Coldjoker: You're ten? Honey, you are more mature than most people I know. I honestly had you pegged for 14 or 15. Wow.
Halley Vanaria: Well…. I'm afraid you won't find out until a couple chapters later… after all, people are wondering what is Nurarihyon doing? *wink* Have a lovely day~! Will update ASAP.
tinabug: OMG I've created a Nurarihyon no Mago fan! Yay! Actually, you might be disappointed because there's only 4 chapters on Yohime/Nurarihyon. The rest is the grandson. Hehe… but you will probably have to read the manga to understand the ending anyways. Thank you so very much! I hope you enjoy the rest of my fiction!
Midoriori: Well, thank you for reading.
To Guest Reviewer, KT: You must wait… until the update that will reveal all~!
*thunder*
*lightening*
Mwahahaha!
blackcrowe13: I am the Queen of cliffies! Thank you! I'm delighted you enjoyed the fiction! There are two other Nura/Inu crossovers, Ayakashi no Miko and Clouded Realities, Lucid Dreams that you should check out. Luckily, my mom has laid off of me. *bows* Again, thank you!
The Day Nurarihyon Left, a Week Ago:
Nurarihyon glanced over his shoulder one last time, before the gates of his home faded out of sight. Inwardly sighing, he shot a prayer to the gods asking for his return before Yohime gave birth. Returning his attention to his Hyakki Yakou, he smiled whimsically at the sight of his strong subordinates.
Since arriving in Edo, they had been training and he was looking forward to seeing any new skills they would display in their up-coming battle.
Also because the village was practically apart of Edo, it was his job to protect it. Not to mention it would be a great way to add more territory. It had only taken him four months to bring the troublesome ayakashi under his control in Edo. They figured if he could beat Hagoromo Gitsune they'd best comply with his demands. Fortunately for them, Nurarihyon wasn't interested in wealth nor human flesh and simply wanted them to fade into the shadows.
The youkai, who had been previously arrogant and haughty, had delighted in the fact that Sesshomaru of the West had visited Nurarihyon's household reeking of bloodlust. When a great white beast carrying said ayakashi and the ayakashi's rumored human wife took to the skies, they quickly decided this one was not to be trifled with.
The demons, while some were very tall, powerful and cunning, most in Edo were shorter than the humans and followed the balance of power. When they found a master worthy of their skills, their loyalty was passed down through the family until the demon's death.
Since Nurarihyon's return to Edo from the Western Palace, he successfully brought the rouge spirits under his protection and loose rule.
While he was content to wait until ayakashi came to him, this emergence of a hostile force threatened the balance he had worked hard to forge.
Try as he might, he couldn't shake the feeling that something very bad was going to happen very shortly.
This feeling was justified, the next day, the instant he laid his eyes on the entrance to the village.
It was still dark, mist creeping around he and his Hyakki Yakou due to their Fear, but the village was easily made out. Already he could smell the stench of fear, death and blood hanging heavily in the air. Those who had a highly developed sense of smell covered their noses, and everyone tensed in readiness.
Even though it was still too early in the morning to be considered day, there were quite a few humans roaming the street. From many of the houses a light shone inside, and from the nearby shadows, a figure took shape.
"Are you the Lord of Pandemonium?"
Weapons were drawn, claws grew and teeth were exposed at the rasping voice very near to them. Nurarihyon simply turned to face an old human looking demon.
Scraggly white hair, droopy eyes and worn clothing. All in all, he looked more human than not.
"That's right, I am."
A sigh of relief before he spoke again.
"Since you have come, I assume word has gotten out?"
"Word about what?" Nurarihyon asked easily.
The friendliness in the man vanished and he snarled, displaying pointed canines.
"That flith that has infected this village. He claims to be a healer, yet those he 'cures' die no later than three weeks later. This is all, of course," he sneered, "blamed on the demons of this town."
Nurarihyon turned to look Gyuki out of the corner of his eye. Noticing his Supreme Commander's look, he stepped forward.
"He is a demon? Or perhaps ayakashi?"
The strange old man crackled in a mocking sort of way.
"No, no, no! He is like that abomination of old! More despised in the world of men and the unnatural than even the half-breeds once were."
Implications sent dread into the pit of Nurarihyon's stomach. As if sensing his Commander's sudden tension, Gyuki hurried to ask another question.
"What do you mean by 'abomination'?"
The old man slumped, and turned into the shadows, pausing to glance almost lifelessly over his shoulder.
"You should see me again, perhaps. I am Nameless, some call me He-Who-Is-Not. The abomination of which I speak can only be one thing."
