Disclaimer- I do not own Inuyasha. Just using the characters for my own amusement and hopefully yours.
CHAPTER FOUR - A Debt Repaid
A couple of weeks after leaving the village where he was raised and yet had never once called home, Karanosuke was traveling across a plateau. The boy was more confident about his chosen direction of travel after encountering the wolf demon that had once known his father and was now covering ground at a much more rapid pace.
"Meeting that Koga guy was a lucky break for me," Karanosuke said to himself as he walked. "It means that my father has been in this area before. Perhaps he will return at some point. At the very least it's better than what I had to go on before."
Karanosuke's thoughts focused on his father. They had never met and yet Karanosuke still knew a few things about him. His mother had been fond of talking about him and since Karanosuke was her constant companion, he was the one who heard the stories.
As he walked, his thoughts occupied by his parents, Karanosuke sensed something following him. The boy stopped in his tracks and whirled around, glaring at the person that he found standing behind him. "Why are you following me?"
"You aren't who I thought you were," the stranger said, surprise evident in his voice. He studied the boy for a few minutes. "However I believe you may be the next best thing."
Karanosuke stared at the stranger that stood before him. The young boy could tell by the guy's scent that he was a demon, however he looked like nothing more than a mere mortal.
"Who are you?" Karanosuke demanded, fixing the demon with a narrow eyed gaze. "Show me your true form, because I know that's not it."
"Couldn't fool you," the demon smirked. A demonic fog surrounded the demon and when it cleared the human form was gone. In it's place stood a very large coyote demon.
"So now I know your true form and I must say I'm thoroughly unimpressed," Karanosuke said. "Now tell me why you were following me."
"As I said before I thought you were someone else," the demon said. "And although I now know that you are not who I thought you were I also know that you are his descendant."
"Now I'm confused," Karanosuke said.
The coyote demon glared at the young boy, contempt evident in his gaze.
"My name is Kimura. I come from the western lands, where I was the leader of the great Demon Coyote Tribe," the demon explained. "Many years ago there was a power struggle between the coyote tribe and two dog demons. The dog demons won the war and the majority of my clan perished in the battle. I escaped, along with a handful of my men. I swore an oath to my fallen comrades that day. I swore that I would have revenge for my comrades and when I saw you I was sure that I would finally be able to fulfill that vow. I still can, just not in the way I had planned. You look very much like the older of the two mutts and you will pay for both their crimes."
Karanosuke continued to stare at the coyote. This demon must be incredibly old because Karanosuke was sure that the dog demons to which he referred were most definitely his father and grandfather, both of whom were powerful dog demons.
"So tell me Kimura," Karanosuke said, with a smirk. "What did you do to deserve the wrath of my family? It must have been something terrible, to warrant the destruction of the vast majority of your clan."
"We did nothing other than try to claim the land that was rightfully ours," Kimura shouted. "Those mutts slaughtered us just to prove their superiority."
Karanosuke shook his head. "And your guilt over their death was so great that you decided to seek out your own?"
Kimura shook his head, a smirk on his face. "No. You will die so that my comrades can rest in peace. Your death will provide the vengeance I have long sought."
Karanosuke raised his right hand and cracked his knuckles. "If you insist on fighting I will have to kill you."
"Feel free to try," Kimura said. "Revenge will be all the sweeter if you put up a decent fight." The sky suddenly lit up with a tremendously strong demonic aura and the coyote demon grew to several times his original size.
Karanosuke gazed up at the giant demon. "You're full of surprises, I'll give you that. However your new larger size will not be enough to enable you to defeat me."
"My but you are an arrogant little whelp aren't you?" Kimura said, shaking his head. "I will simply have to bring you down a peg or two. I am going to enjoy this."
Karanosuke cracked his knuckles yet again. "You aren't the only one. I've been searching for a way to vent my frustration for days and you've provided me with a very nice diversion. You have my thanks."
Kimura growled and took a few steps toward the boy.
Karanosuke raised his index finger and the light whip shot from the tip of his finger. It sliced through the air and made contact with the demon's flesh. The whip tore through the fur of the coyote and sliced off a large chunk of his flesh.
"That was mildly painful," Kimura said.
Karanosuke smirked. "Only mildly painful? My apologies. I had intended for it to be excruciatingly painful. I'll have to remedy this egregious over sight."
"I must give you credit, young dog demon," Kimura said. "You are more skilled than I expected but not skilled enough to defeat me I'm afraid."
Kimura snarled and ran toward the boy. Karanosuke made a move to dodge but was not quick enough. Kimura jumped on the boy and one of his long claws stabbed into the boy's stomach.
