Thank you everyone who enjoyed and reviewed the last chapter! We've only got a few more chapters to go, so stick with me! I'm glad that everyone is liking it so far. There's more to come. :P
Chapter ten
I was riding on Inuyasha's back the following day, and Miroku and Sango were atop Kirara, flying beside us. We were hurriedly heading for the mountain Totosai was supposed to be on top of, because all of us knew there was no time to waste. There was far too much at stake, especially with the stunt Hakudoushi had pulled with Inuyasha. If we at around, we were risking allowing that to happen a second time.
All of us were silent, but there really wasn't that much to talk about. We all had our minds set on one goal, and that was obtaining a weapon and breaking that blasted barrier of Hakudoushi's.
The higher we traveled up the mountain, the more I began to sense a demonic aura. It wasn't overly powerful, but it was enough to be threatening in it's own sense. "I can sense a demonic aura, at the top." I announced. "So Totosai must be up there."
"Yeah, I can smell the demon from here." Inuyasha muttered.
"I don't sense any evil though." Miroku piped up. "But we should all still be on our guard. It's best not to let our defenses down at this point."
Thankfully, it wasn't too long before we reached a clearing on the top of the mountain. It was nothing but flat, dirt ground, and I looked to see a huge demon skull, what looked something akin to a dragon, laying off to the side, and it looked like it led into a cave. There were sounds of metal striking metal from within the cave. "I'm going to guess Totosai is in there." I said.
"All right." Inuyasha looked both satisfied and a little raring to go. But that was normal. "Looks like we can finally get this over with."
Suddenly the sounds of metal striking metal within the cave stopped, and all of us tensed, exchanging glances. I drew my bow out and an arrow, as Miroku pulled out a few of his sutras and Sango got her boomerang at the ready. There was no telling what this Totosai was like.
"Normally I would ask you how I can help you, but nowadays it's far too risky for me to be so polite." came a voice from inside the cave. It was male, and it was low and wheezy with age. "What do you want with me?"
"You're gonna be giving us a-" Inuyasha started, but Miroku reached over and hit him upside the head with his staff.
"We came to request your assistance." Miroku called louder, and Inuyasha glowered over at the monk, ears lowered to his head.
"Well I'm afraid I can't help you. You'll have to go somewhere else!" The voice called back.
Miroku and I exchanged glances. "Please, can you just hear us out?" I called.
"Sorry, these ears just can't hear that well in my old age . . . You're going to have to go somewhere else!" The voice repeated. I felt a rush of irritation.
"Look, old man, we don't have time for these games! We need a weapon and we need one now!" Inuyasha snapped, setting me down beside him. He started moving toward the cave, one of his hands raised, his claws ready. I didn't bother to stop him, because we all knew we would have to take by force if necessary. It was too important.
"Stop right there, young man, or I'll be forced to defend myself!" the voice warned.
Inuyasha growled. "I don't want to have to force you to make me a weapon, but I'm gonna have to if you keep playin' games!"
Inuyasha reached the mouth of the cave, and we all moved closer to see inside the cave as well. I watched with wide eyes as something rushed out of the cave, and in a flash of green and black, an old man stood before Inuyasha, practically nose to nose. "Well, if it isn't Inuyasha! You've grown since I last saw you!" the old man announced.
"What?" Inuyasha demanded. All four of us were dumbstruck.
The old demon looked relatively human, with gray hair pulled back in a ponytail, and wearing a green and black kimono. The only things that gave him away were his large, round white eyes, pointed ears, and the large black hammer that he rested up against his shoulder. He stroked his beard thoughtfully as he looked up at Inuyasha. "Yes, it has been a long time. About two hundred years, actually, since I last saw you! How you've grown."
"I'm sorry old man, but I've never seen you in my life. You want to explain how you know me?" Inuyasha asked impatiently, folding his arms within his red sleeves.
"Well, it's sort of a complicated story, but . . . I know your father. I know him from a long time ago. I forged him weapons." the old man explained.
"And you're Totosai?" Sango piped up.
"Yes, I am, lass." Totosai glanced at her Hiraikotsu. "That's a fine weapon you have there, young demon slayer. The demon slayers were also quite talented in forging weapons."
