Inuyasha Regashi chapter 31
*Shippo panted and sweated from the near death experience that had transpired moments ago. The fire around him became even bigger after the blast from the land mine.
'It's only a matter of time before this whole room goes in flames...does he plan to burn us both?' *Shippo thought.
"What now fox boy? don't have anything cute to say?" Renkotsu said, panting as well. the heat from the flame was starting to get to him.
'Heh, he is human. he can only stand so much. but I can stand far more than he can. let's see who holds up in this..." Shippo said.
"Are you scared? This fire is not some illusion, this is the real thing, boy!" Renkotsu shouted to him.
*Shippo simply stared him down, clutching his scythe.
"WELL?! ARENT YOU GOING TO RUN AWAY!? RUN AWAY LIKE THE COWARD YOU ARE! GO AHEAD! DO IT!" Renkotsu yelled.
"I'm not afraid." *Shippo said.
"What?!" Renkotsu spat.
"You heard me, I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid of you, I'm not afraid of death, I'm not even afraid of what awaits me in the afterlife...but do you know what I am afraid of?" *Shippo asked.
"W-wh-what is that?" Renkotsu replied.
"Fear." Shippo answered.
"What?" Renkotsu said.
"Fear. I'm afraid of fear itself. If you become fearful of whatever you are facing, you have already lost. It immobilizes you. Even if you have it in your mind that you want to beat something, if you have the slightest bit of fear in you, you can't possibly accomplish anything. You see, there is a difference between fear and caution. Caution is a wise and fair assessment of a situation or your opponent..."
"So what the hell are you getting at!?" Renkotsu spat.
"Oh my point? It seems to me my friend, that you are acting more out of fear than out of caution. You have yet to lay one blow on me with your own hands... and you are yelling at me to run away. Why is that? It seems that I am weaker than you, so why don't you kill me? Why don't you end it? You have a lot in your favor. Could it be that you are actually afraid of me?"
"HAH! DONT MAKE ME LAUGH! I COULD SAY THE SAME ABOUT YOU! YOU HAVENT TOUCHED ME!" Renkotsu shouted.
"Before I became a part of the band of seven, I lived my life afraid. Wars raging all around me, I only knew it was a matter of time before I became one of the hundreds of thousands of victims who died at the hands of careless samurai and even more worthless bandits! Then, one day I realized: why do I have to be the hunted, when I can be the hunter?! And from that day on, I vowed that I would never be the prey. I vowed that no matter what it took, I would make sure that I would be on the better end of the stick! So you see, fox boy…FEAR IS NOT IN MY VOCABULARY!"
Renkotsu said, running at *Shippo and throwing his spiked ball and chain and wrapped it around *Shippo's neck. *Shippo cursed himself and purposefully fell on to his back. When Renkotsu was upon him, he used his momentum to kick him back and into the air. Renkotsu flipped back onto his feet and pulled *Shippo to him.
"You, little punk, are going to be charred fox meat by the time I am done with you!" Renkotsu threatened.
*Shippo grunted then smirked and shouted. "FOX MAGIC SUBSTITUTE!" with a poof of green smoke, Renkotsu was left with a googly-eyed dummy substitute.
"BACK TO PLAYING CHILDISH TRICKS!?" Renkotsu spat.
"NOPE!" *Shippo exclaimed close behind him and caught him in an arm lock.
"Oh, so you think you're clever?" Renkotsu threw him over and then elbowed him in the stomach. *Shippo gagged and spit up in Renkotsu's face. While Renkotsu was wiping away his spit, *Shippo flipped away and grabbed his scythe where he left it last. Renkotsu threw the ball and chain at Shippo, only to cut it in half.
'Damn! I don't have time for all this!' *Shippo thought. 'I don't know how much time I've wasted, but its time wasted and I need to hurry!'
"Okay, Renkotsu! It's been real nice and all, but I think I'm gonna go...have fun!" *Shippo said.
"Well well well, chickening out already?! You know what they say; if you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen!" Renkotsu jeered.
"But one more thing…" Shippo began.
"Huh?" Renkotsu asked.
"I'm kind of disappointed...I thought you would display more of your fighting skills than you did today. I mean, you barely did anything. And you call yourself a master of fire..."
"What are you talking about?! Look around you! You are surrounded by my beautiful artwork?! Can't you see it?!" Renkotsu shouted.
"Artwork? Is that what you call it? It looks more like a big fat mess to me..." *Shippo said.
"A MESS!?" Renkotsu seethed.
"You know, I really thought you were a true fire master and that we could be equals in ability. But it doesn't seem that way..." *Shippo sighed.
