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Chapter 15: A Journey Gone Wrong
True to his word, a few days after the new moon, Inuyasha announced to their friends that he was taking Tamako on a trip to meet the old sword smith Totosai. He was a lot more confident about the decision since that night. While not being completely sure if her full youkai blood could take control, he wanted to make sure it didn't. Besides, making her a sword wouldn't be a half bad idea. Not that she could use it yet, but it would exist.
They hadn't been on a trip together since her 5th birthday after they'd ran into her mother and shocked both of them. He was sort of hoping to run into her again, too, but that wasn't his true goal for the trip. They wouldn't actually get the sword when they got there. Totosai would just pull his fang to make one for her and bring it to them once it was completed as he usually did.
Following the river up as far as they could, Inuyasha walking along the river bank, and Tamako was hopping along beside him on top of the rocks that lined the river, balancing herself carefully on them. She was dressed in a different kimono, one that was specially made for her. It almost resembled the school uniform her mother used to wear. The fabric was a pale pink color with flowers all over it and black trimming along the lines of the kimono over her chest. The white under haori she wore underneath showed the edges a little. Around her waist a matching pink and black lined obi tied around it, tying in the back. It still had the long wide sleeves of a kimono, but her skirt was much shorter. Her skirt ended just a little above her knees, long enough to where her father would approve of her wearing it, but not long enough to constrict her legs so she couldn't walk. Her long hair was tied up into a bun, the comb her father had bought her the first time he'd left her alone to go slay a demon with Miroku held it up. Humming softly to herself as she jumped from rock to rock, being careful not to fall.
Inuyasha's eyes glanced towards his daughter, chuckling. "You know, we'd get there faster if you decided to walk on...I don't know, land." he teased.
Pouting back to him and nodding. "I know. But this is more fun." she said, laughing a little.
He shook his head a little. "Alright, slowpoke." he teased as he walked, his eyes glancing towards her. She was growing up so quickly. The more he looked at her the more he saw the young woman she was growing into, and he liked it and hated it at the same time. She was turning into a beautiful girl, just like he knew she would. Even though she was only six, she looked at least a year older, her development faster than human girls.
Letting out a sigh, the hanyou shook his head. "Can you do me a favor?"
Blinking a bit curiously as she looked at him. "What is it, otou?"
"Stop growing. Just like...stop. Please?" he asked, chuckling.
The answer made her laugh slowly, shaking her head. "Could. But won't. I like growing up. I'm a big girl!" she announced, hopping onto the next rock.
Nodding to her. "Yeah, too big. Soon I'm going to have to kick some poor boys ass that is trying to court you. And, believe me, I will be kicking his ass. No boy is good enough for you. No matter who it is."
Blushing a little, she glanced at him. "But you didn't kick that boys ass that asked me out back before I started my miko training." she said.
The fact that she'd said the word 'ass' didn't even register with his brain at the moment. He just shrugged. "I think you kicked that boys ass enough for the both of us. He looked like he was going to piss his pants."
Giggling a little, she nodded. "Yeah he did, didn't he?" she asked as she jumped from the rock and onto the shore by her father, looking up at him. "But...what if I reallllly liked some guy. Would you still kick his ass?"
Nodding without hesitation to her. "Yes. Yes I would. Whatever boy you decide to like will still get to know tetsusaiga."
Shaking her head as she giggled, folding her hands behind her back as she walked along beside him, glancing up at him. "Oh Otou, you will not..." she started to say. Thinking about the boy she decided to like, she blushed a little. Maybe he would...she hoped not though. She had still yet to tell him about the conversation she'd had with Kouga. And, Kouga was almost careful around her father. When it was just the two of them, outside of her fathers earshot, he'd call her his intended because he knew how much it made her happy. Whenever he did, it caused butterflies to flutter in her stomach.
Noticing she'd stayed quiet for a moment, Inuyasha glanced to her, seeing that grin on her face, he blinked slowly. "Oi, what are you grinning about?"