Sango flushed with pleasure at the compliment to her people. "Thank you."
Totosai looked back to Inuyasha. "Yes, I knew your father and forged him weapons. Just the other day I had to turn down Sesshomaru when he came by, though. He was wanting a weapon other than the Tenseiga that he wields."
"Sesshomaru?" Me, Sango, and Miroku repeated simultaneously.
Inuyasha growled, and threw us a look over his shoulder. "No one important."
"Sesshomaru is Inuyasha's half brother. Unlike Inuyasha, Sesshomaru is a full fledged demon, and he wields unbelievable power and strength, just like his father." Totosai went on, perturbed, but the three of us were looking at Inuyasha with fearful eyes as his growling rose in volume. In a flash, he had bonked Totosai on the head with his fists, to which the old man responded with a whimper.
"He kind of deserved that." Miroku muttered to Sango, who just sighed and nodded.
"You have a brother?" I was fascinated by this information, as I looked to Inuyasha.
"Feh! Don't call that heartless bastard my brother." Inuyasha looked away from me, and I could gather that he and Sesshomaru were not on good terms just by his expression, words, and posture.
"Either way, it seems that you're in luck, Inuyasha." Totosai went on, ignoring the large red bump that had formed on his head from Inuyasha's abuse. "The Tenseiga is a sword that I forged for your father long ago, and it was left to Sesshomaru. It was his birth right. And just as your father left a sword for Sesshomaru, he left one also for you."
Inuyasha's ears perked up. "He did? Well, let me see it old man!"
Totosai sighed. "You're so rash and impatient, just like your father. How can you hope to wield the Tetsusaiga properly with that kind of attitude? It's simply impossible."
Inuyasha was paying him no attention. "The Tetsusaiga? The Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga . . . so the old man was good for somethin' after all."
Totosai rolled his eyes and turned away, heading further into the cave. We followed. The cave was littered with many sword blades without hilts, and other such various weapons that were either complete or incomplete, and there was a large fire pit, most likely for burning the weapons. There was a large flat stone with a pair of pliers on top, which I was sure was for Totosai to shape the weapons with his hammer.
"Wait here." Totosai instructed, and he disappeared back further into the cave. There was some rustling and louder noises, but before long, he returned, and he was carrying a sword sheath. It was black and slim, and the hilt of the sword was gold and brown.
"Now, Inuyasha, you must listen to me carefully. The Tetsusaiga is a fierce, destructive weapon that was meant for fighting, while the Tenseiga is a sword that cannot cut, and was made for healing. Your father entrusted the Tetsusaiga to you, and even though I personally don't think you will be able to master it with your current personality, I have to entrust it to you, as it is your birth right. The Tetsusaiga has the power to kill a hundred demons in one sweep, while the Tenseiga has the power to save a hundred lives in one sweep. They are so very different, but both swords were made from fangs of your father's." Totosai explained, still holding the scabbard.
"A hundred demons in one sweep? Impressive." Miroku commented, his eyebrows raising.
"Don't be so surprised. Inuyasha's father was a great demon. He ruled the lands of the west when he was still alive, and he was feared among all demons. His power knew no bounds, so it only makes sense that the sword created from his fang would also wield immense power." Totosai glanced back at Inuyasha. "Here. Take this sword, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha grasped the scabbard, and simply looked at it for a moment, before he grasped the hilt of the blade and pulled it out. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until the blade had been fully unsheathed, but when it was, I let out the breath and felt a rush of confusion.
"What the hell is this?" Inuyasha demanded. "This blade is rusty and it couldn't even cut paper! Wet!" And it was true. The blade was thin and frail looking, and rust covered the metal. It didn't look menacing or sharp at all. It looked rather dull.
"That's because the blade is not in its true form." Totosai stated, as if it was obvious.
"All right." Inuyasha waited. When Totosai just blinked, he growled in frustration and demanded, "So tell me how to get it in its true form, old man!" When he yelled like that, you could see his fangs, and it was actually kind of cute when he was all frustrated. I shook my head clear of those thoughts, concentrating back on Totosai.
"That's not something I can tell you. You can't master the Tetsusaiga if I just tell you everything. If I tell you all the secrets, and you don't discover them for yourself, the Tetsusaiga will not accept you as its master." Totosai replied stubbornly.
