eyes searched the waters around him, a glimmer in the distance, the ruffle of a far off flag catching them, causing him to turn, to gasp in horror. And as he did he realized something even more terrifying than his men dying, even more terrifying than his secret being exposed.
Kagome had lit up the world and showed the Thunder exactly where they were.
-break-
On the deck of the Thunder Naraku stood watching the strange small light as it went from a tiny flicker to a sun. His jaw dropped as the unnatural occurrence filled the sea around him, shooting into the sky. It illuminated black sails and a flag he could have recognized even in hell. A dog demon transformed and white as snow, raging blood red eyes and blue pupils on a silver background, long fangs appearing to glisten with the material.
"The Shikuro." He whispered, his breath hitching in his throat as he was filled with an almost stomach turning amount of excitement. A low chuckle built up in his chest, filling him, consuming him. It grew louder in his throat as he took a shaky step towards the side of the Thunder, both hands gripping onto the rail tightly as his eyes looked on at the exposed vessel with such amazement that he thought he might cry. "How?" He whispered to himself through small boughts of deep and skin crawling laughter. "How did I get so lucky?"
He gripped the railings in his hands so tightly that the wood began to splinter underneath his sharp black claws. The smile on his face reaching manic proportions as his whole body shook with uncontrollable happiness. He gritted his teeth to control his breathing and laughter before slinking his tongue out of his mouth to wet his lips slowly. His sharp black eyes seemed to reflect the pure light from across the waterway, showing the true depth of his evil vile mind.
"It's perfect." He told himself. "Absolutely perfect." He hissed, before he turned away from the sight his eyes landing on Hiten's room before gradually turning back to the room of his father and Mr. Dresmont, the father of his would be fiancé. He frowned, his mind racing as he studied that door. Behind it lay his greatest challenge, the only thing that could truly ruin everything, the one thing that could stop him before he even got started.
"Father." He thought all hints that he had been smiling slowly falling from his face. He knew his father would go after the Shikuro, and that was fine, he knew he would also give Captain Hiten Inuyasha's head and that was fine as well. He didn't care who killed the dog as long as the dog was put to sleep but—
Naraku narrowed his eyes, his fist clutching at his side as he stared at the door, his gaze powerful enough that the wood should have burst into flames.
"How do I obtain the shard," He bit his lip. "Without you questioning it?" It was a problem, surely his father would want to know why he had taken such an interest in jewelry all the sudden.
Still, even more disheartening than possibly not obtaining the jewel fragment was the possibly of not being able to continue the journey at all. If Inuyasha died now then his father would have no reason to continue on. He would want to return to Port Royal. Naraku grimaced, he couldn't let that happen but there was no telling if Inuyasha was a threat to his collecting the jewel or not. If Inuyasha did know about the jewel already then he might possibly start collecting it to and Naraku didn't need the competition.
Naraku turned back to look at the vessel that was still bright as day. "What if he knows of their power?" He asked himself. "Will he seek them, has he already seen the old woman?" Naraku frowned deeply. "I can't risk it, I have to kill Inuyasha now but if I kill him I go back to my original problem, what about my father?" Naraku exhaled slowly. "I'll have to kill—," He didn't finish the thought and that surprised him more than anything.
Naraku blinked, "Have I gotten soft?" He wondered, "Do I subconsciously think I'll miss him?"
A deep billowing laugh left his throat as he brought a hand to cover his eyes. "Foolish," He told himself as he glanced from between his fingers, he had no love for that man, after all, his father had long ago out lived his usefulness. He had Hiten for an underling, he had the Thunder for a vessel, what use was his father, he had been nothing more than transportation until this point.
Naraku narrowed his eyes growing serious as the situation hit him, dark slits forming as he stared at his father's door, he couldn't let him interfere. He inhaled deeply through his nose, then exhaled a hard breath through his mouth. "When the time comes he must die." He told himself as he ran his tongue along his gums, a nervous habit developed during much younger adolescence.
"I have no choice." He snorted as the words left his lips, an ambiguous sound. "Father!" He yelled as he instantly changed characters, reverting to a rule he played only when convenient. "Father, Mr. Hiten, trouble!" He screamed as he ran to the bell that hung beside Captain Hiten's door, grabbing the drop string he rang it harshly, the crew around him instantly coming to life, grumbling from drink and sleepiness.