Shaking her head slowly. "Its nothing you'd wanna know, Otou. Girl stuff." she said. Usually adding 'girl stuff' to a conversation about her thoughts made her father quiet up. He wasn't the best when it came to girl stuff, he almost didn't want to even know. Which meant she had more than a few conversations with Sango about boys and all of that. Still, she hadn't had "the talk" yet.
Walking beside him in relative quiet for a while until she slowly came to a stop in her tracks, glancing off towards the woods. Inuyasha only took a few steps ahead before he noticed his daughter wasn't beside him anymore, causing him to glance back to her. "Hey...Tamako? Whats up?" he asked. Seeing her staring off into the woods, he glanced over to where she was staring, but couldn't really see anything.
Tamako's ears twitched as she sniffed the air a little. Her whole body went tense as she gripped the bow that she held on her shoulder, her quiver of arrows on her other shoulder. Her father had reluctantly let her bring them along, her having said something about the need to protect herself if something happened.
When she didn't answer, he became worried, stepping up to her and resting his hands on her shoulders. "Tamako, look at me. What is wrong?"
"I feel her.." she said in a low whisper.
"Who?"
Before he could get his answer, Tamako leaned away from his grasp and started to run off into the woods at top speed, as fast as she could go anyway.
"Tamako!" her father yelled, darting into the woods after her. It didn't take long for him to catch up to her. Since she was younger, she was still a bit slower than him. "What in the hell are you running to?!" he asked.
Her eyes looked forward, determined, the playful look her face had held when they'd been talking was all but gone, replaced by the most serious look he'd ever seen his daughter have.
"Okaa." Her answer to his question almost made his heart stop. How could she feel Kagome and he couldn't?
Inuyasha looked forward. "Lead the way." he instructed as he ran after his daughter without hesitation. He could not feel her aura, but somehow Tamako felt her nearby in a way that he hadn't.
They ran for a few minutes before Tamako slowly came to a stop in a clearing. The clearing was pretty, cherry blossoms fell calmly onto the ground around a hut that was placed on the edge of the clearing. It looked pretty old, and once Inuyasha came into the clearing, it was almost as if he were stepping through a bubble, feeling the intense spiritual aura surrounding the place.
His golden eyes looked up when the bamboo door of the hut was moved out of the way, and Kagome slowly stepped out of it, looking at them. It almost caught his breath to look up at her again. "K-Kagome..." he whispered slowly.
"Okaa?" Tamako asked, taking a few steps towards her mother. But it was her fathers hand on her shoulder that stopped her. Pulling on her shoulder to pull from her fathers grasp, she slowly started to walk up to the hut, towards her mother standing there.
Inuyasha stood still as he watched his daughter move towards her, his eyes looking up at his mate standing at the doorway. Seeing Kagome open her arms slowly, but the same dead look was in her eyes.
Tamako saw her mothers movement, tears starting to well in her eyes as she walked faster up towards her mother. Closing the gap, she walked into her mothers open arms, moving her arms to hug her tightly, hiding her face against her mothers chest, crying out against her hard. Tamako's fingers went to grip her mothers haori as tight as she could.
Inuyasha could only smile a little as he watched the two, moving to take a step towards them. "Kagome..." he said. But, before he could get close, another figure suddenly appeared in front of him.
Ryura was in front of the hanyou in an instant, a grin over his face as his red eyes looked at him. "Well, thank you Inuyasha. You saved me the trouble of having to come find the girl. You just brought her to me. For that, I'll let you walk away alive."
A growl rose in Inuyasha's throat as he glared at the man in front of him. His right hand moved to rest on tetsusaiga's hilt, gripping it as he moved into a battle stance. "What the fuck are you talking about, Ryura?! You leave my mate and daughter alone, and it is I who will let you walk away alive."
Chuckling slowly, Ryura looked at the hanyou. "Nonsense. Like your sword can defeat me. You're just a half demon, and I am a full blooded demon. Turn away now, or I will not go easy on you."