Inuyasha was lifting his fist, no doubt to give the old man another piece of his mind, but I intervened and grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Inuyasha, just listen to Totosai. He was nice enough to just give us the sword. I'm sure you'll be able to master it." I said gently.
"Personally I don't hold out any hope that he will." Totosai commented, and I sent him a harsh glare that had him sinking back fearfully.
"Either way, we have another question." Miroku asked. "We need the Tetsusaiga to be able to break barriers, and we learned from a wolf demon tribe that if we used a weapon to break an artifact that possessed the power to create a powerful barrier, the weapon would be able to penetrate demonic barriers. Is that true?"
"Certainly." Totosai looked thoughtful. "The Tetsusaiga would be one of the best weapons to absorb such an ability, but it's impossible while the Tetsusaiga isn't in its true form. Until that happens, the Tetsusaiga will be useless for any types of fighting."
"Just when we solve one problem we've got another." Inuyasha muttered, looking highly aggravated.
"Well, I've performed my task in aiding you, Inuyasha, so I have a favor to ask of you." Totosai replied.
"Hmph. It's hardly aid." Inuyasha muttered, but I elbowed him. "What do you want, jiji?"
"It just so happens that I'm forging another weapon for a high paying customer, but I don't have the right type of metal for it. A few days travel from here, there is a village named Ayame village, and the precious metal that I require is deep within a cave there, somewhere in the village. It would be a great help if you brought that metal back for me."
Inuyasha sighed. "I don't see why we can't do it. We're going to have to take time to figure out how to transform Tetsusaiga, anyway." Sango piped up. "And besides, maybe we'll learn something about it by going out and doing this."
"Hmph." Was Inuyasha's only response to that, as he sheathed Tetsusaiga and then belted it at his hip. "Fine, jiji. We'll go get this metal for you."
"Much appreciated." Totosai said cheerfully. "Now, you guys better get moving. I don't know how long it will take you to solve the mystery of Tetsusaiga, but you'd better get started right away."
"I don't need you to tell me that." Inuyasha replied as he turned and started heading from the cave. I followed along behind him, along with Sango and Miroku.
Once we were back outside, we paused as I pulled the map from my pack, and spread it out along the ground. "Ayame village isn't too far from here. We can get there by tomorrow, early afternoon, if we get going now while we still have daylight." I announced.
"Then let's get goin'. I'm ready to take Hakudoushi down." Inuyasha replied.
My prediction was correct, and by early afternoon the next day, we were at Ayame village. The village was quite large, and the people looked at us warily as we entered.
"The previous villages were a lot more friendly." Miroku muttered to all of us as we walked through.
"That's because they weren't that suspicious of demons." Inuyasha replied bitterly. "Look at the way they're starin' at me and Kirara."
And he wasn't being paranoid, either. The villagers were looking at Inuyasha and Kirara with mistrust, and it was starting to grow unnerving and annoying. "Let's just keep moving. We need to find this cave." I replied.
Inuyasha just harrumphed and continued walking. "Let's find the headman or headmaster of this village, and we can ask them." Miroku suggested, and I nodded.
Luckily, it was easy to identify where the leader of the village lived, because the largest, most expensive house was placed at the top of the village, and guards were stationed by the gates surrounding the house.
"State your names and your business." one of the guards ordered when we approached.
"Our business is our own! Now let us through-" I slapped my hand over Inuyasha's mouth and let Miroku do the talking.
"I am a traveling monk by the name of Miroku. This is Sango, a demon slayer, Kagome, a priestess, Kirara, and Inuyasha. We have business with the headmaster of this village simply to find a cave that's supposed to be located here." Miroku explained.
"Fine. All of you can enter, except for the two demons." the other guard replied.
"What?" I outburst. "Why can't they come in?"
"Because demons are untrustworthy and we cannot allow them to be near our headmaster. What if they were evil and killed him for power and wealth?"
"That's just ridiculous. We're just as capable of doing such a thing, and we're all humans." I argued. "None of us are here to harm your headmaster. We're only here to ask him a few questions."