"What ta fuck you doin' boy!" One of the men yelled causing Naraku to grimace as he let go of the bell, trying his best to hold himself back from slitting the man's throat.
"Be patient, let him walk on you, it will make it sweeter when you beat him down." Naraku grinned to himself before putting his act back on. "Don't you see it, ser?" He asked the deck hand as he walked closer to him, the man's eyes blazing with fury for having been woken up. "A ship, it's all lit up!"
"A ship?" The man repeated as he turned in the direction the young Naraku had pointed. "Fucking hell." He whispered his eyes growing huge at the sight. "A ship! A ship! Captain, there's a ship out 'ere!" He ran to Hiten's door banging on it firmly. "Captain!" He screamed again as his eyes darted from the door to the vessel off in the distance lit up as if on fire.
The door to Mr. Morgan's room suddenly swung open, the man looking as presentable as he always did, his wig in place and his clothes pristine despite the fact that he had most likely been in a dead sleep. "What's going on here?" His voice billowed, commanding and controlling, Naraku didn't even flinch.
"A ship father." He told the man as his eyes darted to Hiten's door which had now also burst open the Captain of the ship the Thunder looking far less presentable than the Port Authority from Port Royal.
"A ship." Henry Morgan repeated his eyes landing on the blazing sight of the vessel in the mouth of the river. "My word." He whispered just as Captain Hiten came to stand beside him.
"That's—," Hiten started to say but the words stuck in his mouth, only to be taken up by Mr. Morgan at his side.
"The Shikuro." The man practically spat the name his whole body seeming to stand even straighter than normal as a smile fitting of his son exploded on his face. "Man the sails!" he screamed without even thinking, the pirates and his own men obeying regardless of hierarchy, all of them knowing the importance of the vessel they were getting ready to pursue.
Beside him Hiten glared angered by the man's brash display of command on his ship but before he could comment or even attempt to reprimand the father of Naraku, Naraku himself caught his eye.
The much younger man glared at him, his eyes narrowing, his lips drawn in a straight tight line, his nostrils flaring as he exhaled harshly, his pupils dilating, becoming blacker as he looked Captain Hiten directly in the retinas. Hiten felt his palms begin to sweat as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end—he turned and walked away, moving up the steps to the helm's deck quickly, his untied boots nearly tripping him more than once as he made his way—he knew better than to say a word.
Naraku smirked as Hiten ran, a slow snicker forming in his throat as he watched his father follow the other man, shouting orders, commanding both pirate and gentleman alike. Leisurely he turned away from the sight, his sharp black eyes looking out across the sea, taking in the spectacle of the ship as it glowed, a beacon telling them exactly where to go.
"You couldn't 'ave made this any—easier, could you, Captain Inuyasha?" He questioned, his words floating in the air, unheard by the crew around him who were far too busy prepping the vessel to take the time to listen to the words of one little boy.
The sound of the sails falling into place hit his ears. They flapped uncontrolled in the wind, the noise reminding him of home, of his maids, of his clean sheets as a maid folded them, snapping them into place with each precise crease as she made his bed. The sound of men yelling orders at each other, telling each other what to do reminded him of something else entirely, however; something that had yet to happen but one day would. His eyes traveled away from the ship that rested in the mouth of the Mississippi to look at his father who stood at the helm, tall and commanding, stern and angry.
"Soon father." He ground out as he gritted his teeth and clutched his hands into fist. "Just you wait—," He spat as he felt the ship begin to move, launching into the night men stationed all around him giving orders, receiving commands, checking for problems before they arouse, preparing to go into battle. "I will be the man who gives orders and you—," The smirk returned, the chuckled returned, and the eyes grew even darker. "You will be dead."
-break-
Inuyasha watched as the Thunder came to life, as its sails fell into place, as the night wind hit them launching the vessel forward. They had been found out.
Hastily he turned to Kagome, desperately trying to figure out what the hell he was supposed to do. She had said she would make the ship invisible but that wasn't happening. They were more visible than ever, they would have had a better chance if Kagome had done nothing! They needed to get moving, they needed to get out onto the opened water but their ship was at a standstill. The demon crew couldn't move, hell, he couldn't move!