"HOW DARE YOU TALK OF MY ABILITIES! MY POWERS FAR SURPASS YOURS IN SKILL AND BRUTE STRENGTH! WHY, I HAVE BECOME ONE WITH THE FLAMES THEMSELVES!" Renkotsu pulled out his gourd of lighter fluid and poured it all over his head.
'Oh no! He wouldn't!' *Shippo thought
"WHY DONT I DO A DEMONSTRATION!?" Renkotsu yelled. He struck a match and dropped it over his head. In a second, he was engulfed in flames and became a living torch. Renkotsu shrieked a deathly scream, sending chills through *Shippo's spine.
"DO YOU SEE NOW, FOX CHILD!? I HAVE BECOME ONE WITH IT! ONE WITH THE FLAMES THEMSELVES! NO ORDINARY HUMAN CAN DO THAT! IM A GOD I TELL YOU! A GOD!"
Shippo had landed on the floor; Renkotsu forcefully stepped on his back.
'I know this is all just for show, he will die soon enough! His will may be rock solid, but his body isn't! But I just don't know how long I can wait for that to happen!' *Shippo thought hopefully.
Then suddenly, Renkotsu was bombarded with tiny little mushrooms. Renkotsu stepped back and tried to swat the assaulting acorns away. *Shippo rolled away and struggled to get up. He saw the silver door that was the way out. He started to sprint ahead but he was cut off by a sudden body of flame.
"Nah ah ah..." Renkotsu said in a low and raspy voice.
*Shippo stared into Renkotsu's eyes. The irises had become a frightening yellow and the whites of his eyes had turned pitch black.
"oh no! this isn't good, he sacrificed his soul and now he is a demon!' *Shippo thought.
Renkotsu spat a torrent of flames at him, nearly burning his face. luckily he was able to guard himself and only his arms were burned. *Shippo pried his eyes open, the smoke in the room becoming much too thick to see. but through those eyes, he saw an eerie figure blazing towards him, a lot like when fire is lit to a stream of oil.
'has Renkotsu truly become one with the fire?' *Shippo thought. but in his distraction, he was engulfed in flames once more and pushed back into the statue of Buddha. he felt a slight splash against his back. he looked behind him and saw that it was a bowl of holy water.
'Hold on a sec! This may be a bit of a stretch, but if Renkotsu has become a fire demon, then does that mean that he can be destroyed with water?' *Shippo looked up and saw Renkotsu charging at him again.
'What do I have to go on at this point!? I have to end this quickly!' *Shippo thought. he grasped the bowl behind him, ready to strike once Renkotsu got close enough. 'HERE GOES NOTHING!"
*When Renkotsu was right in front of him, *Shippo whipped the bowl from behind him and doused Renkotsu with the holy water. Renkotsu screeched in pain, covering his eyes.
"DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU TO THE LOWEST PARTS OF HELL!"
"It worked! it really worked!" *Shippo exclaimed. he watched as Renkotsu violently shook and screamed. the flames on his body died until there was nothing but his melting, rotting flesh. after that, he became nothing but a heap of ashes. *Shippo stared at the heap for a moment.
"So this is what happens when you play with fire..." *Shippo murmured to himself.
*Shippo finally remembering where he was, coughed and choked in the flames.
"Right! back to business!" *Shippo exclaimed. 'I would put out the flames, but I don't have any time!'
And with that, *Shippo ran towards the door and up the silver staircase to the roof.
~*0*~
Inuyasha stood growling at Bankotsu for the trick he had just played.
"You seem to like using this special attack on other people, let's see how you like it on yourself!-WIND SCAR!" Bankotsu shouted.
Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and jumped out of the way.
"So you think you're clever, huh? using the tetsusaiga's attacks on me? well I've got something to tell you: I know the ins and outs of tetsusaiga and its attacks. just because you can steal its abilities doesn't mean that it will defeat me!" Inuyasha said.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that!" said Bankotsu.
"Well then, let me demonstrate! ADAMANT BARRAGE!" Inuyasha cried.
The attack seemed like it worked. but when the dust cleared, Bankotsu was still standing and his halberd was glowing.
"What?!" Inuyasha gasped.
"his halberd! it protected him just like the tetsusaiga protects you, Inuyasha!" Kagome said. but then, something caught Kagome's eye. on his hands, there were green dragon scales beginning to form.
'what is this? are the dragon scales trying to take over Bankotsu's body?' Kagome wondered.
"Inuyasha, look there! do you see what is on his hands?" Kagome whispered to Inuyasha.