"When it comes to demons, there are no exceptions." The guard said firmly. "Only you humans may enter. If you continue to be a nuisance, none of you will be allowed to enter."
I opened my mouth to argue, but Sango laid a hand on my arm. "Don't, Kagome. We need to learn this information."
"That's right. Don't risk it for some racist bastards." Inuyasha was staring the guards down, and they had the grace to look uncomfortable under his harsh stare. I looked to Inuyasha, and he just shook his head.
"Then I'll stay out here with you, and Sango and Miroku can go in." I said stubbornly.
"I'm not a baby, Kagome." Inuyasha growled. "Besides, I can go buy supplies or something while you guys are busy. Just go in with those two and stop being stubborn."
"I'm being stubborn? You're being just as stubborn, letting them stomp all over you!" I clenched my fists. I was frustrated. There was no sense in Inuyasha being treated this way, and I couldn't stand it.
"That's because there's nothing I can do!" he snapped back. "Now go inside. You're gettin' on my nerves. Just give me your money."
I glared at him, before taking the small pouch of coins and thrusting it into his clawed hand. Kirara jumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder in kitten form, mewing softly in his ear. He held my eyes, his expression angry, before it softened, and he sighed.
Inuyasha stepped forward, and I heard Sango and Miroku's sounds of embarrassment as he, quite frankly, kissed me out of my wits. It was brief, but it was deep and warm and left me tingling with desire from his lingering taste when he pulled back. The guard's eyes were wide, their mouths hanging open, and they looked outraged.
"Stop worryin'. You worry too much. Now, go inside for the last time." Inuyasha looked at me for one more minute, and I was still flushed with embarrassment as he turned and started walking off with Kirara still on his shoulder.
"You're . . . you're with that demon?" One of the guards demanded me, point blank.
I stared at him coldly, my blush instantly vanishing. "What of it?"
He blanched at my icy expression. "N-nothing, Priestess."
"Come on." Miroku sounded amused, as he took my elbow and me, him, and Sango entered the gates and moved toward the house.
Once inside the large house, we were greeted by servants, who led us to the master's chambers. Inside, a man and his wife were seated, and they were talking in low, hushed tones as we entered. The headman looked up in surprise, and questioned, "Travelers? I wasn't aware I would have unexpected guests. Please, forgive me for not coming out to greet you myself. Please, sit down."
We did so, and the headman instructed his servants to go fetch us some food and drink. When the servant was gone, the headman smiled at us and asked, "So what brings you to my mansion?"
"You'll have to forgive our sudden intrusion, but we only come to ask of important matters." Miroku started. "I am Miroku, this is Sango, and this is Kagome. We're traveling in search of a cave that is said to be located here, in your village."
"The cave of Ayame, you mean? It was once a cave that was protected by members of a wolf demon tribe, but they left some time ago when a horrible demon forced them out." The headmaster explained. "I'm not really sure what all the fuss was about, but I heard that it was over some rare metal called thulium. The thulium metal is rumored to possess magical qualities, the perfect for forging armor or weapons. I'm sure that's probably what the demon is guarding, if the rumors of the metal existing are true.
"Unfortunately, this demon has grown increasingly agitated of late, and has often been leaving the cave at nights to come and terrorize our village. Many of the men and women have been killed and . . . supposedly eaten. I'm not particularly sure what caused this change in behavior, but it is something that's rapidly becoming a horrible problem." The headman admitted. "If the demon isn't taken care of soon, I fear our village will have to flee and move somewhere else, to avoid being wiped out."
"So that's why your village is so mistrusting of demons." I realized. "Because of the demon attacking you. It makes sense now."
"But it's still not an excuse for their outright behavior." Sango added, more quietly, so the headman wouldn't hear her. I nodded in agreement.
"Headman, we would be happy to exterminate the demon within the cave, if you might simply give us the location of the cave." Miroku offered.
"Can you really carry out such a task?" the headman looked hopeful.
"I'm sure it won't be an easy feat, but I'm also sure it's something we can accomplish." Miroku assured him.
"Well, you do look quite capable of the task . . ." The headman mused. "The cave is located south of my mansion, behind it, not too far from here, within the forest. The demon only comes out at night, so perhaps you could go now, and get a preemptive strike on it, before night falls?"
