Hello once again my dears, I'm hoping that this chapter will be to your satisfaction. Before we jump right in however, I'll spare a moment or so to perhaps answer some questions.
Inu Battousai asks: Perhaps after hearing what Myouga has to tell him, Kenshin will change his mind regarding Inuyasha. After all, Inu did save him from one of Yura's attacks, so that should count for something, right?
Answer: Perhaps. Only future chapters will reveal that, Inu. :)
Zanza asks: Yura wanted Inuyasha's silver mane, but secretly she also wanted Kenshin's scarlet locks... who wouldn't?
Answer: Indeed, who wouldn't want those fierce red locks of hair. They're beautiful in their own right.
Zanza asks: Just who or what is Kenshin, that he can bring certain demons to their knees? It seems Battousai's itchin to come out and play, will Inu be his target? In the meantime plz update, and somewhere down the line, a back story to explain Kenshin's origins? How did he end up in the Feudal Era in the first place? Is he human or not? Will there be a love triangle between the 3?
Answers: As to who or what is Kenshin, that will be revealed in a later chapter. You must be patient, and the truth will be revealed. And yes, perhaps Battousai's itching to come out. But can you really blame him, after all that happened so far? As for Inu being his next target? Time will tell. This is an update my dear, and yes, all will be revealed in future chapters. I would share a little secret that I have in mind revolving around a future chapter or two but that would ruin the surprise... And the suspense. :)
Anyway, enough with the Q and A. I bet you're anxious to read on. Enjoy!
~Millenyra
Last time:
Kagome blinked a few times at that... The Jewel. She forgot about it! How could she be so irresponsible. While the two stared at each other, Kenshin had reached into his shirt and held it to her with a smile to which she blinked once more at the container dangling in front of her face. After a moment or so, Kagome smiled to Kenshin and thanked him before taking the container. She pulled the Jewel and let out a sigh of relief, then noticed the glare that InuYasha had sent to the red head.
"When the hell did you..."
"That is no concern of yours, that it is not. It is now safely in the hands of Kagome" Kenshin returned his glare, with one of his own.
Kagome suddenly looked annoyed at the two as she returned the shard into the container.
"Will you two quit it!"
"Keh!... Whatever, Kagome. Lets go" InuYasha replied as he pull the fire rat robe from her to tucke it over his shoulder for the moment and stood.
"Huh?" She asked, standing as well.
"What?" he looked at her with a look of confusion.
"You never said my name before"
"Yeah? What of it?"
Kenshin sighed out at his sudden response and crossed his arms over his chest and passed them while they continued. He couldn't help but smile, as they continued to interact without him and the scream that soon followed. He'd seen a whole new side of the beast, yet... He still despised him for what he'd done to the priestess who had not done him wrong.
The Ribbon That Binds Us (Mean Ol' Trick)
The full moon sat high in the blanket of a dark sky with few thin clouds passing, giving some smooth yet cold light to the earth below. All was silent until the cry of a wolf's howl was carried through the air. Within the fog of the forest stood a form, tall and proud. A silver colored mane that stretched the length of this form's back, billowing in the night air much like his white kimono's sleeves and if one would look up, they would notice the red crest over his left shoulder while his right held a beige fur of sorts. He stood clad in dark chest plate that ended in a four point below his hip line. A yellow obi with blue patterns wrapped around his waist to aid in holding his attire together. If one would look, they would notice the elegant magenta marks along his cheeks, only to curve slightly along their structure and a dark colored cresent moon sat at the center of his forehead, as well as some red over his eye lids. The male's pair of deep gold-like colored eyes stared up at the moon above him.
Ahead of him was his retainer, watching closely as the staff of two heads floated some inches above the ground. The staff itself was about four heads taller then the imp approaching it, who was quite short. Green skin with a bald head save for the strange hat of sorts atop his head. The small imp wore a dark brown colored kimono and pale fuchsia pants. On the other hand the staff was tall and at the very top sat the two heads. One of an old man with a beard and the other of a woman with long black hair wrapped around the top of the staff. The small imp rushed to the floating object, and with a bit of a high pitched voice that was laced with some gruffness of sorts, he spoke.
"Mi'Lord! Here it is, the tomb that we've been searching for!" turning to regard the taller demon with large yellow, slitted eyes.
