Title: The Encounter
Author: InuDemi
Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha anime, manga, or characters. All rights and property belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz.
Summary: How Izayoi first met InuTaishou.
(Inner thoughts)
As the roaring grew louder, there wasn't much need for the scouts to lead the way. Anyone in a fifty mile radius could follow the sound straight to the source. Gensai and Watanabe lead their conjoined company of soldiers to the sound as fast as they could, but when it was time to veer off of the road and into the forest, the pace slowed. There was the risk of a horse tripping over a root and twisting its leg. Facing a youkai on foot is never a good idea.
A shadow passed overheard and Gensai heard some of the men shouting warnings. He looked up and saw a full-grown tree sailing through the air. He jerked his horse to the left just in time to avoid the crash. It was like an explosion made of leaves and wood. One of his men was crushed, horse and all, and now their forces were scattered.
"Form up! Rally to me!" Gensai was brandishing his sword in his hand and yelling to be heard over the monster. Watanabe was by his side in an instant but their divided and frightened men were slow to follow.
"I think we should split our forces," he said to Watanabe. "My men and I will attack the beast, and while it is distracted you and your men should make the cage your primary concern." Watanabe nodded in agreement and Gensai turned to the men and thrust his sword into the air. Watanabe did the same, but when Gensai turned his horse rode on, Watanabe stayed and held his position with his sword in the air. The signal to the men was clear, Gensai's men would follow, Watanabe's men would hold back.
Gensai and his men followed the noise of the youkai and his lieutenant was close behind him. When they finally broke through the trees, Gensai had to jerk his horse and change direction. There she was in the cage, with a youkai behind her.
"Distract it! Get it away from the cage! Archers, prepare to shoot!" He led his men around the left side, circling the clearing and forcing the monster to turn its back on Izayoi. He had twenty spearmen and twenty archers who were trained to fire from horseback but he feared that it was not enough.
"Aim for its face! Do not let your shots stray to the cage!" His lieutenant yelled out formation commands. His spearmen were in front preparing to charge. The yari they employed were a Tsuki nari design made for closer combat, to slash and hook. If only he had known what they were up against he would have ordered them to bring the Sankaku yari -a straight blade spear- better to pierce the monster's hide.
"Fire!" On his command the archers shot their arrows at the oni's face. The youkai roared in anger and tried to swat the arrows away.
Now! Before it can counterattack!
"Attack!" His spearmen charged in closer to the oni's right side, slashing at its flesh. For a moment they were almost blown back by the monster's roar. Dark blood and spear wounds now covered its right side. Through his mask Gensai could see a few of Watanabe's men had managed to come from behind and were sawing at the cage with their swords.
Where are the rest of his men?
"Fire!"
He looked around frantically and saw Watanabe and his archers. They were attacking the creature from the left. He turned back to his own archers.
"Fire at will! Keep it confused!" Volleys of arrows targeted the oni's face in front and from the left. It was impossible to tell how much damage they were doing but it at least kept the monster occupied. Watanabe sent his own spearmen to charge the left side and they watched in horror as one of his soldiers was knocked into a bone-breaking skid after being back-handed by the monster. The soldier and his horse tumbled over each other before finally losing momentum. Gensai could not tell if the man was alive but he doubted it because the horse had fallen right on top of him.
"She is free! The Lady is saved!" The cry went up from the cage behind the youkai. Gensai turned and saw a soldier racing his horse away from the battle with Izayoi. The rest of the soldiers from her rescue party were following close behind. Watanabe must have given orders to get her far away once they freed her. Some tension eased and Gensai was happy because now they could attack from all sides and finish this foul beast. It was as if the monster read his mind. It reached over and yanked another tree from the ground. Its eyes blazed bright red and it let out a growl that sprayed them with spit.
"Spears ready!" But just as he was about to give the signal to charge a sound pierced through the noise. Everyone stopped in their tracks. Arrows still notched and spears still lowered for a charge that would never happen. It was a howl and it came from the sky directly above them. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and Gensai looked on in astonishment. It was as if everyone was frozen for that instant. They were aware but did not, or could not move. The oni had stopped roaring and was staring at the sky. He saw the youkai give a grunt. Later, Gensai would realize that it was as if the oni was responding to the howl in the affirmative.
Suddenly there was a rush of wind and smoke. The horses whinnied and even with his mask on, Gensai had to shield his eyes from the wind. When the dust settled the oni was gone without leaving so much as a footprint.
He could hear Watanabe shouting, "where is the creature?" Unfortunately, he couldn't answer because he was just as clueless. Only one thought occurred to him.
"Could it have gone after her?" He shouted back to Watanabe.
"Form up!" Watanabe shouted.
They had to move quickly in order to catch up with the soldiers carrying Izayoi-sama. There was no way of knowing if the oni would come back. If it could vanish so quickly it could reappear the same way. Gensai and Watanabe rode at the head of their men. Watanabe revealed that his men were under strict orders to get Izayoi to the nearest village.
"This will raise questions among the peasants," Gensai shouted over the noise of galloping horses.
"My orders were to keep her on the outskirts, as much away from the people as possible," he replied.