"A fine suggestion. Thank you for your help, headman. We will set out now to take care of this problem." Miroku rose, along with me and Sango, and he bowed to the headman. "We'll return here when the demon is slain to inform you of the good news."
"Thank you again, travelers." the headman said gratefully. "What sort of payment do you require for such a task?"
"If the thulium is indeed real, then that will be payment enough." Miroku replied, and the headman nodded.
"By all means, if the metal is real, take it. We have no use for it." the headman answered.
When we had left the mansion and were well past the gates, I was startled to see Inuyasha off, away from the village, sitting down indian style and leaning back against a tree, Kirara curled up on the grass beside him. He had his sword held in his arms, and he was glaring off into the distance. "Uh-oh." I murmured, and made my way over to him. Miroku and Sango followed.
Inuyasha didn't even acknowledge us, but I knew something had happened by his stiff posture. "Inuyasha?" I asked softly. "Why are you over here?"
"Hmph! Take a guess." His tone was bitter and angry, and I felt a sense of dread.
"What happened?" Miroku asked.
"The villagers won't sell anything to a 'demon'. So I couldn't get supplies. Here." Inuyasha tossed the bag of coins to me, and I caught it. I felt horrible inside, knowing that he was treated like this. This must have been what Inuyasha had meant before, when he had told me a while back how he was treated badly by humans, and mistrusted by them. I felt a fierce anger rise in my heart.
I began to storm towards the venues, to give the villagers a piece of my mind, but Miroku caught my arm. "I understand your anger, Kagome. It makes me angry too. But we cannot overstay our welcome. If we raise a ruckus, they might forbid us entrance into the cave."
I settled back, but only because I knew he was right. I let out a breath. I turned back to Inuyasha. "Don't worry about any of them." I said comfortingly to him, but he didn't even look at me. I knew it wasn't going to matter by this point, what I said to him. He was angry and upset.
"What did you find out?" he asked abruptly, changing the subject.
"The headman said that there's a demon terrorizing the village that dwells in the cave, and more than likely is guarding the metal that we need." Miroku explained.
"So let me guess. We're supposed to slay this demon?" Inuyasha muttered, as he stood up, tucking Tetsusaiga back against his hip.
"I'm afraid so. We have no choice, considering the demon is guarding the metal that we require. So it will serve to benefit us as well." Miroku replied with a sigh. "Otherwise, I would have half a mind to leave these villagers to their own troubles. Even though that would go highly against me being a monk."
"I don't blame you." Sango agreed. "These villagers are far too hostile and rude. They're taking their fears out on someone who isn't even responsible for what's happening to their village."
"Who cares? Let's just go and get this over with so we can leave." Inuyasha interjected.
"The cave is south of the mansion, is what the headman said. So let's go." Miroku started forward, and we all followed along after him.
It didn't take long to find the cave, and when we did find it, I was practically knocked backwards by the strong demonic aura emanating from the cave. It was evil, as well. "This is going to be dangerous." I murmured to the others.
"Hmph! I'm not afraid of some lowly demon who's got nothin' better to do than terrorize a village." Inuyasha replied. "This will be easy."
"Don't speak so rashly, Inuyasha." Miroku warned. "I think we're going to have a fight on our hands. But, there's no time to waste. Let's go."
The cave was damp and cold, and the farther we descended down, the darker it grew, until Miroku was forced to murmur a word of incantation to provide a blue light from his staff. When we reached the bottom of the cave, it opened up into a large cavern, and sunlight poured in from holes in the ceiling. The demon was huge, for starters, and it appeared to be some type of reptile demon, for its body was long and snakelike, but it had arms and legs with sharp, white claws. Its scales were a deep bluish green, and there was a large yellow frill on top of its head. It was asleep, from the looks of it, and behind the demon, on an altar, sat a large chunk of grayish golden colored metal, which I assumed to be the thulium.
"So what Totosai spoke was true." Miroku murmured quietly. "The metal is indeed real. Looks like we're going to have to kill this demon to get it as well."
"Hmph. Sounds easy enough. It's about time we got to fight somethin', anyway." Inuyasha flashed a wolfish grin that was all fang, as he flexed his claws.