He ground his teeth, clutching his fist at his sides, he had to stop her, if he stopped her then they would at least have a chance: firstly, because they wouldn't be so visible and secondly because they would be able to flee. He had no other choice; this had gone on long enough. Pained, he forced himself to move closer to her, taking a shaky step forward before he raised his hand to reach out for her, his hair growing darker and darker the closer he got, the pain intensifying as his demon blood began to boil, evaporating in his veins, with every step he took.
He snarled as his flesh started to sizzle, his eyes darting to where the pain was generated. They widened in surprise when he took in the sight of the skin on his arm. It was starting to melt away, as if it was gold in a mint. He fell to his knees once again, the disbelief that he felt in his mind immobilizing the rest of his body.
There was nothing he could do, absolutely nothing, if he got any closer, it was over, he wouldn't be able to move from the pain of his demon blood being purified. His neck snapped back to Kagome as he brought his arm to his chest, cradling the burning appendage. "What do I do?" He found himself whispering out loud.
"Otou-san!"
He turned taking in the sight of Miroku who was unaffected by the purifying energy, no demon blood present in his veins to destroy. "What's happening?" He called to the Captain, hands in front of his face to block out the dazzling light.
"I don't know." Inuyasha yelled to him, turning away from his son, looking at the girl knowing that he had just told a lie. In that moment he realized that her actions weren't pointless just untrained. "Shōheki." The word fell from his lips, long since unused. "Miko, shōheki."
A barrier, a miko's barrier, Kagome was building her power, preparing to make a barrier that would not just disguise her person but would disguise the whole of the ship. There was no telling how long it might take for her to do so. He had only seen it done once, a barrier be made to this proportion and that had been made by Kikyo. It had taken her nearly twenty minutes to gather the appropriate power and Kagome was only five minutes in at the very least. There was no way, no way she could do it in time to prevent the Thunder from at least knowing their general direction. He licked his lips, it would be far wiser at this point for her to just stop her attempt and for them to try to run but could he get through to her, would she be able to hear his plea?
The orb in her hand sent out another flare of power before he could even try. He heard screams echo on the ship, he felt tears prick in his eyes from the pain of it all yet still, he forced himself to speak, she had to hear his words.
"Kagome." He whispered unable to yell, his mind going fuzzy as he forced himself to crawl closer to her so she might be able to hear. "Please, you ha-a-ve to," He felt his body begin to fall forward as he started to lose consciousness, that last flare more powerful than the ones before it. "Stop." He finished, letting it slip from his lips so slowly that he almost didn't realize he had in fact been able to speak.
With that plea, the brightness disappeared, the feeling of nausea and dizziness waned and he narrowed his eyes, confused. He glanced at his hair over his shoulder, it was normal again, he glanced at his hands on the ground, the image of razor sharp claws met his gaze, he reached up and touched his ears on his head, they twitched in response. The transformation had stopped and seemingly reversed.
Deliberately, he looked up at her, watching as her now only slightly glowing form turned towards him with an unnatural almost surreal progress to it, as if she had not moved at all but in fact had been turned by an unseen hand. The hand above her head folded downwards as she moved, the now oddly dormant looking ball of muted light moving with it to her chest where she cradled it in both hands, embracing it like a mother would embrace a child.
She looked down at it, her eyes hooded by long lashes so he could not see them. He wanted to see them though, a part of him had to see them, something compelled him to because he had to know if his words had gotten through to her, really had gotten through to her. "Kagome." He whispered hoping she would look.
And she did.
He blinked, he gulped, he stood back to his shaky feet all at the same time as her eyes came into his view. They were different this time, different than the time she had looked at him on Manten's boat or the time in Kaede's bar. They were open, they weren't hidden or lost, they weren't gone, she didn't look asleep or dazed, she didn't look confused or as if she had disappeared within herself.
No, she looked completely different than those times before. She looked alive, she looked awake, she looked alert, she looked aware. There in her eyes was Kagome, he could see her, see her everything there, her thoughts, her feelings, her knowledge of ships, her love of Shakespeare, her smiles, her frowns, her kindness, her love, all of it was still there in those tranquil grey eyes. Kagome Dresmont was in control, he had reached her.
"Do," Her mouth suddenly opened to speak but unlike her eyes the voice that came from her sounded doubled as if she was speaking every word twice with two different voices, her own and one he didn't recognize. "You have something to live for Captain Inuyasha?"