Taking a pause to met the guarded eyes of several ayakashi standing around their leader, he chuckled mirthlessly.
"That is a human who had sold his soul to be tainted, his body to be devoured, and his mind to be possessed… by demons"
In the stunned silence that followed in the wake of the man's words and his sudden vanishing, Nurarihyon quickly ordered Karasu-Tengu again into the village.
"Learn all you can from the local crows. Gyuki, mingle among the people, ask about this 'healer'."
"Hai!"
Karasu-Tengu leapt into the sky, the mist hiding him quickly from view, as Gyuki made his way to the nearest inn.
"Hihi, Daruma go find and talk to any of the spirit locals."
The masked and the mouth-less ayakashi hurriedly set off.
"Let's go, you lot."
Amber eyes hardened and narrowed as they took in the putrid village.
"We've got work to do."
Throughout the day, Karasu-Tengu gathered information from the birds as Gyuki mingled among the humans. The sun had just touched the hills in the distance when they both returned to the inn Nurarihyon had rented out.
Hihi and Durama has already returned and reported their findings which weren't much. There was literally no signs of an spirits in this village.
Back in the Commander's room, Karasu-Tengu's hands were trembling ever so slightly and his wings were constantly ruffling. Gyuki, on the other hand was pale and unusually anxious.
"Well? What did you find out?"
Nurarihyon spoke in the shadows, facing the window looking out on to the street.
"Supreme Commander, " the raven spoke carefully, "there are no birds who remain in this village. I flew outside of the village and found them, though. They spoke of a man who was a demon who gave strange things to the sick people. Shortly after they recovered, but within weeks, occasionally a month they were found dead."
Gyuki cleared his throat, adding to the Tengu's information.
"When I mentioned the 'healer', they assumed I needed his services and readily talked to me. Apparently, he can cure any illness no matter how serious, or how far along it's got. When I asked about their condition today, everyone grew quiet and someone said that since they were so healthy the demons desired their livers and hearts."
"I see."
Glancing at one another, the two ayakashi shifted almost uneasily. Their commander was very angry. His eyes were hooded and a blackness seemed to reached for amber irises. His body appeared to be relaxed, yet a tension held it firmly in one place.
"Gyuki, have you ever heard of the Seven Tails?"
At the silence that followed his question, Nurarihyon shot them a look out the corner of his eye.
"Well?"
"There was once a fox who held seven tails, though he was not of the reincarnation youkai, who followed Hagoromo Gitsune. There were come rumors he started his own clan. Although, I only know of him because of his methods of demoralizing his enemies."
"Which was?"
To his credit, Gyuki only hesitated momentarily.
"He would target his enemy's family."
A single nod of Nurairhyon's head.
"Do you believe this is the ayakashi behind this incident?" Karasu-Tengu asked.
There was no answer.
"Gyuki, I want to know what this 'healer' looks like."
"Hai, Supreme Commander."
"Karasu-Tengu, I want you to send a message for information to Shippo of the Band of Seven. Ask if he knows anything about the Seven Tails. Use my name."
"Hai, Supreme Commander."
Returning his attention back to the street, they were dismissed and they promptly left. Once in the hall, both let out a breath.
"The Band of Seven, huh? Unless the Commander knows someone personally or has something they want, they'll have nothing to do with anyone," the Tengu remarked to himself.
"You best hurry with that message."
The raven nodded before he spoke again.
"Do you think something happened while we were gone?"
"The others are in the rooms next to the Commander's, perhaps they would know?"
On Gyuki's suggestion, they entered the rooms of the rest of Nurarihyon's Hyakki Yakou. The mentality of those in the room was much the same. Dark and brooding.
"What happened?"
The Tengu asked.
Only one looked up.
"There was a message for the Supreme Commander," the natto said, fearfully.
A small red demon unplugged his finger from his ears.
"Then came the screams. Didn't you hear the screams?"
Kneeling down, Gyuki looked the ayakashi in the eye.
"Explain."
He flinched and looked away.
"When the sun started to set, all of us began to hear screams. Except, we didn't hear the same ones."
"The same ones?"
"We all heard the screams of someone who know. We heard them plead with us for help. And then, they fell silent."
"We saw some strange demons as well," another piped up.
"They were following a human around. Except he wasn't a human."
AT this last statement, Karasu-Tengu and Gyuki's faces took on a grim expression.
"What did this human who wasn't a human look like?"
The small demon shrugged.
"Dark hair, pale skin, he was kinda tall for a human. He carried around a strange basket on his back."
