Chapter 16
The cold fog whipped against Sango's cheeks as Kirara continued through the air. It was hard to see through the tears freezing against her face, clinging to her eyelashes—the lights below had long since dissolved into streaks, shifting like stars beneath her.
She had reached her destination. The small peaked roof was plain and nondescript from above…
…aside from the fact that it was her home.
The street was always quiet, but now the same pleasant silence was unnerving. Sango could feel her pulse in every limb of her body as she stared down at her own roof, and she nudged Kirara to go down.
The quiet continued as the fire youkai touched down, and Sango stepped off. As she moved onto the sidewalk, she was suddenly taken aback by the incongruity she and Kirara presented to the peaceful residential street. Agh… if I'm right, he won't be at the door…
Returning to Kirara, she jumped on quickly and brought the youkai up to the small gable above the second floor window. The fire cat growled questioningly, but she was already swinging herself onto the sill.
Crouching and sliding two fingers beneath the windowframe (she had been telling her father to change the window for years, as any thief could use the gap to break in… not that it mattered now), she realized the oddity of breaking into her own home. I can't care about that now… not now…
The window was pushed up, and she jumped onto the floor of Father's room, trailing Hirakiotsu behind her so that it wouldn't damage the frame. I can't cry… not yet… "Kohaku?"
Silence. She cursed the quiet, damned it with every invective she could think of, and then walked out into the hallway. Something small and furred brushed past her foot, and her hand twitched towards her sword before she realized that it was Kirara's smaller form. The wooden floor didn't creak beneath her footsteps, and from the dim light filtering from beneath the door at the end of the hallway, Kohaku had turned on his nightlight before going to bed. The normalcy of this gesture calmed her down somewhat, slowing the pace her heart was setting against her ribs…
She opened the door to his room, calling out softly once again. "Kohaku?"
Kirara rubbed against her foot and mewed, before heading to one side of the room. Sango stood still, frozen in the doorway, staring at Kohaku's bed.
It was empty.
She closed her eyes hard and opened them again, as if this act could change what she'd already seen. The drying tears on her face made it feel as if she were cracking her face. The half-light revealed a perfectly normal room: the books on the desk, a few clothes which he hadn't gotten around to putting away; a few half-completed school assignments. The bed was rumpled—but then, it was always rumpled, he never straightened it unless Sango or Father told him to. It could mean nothing.
Please let him be at a friend's…
She felt cold and hollow inside, as if the tepid air inside the house was seeping into her bones. Kirara was sniffing and growling at something that had fallen to the floor beside the bed. Sango went over and knelt down beside the youkai, placing one hand on Kirara's head while she picked up the something. It was a piece of string (or… hair?) tied to a small wooden thing… as she looked at the object, she realized that it was a sort of doll, shaped like a ninepin.
"What…"
Suddenly it began to glow, shafts of white light bursting from its outline and casting shadows in the shapes of fingers across the walls. Sango found herself thrown backwards into the warm, furry side of the now-transformed Kirara, near the door once again.
She looked up immediately, and gasped. A figure was standing beside the bed, where she'd just been—what looked like a man, wearing a long, white pelt of some sort. The blue baboon mask attached covered his face almost entirely, leaving a soft, smiling mouth and chin beneath a gaping, toothy upper jaw.
"Who—" Sango gasped, clutching the ruff around Kirara's neck.
"I am Naraku" said the figure, smiling down at her.
Naraku… the youkai her father had been searching for… so many years of crime, murder, deception, all linked to this white figure standing before her… Sango thought her chest would explode. "You…" She snarled up at the figure, pushing herself up so that she could lever herself off Kirara's back. "You're responsible for this!"
"I have a request of you," said Naraku, in the same tone as before… just as if he couldn't see the anger in Sango's eyes.
"If you think I'll do anything you ask of, youkai, you're dead wrong!" cried Sango, not even bothering with the middle step of getting off Kirara and settling for simply lunging directly off the youkai's back, whipping Hiraikotsu out from behind her back, readying for the swing.
Naraku twitched an arm and blue fire shimmered between them, knocking Sango to the ground. The boomerang clattered to the ground behind her, and she made no move to retrieve it.
The baboon fur did not so much as rustle as Naraku moved to stand over her, looking down—or at least, tilting his head so that the empty holes of eyes within the baboon mask stared down at her impassively. He might as well have been filling the entire room, for all the effect that would have had.
"I have a request to make of you," he repeated, "and you would do well to follow it. I have your brother—" Here Sango let out a small, choking squeak "—and he is currently in good hands." The smile broadened slightly. "He will be returned… should you do what I ask of you."
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"So wait, you say his broad lived here?"
"You weren't listening to me when I said that earlier?" The second, smoother voice placed its emphasis precisely.