"Are you sure?"
"Aye Mi'Lord, the staff as always has led us without fail. Clearly it must mean this tomb" the small imp turned to face what was before them.
There before the two strange figures stood several stones, upright with a sacred rope hanging from two in particular. A flat one sat above four others, housing a miniture shrine at the top. As the imp approached, a pack of wolves finally revealed themselves from beyond the stones that perhaps housed them. The group of wolves each had their fangs showing, and growling out in warning. That was enough to stop the small imp in his tracks.
"Th-This isn't right at all! M'Lord, success! It is exactly as I expected" He started but soon turned his eyes along with his head to look over his shoulder at the taller demon behind him.
For a moment or so, he stood there but then proceeded to walk ahead, ignoring the imp moving to cowar behind him. Only the soft elegant steps of the taller demon accompanied the growing snarls that escaped the wolves, if you counted out the small frightened whimpers from the imp.
"N-n-n-n-n-n-n-nice doggies..."
He ignored them as his feet continued forward until he was a mere several feet or so from the stones, and even more so when the growls were becoming more threatning. One in particular barked in his direction, one could only assume it was the final warning that the duo would get. The tall demon seemed unphased, and remained as stoic as he was when he'd begun his approach. Slowly he turned to look at the wolf who'd barked, golden hues falling to the beast's fangs.
"The fang. It is the fand I seek here. Once I possess it, I shall transform myself to a far greater power"
The group of wolves had surrounded the pair moments earlier, continuing their vain attempt at growling while the the tall male was not intimated at all by their threats. A very short lived chuckle came from the tall demon.
"Yet why must I explain, my powers is what it is. I shall not always be limited thus. Can it be that I am afraid? Or is it I know not my own limits?" speaking to himself, more less with a small smile growing along his lips.
He slowly rose his right hand in the air, his motions held elegance. A faint but deadly green glow slowly appeared along his hand and to the very end of his claws as he gathered youki over a focused point.
"Perhaps... I presume."
The pack chose that moment to leap toward the demon only for him to retort with his own action. He begun to spin on the end of his boot, while a long line of youki quickly emerged from his index finger resembling a whip of energy of sorts. As he spun, it extended further order to cut through the pack of wolves with great ease.
"The fang, it is the fang I seek here" he spoke with eerie calm and attacked with deadly precision.
Within mere moments, the wolves lay dead with various wounds and blood forming beneath the corpses. The demon did not look back at his retainer, he didn't feel the need to do that for he knew that his ever faithful servant would do as commanded.
"Position the staff Jaken"
"Yes Mi'Lord" he said and quickly did as asked.
The imp climbed up the stones with three fingered hands and feet, once atop the fairly flat surfaced stone he broke the small shrine with the staff before using his right foot to clear the dust that was left. After that was done he placed the staff in the upright position and allowed his bulging yellow eyes to glance up. Neither of them had to wait long for the woman's head at the top arose with either eyes opening, to let out a shriek.
"This time it is the beauty who responds, do not tell me we have been mislead" Jaken spoke while taking a look around before he pulled the staff to his person.
With that having been witnessed the demon turned on his heel to walk away, only to hear the imp behind him cry out for him.
"Mi'Lord, wait for me! Your humble servant comes, Mi'Lord!" he shouted before running up behind him.
Meanwhile, there seemed to be a group of wolves that remained. Though few in numbers, perhaps they figured to move elsewhere due to a large ammount of their pack having been slaughtered in cold blood. Atop one of the wolves, hid a small flea in a miniture four armed haori and dark blue pants. His skin pale with a balding head and gray hair, with a mustache much the same color. His eyes were fairly large for his size, but held such small pupils.
"Here I thought I'd seen it all, whoever he is... Lord InuYasha will want to know, I best go quickly"
With that having been said by the small flea hidden within fur, the wolves continued on their long journey into the night.
Elsewhere in the night however sat a group of humans at war, each one wore much of the same with some few differences. The area was filled with long pole flags in white with a black circle near the very top, some being carried and others were in the ground in the upright position. Some latern of sorts stood around the area as well in order to give light so that the humans could see and speak amongst themselves. In one particular area sat a male with a chubby appearance. He sat at one end of their makeshift tent with a few dozen others.