His mouth opened slightly, her words shocking him to his very core. He blinked rapidly as his breathing hitched in his throat, as his heart stopped dead in his chest. "Do I—," He found himself repeating the words, staring at her while he shook his head slowly back and forth, showing her how confused she had just made him. "Have something to live for?"
She nodded once, her eyes seeming to shine with life, as well as a deep grey calm, rather in contrast to the raging summer storm he was accustomed to. "You never answered my question before." She told him, her voice still a constant echo of itself.
Around him the crew grew silent, the light that was now contained by Kagome's fingers no longer attacking them and blinding them, leaving them free to take in the scene before them. They all watched transfixed, their bodies shaking with their disbelief as well as slowly healing sections of burns. Whispers of confusion, whispers of fear, and whispers of complete and utter shock ran thru the masses.
What was happening, they all wondered? Why had the girl asked the Captain his own question, the question the Captain had asked them all one by one? Where did she get that light, why did it burn the demons when it came in contact with them, how could she even stand to hold it when it was so bright that it had blinded the rest of them? Just what the hell was going on?
Inuyasha dropped to his knees causing the shocked whispers to stop instantly, the crew watching in fear as their Captain crumbled to the ground, the man who had withstood a thousand fights, the man that even the sea could not kill, the man who lead them, the man who kept them alive, the man who meant more to them than any other man in the entirety of the world—that great man had fallen to his knees in front of one small girl.
"Otou-san?" Miroku whispered nearly silently from his spot a few feet away, his appearance just as stunned as the other crewmembers, this time his call went ignored.
"Do you?" Kagome pressed as she stroked the ball of light as if it were a pet.
Inuyasha languidly looked to the ground, his eyes widened, the question catching him completely off guard. It wasn't like this was the first time she had asked him, it wasn't. She had asked him before, when he had first asked her but back then he hadn't had an answer for her, for anyone for that matter. After all, back then he had still—still wished he had never been born. His heart clutched in his chest at the very thought but he knew better than anyone that it was true. But now—now that had changed, hadn't it?
He closed his eyes tightly. Yes, it had all changed, it had changed the moment his eyes had met her own, changed the moment that beautiful grey storm had come into his life. He knew that was true, even if he was scared to admit it, he knew it to be fact. Kagome had not just changed his answer, she had given him one. In only one month she had given him an answer to his own question, an answer he had never been able to think of before her.
He lifted his head, he stared her down, his jaw in a firm line as he watched her watch him. He felt the smirk form on his face, he felt his ears twitch on his head listening like radars for any change in her heart beat. He inhaled deeply, the smell of flowers and the sea assaulting his nose, a wonderful invasion.
"Kagome." The name came into his mind as his eyes drifted closed. He did have something to live for, he had something big extraordinary to live for, something right here before him, something more spectacular than anything he had ever thought to have, to be given or want.
He lived for the chance, the prayer, the hope that stood before him. He lived for the scent that surrounded him, the sight that haunted him, the voice that relaxed him, the taste that delighted him, the touch that didn't fear him, and the smell that comforted him—he lived for that—the chance for that—for her.
His smirk turned into a crocked smile as he looked deep into her eyes, the gold of his irises meeting the grey of her own, two fronts of different storms connecting, creating a typhoon of emotions in their wake. He wanted to tell her, he wanted to grab her, kiss her, love her but now was not the time, now was the time to fight, the time for her to be as powerful as he knew she was.
So he gave her the only answer he deemed appropriate given the circumstances, her own. "Do you?"
She smiled, such a gentle gesture crossing her lips that Inuyasha thought he might have actually died and was now in heaven. "Yes."
His whole demeanor changed as she bluntly spoke then turned away as if she had never said a word. She looked out towards the Thunder, knowing where it was, knowing where the red arrow pointed without needing demon eyes to see in the now pitch black. Her hands slowly rose above her head, both holding the ball of energy in tandem, encasing it protectively between small white fingers until the ball of energy was directly above her. "Make us disappear." She whispered, her voice breathy like the wind that surrounded her.
Her fingers parted then, snapping away from the ball of energy so quickly that Inuyasha thought for a second it had burned her. But it hadn't, it never could burn a being as completely pure as she.