The demon stirred in its sleep, and opened its great red eyes. When it spotted us, it growled lowly, and rose up to its full height, looking down upon all of us suspiciously. It was as tall as the centipedes that I'd faced, if not taller, and I knew this was going to be a difficult battle.
"Humans and a lowly half demon." The voice of the demon was male, and it was deep and rumbly. "What business do you have with me?"
"You've been terrorizing Ayame villlage." Miroku held his staff out toward the demon, and it wasn't a question. "Your reign of terror is going to come to an end today, whether by force or by compliance. If you go ahead and surrender now, and give us the thulium, we'll leave you in peace."
The demon stared at him for a moment, before he burst out into laughter. "You think you can threaten me, a mere human? I am Inari, a great, powerful demon, and I will not surrender to the likes of you. If you challenge me, you will surely die. I am going to use this thulium metal to coat my scales and to give me an even greater armor. Why would I give it to humans and a half demon?"
"I may be a half demon but that's more than enough to take your pathetic hide down." Inuyasha growled. "You aren't anything impressive."
Inari snarled. "You see my power, and sense it, and yet you still challenge me? Foolishness. I will make you pay for your insolence!" He opened his maw, and I had just enough time to sense what was going to happen, before fire, orange and yellow and red, burst forth, and flew down, to cover Inuyasha in a whirling pillar of flame.
"Inuyasha!" I screamed.
Inari was laughing gleefully. "For such a brave half demon, he surely didn't last long. Such a pity." He continued to laugh as the flames died down, and I felt a rush of confusion as I saw Inuyasha crouched down low, his arms covering his face. He pulled his arms away and straightened up, looking smug as he grinned up at Inari.
"What? What is the meaning of this?" Inari demanded.
"My robes are made from fur of the Fire Rat. It's one of the useful things that my mother left me, and it's invulnerable to fire." Inuyasha replied, lifting a dark black brow. "Your fire won't have any effect on me. If you're done messin' around, I'd like to really fight you!"
"Enough!" Inari bellowed, and he lunged down towards Inuyasha. "Die!"
Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga, and the blade was the same, rusty and useless, but I knew he was determined to make it transform into its true form. Inuyasha jumped out of the way of Inari, and brought Tetsusaiga down, and I heard the loud clang it made as the blade just glanced off Inari's scales.
"Damn it!" Inuyasha jumped out of the way from Inari's claws, and Sango and Miroku rushed in to help. Kirara transformed with a roar, and dived in as well.
I drew out my bow and nocked an arrow, aiming straight for Inari's chest. Hopefully, my arrow would help make a difference. I released, and the arrow struck with a bright flash of light, only to bounce off and hit the floor uselessly. I gasped. "Even my sacred arrow?" I demanded.
Sango jumped onto Kirara's back, and Kirara flew around Inari, before diving down, and sinking her fangs and claws into Inari's back. Inari growled, but hardly even seemed to feel it. Sango flung her Hiraikotsu, and I watched as it too only glanced off Inari's scales.
"Nothing's working!" Miroku shouted, as he fended off Inari's claws with his staff.
"His scales are too damn thick!" Inuyasha growled, and swiped at Inari's belly with his own claws, to have the same effect as all our other weapons.
Inari laughed at our efforts. "Your attempts are futile. Hardly anything can pierce my armor as it is, but when I apply the thulium, it will be impossible for anything to penetrate my scales! Feel my wrath!" He opened his maw and breathed fire for the second time, forcing Miroku and Sango to flee over to where I stood, off to the side. Inuyasha was still hacking away at Inari's tough hide, but I knew it was to no avail.
"We have to keep trying! His armor can't hold up forever!" Sango flew over on Kirara, and flung her boomerang with all her strength. "Hiraikotsu!"
Once again, the boomerang flew off his armor, and this time, instead of merely glancing back, it flew back violently towards Sango. She dodged out of the way in the nick of time, and the boomerang stuck in the cavern wall.
"My armor will hold as long as your strength holds, little human. Don't give yourself false hope. I would hate to see you actually convince yourself that you can defeat me." Inari laughed, and slashed towards Kirara, effectively swatting the demon cat and Sango from the air. They landed on the ground hard, and the cavern shook from the force of it.