"We rejoin the main force on the morrow. Let us eat of this war tonight so that we may strength for battle" the leader said whilst holding onto a dead boar.
"Aye, and let us give thanks that we have such a leader to follow" one of the men responded.
"Lead us to victory!"
"That I will, and more besides" the leader spoke excitedly with bringing the corpse of the boar to give a squeeze of it's neck that was soon loosen for him to release a loud bout of laughter.
The cry of a horse followed with the cry from a few of his soldiers, immediately cut his laughter short. The group scurried out frome their make shift tent just in time to see three out of the many fall pray to a demon in white. The others stood when their swords draw but were obviously hesitant in approaching him. He on the other hand looked at the group of humans now surrounding them with a stoic expression, and that enough at bay, or so he thought... The foolish leader moved past the group, looking rather angry.
"What's this?! Are ye mad!?"
"I need a boat"
"You need a what? Before a battle? And we're to give it, are we?" he repeated as he began bursting out in laughter.
"Yes you are, and now" the demon's gold-like eyes now on the laughing fool.
The tall demon male watched and listened as the laughter ceased and the amusment from their leader, gone.
"I think not!" he shouted and sought to approach, likely for a charge or an attack.
The demon acted quickly, he turned to the charging male and flew forward in a quick sprint, and immediatley his left hat found the leader's exposed neck, halting before the other male. Crushing his wind pipe with ease and causing him to tilt his head painfully to the side. Once the gasps became too much from the injured one, the silver-maned male tossed him toward the supply boats to which he crashed into and sunk.
"W-why you!" came the voice another.
There pesky humans. Always an annoyance. He heard them rise their arms readying to attack, he on the other remained as a statue, at least until his retainer caught up to him. The silver-maned male turned his head to look over as his retainer voiced his concerns.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, I regret to imform you that there are no boat. Unless you count those over there... of course" He started wihle walking out from the tall grass, but his as his eyes wandered to the floating boats he corrected himself.
"Wh-what is that?"
"You're not even human!"
The mutters continued among them even as Jaken approached his Lord, the mighty Sesshoumaru. He stared at them for a short while before closing his eyes in noticing more approach. Jaken seemed to be awaiting orders and after a brief pause, he had been commanded to care for these humans. Sesshoumaru turned on his heel immediatle after having given the order, to walk towards the right. The small green imp though held a wicked smile as he let out what one would perceive as an excited laugh, small feet moving to approach the charging warriors. Immediately settling for one spot, Jaken held the staff in either hands to aim. The old man's mouth opened and releases a sea of flames to burn through armor and cloth, skin and bone. Jaken loudly proclaimed for them to feel the power of the staff with continous laughter. Once they were nothing but ash, the flames stopped and the old man's mouth shut and it's head lowered. Jaken let out another laugh, pulling the staff to his person.
"They might have been spared yet such as the arrogance of these loft samurai warriors, that each and every time Lord Sesshoumaru must teach their lessons anew"
Jaken looked on at the steaming cratter ahead of him, only to notice that silence now surrounded him. He turned to look over his shoulder, in order to see if he was still present.
"Mi'Lord I've done as you've asked, Mi'Lord? Are you there? Wait for me Mi'Lord" he begun and started to panic, chasing after the scent that was left of him.
His sprint however was cut short in feeling the pull of the sad,and so suddenly. The staff slowly floated away from him when he let go in his surprise, for a moment the woman was facing the direction but that changed. The male was now facing that way with a red glow to his eyes.
"The staff's changed position. It must be the fang! It's changed location!" Jaken exclaimed to himself.
Later, the pair found themselves on the boat, travelling on the stream through the fog. Sesshoumaru sat upfront, his gaze remaining ahead and it posture straight and proud. Jaken was left to guide the boat through with an ore.
"Lord Sesshoumaru?..."
"Yes?"
"Mightn't we ask... Lord InuYasha where the tomb is?" he started but quickly regretted it, his voice laced with nervousness.
"InuYasha..." Sesshoumaru repeated with vemon in his tone.
Moments later, Jaken found himself stuck with Sesshoumaru's back hand. He rose to the surface again in panic and was immediately held down with the staff.
"I prefer not to think of him"
"Fogive me" he responded from his bubbling position in the water.