"Yeah, yeah, but the aura here… it feels wrong." This voice was lower, harsher.
"Obviously, dimwit—it's the home of a kitsune youkai. They're masters of illusion, don't forget that."
"Yeah… but I'd thought… once he was dead…"
"Are you going to knock or not?"
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Kagome was halfway to falling asleep on Inuyasha's shoulder when they heard the scream.
The hanyou was up in an instant, ears flicking forward as he strained to hear inside. Kagome stood slowly, frowning and trying to remember what she was doing outside, of all places, and without a proper coat. "What—"
He remained standing, jaw clenched—and then suddenly he wasn't. It took Kagome a moment to realize that he was running, around the side of the building and out of sight.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled after him, starting forward.
"You stay there!" His voice drifted back to her. She gritted her teeth.
"If you think I'm just going to stay here and wait, you have another thought coming, boy!" Incensed, she jumped down from the ledge and ran after him.
Suddenly another scream rang through the air, stopping her breathing momentarily. Loud, chilling, inhuman; she felt a chill run from the back of her neck right down to her toes, as if her blood had briefly been replaced with icewater. "Inuyasha…" she whispered, continuing to run as soon as she had made certain that her heart was still beating. The scream hadn't been his, she knew that, but… has he done something?
It took altogether too long to reach the front of the house.
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"And… what the hell… are you two?" Inuyasha growled, trying to keep a steady position on the slippery threshold. Mrs. Akakitsune stood behind him, fingers clenched together—it had been she who'd screamed; once upon opening the front door to a pair of blood-stained strangers—youkai strangers, at that—and once again as the taller and younger-seeming of the pair, a pale youth with a thick plait of black hair, had attempted to impale her with a long golden staff.
Inuyasha had jumped in, catching the weapon in now-throbbing bare hands, and now he stood between the woman and the youth.
The boy had recovered from his shock at having been thwarted, and was now grinning cockily at Inuyasha. "I? You dare ask who I am? Why don't you speak first, cur."
Inuyasha merely snarled at him, shifting his gaze to the second stranger. The location of the fight was a bit too close to the house for comfort… he was holding off the youth mere steps from the still-open doorway, so close to being inside that the yellow light spilling from the hallway was interfering with his night vision. He couldn't even see to the end of the long driveway—the road simply dissolved into blackness, and the spaces between the trees were wells of shadow. He could make out the face of the pale one above his weapon, with his haughty, finely-carved face—thin, arched eyebrows, high forehead, and confident eyes… but the second figure was little more than a bulky outline. It made Inuyasha nervous, having a potentially dangerous enemy being out on the fringes of his awareness…
Damn it… why didn't I scent them sooner? I should have… he had to concentrate to keep the flush from colouring his face. I didn't scent them because I was… I was…
"Inuyasha!"
Kagome rounded the corner of the building, breathless and panting, only to see that no, Inuyasha hadn't left; no, he hadn't attacked Mrs. Akakitsune or Shippou or a random innocent off the street—but, lack of random innocents aside, there were a few too many people standing in front of the house.
All of whom were now staring directly at her.
"What's going…"
One of the shapes, the one she'd taken to be some sort of lumpy vehicle, moved quickly, and suddenly rough hands were around her neck and something cold and vaguely body-shaped was pressed up against her from behind. She opened her mouth to shriek, but the second hand rose to clamp itself over her mouth.
"I have her!" said a shrill, croaking voice, and Kagome froze in horror.
The light still emanating from the doorway illuminated the situation spread before her, like a diorama—Mrs. Akakitsune standing behind Inuyasha, who in turn was holding back the weapon of the young, dark-haired man. And, mere feet away from it all, stood Kagome and her captor.
Inuyasha's opponent turned to the hanyou, gloating. "What are you going to do now, dog? If you move, my brother Manten will snap her neck…"
"K-Kago…" Inuyasha clenched his teeth, irritated. He glared at the short, lumpy youkai holding onto Kagome, feeling another growl rise in his throat. The weapon was vibrating against his hands—he could hold it back, his strength was not at issue here, but it was heating up in a rather disconcerting manner… "I'll kill you both, is what I'll do," he snarled.
"Ah, Hiten, are you sure I must kill her immediately?" said Manten suddenly, his voice lowering into a croon. The youkai was running his thumb slowly up and down Kagome's neck, having turned her face towards himself. "She is a pretty one… may we take her home, after?" Kagome let out a muffled squeak of protest, and Inuyasha snarled.
"Ah, but what makes you think you will be able to kill us, dog?" said the pale one laughingly, pushing at his weapon so that Inuyasha's feet slid back an inch or so along the ground. "You have the aura of a half-youkai—what chance do you stand against Hiten and Manten, the Thunder Brothers?"