With that information, they left the room. Once back in the hall, they made their way to the door to exit out into the streets.
"No wonder the Commander is in such a state. If it was Yohime-"
The raven was hushed by Gyuki.
"Don't say her name. If the Seven Tails is behind this, he is probably aware of our presence in this place. Those demons that the others said they saw are most likely responsible for the screams."
"So they wanted to see who would be the most affected by this."
Realization sent dread into both men's heart.
"Demoralizing the enemy while gaining information on their weakness," Gyuki finished.
"She is not weak."
"She is with child.," Gyuki countered.
Silence consumed them.
"Things are getting personal, aren't they?"
Gyuki could only nod.
Over the next two days, there was an answer to the message Karasu-Tengu had sent, much to his astonishment. Although he didn't know the contents, when their commander emerged from his room, he was in better spirits and they began planning their next move.
Due to an old lady who was the center of the village gossip, Nurarihyon and his Hyakki Yakou were able to determine where the 'healer' was going to be next. When the midnight hour came, they were gathered in front of the hut that reeked of sickness.
Presently, through the darkness, a man emerged. Following closely behind him was the 'healer'. They both stopped at the sight of Nurarihyon standing seemingly alone in field containing the dwelling. The 'healer' bent down to speak into the human's ear and he promptly ran off.
A gentle smile on his face was marred only by empty eyes. Approaching the tall ayakashi, the 'healer' bow in greeting.
"Is there something I can help you with, ayakashi-sama?"
His voice was smooth and full of concern, yet there was an underlying tone that seemed to mock Nurarihyon.
Said ayakashi shrugged his shoulders casually, turning only his head to look at the man.
"You can go die, but then I would deprive myself of the pleasure," Nurarihyon said as if asking for a simple favor.
The human turned demon looked down, as if embarrassed by his words.
"I apologize, but I'm afraid I must decline," the 'healer' said disapprovingly.
"Ho? Then I can indulge myself after all."
The half-demon threw back his head and laughed like a madman. When he had calmed himself, Nurarihyon's Hyakki Yakou was now visible in the waning moonlight. Fear-induced mist crept up obscuring them from human eyes.
A strange gleam shone in the demon's black orbs and the outline of demons, ayakashi and a lone fox took shape at his back.
"Do you think to kill me, Nu-ra-ri-hyon-sa-ma?"
He giggled as he drew out the Lord of Pandemonium's name. His body twisted with the force of his insane laughter and taking a deep breath, from his mouth spewed out an inky substance. Instead of falling to the ground as gravity would dictate, it spread out like cloth with the wind behind it, wrapping itself around the once human.
When it had covered him from head to toe, he took in the still forms of Nurarihyon and his Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. They had not moved, except to bring out their weapons.
Suffering from another bout of mad laughter, he began to speak.
"To me! To me, once human, given the gift of strength! To me who that fox was this gift given, I will slay the evil demon, Nurarihyon! I will be worshiped by humans for ridding this world of the taint of demons!"
More laughter dropped from his lips, but before he could began his tirade again, a slight wind forced his to close his eye momentarily.
When he opened them again, it was to the yellow gems set in a back sea. A gleaming blade lifted from a broad shoulder and swung down almost lethargically. The once human was in a state of shock as he left cold metal cut through his body as easily as a hand through water. As black blood splattered on the ground and his body sagged to the hard ground, a burning sensation drowned out any thoughts that had been in his head. Opening his mouth, he attempted to scream, but again the blade glinted and one last image burned itself into his dying mind.
That of an ayakashi, hair spreading out behind him the top glowing white, the bottom blending into the darkness. Impassive face shrouded in shadows, a pair of gold eyes set in inky blackness. The upraised katana that seemed to have blue flames running the length of it, and time slowed as that sword approached him.
And then, time stopped.
Nurarihyon dismissed the healer from his mind the instant he swung Nenekirimaru to rid it of the blood covering the blade. His Hyakki Yakou was considerably stronger than they had been six months ago, as they mercilessly slaughtered their opponents.
Nurarihyon ignored the scum that attempted to block his path as he made his way to the fox that was hiding in the back. A demon abnormally large hurdled a log at him, but it was soon split in half. A glimpse of a masked face was all that hinted as to who did it.
And on he continued, moving ever closer to the fox who as still unaware to his presence.
Closer and closer until his hand found it's way around an easily breakable throat. With a gasp of surprise, startled brown eyes met yellow.
"You must be Akai. Shippo sends his regards," Nurarihyon said in a steady, deep voice.