"He is for our purposes, dead. Wasn't he sealed to a tree fifty years ago?"
"But sire! The spell! They say it was removed, but recently. Besides the staff, it's been acting strangely. It's because of InuYasha, I'm sure of it!"
Sesshoumaru lowered his gaze while his eyes narrowed slightly.
"Speaking of the staff Mi'Lord, mightn't you remove it? I can't breathe!" with that said his cheeks puffed outwards, only to release a breath and float away.
The sun had just risen in the morning, casting it's light over the forest and shade beneath the trees. Birds were heard chirping from their nests while a well sat comfortably within a clearing, where a young school girl climbed from it. She carried with her a pink bicycle, complete with a woven basket and a small pink rounded back pack. How she managed to climb up with the two wheeled object with a bicycle was a mystery. The girl climbed up off the side before pulling her travelling contraption out. Her outfit today consisted of a dark blue long sleeved sweater with a sky blue skirt. On her feet, she wore white knee length socks and brown slip on shoes.
As she made her way over small hills and paths, Kagome couldn't help but admire the mass of greenery around her as well as the patches of water, with paths that zig zagged along the earth around the pathches. Kagome's thoughts went back when she'd arrived here. So many things in her life had changed, and all because she was pulled into the past. Unbeknownst to Kagome while she travelled along the many paths that led to the village sat a small flea atop a rock that sat in her way. The sound of her bicycle bell caught the small creature by surprise, even as the wheel crushed him. Kagome looked over her shoulder as she continued on her transportation, only to shrug and look ahead again.
Upon arriving at the village, Kagome was first greeted by Kenshin, the swordsman she had befriended a little time after her arival here. Next was Kaede whom exited the hut, walking up to the two. Kagome thought it only right to return their greetings before hand and then ask where InuYasha. Relunctantly, the red head led her to the halfling that had been laying on the branch of once dried up tree. Kenshin offered her a glance before she smiled to him and turned her attention up to InuYasha. She opened her mouth to reveal to him that she'd brought first aid treatment.
"First aid treatment? I don't need it, go away!" he shouted back as he continued to lay there lazily.
"He has also refused Kaede's care"
Kagome furrowed her brow up at the half-demon. How could he be so stubborn? He was seriously hurt in the fight with Yura, and he refused to even let them have a look. Kenshin took some steps away from her, giving her the space she needed with a nervous expression.
"You do too, I was there too, if you remember! Come down here" she retorted, an urge to tell him he was a stubborn mule rising within her.
"Nothin' doin'"
"I said c'mere" Kagome's voiced was not laced with a promise of threat just aching to be rolled from her tongue.
Kenshin allowed merely himself one final glance at the pair, before turning and with a huff from InuYasha in his continued refusal to "come down" as she'd asked... Earned him a sit. The swordsman nearly found himself wincing as he walked away from them, when the crash and grunt was heard. Something that was quickly followed with their fading bickering.
"What'd you do that for!?" the halfing rose his face from the dirt to send her a glare.
"I'll just take a look okay?! When you're hurt that bad you need to have medical treatment you know" she approached and knelt next to him with some strange box with some symbol on the front.
Kagome despite trying to be nice was losing her patience with him, and it showed on her features.
"I said go away! You act like I'm the one who lost!"
Meanwhile, some distance away, Kaede was walking along a path with three children gathered around her. A sling had be put aroud her shoulder in order to keep the priestss from moving her left arm. Kaede held her long bow within her right hand, offering smiles to the children as they walked with her.
"Lady Kaede, are you all better?"
"Aye, I am. Almost all better"
"And you're going to find all the Jewel piece soon?
Kaede slowly stopped in her tracks and the children followed suit, the girl asking the questions with child-like curiousity offered the priestess a smile. She couldn't help but smile herself with a small laugh, turning her eyes on the oher two to her left.
"Not soon, but aye. It would help greatly if InuYasha and Kagome could try to like each other a little more" the priestess said whislt shutting her eyes.
Unbeknownst to Kaede, the young girl standing there turned her head to the two, she smiled and looked over to the priestess while pointing to the duo. Kaede looked over, as did the other children while the young one spoke.