And with that one swift motion the energy exploded forth from her fingertips, released itself, flooded the ship with a white light that floated above their heads, creating a doom of candid radiance that reached all the way up to the very tip of the tallest mast before cascading downwards to cover the sides all the way to the oceans waters, a veil of white energy that encased them like a funeral shroud.
"Holy shit." One of the crewmen screamed from his spot on the other side of the vessel, his words speaking for everyone who was currently watching the insane phenomenon.
Miroku fell backwards, landing on his ass, his face twitching and his eyes as wide as saucers, he had never seen anything like this in his life, he had never experienced anything like this in his life. It was unbelievable, it was incomprehensible, it was—just impossible. His hands shook, his whole body trembled like a leaf in autumn, he blinked rapidly, gulped and then finally convinced himself to turn away from her to look at the Captain who didn't appear fazed at all, he almost looked impressed. "Otou-san?"
"Yeah?" Inuyasha turned back to look at him, his expression almost serene, calm and collected.
Miroku narrowed his eyes, the expression not really helping him maintain his calm at all. "Aa—," He stuttered while waving a hand towards Kagome. "What the hell?"
"Miko," Inuyasha said simply as he turned back to look at her. "This is the power of a Miko."
Miroku quirked an eyebrow but didn't look convinced. "A giant white blinding light?"
Inuyasha only nodded, not saying anything else as his eyes focused on her. She had done it, she had completed the barrier, a barrier that would disguise the ship completely from all eyes, even the gods. "Sugoi." He muttered to himself reverting back to his native tongue in his astonishment. "Kagome wa subarashiidesu."
He couldn't believe what he was seeing, the power that Kagome was displaying was incredible. She shouldn't be able to do it, she shouldn't have the ability. She was young, untrained, hell, she didn't even know what a Miko was until a few hours ago. So how—how was she displaying such amazing control and strength? It was like Manten all over again, she had completely disintegrated him with no knowledge of her spiritual half at all.
"She's a natural." He concluded as he tilted his head to the side, taking her in, taking the barrier in. "I wonder how long she'll be able to hold it?" He mused out loud as he looked around before freezing, his words sinking in. "How long will she be able to hold it!" He stated again his voice panicky instead of questioning. "We have to get moving." He called back over his shoulder at Miroku as he himself ran to the wheel, grabbing it tightly in his hands.
Miroku blinked from his spot still on the ground, his mind not processing the request immediately as he continued to stare at Kagome. "Wh—?"
"Get off your ass Miroku and get this ship going!" Inuyasha yelled, his loud voice affectively bringing not only Miroku out of his daze but the rest of the crew as well. "Myoga!"
"Yes sir!" The master rigger yelled back without pause, unlike the rest of the crew, Kagome was little of a mystery to him.
"Get those sails up, I want us out of here five minutes ago!"
"Myoga will sir!" Myoga responded quickly before scrambling up the main sail, shouting orders to the men around him without fail.
Inuyasha nodded pleased, his adrenaline pumping through his veins, bringing his mind to life. "If Kagome can hold it long enough," He told himself as he clutched the wheel tightly in his hands, his eyes shimmering from the moonlight overhead as he watched Kagome in front of him, stared at her as she held the barrier in place. "We'll be able to get away unseen and untouched."
-break-
Naraku's hands crushed the railing beneath his fingers as the Shikuro suddenly went dark in the distance, the light fading, disappearing into nothingness. "No." He whispered to himself, his dark eyes going wide as his hands began to shake.
"Captain, the light it disappeared!"
He snapped his head towards the helm's deck watching as the helm's man pointed out into the distance, his other hand on the wheel.
"What the hell?" Captain Hiten grumbled from his place beside Mr. Morgan before he walked over to the wheel, his eyes squinting into the dark, looking for the ship they had been steadily approaching. "Charles!" He screamed upwards, his eyes darting to the crow's nest. "What do you see?"
Naraku's eyes darted upwards looking for the man above his head, he could just make out his outline among the countless ropes and lines. "You better be able to see them." He mumbled so lowly that no one could have possibly heard him.
"Nothin' ser." The man replied, his voice just as confused as everyone else on the ship.
Naraku clutched his fist even tighter in response, anger flooding him.
"An outline?" Hiten pressed his voice stern, angry—fearful causing Naraku to smirk despite his mounting desperation.
"No ser," Charles yelled down. "It's 'ike it just vanished."