Through the terror and disgust at her captivity, Kagome inwardly quirked an eyebrow. Bit arrogant, isn't he… Manten's thumb grazed her chin, allowing to feel every callus on his thick skin, and she winced. Though at the moment…
"Shut up!" said Inuyasha, straining against the staff and glaring at Hiten. Damn it… if only she'd move… if I attack, I have to let go, and then this bastard will…
Abruptly something slammed into Hiten from behind and to the right, knocking him sideways as he let out a yelp of surprise. Inuyasha found himself holding onto the Thunder Brother's staff, blinking as he found himself facing Mrs. Akakitsune. "Wh-what…"
He turned around to see the Mrs. Akakitsune he'd thought that he was protecting dissolve into smoke and vanish. An illusion…The real Mrs. Akakitsune smiled waveringly at him.
"Hiten!" squawked Manten, squeezing Kagome's throat so that she gurgled and clutched at his wrist. The short, lumpy youkai turned blazing eyes upon Inuyasha and Mrs. Akakitsune. "You…"
"Let go of her!" Inuyasha dropped the staff and lunged forward, claws extended, and Manten stepped backward, dragging Kagome with him. Inuyasha slashed at the retreating youkai, but Manten turned so that Kagome was facing him and he froze midswing.
Manten's hand left her mouth at last, but Kagome couldn't do anything about that—weak and out of breath from her near-strangling, all she could do was watch through blurring vision as, behind Inuyasha, Hiten got to his feet. Mrs. Akakitsune had picked up his staff, but Hiten knocked it from her hands and whirled… Inuyasha remained frozen, glowering at Manten as the youkai shifted his hand deliberately upon Kagome's throat.
"One more move and I'll kill the girl," said Manten, staring at Inuyasha from over Kagome's head. "Pretty as she is."
"Stupid, pathetic hanyou!" shrieked a voice from behind Inuyasha, and he whirled just in time to catch the staff as it descended once more. Manten seized the opportunity to move back several more feet.
Hiten was livid. Instead of simply matching strength with Inuyasha like before, he immediately whipped the weapon away and swung again, carving a long tear down the front of Inuyasha's new shirt. Kagome let out a muffled yelp as the hanyou staggered backwards.
"You don't touch him," hissed Hiten, and abruptly the staff was glowing, throwing living shadows across the quiet street. Inuyasha hissed as the metal burned against his chest, and tried to move backwards even as Hiten moved forwards to match his pace. The dark-haired youkai's eyes held a mocking expression. "So, hanyou, what shall be done to you… sliced to ribbons, or cooked?"
"How about you shut up!" snarled Inuyasha, knocking the weapon aside with his claws without bothering to think about the meaning of his opponent's statement. He lunged forwards again, only to be caught in the side. Damn it… he's too fast with that thing…When he tried to move, Hiten grinned and tensed his arm. Abruptly the rod glowed white-hot—the air around it shivered and cracked, exploding into streaks of light that illuminated the trees with a sudden glare. Inuyasha yelled as sudden, burning pain shot through his left side.
Kagome tried to focus on the battle through mounting panic. Manten still held her motionless, unable to lean away from his rather unpleasant figure. He had moved back farther into the shadows, not that she had been able to see him properly before. Inuyasha… She didn't dare close her eyes, though she would have liked to. But perhaps there were other options…
Opening her mouth wide, she allowed herself a grimace of revulsion before biting down as hard as she could, and at the same time kicked backwards. Manten's startled yelp was accompanied by a loosening of his hand upon her throat, and so she wrenched herself away from him, breathing deeply as she turned around.
She gaped.
He came further into focus as her eyes adjusted to being faced away from the light. He was shorter than she'd expected, especially considering his girth; his skin was a dark greenish colour, and vaguely reptilian in appearance. He had the lumpy, misshapen snout of a lizard, peering out incongruously beneath a small baseball cap. A youkai…
"Come back here!" he said, sweeping an arm out in an attempt to catch her by the waist once more. She gathered her wits just in time to jump away, and by the time Manten swung out again, someone else had entered the fray.
"Mrs. Akakitsune," gasped Kagome as the woman darted in front of her and threw something into Manten's face. There was a sharp bang and a puff of smoke, and the lizardlike youkai staggered backwards, clutching at his eyes. The kitsune moved towards Kagome. "Come on, we have to move," she said urgently.
"I can't just leave!" said Kagome, brushing off the woman's hands. The light from Hiten's attack had died down, and Inuyasha was still standing, but now he was visibly battered. The shirt she'd given him just that morning was charred and shredded on the left side. I guess now I know why they call themselves the Thunder Brothers…
"You have to come with me!" said Mrs. Akakitsune. "Here, you'll just be in the way! And I need you to help me get Shippou out of the house."