"They do like each other"
Before the group of four sat Kagome over InuYasha's clothed abdomen, either of her hands trying to pry open his haori though his hands were wrapped around her wrists to keep her from doing just that. One was yelling, forgetting the world around her and the other was grunting a little as he resisted in just shoving her off.
"I said take it off!"
"What if I don't feel like it!"
"Undress!"
"Avert ye eyes children" her voice coming out sternly, but despite her efforts, they still peeked through.
The voice from the children finally caught the attention of InuYasha and Kagome, halting any further bickering only for them to look over with a bit of clueless expressions. Kaede took a moment or so to send the children on their way before turning to approach the two.
"Mayhap ye like each other more than I first thought"
Kagome was the first to turn to look at InuYasha, almost immediately followed by him. Her eyes were wide then his followed suit, only to give one more glance at Kaede before pushing himself up to stand and in that process, Kagome fell on her behind. She glared at him with a furrowed brow while he stared at her in annoyance. Using his clawed hands, InuYasha allowed his haori to slip down to his elbow on the left side. His pale skin showing no signs of wounds or even the slightest scar.
"I would have thought you would've figured out by now that my body's different than yours!"
"It's already gone..." Kagome said in a whisper after a gasp.
Kaede looked over his skin to be sure that there was no injuries present, inwardly she was surprised at the rapid healing of this halfling.
"For a greater wound to have healed so quickly and leave no scar..."
"Look, just because it would've killed a human, don't make it such a big deal for someone like me!" he said while fixing up his haori again, turning somewhat away from the two women.
Kagome merely watched with eyes that seemed pained for his position, as he was now. He was a half-demon, loathed from both sides. Not loved or wanted by demons or humans. That was a fact that was sad and cruel. She was suddenly brought from her thoughts as InuYasha seemed to wince at a sudden pain. It took a moment for the halfling to look down to his chest, and the reason for the sudden sting that he'd felt just a minute ago. There, on his chest sat a small flea, feeding on his life blood and shortly drew out the sucker with a satisfied smile. He glanced up to InuYasha, with a filled stomach.
"Greetings and salutations"
InuYasha was quick to react after that, he smacked his chest using his right hand and lifted it to see the extent of the damage on the smaller creature.
"Well, if it ain't Myoga the flea"
"Flea?" Kagome repeated with some panic.
Both of them watched as the flea floated to the ground at their feet, InuYasha was the first to kneel down to be more at his level.
"So, what'd you come to see me about?"
After a short minute had passed, the flea popped from the ground. Perhaps that hand smack did nothing to his small body. Within the flea's small left hand was a small wooden baton of sorts, gripping it lightly as he stood.
"Lord InuYasha, I've come to -..." his words were cut short by something being sprayed onto him and he collapsed.
Kagome had held out and sprayed Myoga with a type of bug repellant, and InuYasha knelt behind her with a questioning gaze. He asked her what that thing did but she only looked at him with a wide eyed expression.
Later in the evening, when the sun had just begun to set, InuYasha and the others were seated around the firepit. Kagome and Kaede had their backs facing the walls on either side while InuYasha sat facing Myoga across from him. Kenshin was seated by the door with his blade held wo his chest, his eyes were closed and he pretended to be asleep, much like numerous times before. Perhaps if he listened in, he would gain a little more insight on the halfling.
"What'd you mean someone's tryin to find dad's tomb?" he asked despite feeling a little hesitant.
"As guardian of his final resting place, I could bear it no longer"
"So you took off and came here instead" clearly the halfling was upset.
"But it's the remains that are important, and they are no longer there"
Remains? No longer there? What did that mean? And what or who are they? The red head by the door was more or less tempted to ask the flea himself but instead remained still as if he were asleep.
"Oh? So where are the remains then?"
"regrettably sire, no one knows" the flea responded with a four armed shrug.
"Some guardian you are" InuYasha said with a scowl, leaning his cheek into his palm with his elbow on his leg and half-lidded eyes, making him look either annoyed or bored.
Kenshin grew more intrigued by the minute. What was this tomb and who was after it? What was so important within it? An heirloom, perhaps? There was a brief silence and the red head thought that they might be done speaking now. The only thing accompanying the silence seemed to be the sound of crackling flames.