Defiance etched itself on the slightly scared face of the fox who then sunk his claws deep into the skin of Nurarihyon's arm. He did not speak.
Ignoring the blood that welled up and dripped down his arm, he tightened his grip.
"The Lord of Pandemonium demands your compliance."
Those few words loosed the youkai's tongue.
"You are not the Lord of Pandemonium! You scum! You have no right, no right, no right! My Lord is coming, he is coming! When he comes your house will burn, your blood will feed the ground, your wives, your children will be in his hands!"
The fox screamed as he struggled to escape from the deathly still ayakashi holding him. Somehow noticing this stiffening of his captor, he caught on to the reason. Lowering his voice, he hissed.
"Your precious wife sprawled on the shining wood floors, laying in her own blood. Those clothes that were her favorites, are torn from her body barring her bruised skin to the light. Her eyes are empty and staring up in death as her mouth is open in an unending wail."
By this time, the fox's companions were mostly dead or dying and his subordinates had gathered around him. Hands tightened on their weapons, fangs were exposed and the bloodlust of those present was rising to suffocating levels.
On observing the reactions of the Nura Clan, Akai let out a high-pitched laugh.
"Oh, how low you have fallen! Humans are mere fodder for those such as us! And yet you allow one in your house! In your Clan! Humans are liars! You can't trust them! Never! They hold secrets from you! They-"
Silence reigned as Nurarihyon cut off his oxygen supply. Tossing the limb body to the ground, he turned and spoke.
"There will be another fox who will arrive here shortly. You can hand off scum like that to him."
Watching as their Commander strolled away, for a minute no one moved. Then, Gyuki stepped forward grabbing the back of the unconscious fox's haori. Fashioning a restraint, he discreetly gave a sharp kick to the ribs of the sprawled form.
Only a few minutes passed before a lithe figure appeared next to them. Gyuki warily took in long auburn hair held high in a ponytail, deep green eyes and the way his aura screamed for blood.
Coming to a halt a couple steps from the Akai and Gyuki, the fox nodded.
"You are Shippo?"
A quick grin flashed across his face.
"You must be Gyuki. Okaa-san mention you. How's her pregnancy coming along?"
While waiting for an answer, he reached for the traitor lying still on the ground, but was stopped by a hand that shot out to firmly grasp his. Blinking, he lifted his head to look at the ayakashi.
"Your mother?"
"Kagome. She adopted me. How is her pregnancy?"
At the total black look displayed by several faces, he sniggered.
"They forgot to tell you, huh?"
Shrugging his shoulders, he pulled his hand out of Gyuki's grip, reaching once again for Akai. Succeeding in grabbing a hold on him, Shippo yanked him up into the air letting his body hit the ground before 'accidently' digging his heel into his stomach.
"I'll bet she's cooking cookies and insisting everyone drop the 'san' or 'sama'," Shippo smiled in amusement.
"Ren! Come and get our guest!"
Another fox appeared, quickly took Akai and disappeared just as rapidly. Turning, Shippo sighed.
"Send me a message when okaa-san goes into labor, will you? I'm looking forward to having a sibling."
Again, Ren appeared at his side.
"Commander-san-yo, we have to go now."
"Understood."
Turning once more to Nurarihyon's Hyakki Yakou, Shippo lifted his hand in a wave.
"It was nice meeting my okaa-san's family. If you ever have need of the Band of Seven, send a bird. Hopefully, we'll met again."
In a flash of fox-fire, Shippo and Ren were gone along with their prisoner. Left in the clearing, those gathered slowly faded back into the night following faithfully after their Commander.
A/N Happy Memorial Day! Well, the day after the day after…Anyways! It's a nice long chapter. And we've got 3 1/2 days until the end of the previous chapter. *sigh* Sometimes, I scare myself.
Oh, I almost forgot. I'M STARTING ANOTHER FICTION!
Sadly, it's not a crossover. It's just a simple (*cough*not*cough*) Sesshomaru/Kagome story.
(Yes, you can dance in joy, Maru-chan.)
It has a very normal (*cough*not*cough*) plotline that I actually wrote out, surprisingly.
I'm not sure if I'll get the first chapter up today (5/28/14), but I can give you the summary! Or something I just made up as I wrote it.
"It's come. The Final Battle. 3 years since Kagome fell down the well, she's made allies, all determined to kill Naraku. However, her path was already set when it's revealed who's connected to her by the red string of Fate. Wary godly eyes look on & the instant Naraku is gone... so is Kagome."