They stopped just before entering the rice fields of a village. She could see people working and smoke from the huts. She felt terrible. Not just emotionally but physically. She felt like she could lose the tiny bit of breakfast she had eaten. Flying with him had spoiled her and now she was back in the world of horses.
"It would be my honor to help you down, Izayoi-sama." She nodded mutely to the soldier and let him assist her. She stumbled as soon as her feet touched the ground but the man caught her.
"Forgive me," she gasped.
"Izayoi-sama, please forgive us. What you need is rest but we were order to go no further than this."
"No, I just a moment alone, please. I will not go far." She managed to stand up straight and they bowed to her while she walked a little deeper into the woods. She stopped when a dry heave almost knock her to her knees. She covered her mouth with her hand and squeezed her eyes shut. Holding it back was worse than letting it happen but she still tried. Inevitably, she ended up hunched over on the ground, trying to hold her hair and kimono sleeves away from the mess.
She was exhausted, not only from the ride but from the overuse of adrenaline during the ruse. She was quite sure being right under the roars of the oni had done some type of internal damage. It felt like her brain had rattled against her skull from the vibrations. Then the soldiers showed up. The oni was warned not to harm her but with all those flying at its face it could have lost its mind and done anything. What really weighed on her was the howl they heard as they were fleeing. Just thinking about the sound made her spine stiffen. What did it mean? Did he join the fight after she was gone? When she pulled herself together and walked back to the soldiers she noticed that one of them was gone. The others bowed when they saw her, touching their heads to the ground.
"Have we lost a man?" She sat down in the grass and the men began fussing over her immediately.
"Izayoi-sama, please –" One started, but she waved them silent with her hand.
"Please, do not trouble yourselves. I have been held in a cage by a youkai, so this is nothing, but would it be possible to get some water?" One of the men stepped forward and offered her a water skin.
"I'm afraid this is the best we can do for now, Izayoi-sama," he said as he knelt back down.
"This will do perfectly well. Thank you." She took the water skin and took a long swig. "Now, where has our missing member gone?"
"He has gone to see if the battle is ended, Izayoi-sama" he answered with his head still low.
"I certainly hope it has. A drawn out battle with a youkai is very dangerous."
"I am sure the honorable samurai have led the men to victory in the great Daimyo's name." She smiled at the man but it was hollow. She couldn't say she wanted the oni to die. It had only been acting on orders from its master for her sake.
I am almost home, but this is far from over.
"I hear horses," one of the other men said. She could hear them too and she closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. This was the beginning of redeeming her name and putting her betrothal back together. She took one more deep breath and stood up.
The horses grew closer until it sounded like thunder and she could feel the ground rumbling under her. She did not see the entire force of soldiers but five men came directly to her. She could see that one of them was the soldier who left them earlier, two were samurai, and the last two wore fine armor but not samurai masks –lieutenants.
They dismounted and the samurai removed their masks and helmets and gave them to their lieutenants, who bowed and stayed in their positions so as not to make eye contact with her. The samurai then approached her and bowed deeply from the waist.
"Izayoi-sama, are you wounded in anyway?"
"No Gensai-dono, I am well thanks to your efforts. That is twice now that you have saved my life." The two samurai stood up straight and smiled at them.
"The great Daimyo is eager for your safe return. We will send a hawk with word that we have recovered you and we will rest here and wait for his reply," said Gensai.
"I fear I need the rest," she said.
"Unsuitable as it is, we can send you stay in the village. Our men will stay on the outskirts to guard against anymore threats to your person," said Watanabe.
"That sounds very sensible and I would not mind the village," she said.
"Katshiro," called Gensai. His lieutenant sat up out of his bow but kept his eyes downcast.
"Yes, Gensai-dono?"
"Bring me the headman of this village."
"As you command." Katshiro mounted his horse and rode off toward the rice fields of the village.
"Hayate," called Watanabe.
"Yes, Watanabe-dono?"
"Tell the men to make camp and then send word to the great Daimyo."
"As you command," said Hayate. Watanabe turned to the soldiers from her escape party.
"You did well and will be rewarded for it. Now, leave us." The men bowed and left to join the other soldiers and make camp. When they were gone the two samurai turned back to her and she knew exactly was coming.
"Izayoi-sama," began Gensai, "we must ask how you came to be held by such a fearsome beast? How were you taken from the castle so silently by something so large? You have our word that we will not share your recollections with anyone, save Daimyo-sama."
"I know these questions need answers but I simply do not have them, Gensai-dono. I remember nothing of the abduction. My last memory is of being alone in my chambers and then the cage, but there is nothing in between." The samurai looked at each other with grave expressions and bowed to her again.
"We are sorry you had to experience such an event, Izayoi-sama," said Watanabe.
"No one here is to blame," she responded
When Katshiro returns I will make arrangements for you with headman of the village. It should not be long before you return home, Izayoi-sama," said Gensai.
"I am grateful."
Inside she was miserable. Onikakushi meant she was the target of angry demons and once word got out it would make her whole family appear cursed. Her family would have to be purified to remove the imaginary taint, and even that may not satisfy her husband-to-be. Once again she had to remind herself,
This is what I chose.