"InuYasha, they say that your father was a phantom beast, that the Western Lands were his domain" she had in that time looked over to him with her only eye left.
"Can't say I remember it that well" he said, sounding quite bored.
"Your father was a demon among demons, great and powerful. His blood was especially delicious and you, Lord InuYasha have inherited that from him"
"Wow! And what about his mom?" Kagome asked the small flea with a smile, unknown to her that the question had likely upset the halfling.
"She was a beauty beyond compare, a true -" his speech was halted in just moments, his formed crushed underneath the heel of InuYasha.
After the red clad half-demon was done with squishing his small retainer into the floorboards, he headed right for the door even in hearing Kagome's retort for his actions. Something about not having been nice to the old flea. InuYasha left the hut with a bit of a rude response and Kenshin could not help but open his eyes at that. Had something happened to his mother? In his time here with Kaede, he'd witnessed men, women and children being murdered and some even fell ill. Was that the reason the halfling did not want to talk about her? The next words from Kagome caught his attention onto the conversation again.
"Sorry about that. Did something I say make him upset?" Kagome asked as she turned to Kaede was not stocking the fire.
"Aye well..."
"Sorry, all I did was ask him about his mother"
"Yes, Lord InuYasha has always prefered not to speak of her" Myoga said after popping up from his crushed position, to a sitting position while looking down to the floorboards.
Kagome listened intently before lifting her gaze to Kaede who remained seated there, stoking the fire and staring into it. The raven hairded girl lift her left hand to her chin, looking in thought. Kenshin's eyes remained on Kagome the entire time she seemed in thought and oblivious to his stare but his own thoughts were racing. Could it be the halflings life wasn't so great that he first sought the jewel for power, for that very reason? He blinked in seeing Kagome rise to her feet and moved past him and out the door, so suddenly. Kaede had opened her eyes after she'd left to notice Kenshin gazing at the door, part of her already knew what he thought of this situation.
Outside, InuYasha had perched himself on presumably on the same tree from earlier a little bit away from the village, where he sat scowling at nothing in particular. Some would find that the conversation from before had upset him, at least a little. His ears twitched to the foreign sounds from behind him but the smell in the air indicated to him that it was only the girl, Kagome and she posed no danger. The school girl dressed in casual modern clothing halted her pedalling and settled for walking once she was close enough. Her thoughts were racing just as was Kenshin. If InuYasha's father was a full-fledged demon, then that would make his mother human, wouldn't it? That thought brought up memories of Yura, between the fighting, Kagome's hearing picked up on a little of what the hair demoness was saying to InuYasha. So, the boy clad in red wanted to become all demon using the Jewel? Kagome glanced up at his back, her only means of light coming from the moon, he hadn't moved an inch since she arrived here.
"Is that why he won't talk about it? His mother's human, so he hates her?" she asked more to herself, not realizing she'd said that out loud.
A flashback came to her might where her own mother stopped her at the door to hand her a first aid kit, explaining to Kagome that she thought of giving her this for her travels for her friend. Kagome had smiled at that and taken the kit, thanking her. Returning to the present, Kagome's eyes were down cast again, her thoughts escaping through her mouth once again.
"But that's awful, how could someone hate their own mom? Bet she really loves him"
That was the moment where the wind picked up and with it a scent was carried, but only to the knowledge of InuYasha. The next moment he leapt down to shove her face in the dirt, with a lourd "get down!". Something that was loud enough for the human ears of a man remaining in the shadows.
"InuYasha!" she sent him a glare through her dirt ridden face.
"Something's comin', can you feel it?"
Looking up, Kagome gasped in seeing something in the sky, something that resembled a carriage passing before the moon. Upon closer inspection there were about up to five small creatures surrounding the cart, only one carried with it a flag of sorts. What caught the attention of the red clad boy was what he saw inside the carriage, it couldn't be... Slowly he stood up and took only two steps ahead with disbelieving eyes.
"Mo... Mother?"
===== End of Chapter =====
I'm sorry for cutting it here, but I thought a cliff hanger was in order. I also apologize for making this chapter kind of short. I had planned on doing it all the way through, but where's the fun in that? I do hope that this will be enough for now, and hopefully the next chapter will be filled with action. With that said, I hope you all enjoyed this and look forward to the next. Much love, Millenyra.