Karanosuke stifled a cry of pain and fought to prevent himself from sinking into the darkness that was threatening to envelope him. "Focus," he ordered himself harshly. "If I loose consciousness now, I'm done for."
Karanosuke managed to remain conscious, by anger and sheer will power. He was furious with himself for allowing the demon's attack to strike and he was angry at the demon for daring to attack him. Karanosuke's amber eyes suddenly grew larger and turned a demonic shade of red. A demonic wind began to swirl around him, making his silver hair flair out around him. Suddenly the boy was gone, replaced by a giant white demon dog.
In his demon form Karanosuke was nearly as large as the coyote demon and he was prepared to continue the battle, this time with less of a handicap.
"Now things are getting interesting," Kimura said with a smirk, eyeing the dog demon intently.
Karanosuke growled at the coyote demon and charged toward him. He lunged toward the other demon, attempting to sink his teeth into the flesh of Kimura's neck.
Kimura dodged the boy's attack at the last moment and then sank his teeth into the boy's leg.
Karanosuke howled in pain, wrenching his leg free.
"You are no match for me boy," Kimura said. "Just accept death and I will make the final blow quick and painless."
Karanosuke eyed the coyote angrily before charging at him again. Kimura dodged again, however this time he was unable to completely avoid the boy's attack. Karanosuke's teeth sank into the flesh of Kimura's shoulder.
Kimura rolled over and used his superior size and weight to pin Karanosuke to the ground. As he was thrown to the ground, Karanosuke was forced to release his grip on Kimura's shoulder.
"Prepare yourself boy," Kimura growled.
Karanosuke growled and struggled to free himself.
Kimura sank his teeth into the flesh of the boy's throat.
This time the boy was unable to stifle his cries. Karanosuke yelped in pain, however the cry was cut short as the demon's teeth sank into the flesh of his neck. His vision began to become blurry once more and he transformed back into his normal form. Kimura was forced to relinquish his hold on the boy's throat when Karanosuke reverted to his normal form and he stared down at the boy, an evil glint in his eyes.
Karanosuke gazed up at the demon through blurry eyes and said in a raspy voice, "My father's debt shall be repaid and I shall go and rejoin my mother."
Once his victim was rendered virtually helpless, Kimura also transformed into his earlier form. He held up one of his claws, planning to slit the boy's throat, however as he went for the death blow his hand was knocked away when it was struck by something.
Kimura knew that he and the boy were no longer alone and he whirled around and saw a young man standing a few feet away. The young man held a strange, curved weapon attached to a long chain.
"Release the boy," the young man ordered. "Or you will have to die."
Kimura jumped to his feet. "I will find you again boy," he vowed. "And the next time we meet, you will die." After his threat, Kimura dashed off into the dense under brush of the forest.
Karanosuke briefly glimpsed the man who had saved his life before loosing consciousness.
The young man knelt down beside the wounded boy. He briefly examined the boy's wounds and then gently picked him up. "Don't worry kiddo," he whispered in a kind and reassuring voice. "You'll be okay."
The young man carried Karanosuke across the plateau, to a village that was surrounded by a wooden wall. When he arrived he was greeted by a young woman. The young woman ran up to the young man and stared down at the child that he held in his arms. The child was covered in blood and obviously severely injured.
"Where did the boy come from Kohaku?" the young woman asked.
"I saved him from a demon," Kohaku replied. "But not before he was gravely injured."
"Bring him inside and I'll tend to his wounds."
So Kohaku carried the boy into a hut and placed him on the floor, on top of a blanket. The young woman followed him inside and knelt down beside Karanosuke.
She gasped as she gazed at the boy, paying attention to his appearance for the first time.
"So you noticed," Kohaku said. "The boy greatly resembles Inuyasha."
"Inuyasha's not the only one he resembles," the young woman said softly, staring at the boy with a strange look in her eyes.. "He also looks like Lord Sesshomaru."
Kohaku nodded. "You're right Rin. I hadn't even thought about him."
"I wonder what this could mean?" Rin said as she removed the young boy's blood stained kimono shirt. Rin cleaned the boy's wounds and then wrapped them in bandages.
When Rin was finished dressing the boy's wounds she covered him with a blanket. "Rest well little one."
"So Rin," Kohaku said, once Rin had finished dressing the boy's wounds. "What are we gonna do with the boy?"
"We'll take care of him until his wounds have healed," Rin told him. "What happens after that is completely up to him."
Kohaku nodded.