Gripping the tetsusaiga, pulling it out, the blade transforming as he unsheathed it, pointing it at Ryura.
It was his daughters scream that made him divert his eyes from the demon in front of him. Quickly his golden orbs looked towards Kagome and Tamako.
Kagome held Tamako tightly against her chest, her fingers almost melting into the young girls back, slowly dipping into her flesh. But, no blood was drawn. How was that possible?
Ryura only laughed, noticing the hanyou's attention being caught. "Oh, don't worry about that. Kagome's just doing her job. It is your daughters spirit that will bring me power, Inuyasha."
"Tamako! Kagome stop!" Inuyasha yelled, his fingers gripping his sword tightly. His eyes quickly averted back to Ryura, growling deeply. "What the fuck is she doing to her!? What do you mean!? Tell me now!"
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt..." Ryura said. "When a hanyou and a miko mate, they produce a very rare child indeed. A child that oozes with spiritual power and demonic power, all in one package. These powers together make the child strong. There has not been a child of her status in hundreds of years. Within her is the ability to create the Kanju."
Growling as his daughters screams continue in the background, his ears twitching. He couldn't go to her and put a stop to the person causing her pain...that person was Kagome, Tamako's own mother. "What. The. Fuck. Is. The. Kanju?!" Inuyasha yelled, trying hard to control his temper.
"Oh, just a powerful jewel. It is created as her spirit is broken. You and your stupid whore put an end to the shikon no tama...but that is not the only jewel in existence to gain great power. Just as the shikon no tama was created by a human soul, the Kanju will be created by the miko hanyou's soul."
While they spoke, Tamako screamed as Kagome's hands sunk deeper within her back. Her fingers gripped Kagome's haori, tears starting to slide down her cheeks at the pain. Her eyes darted open and the pupils of them were gone, just pure chocolate masses. The chocolate slowly started to bleed away into red. Red quickly took over her eyes as her youkai blood started to surface, in fear for her life. Her claws grew, along with her fangs. The same purple jagged lines crossed over her cheeks that her father had as a youkai. Looking up at her mother, her screams turned into fierce growls as she gripped her mothers haori tighter.
"TAMAKO!" Inuyasha yelled, being able to smell the demon blood on her. Gripping his sword tightly, glaring at Ryura. "I've had just about enough of you, asshole. If you won't let my mate and my pup go, I'll kill you." he said. Jumping into a stance just to the side, so his attacks wouldn't be in the direction of Kagome and Tamako. "Wind Scar!" he yelled, swiping his sword between the winds to attack Ryura. The yellow destructive energy moving in three slashes towards his enemy.
Once the dust settled from his attack, he looked up to see Ryura standing there, holding up two blades, the wind blade and thunder blade, which successfully blocked the attack. Laughing a little. "Oh hanyou, you think you can beat me like that. Just try it. I don't think it'll be much of a fight." he said.
With those words, Inuyasha charged the man, swinging his tetsusaiga to attack. The two swords Ryura held blocking each of the attacks.
Their swords connected, Inuyasha's against the space where the two of Ryura's swords met, trying to push down against them to break them. Though one swipe of his wrists, Ryura sent Inuyasha flying back, his back hitting a tree hard with a grunt. The tree fell over from the force as Inuyasha fell to the ground, wincing a little. Slowly sitting up, he looked up a little at Ryura, spitting up a little blood. "Fucking. Asshole." he murmured.
Pulling himself up by his sword, Inuyasha regained his stance as he went after him again. The sound of metal hung in the air along with Tamako's growls and yells as the three swords collided one another in the battle. It had surely been a long time since Inuyasha fought anyone worth fighting. Most of the demons he helped exterminate were easy ones, and one swipe of his sword would outdo them. But not Ryura. Inuyasha could feel the other demons strength with each swing of his sword. How Ryura easily deflected his attacks and swings.