Kagome stared at her, gaping slightly. If she wants Shippou out… that means she doesn't think the house is safe anymore…so… "You think Inuyasha is going to lose!"
"I don't!" said Mrs. Akakitsune, losing her patience at last. "But we've made enough noise out here to have woken him up, and I can't have him walking out into the middle of this!" She pressed a hand to her forehead. "Oh… if only my mate were here…"
"Where is he?"
"He went to—look out!" Kagome was pushed backwards even as another flash of light erupted between herself and Manten. This time the Thunder Brother paused for mere seconds before fixing watery eyes upon the two females and moving forwards.
This time Kagome followed Mrs. Akakitsune without as much complaint, glancing backwards as she went. Inuyasha seemed to have gained the upper hand, finding a handhold on Hiten's wrist so as to keep the metal rod away from himself, but somehow this failed to reassure her.
The kitsune woman vanished around the side of the house, and Kagome ran with her. From the crashing noises behind them, Manten was attempting to follow.
"How can those two be brothers?" gasped Kagome, trying to keep up with the youkai. "They don't look alike at all!"
"Youkai often don't," replied Mrs. Akakistune softly, turning to the back of the house. The light of the thin crescent moon was reflecting off the windowpanes, and the gentle swaying of the curtains was disrupted as Kagome hauled herself through.
"Mother?"
Mrs. Akakitsune gasped even as she was halfway through the window. "Shippou! What are you doing out of bed?"
The small boy rubbed at his eyes sleepily. "I heard… noises…"
"Shippou," said Mrs. Akakitsune grimly, "we're going out of the house now, okay?"
"All right," he said, in the same sleepy tone of voice, and turned around to head out the door. Kagome shot forwards instantly, as Mrs. Akakitsune was still occupied with the window, and grabbed Shippou around the waist.
He looked up at her, startled, even as his mother said "not that way, Shippou… please…"
"Come on," whispered Kagome, drawing him towards the window. Mrs. Akakitsune let out a yelp as she looked towards the corner of the house. "Kagome! Hurry!"
Shippou finally caught some of their urgency and broke away from Kagome, running to the window. Mrs. Akakitsune caught him up immediately and jumped out, holding him against her side.
Manten lumbered towards them, panting harshly. His eyes were bloodshot in the moonlight, and Shippou gasped at the sight. Kagome scrambled out of the window with as much speed as she could muster—tempting as it was to run further into the house and away from the fighting outside, she'd only trap herself.
"Where are you trying to go off to?" Manten snarled, glaring—but from the unfocused look of his eyes, he couldn't quite see them properly yet.
"Wouldn't you like to know," said Mrs. Akakitsune coldly. Kagome stood beside her and attempted to look resolute.
"You…" said Manten in the same hoarse voice. His reddened eyes shifted to roughly where Kagome was. "You were pretty. I might have let you live long enough to bring you back with me…"
Kagome shuddered.
"What's going on?" cried Shippou, staring at Manten, staring at the youkai from where his mother still had tight hold of him. "Who are you?"
"I am Manten, of the Thunder Brothers, and you would do best to remember that," said Manten, imitating his brother's speech.
Shippou made a face. "My father could beat you," he retorted. "He does it for a job!"
Manten barked out a laugh, blinking down at them. His vision seemed to be returning slowly, and he was gaining confidence. "Your father? Brat, my brother Hiten and I were hired to kill him—and to finish the job…"
Mrs. Akakitsune froze, clutching her son even as the child stared at the youkai with wide, glowing eyes. Manten laughed again at their reactions and then, seizing his chance, lunged forwards.
"No!" Kagome shouted, throwing herself in front of Mrs. Akakitsune and her terrified son. She didn't even have time to reflect on the tremendous stupidity of her action—just time enough to put up both of her hands in a useless defensive gesture. As if thin human arms could ward off a youkai the size of Miroku's car…
And then everything whited out.
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Sorry for the shortness! And the... uh... slowness. My computer died again, and then school began, and then the computer died again... it was just heartily annoying all round. I'm happy that people liked the scene between Inuyasha and Kagome on the windowsill... it was fun to write. (And... err... I'd probably mess up terribly if I tried to tell others how to upload stories, sorry. It's something that's easier if you figure it out yourself, and kind of difficult to explain without actually being right there. Sorry...) And to my beta... I made the changes Zhanone! Except for the Superman thing...At any rate,my writer's block seems to have been alleviated slightly. Perhaps it's the advent of winter...
Hmm. Kind of makes sense now that I think about it...
Anyway. I'm gonna be bad and upload this without the end of the chapter having been beta-ed. So there, plausibility!
And yeah. Ewwww... Manten... XP