Rin picked up the boy's ruined kimono and stared at it. It could not be saved. "I'll simply have to make him a new one."
So, while Karanosuke slept, Rin busied herself making a new kimono for the young boy. Kohaku stared at her as she worked and he noticed a small smile on her face. "Are you enjoying yourself Rin?"
Rin nodded. "It's nice to have someone to care for."
Rin worked on the kimono until nearly sundown and then she finally took a break, in order to prepare dinner. After she and Kohaku ate she poured stew into a bowl and knelt down beside Karanosuke. She gently shook his shoulder.
Karanosuke slowly opened his eyes and stared up at the young woman leaning over him. "Who are you?" the boy asked weakly.
"I am Rin," she told him. "And who are you?"
"Karanosuke."
"Are you hungry Karanosuke?" Rin asked. "I made you some stew."
Karanosuke nodded. He pulled himself into a sitting position, causing himself a great deal of pain. He winced.
"Don't strain yourself," Rin said.
"I'll be okay," Karanosuke said.
Rin nodded. She knew that the boy's demon blood made him stronger than humans and more able to withstand the pain from his wounds. She handed the bowl and spoon to Karanosuke. "Here you are Karanosuke. Enjoy."
"Thank you," Karanosuke said. He sipped the warm stew. "It's very good."
Rin smiled at the boy. "I'm glad you like it."
Karanosuke spent the next couple of days with Rin and Kohaku, recovering from his injuries.
During this time Rin completed the boy's new kimono and when Karanosuke was well enough to get out of bed she had him try it on. Karanosuke complied and dressed in the new kimono that Rin had made.
It fit perfectly.
"Thank you," Karanosuke said, gazing down at the blue and white kimono that he wore. The pants were white while the shirt had blue flowers, in groups of threes. There was also a sash which was silver and blue.
Rin smiled. "I made the kimono to resemble the one worn by a demon that saved my life when I was a child, Lord Sesshomaru."
Karanosuke gasped when he heard the name.
"What is it boy?" Kohaku asked.
"Do you know where he is now?" Karanosuke asked.
Rin shook her head. "We went our separate ways a couple of years ago. Lord Sesshomaru wanted me to live a normal life so he sent me away."
"Damn," Karanosuke swore. "So close."
"Why do you search for Sesshomaru?" Kohaku wanted to know.
These people had been kind to him so Karanosuke decided to answer their questions. "My mother made me promise to find him before she died. And I will keep my promise, even though I detest the very thought of finding him with every fiber of my being."
"You're his son, aren't you?" Rin said, knowing only one person who would want her child to search out Sesshomaru.
Karanosuke nodded.
"And your mother," Rin said. "She was a half demon named Hina, correct?"
"How did you know that?" Karanosuke demanded.
"I met your mother once," Rin said, her eyes glazing over as she recalled the friend who had saved her life many years ago. "It was about eleven years ago. I had been attacked by a demon in the forest and Hina came across me and bandaged my wounds. After that, she came to the campsite where I was staying with Lord Sesshomaru every couple of days, in order to change my bandages. This went on for a couple of months and then my wounds were fully healed. Hina planned to cease her visits to our camp then and she said good-bye, however something happened and she ended up staying the night. She left the next day and I never saw her again. I had no idea that she was with child."
Karanosuke nodded. His mother had once told him the story of how she had met his father and it was the same as the story that Rin had just told him.
Karanosuke gazed at Rin. "Thank you for your kindness Rin. And you as well Kohaku."
"You're welcome," the couple said as one.
"I must leave now and continue my journey," Karanosuke said.
Rin threw her arms around the boy's neck. "I'm gonna miss you Karanosuke. Take good care of yourself."
Karanosuke nodded.
"Will we ever meet again?" Rin asked.
"Possibly," Karanosuke said, committing to nothing.
"Good luck with you search kiddo," Kohaku said.
"Thank you," Karanosuke said.
Karanosuke left the hut and walked slowly toward the exit of the village.
As he left he turned around and took one last look at the two people that had cared for him for the past several days.
The mortal girl had once been his father's companion. That meant that he was getting closer to that which he searched for. "I know you're out there Father. I will find you."
Rin stared at the boy as he walked away. She smiled at the boy, who very strongly resembled his father. "Lord Sesshomaru, Kohaku and I saved your son from certain death and thus repaid our debt to you for saving our lives."
A/N- Hope you enjoyed this installment of Karan's story. As to the pairing of Rin and Kohaku I'm not sure where that came from however the voices in my head supplied it and I complied with their wishes. Feel free to review and let me know what you thought about this chapter.