Hiten bit his lip, panic welling in his heart as he glanced at Naraku hastily. The two made eye contact, Naraku conveying his anger and orders though deadly eyes causing Hiten to gulp before looking back up at Charles above him. "Are you using the spyglass?"
"Yes ser, nothing." The man replied, his voice almost sounding apologetic, the sound was fitting.
"Fuck." Naraku thought to himself as he turned back to look at the sea, his eyes searching and searching, looking for any sign of the ship that had just vanished into nothing. The sound of his father's voice was the only thing that halted his investigation.
"Where could they have gone?" Mr. Morgan hissed his eyes scanning the sea around him. "Ship's don't just disappear." He snapped slamming a hand down on the railing of the helm's deck. Beside him Mr. Dresmont jumped but said nothing, his eyes too focused on the place the Shikuro had just been but now seemingly had vacated without a trace.
"Maybe it was a fathom ship Captain," The helm's man suggested quietly but loud enough for the demons in range to hear. "We are close to the triangle ser."
Hushed whispers filled the deck at the suggestion, the superstitious men among the crew affected by the unwitting remark. Naraku raised an eyebrow at the suggestion but immediately frowned sickened by the superstitious foolishness. "Idiots," He thought as he turned to look at Hiten, hoping to catch the man's eyes so he could silently give him further orders. Before he could, however, the ship broke out into terrified howls.
"It's a ghost ship." A man yelled from the riggings, his voice carrying in the night.
"Yeah, a ship of the triangle." Another man agreed from nearby.
"Maybe the Shikuro sunk." Yelled a man who was standing at his post by a cannon. "And they're—."
"They—they're haunting us!" The powder monkey beside him cut him off.
"Shut up!" Naraku yelled sick of the stupidity around him, from his place on the quarter, deck his pupils fully dilated as he stared out at the vacant sea, the place the ship had just been not moments before. "It was not a ghost or some fucking legend of the deep." His head whipped around, as he took in quick breathes his eyes wild with rage. "It was there!" He pointed out. "It was right there!"
"Naraku?" His father reprimanded firmly his stern face drawn in a tight line. "I agree that these superstitions are foolish and unreasonable but there is no accounting for the fact that the ship is not there by naked eye or spyglass."
Naraku snorted and gritted his teeth tightly together, "It's not the right time." He told himself as he clutched a fist at his side, feeling stupid for his outburst.
Satisfied that his son would remain quiet, Henry Morgan turned back to Hiten his eyes firm. "What do you think, should we press on?"
Hiten shrugged, his eyes gazing out across the sea before glancing down at Naraku. The boy didn't make eye contact, he gulped, what should he say—what could he say that would insure he would be alive tomorrow? "Yes." He voted on, hoping the young man would be appeased with his answer. "We should go to the spot they vanished we might be able to figure something out once we get there."
Mr. Morgan nodded firmly, agreeing with the decision easily. "It might be something as simple as a demon's trick."
Naraku shook his head quickly from side to side his teeth clutched together so tight that he actually felt one of them chip from the pressure but still he remained silent. Now wasn't the right time, he would know when the time was right and now wasn't it.
"At any rate," Mr. Morgan continued on nonchalantly. "We shouldn't bother going to New Orleans now. It has no use to us if they have already left."
Naraku's head snapped up, his jaw unclenching as he stared at his father horrified. They had to go to New Orleans that was where the old woman was, the one who would know more of the jewel, its power, and most importantly how to find it. Hastily he hurried to the stairs leading to the helm's deck, taking them two at a time. "Father!" He called out as he rounded the top of them, moving across the deck quickly only to come to stand in front of the man. "We must go to New Orleans." He stated bluntly.
His father turned, his expression mildly surprised. "Why would you say that, son?"
Thinking quickly on his feet Naraku easily replied. "They might have mentioned where they were going to someone in New Orleans, if we can find them it will save us time."
"Naraku," His father mumbled while shaking his head. "There are many people in New Orleans, if they told one it would be impossible for us to find them." He reasoned easily. "It will just be a waste of time."
"I don't agree." Naraku ground out, his voice tight.
Hiten gulped stepping back away from the father and son, he knew better than to get too close, he knew better than to get too close to Naraku at a time like this. The other demon's of the crew seemed to sense it too, all of them backing away slowly as the conversation intensified.