"Sango!" Miroku raced over, and Sango was knocked unconscious. Kirara was growling weakly.
"Miroku, watch over Sango and Kirara. I have to help Inuyasha!" I nocked another arrow as I ran towards Inari.
Inari seized Inuyasha in his great claws, and slammed him up against the cavern wall. "Now, half demon, let's see how long that robe of yours can withstand my flames. It may have lasted the first time, but it can't last forever." he opened his maw, and began to breathe fire onto Inuyasha.
I have to do something! There has to be something I can do! I thought desperately. But his armor is impenetrable with the weapons that all of us have! And Inuyasha's robe of the Fire Rat isn't guaranteed to withstand those flames forever! There has to be something! I pulled my arm back, aiming my arrow up, towards Inari's head, and when I saw his red eye, I realized that it didn't have armor. I aimed, and then released.
The arrow pierced his eye with a flash of great blue light, and Inari roared in agony, blood spurting everywhere from the wound. He released Inuyasha to put his claws over his eye, and Inuyasha landed on his feet on the ground, and I was thankful that I'd stopped Inari when I did, because Inuyasha was smudged with dirt, and he was smoking slightly.
I ran over to Inuyasha as Inari writhed in pain. "Thanks Kagome." he said breathlessly. "Looks like you're not so useless after all."
I ignored that. "Inuyasha, that wound to his eye isn't going to kill him, and none of our weapons are going to be able to pierce his armor. You have to figure out how to transform Tetsusaiga. It might be the only chance that we have."
"Hmph! I don't need you to tell me that!" Inuyasha held Tetsusaiga out towards Inari, who was snarling and still whipping his head back and forth as blood poured from his eye.
"Don't be so independent and stubborn all the time!" I said angrily. "You have to transform it or we'll all probably die!"
"Get off my back!" Inuyasha snapped at me, still facing Inari.
"Inuyasha-" I started.
"Just shut-up and let me protect you!" he said angrily, looking back at me, and my eyes widened at his words. He faced Inari again, stepping forward, holding Tetsusaiga out threateningly. "Inari, you're going down!"
I stopped when I felt a new demonic aura enter the cavern, even more powerful than Inari's or Inuyasha's. It was pulsing, and I saw Inuyasha stiffen and hold Tetsusaiga up, eyeing it with wide eyes. "Tetsusaiga is pulsing . . ." He whispered.
"Is it going to transform?" I questioned, as the blade began to glow golden.
We watched in amazement as Tetsusaiga was enveloped in golden light, and when the light vanished, the blade had transformed into something magnificent and terrifying. The blade was wide and huge, and razor sharp, glinting wickedly in the sunlight. White fur lined the hilt, and Inuyasha swung it back and forth experimentally, before he laughed and looked up at Inari. "Now, this is what I'm talkin' about!"
Inari had stopped writhing by now, and he looked down at Inuyasha with his good eye, hatred and rage clear in his gaze. "You think now that your blade has transformed it will be sharp enough to kill me! Don't be foolish! I have had enough of your interference! I will kill you!" Inari breathed fire in Inuyasha's direction, and Inuyasha turned around, seized me by the waist, and jumped out of the way as the fire consumed the spot I had just been standing in.
"Are you ok, Kagome?" he asked, concerned, as he set me down.
"I'm fine. Inuyasha, Tetsusaiga is transformed. I know you can do this." I said encouragingly.
Inuyasha faced Inari, and Inari snarled, "Enough! You end now!" Inari lunged toward us.
"Bring it on!" Inuyasha bellowed, and leapt into the air, and struck Inari with Tetsusaiga, and I watched in amazement as golden light flashed, and Tetsusaiga sliced cleanly through Inari's tough hide, as if it were no more than mere wet paper. Inuyasha yanked the blade back, before striking again, and Inari roared in agony as more golden light flashed, and Tetsusaiga tore into his body.
"Die!" Inuyasha brought Tetsusaiga in a wide arc over his head, and then swung it down with all his strength, where it sliced clean through Inari's neck, severing his head. Inari's head crashed to the ground, twitching, before it lay very still.
