InuYasha- Chapter 359- Hitoukon
"A mysterious mountain dog?"
"Indeed."
"A mountain dog, as big as a house," a wounded old man said, resting on his cane, "has already eaten and killed many people in the surrounding area." Another wounded man stood behind him. InuYasha and his group listened to their tale. "It was definitely some youkai."
They set out on a dusty road, Kagome following InuYasha closely. He, again, had his nose to the floor, trying to catch whiff of the demon. Or blood. What ever would lead them to it quicker.
"I doubt it has anything to do with Naraku," Miroku offered, "but we can't just pass by."
"How is it, InuYasha?" Kagome asked him.
InuYasha answered from the ground, "Is it really…a youkai?"
"What do you mean?" Sango asked.
InuYasha looked back at the rest of the group. "It's nothing but the scent of a mountain dog."
In a nearby village, a man rang the emergency bell from atop a tower.
"It's a mountain dog!" He warned, banging the bell noisily. "A mountain dog has come!"
A woman ran to a group of children, trying to usher them to safety. "You lot, quickly! Come inside!" Large footsteps bellowed behind them. She turned to see an enormous mountain dog behind her. It carried the bleeding corpse of a woman in its mouth, blood dripping from its teeth. A large, black rook was clinging to its eye. Dropping the corpse of the dead woman, it lunged at the new prey. The woman shielded the children with her body.
A chain shot out from the side. It smacked the dog in the eye, slamming it to the side. The woman and children gasped in surprise as a young boy caught the chain. He swung the other end, the end with the scythe attached, into the demon's neck. It's head slid off the rest of its body, falling to the ground.
Kohaku caught the Kusarigama, standing before his kill.
"Th-thank you," the woman stuttered, disbelief on her face.
The head twitched, causing her to scream. Instead of attacking, it flew off into the forest. Kohaku cursed under his breath, following after it. Deep in the forest, Kohaku remembered Naraku's words;
Kohaku, go hunt youkai. As tough of ones as possible.
The image of Naraku floated in his mind, distracting him from the world around him.
He turned to the right. Something was coming at him! But it was too late. The demon head grasped his arm in its mouth, biting down hard. Blood squirted out between its teeth. It dropped Kohaku to the ground, enjoying the taste of his blood in its mouth.
It came at him again, but Kohaku thrust his scythe down through the center of his head.
Bringing the weapon back to him, he didn't tear his eyes from the head. The root that was attached to its eye flew off, trying to escape.
That's the youkai itself, Kohaku analyzed, running after it yet again. The root-like demon ran into a nearby waterfall, disappearing into the water. Kohaku grimaced at its actions. Damn. He ran another direction. It's going upstream. It seeks to escape into the mountains.
Back in the village where the mountain dog had been slain, the villagers were trying to clean up the mess.
"This is…" Miroku gawked at the headless corpse before them.
"Who did this?" InuYasha asked. It had to be someone powerful.
"Ah," one of the men answered. "He was just a child but…"
Another man chimed in, staring at Sango, "He had the same style clothes as you."
"A friend?" the first man asked.
Kohaku-kun?! Kagome thought.
Sango's eyes widened. Kohaku…what are you up to this time?
Kohaku stepped through the forest, disappointed. "I've lost its trail…" he said to himself. He heard a noise from his left. Thinking it was the demon, he chucked his weapon. A little boy stood between two trees. Seeing it was a child, Kohaku pulled the chained scythe back instantly.
"What happened Daichi?" a deep voice asked from the side.
"Father…" the young boy responded. The older man came to stand next to his son. The two gazed upon him, curious at his clothes and actions. The father offered to take Kohaku back to their home, and Kohaku obliged. He hadn't had the company of real people in so long…
"Your arm's injured, isn't it?" The man asked. "Let me see." He treated the wound, trying to hold his arm still. "This'll sting a bit, but endure it."
Kohaku winced at the sting of the medicine. It reminded him of when Sango had put the ointment on his knee, after he had been injured by that bear demon. Then he had gotten her the lilies and-
"Where you bitten by an animal?" the child asked him.
Kohaku decided to ignore his question.
"There. All done," the father said, smiling down at his work. He held Kohaku's arm tenderly in his hand, as not to hurt him. Kohaku smiled at his arm, thankful for the kindness.
"Thank you."
That youkai…he thought, going back to his orders. If I search for it, I may find it.
"Thank you," he said again. "I'll be off then."
"Wait!" the father said, taking hold of Kohaku's shoulders from behind. "The sun will be going down soon. Why don't you stay here for the night?"
"That's a great idea!" the little boy chimed. He could use a friend.
Kohaku stared at them in disbelief. Such kindness….
InuYasha and the rest of the group came across the destroyed head.
"So it was finished off here, huh?" Miroku asked, looking at the head. Such brutality. Then again, he couldn't really have done any better himself…
"But I just don't get it," InuYasha stated. "What is Kohaku doing? This is simply youkai extermination."
Sango kneeled next to the head.
"What's up Sango-chan?" Kagome asked, readjusting the straps on her bag.
"This dog….As InuYasha said, it was originally just a mountain dog. However…" her fingers brushed against its eye. "There is a mark like some youkai had possessed it. Probably a hitoukon."
"Hitoukon?" Kagome asked.
"It's a grass-root youkai. They have possessed animals…and humans. What they feed on, is human blood."
Meanwhile, back at the kind family's hut, they were having a conversation over dinner.
"You know, those clothes of yours sure are strange," the father observed. "Do you do a side-show as well?"
"That sickle-chain is great!" Daichi exclaimed, slurping his soup. "Who taught it to you?"
"I don't really…remember…" Kohaku said, keeping the memory-loss act up.
Father and…everyone at the village taught me, he thought.
Later that night, Daichi awoke, feeling the urge of nature. Outside, after he finished his business, he heard a noise to his right. A giant root-like demon attacked him, slamming into his eye. His face became expression-less and evil. Turning toward the house, he got ready to attack.
