Wheeze...wheeze.... There I got another one. Jeez man. Well no one's read the last one so I don't know why I'm even bothering. (sigh), Not like I blame them. I didn't update for like, three weeks!
Oh and blah blah blah, I don't own any events or charachters in this story. Nor quotes. Only limited description.
InuYasha- Chapter 401- Armored Shell
A blanket of dark clouds covered the castle grounds, signifying the dead of night. The castle's walls were adorned with only a few lights, seeing it was the hour that it was. InuYasha stood in front of a few guards, staring up at the dark sky expectantly.
"It'll be here soon," he stated calmly.
Shippou leaned over the half demon's shoulder to try and make himself more noticeable, "The Meioujuu?"
A malicious smile broke onto InuYasha's face. He was itching for a re-match, "Yeah. The damned stench is getting closer."
Inside the castle, Miroku, Kagome, Sango and Kirara were all gathered in the room with the ancient armor. Miroku was squatted in front of it, his hands held together in prayer. The girls stood back as a man came to Miroku, adorned in his own armor.
"Houshi-dono," he stated softly, as not to disturb the monk's chants. "Just as you've asked, the salt and water have been prepared that will…"
Miroku swung a leave drenched in water over a small bowl of salt, a few drops of the liquid landing on the white grains. "It will place a barrier on the armor," he informed, his eyes closed in concentration. "This armor used and was made from the shell of the Meioujuu. Once it's been returned, it's likely the Meioujuu's power will be complete."
The man spoke again, "And it will be stronger than before?"
"Yeah," Sango answered for him, "and that will be a bit of a problem."
Kagome thought to herself, But before, we fought it off with the Kongou Souha…
Back outside, the menacing, rippling cloud had returned.
"It's here!" shouted a guard. He began to defend himself with his spear, as did his comrades.
Another man observed, "The black cloud of youki!"
"RAIMEIHOU!" bellowed the menacing voice from the clouds. InuYasha stared up expectantly, waiting for the balls of lightning-clad energy to come flying. And they did, crashing into the ground around him. He jumped out of the way, pulling Tetsusaiga from its sheath at the same time. "Kaze no Kizu!" he screamed his counter attack, the lights crashing together in the sky.
That stopped the attack, angering the Meioujuu. "Damn you…" it snarled.
"Ass-hole!" InuYasha growled. "Get the fuck down here!"
The Meioujuu ignored this vulgar statement, "Where has my armored shell been hidden? It is no where to be seen…"
"The barriers working," Sango concluded, running up to InuYasha with Kagome and Miroku.
InuYasha held his sword in front of him, "Although are own attacks can't get to it! And this matter ain't being settled!"
Far off in the corner, by the castle wall, Byakuya stood by a tree. "Oh really now," he sighed, reaching into his kimono. He pulled out three pieces of paper, resembling Tsubaki's paper charm-people. "I'll lend a hand then." He brought the paper to his lips, and then blew them away, as if he were blowing a kiss.
Back inside, some men stood guard at the armor site. "All of you be on your guard," one of them commanded.
"Right."
Small, white things slid through the cracks on the paper screen, forming into large, stringy versions of the charms as they came through. They flew to the salt and water, causing the barrier to send electric sparks flying. But it wasn't strong enough to break it.
"Not working, huh?" Byakuya observed. "In that case…"
One of the charms snapped itself onto one of the men's neck, seemingly possessing him. Another man barely saw it out of the corner of his eye; the possessed man had knocked over the salt!
The man who caught him yelled, "What are you doing?! The barrier will be broken!"
Outside, the Meioujuu's cloud began to stir. It formed a kind of hurricane-like shape, its clouds swirling and twisting into one another. "I see it!" it shouted giddily, releasing a lightning bolt of power into the armor's house. The roof imploded, causing everyone outside to jump in surprise. The Meioujuu, in the confusion, had inconspicuously descended from the clouds, crushing the remnants of the hut. It held on its newly-grown scaly tongue the ancient armor, clamping down on it with its enormous fangs.
"The armor!" Sango and Kagome screamed in unison.
InuYasha held his sword up to it as it swallowed, not knowing what to do.
"I've taken it back…" the Meioujuu smiled, "my armored shell…"
Byakuya smiled as well, seeing his work was accomplished. Well then, I'm out of here.
He stopped abruptly, however, when he heard someone's knuckles crack behind him. Quickly, he jumped forward and out of the way as Sesshoumaru slashed at him with his poisoned claws. He cried out in surprise as Sesshoumaru "glared" at him, still semi-expressionless. Byakuya landed a few feet away, on top of a roof. Sesshoumaru stood, on his toes, on the roof's north end, facing Byakuya with confidence.
"That was close," Byakuya smiled, relieved by his own escape.
Hearing the commotion above, Kagome looked up to see the two demons on the roof. She gasped, causing InuYasha to pay attention as well. He turned his head to look over his shoulder, "Byakuya and…Sesshoumaru?!"
Byakuya squinted his eyes playfully, "Well damn. Do you always try to kill someone so suddenly?"
"I could smell Naraku's scent from you," Sesshoumaru responded coldly. "That's all the reason I need."
Byakuya laughed maniacally, "You're Sesshoumaru, aren't you? InuYasha's older brother…"
Back on the battlefield, the Meioujuu was emitting a strange light. InuYasha grasped his sword tighter, preparing for the worst.
"His youki got stronger!" Miroku shouted, trying to warn the hanyou.
"It absorbed the armor's youki?!" Sango presumed.
The bumps on the Meioujuu's shell began to re-form, turning into spikes upon its back. "You see…" the demon snarled, smiling its big-fanged smile. "This is my armored shell as it should be."
"That Meioujuu is merely the bones of a corpse," Sesshoumaru said harshly, staring at the pathetic demon. "However…when I followed after Moryoumaru's scent, that thing had been revived. Just what is Moryoumaru trying to do?"
Byakuya, too, was staring at the creature, "I'd also…like to find that out too, you see."
"You little brat," the Meioujuu yelled at InuYasha. "You're Kongou Souha…can no longer hold up against me…"
"What did you say?!" InuYasha dared him to repeat it.