Inuyasha landed neatly on his feet, and the blood from Inari coated Tetsusaiga, like a well earned victory coating. Inuyasha laughed as he swung Tetsusaiga back and forth. "I guess Totosai was wrong after all! Seems I was able to transform the sword!"
"It looks like it accepted you as its master." Miroku commented, walking over with Kirara, and Sango, who looked like she was weak, but conscious.
"Well, did ya hear that? Looks like I mastered it too! Isn't that right, Tetsusaiga?" Inuyasha held the sword close to his face proudly, grinning like an idiot. "There's not a single demon that can take us down now!"
"I think this is all going to his head." I sighed, shaking my head. "As if he needs an ego boost."
Miroku was shaking his head as well as Inuyasha laughed and swung Tetsusaiga this way and that, testing his new sword. "Well, now that Inari is slain, we need to get the thulium and take it to Totosai."
"Already on it." Sango flew over on Kirara and grabbed the thulium, and put it in one of our travel packs, safely stowing it away. "We'd better get out of here. The Shikon jewel has the power to revive dead demons if it's around them for too long."
When we surfaced out of the cave, all of us were covered in Inari's blood and we were all pretty banged up. It had been a tough battle, and only out of luck had Tetsusaiga ended up transforming and saving us.
All of us were shocked to find the headman and his guards outside the cave, all of them armed. "Headman?" Miroku questioned. "Why, this is a surprise. Why are you here?"
"All of us could hear the commotion coming from the cave, and I was going to bring reinforcements to aid you just in case, but . . . I assume that you killed the demon?" the headman questioned.
"Yes, Inari is slain, and the metal is in our possession. Your village can rest at ease now." Miroku replied, bowing his head slightly to the headman.
"Oh, what a relief." The headman sighed, not really concealing his relief too well. "I really would like to pay all of you some sort of compensation for- wait. Wait a moment." The headman had looked beyond me, over my shoulder, to where Inuyasha stood. "Is that . . . a demon?"
"Yeah, what of it?" Inuyasha asked rudely. He still had Tetsusaiga out, so he probably looked extremely threatening at the current moment, covered in blood.
"I was not aware you had demons traveling with you." the headman's face was expressionless now, and he was watching Inuyasha warily. "Well, thank you for your troubles. You should leave now."
"Wait a minute. A second ago, you were desperate to give us some type of compensation for killing the demon." Sango began, her tone laced with anger. "And when you found about Inuyasha, you want us to leave now?"
"I'm sorry. After all that's happened, I just can't trust a demon." The headman stated simply.
"After what he just did for you? He risked his own life to kill that demon for you, even though all of you villagers have shunned him!" I outburst, furious.
"It doesn't matter. He's-" the headman started, but all of us were shocked when Inuyasha stepped forward.
"Listen. I may be a half demon, but I have a hell of a lot more heart than the rest of you. I grew up with people like you. I don't ask anything of you. I never have. I made it on my own, without humans. And before I met Kagome, I was alone. She accepted me." Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga before continuing. "I'm just half demon and half human. I don't fit in with either race. You humans act like I'm the untrustworthy one, but the truth is, you are. You shun me and treat me without trust because of the actions of another demon. You give a bad name for yourselves, while I slay your demon for you. I may be half demon, but I'm also half human. So I'm just gonna give you this warning. The next time you want to shun someone for a heritage that they can't help, they might not be so keen to help you. You might end up with a problem on your hands."
The headman wasn't looking at Inuyasha and neither were any of the guards. I knew they were ashamed of themselves, and I looked to Inuyasha, and I had never been more proud of him before. I smiled at him, and he turned away, saying, "Come on. Let's get out of this place." With one last glance at the headman, I followed Inuyasha along with Miroku and Sango from the village.
Argh! I used to get so mad when Inuyasha was discriminated in the anime for being a hanyou. I mean, I hate ANY type of racism against ANYONE for ANY reason, because no one can help what color they are or what race they are when they're born, and neither can you. There's no sense in racism, none at all. So of course, when people treated him badly in the anime it fired me up good. (yes, I'm a country girl, even though I despise rap and country music, along with blues and blue grass). But, hopefully everyone will be able to identify more with Inuyasha now, and understand more of his motives and why he is the way that he is, especially viewing all the racism he deals with.
Read and review, tell me what you think! :D