"yeah, now that you mention it...that Ryukoushi probably planned for it to take over his body!" Inuyasha said.
"we need to get him away from that halberd; otherwise we won't be fighting Bankotsu himself, he will be a mindless pawn!' Kagome said.
"I'll do what I can. just stay out of the way, okay?" Inuyasha promised
"Alright..." Kagome replied.
"Hey, Bankotsu! do you have any idea of what you are doing to yourself?" Inuyasha shouted to Bankotsu.
"What?" Bankotsu asked.
"You are allowing Ryukoushi to take over your body! if you keep on like this, you will become his pawn!" Inuyasha said.
"Pawn?! don't mock me! I'm a free man! I can do whatever I please!" Bankotsu replied.
"You don't understand, Bankotsu! look at your hands!" Inuyasha said.
Bankotsu looked down at his hands but did not see the green dragon scales growing on his hands from his halberd.
"Hmph! what are you trying to pull?! I'm just fine!" Bankotsu spat and charged at Inuyasha again. they crossed swords and stared each other down.
"BANKOTSU! DONT YOU SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING TO YOU?! YOUR BODY WILL BE TAKEN OVER BY RYUKOUSHI'S DRAGON SCALES AND YOU WILL BE HIS SLAVE! YOU WILL NEVER HAVE FREEDOM FOR YOU OR YOUR COMRADES!" Inuyasha shouted.
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH! I'm not falling for any of your tricks, I'm not as gullible as you!" Bankotsu began overpowering him and pushed him back into a wall. All the while, the dragon scales were inching closer and closer up his arms.
"Let me tell you a secret, Inuyasha, when I get through with you, I don't care what happens to that Ryukoushi or his old man. but when I'm through with him, I will be the one to kill Naraku! He fucked with my friends once, I won't allow him to do it another time. so if you would be so kind and DIE, I might even throw a punch in for you!"
"You won't get that chance Bankotsu! Open your goddamn eyes!" Inuyasha said.
'He doesn't see them! he has no idea that he is being eaten alive! I have to do something!' Kagome thought as she quickly drew her bow and arrow. she shot an arrow between Bankotsu and Inuyasha and Bankotsu quickly jumped away.
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha shouted.
"WOMAN, WHEN IM DONE WITH HIM, YOU'RE NEXT!" Bankotsu shouted to Kagome.
"OH NO YOU DONT!" Inuyasha spat and charged at him with his own claws. he slashed at his forearm where the dragon scales originated.
'If I can cut off his arm, maybe I can stop the spread of the scales!" Inuyasha made contact with the dragon scales. but he drew no blood at all, not even an impression.
"What?!" Inuyasha gasped.
"The dragon scales! they're impenetrable!" Kagome exclaimed.
"HAHAHA!not good enough!" Bankotsu scoffed, kicking him in the face. Inuyasha was pushed back yet again and was on the defensive.
'This isn't right, Bankotsu is stronger than before! it must be those dragon scales that are lending him demonic energy! wait a minute...if he possesses demonic energy then maybe...!" Inuyasha thought.
"Have you had enough yet, half demon?!" Bankotsu asked.
"Not nearly! WIND SCAR!" Inuyasha shouted, releasing the infamous wave of energy.
"That again?!" Bankotsu said. "WIND SCAR!" Bankotsu mirrored his attack. both of the wind scars collided and were equally matched.
'Now is my chance!' "BACK LASH WAVE!" Inuyasha shouted.
The backlash wave sent the huge wave of energy right back at Bankotsu . however, the backlash wave swirled around Bankotsu's halberd and made it glow an eerie green light.
"What?! that should have worked!" Inuyasha exclaimed.
"Oh no! it stole another one of tetsusaiga's techniques!" Kagome exclaimed.
Bankotsu chuckled to himself. "wow, this halberd isn't too bad at all! almost as good as my Banryuu!" the dragon scales were now nearly covering half of his face.
'Oh no! it seems that whenever Inuyasha uses a demonic attack against him, it makes the dragon scales grow faster!' Kagome thought. "Inuyasha! don't use the tetsusaiga! the demonic energy from your attacks are only making the dragon scales grow faster!" Kagome shouted to him.
"Are you sure Kagome?! that is going to take a lot of time that we don't have!" Inuyasha shouted to her.
"We have no choice! you will wear yourself out using tetsusaiga and make Bankotsu stronger!" Kagome told him.
"Alright then! I'll try!" Inuyasha said, sheathing the tetsusaiga.
"Oh? trying another method?" Bankotsu said.