"Time is of the essence." Henry finally replied, his eyes staring into Naraku's own intently, a feeling of uneasiness hitting him the longer he stared his son down.
Goose bumps formed on his flesh, the hair on the back of his neck and his arms started to stand on end, every instinct in his body all at once telling him that something was wrong, that something was desperately dangerous. He had often felt this feeling throughout his son's short life but never this intensely and never to this extent. Uncomfortable he stepped backwards slowly, his eyes never leaving his son who was staring at him with a look that could kill.
"Naraku," He started, hoping his voice didn't sound too timid. "Have you not forgotten that Miss Dresmont is on that ship?" His voice trembled despite himself. "Don't you wish to receive her unharmed?"
Naraku growled at the name his temper flaring, "You couldn't just listen." He bit out, "Could you?"
"What do you mean?"
"We're going to New Orleans." Naraku told him instead of offering an explanation as he turned towards Hiten preparing himself to give the order to the lesser demon.
His father stopped him. "But what of your fiancé?"
Naraku laughed, the sound deep and penetrating, throaty and sick. His youth more than anything causing the words to leave his mouth as he glanced at his father over his shoulder. "That wench can die for all I care."
Henry Morgan's eyes grew wide, his expression one of disbelief. "Naraku?" He whispered as his rigid hands (that had till this point been stashed tightly behind his back) fell limply at his sides.
"You heard me father." Naraku told him tightly as he stood to his full height, reaching just to his father's chin. "We will be going to New Orleans but not for word of her, I have more important matter's to attend to."
"But—," Mr. Dresmont interjected from his place behind Mr. Morgan. "What of my Kagome?"
"Shut up old man." Naraku snarled, his short weasel fangs showing as he spat in the direction of Kagome's father. "I have no concern for her or you." He stepped forward, the anger and hormones of a teenage body driving him, he couldn't fight it, couldn't control it, the anger, the self hatred. How could he let the Shikuro escape, the shards that rested within it? He had to take it out on someone, had to put the blame on someone.
"Naraku this is absurd." His father stepped between the two men, putting a hand on Naraku's chest stopping his advance towards Mr. Dresmont. "Stop this childishness right now!"
"Childishness?" Naraku spat the word out as if it had left a bad taste in his mouth. "That's all I am to you isn't it? Just some child."
Henry Morgan felt his heart quicken in his chest as the words left his youngest son's mouth. There was a venom in them he had never experienced from any man, from any demon in his life. It scared him, absolutely terrified him more than anything he had ever experienced to date. He dropped his hand from Naraku's chest, his eyes staring at the boy he had raised, looking at him as if seeing him for the first time. He didn't look like a little boy, he didn't look like a teenager either—he didn't even look like a man.
He looked like something far worse and a million times more horrifying; he looked like a dictator, like a madman, like a man who had killed and tasted blood, literally drank it from the neck of his enemy until he was full. His hair was wild, pitch black so different from his father's tanned curls, his eyes like a opaque void, no emotion present in them, his face lacking reason, lacking hope or happiness, white and pasty like a man who had never seen the sun. He looked almost sickly in a way, deranged and treacherous.
This was not the boy he had raised, this was not his son, this was not Naraku, this—this was pure evil.
"You have nothing to say father?" Naraku question as he reached out to grab the older man's arm, his fingers gripping the bicep tightly, crushing the delicate bone that laid within.
"Ah!" Henry Morgan cried out causing some of the navy crewmen on board to advance towards them weapons drawn.
"Hiten!" Naraku commanded his voice full of vile promise if he was disobeyed.
"Weapons." Hiten responded automatically causing every pirate on the ship to instantly draw their guns pointing them at the navy around them.
Henry Morgan looked around panicked as he took in the sight of all of his officers cornered, guns to their backs, to their heads, to their necks, even Mr. Dresmont was restrained a knife sitting right under his chin as he trembled in terror. "Don't do this." He heard himself speak, the words leaving Henry's mouth without his knowledge or consent as he looked down at his son.
"Why not father?" The boy questioned airily as he let go of his father's arm, a smile forming on his face. "I've always been a disappointment, right?" He licked his lips as he took a step back his hands folding behind his back, out of his father's sight but right within Hiten's who discretely obeyed the unsaid order, his fear of Naraku enough to cause him to act without question.
"I don't know what you're talking about Naraku." Henry replied his voice full of fright like his eyes.
"But I do." Naraku fired back. "I was always the useless son, that's what you told everyone, right?" Naraku smirked as his father's eyes widened. "Oh I heard father—marry him to a human that's the only way he'll get a mate—that's what you told them, right father?"
"Naraku—." Henry tried but didn't succeed.
"Don't interrupt!" Naraku screamed his temper flaring. "You've never listened so you'll listen now."
The men among the crew winced in fear, human and demon alike, as a black substance began to leak from Naraku's body, like a plague. Henry Morgan's eyes widened as he watched the foul purple liquid turn the wood of the quarter deck black, as if it was poisoning the already dead planks.
"I was always the son you hated, you didn't want." Naraku continued his hands still hidden from sight. "You never forgave me for mother's death, did you?" He smirked pleased with the look of horror on his father's face. "I killed her with my birth. As an infant I killed my own mother?" Naraku laughed slightly at the notion, the sound of a trigger cocking the only indication of where this thought was taking him. "I guess if I've killed one parent, it can't be that hard to kill two."
Henry Morgan started to reach for his gun, his hand just barely touching the tip of the grip before the echo of a shot took over the ears of everyone present. His hand instantly stopped its path, frozen as alarm clearly showed on his face. Gingerly, he changed its destination, moving it from his pistol to his chest, where he could already feel the blood beginning to drip. Slowly, he looked down at his torso, the sight of blood, of blackened skin on his stomach greeting him.
Naraku smirked, his eyes taking in the sight of paling skin and feared soaked eyes. "Funny," He mumbled drawing the whole crew and his father's eyes towards him. "This is the only time you truly looked pathetic to me."
Henry Morgan blinked back tears, whether they were of pain, fear of death, or confusion for his son would always remain unknown. "Why?" He whispered as he felt the blood and bile rise within his throat. "I'm your father."
"Not anymore."
The tears overflowed in the weasel's eyes as his shaking hands dropped but his pupils rose, rose to look at his son. He took in the sight of the boy he had once known, of the gun expertly pointed at his heart, the black eyes that had aimed it staring at him as indifferent as if he had just killed a deer for dinner. He watched as this unknown man raised his thumb to cock the pistol once more, the mechanism moving as if in slow motion to chamber the fatal blow.
"Now you're just dead."
The shot rang out and Henry Morgan fell, those ill fated words his last recollection of the living world.
End of Chapter
Please Review
Congrats to KagomesDarkHeart for being review number 750! Edited for accents 6/5/2013.
Translation:
Sugoi: Amazing
Kagome wa subarashiidesu: Kagome is stunning.
Bonus Point:
What weapon did Kikyo use to seal Inuyasha to Goshinboku (The God's Tree, pardon if that's not spelled right)?
Last Chapter's Bonus point:
And the Emmy goes to Mistress Centipede with some debate. Technically, Mistress Centipede was not the first demon she killed but the first demon she used her powers on depending how you look at it. The first demon she killed was a demon crow, however, because this is such a debated answer I will accept both. Congrats to the winners!
Warm-Amber92, WolfishMoon, Novalia1001 (Hope you've been resurrected by now lol), lizzie, LittleMargarita, Purple Dragon Ranger, blackandwhite125, InuKag4eva, KagomesDarkHeart, starfireten, Jaunty Maestro, glon morski, MollyMew, SweetHunniiBunnii, AnimeRomanceFreak1990, Inuyasha Fan, AriaLuvsInu, FridayzGirl, hedgewitch13, HeavenlyEclipse, TheRealInuyasha, NiceStories
Notes:
Naraku's Gun in this Captain is a Colt Revolver by description. Technically this gun was not patented until 1836 meaning that Naraku shouldn't be using one since the time is the late 1700's. Therefore his use of a revolver is more fantasy than reality, call it an author's creative liberty if you will.
Firearms in the 1700's – There were guns capable of multiple shots at the time, although they often misfired and used flint. To fire one the shooter had to manually rotate the barrel before locking it into place, whereas modern barrels move themselves. James Puckle was the first man to patent such a gun in 1718, although it resembles a modern machine gun over a modern revolver. It was named the portable gun or 'defence.'
Next Chapter:
The Memory
See you then!
UNEDITTED
POSTED 8/22/2011