"Why don't we do it the old fashioned way and fight with our fists?" Inuyasha said, audibly cracking his knuckles.
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea to me at all!" Bankotsu said, lodging the halberd into the wooden floor.
They charged at each other and grappled. Inuyasha managed to flip Bankotsu onto his back. Inuyasha attempted to slash at his chest, but he rolled away too quickly. Bankotsu kicked Inuyasha in the back, sending him flying.
'I have to get rid of him now! he is only getting faster and stronger!' Inuyasha thought.
suddenly, Inuyasha noticed a burning itch on the palm of his hands and on his back where Bankotsu had kicked him. he looked at his palm to see a small cluster of dragon scales on his hands.
"OH NO!" Inuyasha gasped. " not only can I not use the tetsusaiga, I can't even so much as touch him?! I can't fight like this!" Inuyasha thought aloud.
"Inuyasha! what's the matter?!" Kagome asked, running over to him. she nearly touched his shoulder but he jerked away from her touch. "DONT TOUCH ME!"
"The dragon scales...they're spreading...whenever Bankotsu and I make contact, the dragon scales latch on to me...if we don't end this quickly, and I will become a slave to Ryukoushi!" Inuyasha explained.
"oh no!" Kagome gasped.
"Stay back, Kagome! I'll take care of him!" Inuyasha promised charging at his opponent.
"IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!" Inuyasha slashed his claws through the air creating five wide crescents of light. the attack seemed as if it had succeeded, whipping up dust that clouded their vision.
"There! that should do it!" Inuyasha said pridefully.
"Is that all you got!?" said a voice as a very fast body charged towards him. Inuyasha felt a clawed hand close around his throat. Inuyasha felt his body fly through the air and slam hard into the wall.
Inuyasha pried open his eyes to see that Bankotsu was completely covered by the dragon scales. his eyes were now an eerie yellow as well.
"Well? what now, half demon?!" Bankotsu hissed in a voice not his own.
'This is it...I'm not fighting Bankotsu anymore. I'm fighting an extension of Ryukoushi!'
"NOW HALF DEMON! IT IS TIME TO MEET YOUR DEMISE!" Bankotsu said. he punched Inuyasha in the gut, causing Inuyasha to have the wind knocked out of him. Bankotsu punched him again and again. Inuyasha started spitting up blood at this point.
"Bankotsu...I...I can't fight you like this...you have much more pride than that..." Inuyasha whispered hoarsely through blood-drenched lips.
"NONESENSE!" Bankotsu said, punching him yet again in the stomach, causing Inuyasha to spit up more blood.
"No Bankotsu...you don't understand...your comrades...they need you...how you can lead them...like...this...?" Inuyasha said.
"What are you talking about?! I've never felt so alive!" Bankotsu said. "with this power, I can lead them ten times better than before!" Bankotsu said.
"No...you're...wrong..." Inuyasha said.
"But how can I expect you to understand?! you couldn't handle this much power anyways!"
Bankotsu punched him yet again, knocking him momentarily unconscious.
'NO! INUYASHA!'
"Of course you don't know about power...you hide behind that special little sword of yours. this power is all mine!" Bankotsu said. he turned then to Kagome, standing not far away from where Inuyasha was lodged in the wall.
"AND NOW FOR YOU WOMAN!" Bankotsu said, charging at Kagome. she screamed and attempted to run, but Bankotsu grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the ground.
he crouched over her and gripped his hand tighter around her wind pipe.
"Now that he is out of the way, it won't take much energy to get rid of you...all I need to do choke you to death!"
Kagome desperately gasped for air. she became lightheaded from lack of oxygen. she tried to dig her nails into his hands, but to no avail.
She began to see dark spots before her eyes. she could only hear the booming echo of his triumphant laugh, but cut short with a splashing sound. she felt something hot and wet on her face and the grip on her neck loosen. she regained the sight back to her eyes and saw an agonized expression on Bankotsu's face. she looked up at his chest to see his still beating heart outside of his chest, grasped by a clawed hand. and behind him was a familiar set of triangular ears.
'Inuyasha?!'
the clawed hand quickly retracted and Bankotsu slowly fell to the ground beside her.
"Inuyasha?! you...you..." Kagome stuttered. but then, she realized that it was not Inuyasha who had killed Bankotsu...
"I-I-Itaru...Is that you?"
Do you know what the best feeling in the world is? GETTING OVER A WRITER'S BLOCK, YO!
thank you everyone for your encouragement and support! especially Awe Inspiring and Burnt Couch Stuffings. Really lifted my spirits, especially in a really challenging period of my life right now!
REVIEW! PLZ!