They exchanged swings for several minutes before he was pushed back again, landing on one knee.
A green strand of poison whipped by Inuyasha and smacked into the side of Ryura, catching the demon off guard. The green whip bit into the demons armor and melted through to his skin as he was hit, causing him to fly into a tree himself. The sight of the green whip made Inuyasha look up, seeing his brother standing just by him. "S-Sesshoumaru?! What the fuck are you doing here?"
"Silence, Inuyasha. You could not protect your pup. You let a weak demon get the better of you. So, I will step in your place." Sesshoumaru's words were flat, emotionless as always as his cold golden eyes looked at Ryura.
"Like hell you will! Its my family, I will protect her!" he responded, pushing himself to stand, gripping his sword.
"Then kill the woman that is causing her the pain." Sesshoumaru ordered.
The order caught Inuyasha off guard, but he shook his head. "I will not kill Kagome! What kind of father, what kind of mate would I be if I killed the mother of my child?"
"One that is protecting said pup." Sesshoumaru said. "Go, while I deal with Ryura. Save your pup."
Inuyasha glanced over to Kagome and Tamako. The whole fight with Ryura seemed to stall him, to gain time for Kagome to do whatever it was she was doing. Listening to his brothers reason, he sheathed his weapon and ran towards the pair.
"Sit boy." Kagome's emotionless words came from her mouth, causing Inuyasha to slam face-first into the ground as the subjugation spell took effect. It'd been seven years since the last time he'd felt the pull of his enchanted beads from the girls voice.
"Ka-go-me..." he muttered into the ground, whining.
His eyes looked up just in time to see Kagome's fingers being pulled from Tamako's back, a shining red jewel now in her fingers. Once she let go of Tamako, the young hanyou's fingers slowly slid to let go of her mothers haori as she fell backwards.
The spell on the beads wearing off, Inuyasha was quick to run up to his daughter, catching her before her body hit the floor. Moving down onto his knees, looking down at his daughters face. The purple lines were still on her cheeks as her eyes were opened only halfway, the entirety of them were red, no pupils or anything within them. Her fangs were still elongated, along with her claws, but her body was limp against Inuyasha's arms.
"T-Tamako? T-Tamako?" Inuyasha asked slowly, gripping his daughter and shaking her a little. "Tamako! Say something. Anything...please." he asked. But, her eyes stayed only half open. She was breathing, but barely, her heart was still beating, he could hear it.
Slowly looking up at Kagome, seeing the jewel in her fingers, he shook his head. "Kagome...please, snap out of it. This is your daughter. You've...you've got to fix this. Undo whatever it is you've just done. I know you're in there and I know you can hear me." he whispered to her.
Kagome only looked at him with the same emotionless eyes that she'd been doing before she looked up towards where Ryura was. "The Kanju is complete." she announced.
A smirk appeared over Ryura's lips as she said those words, looking up to Sesshoumaru. "Ah, well. As fun as its been, Sesshoumaru...this fight is over." he announced. Fog slowly starting to surround them for several minutes.
Once the fog was clear, the only ones left in the clearing were Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Tamako.
Inuyasha blinked slowly, looking down at his daughter in his arms. Moving to rest one hand on her cheek slowly. "Its alright, I'm here now..." he said to her, holding her up against his chest.
His elder brother shook his head. "Coward." he whispered before glancing to Inuyasha. Walking over to him and looking down at the girl in his arms.
Feeling Sesshoumaru approach, Inuyasha looked up at him. "C-Can...can tenseiga fix this?"
The demon looked at the girl carefully, trying to see the creatures of the netherworld, but could not. Shaking his head. "No. Her soul is broken, not her body. Take her home, Inuyasha. I will find Ryura and get the jewel back."
"Keh, like hell you will. I'll take her home, have Sango and Miroku watch over her, and then I'm going after him myself."
"Nonsense. You would let two humans watch over her? What if her youkai blood awakens her in that state and she slay them?" Sesshoumaru asked.
He did have a point, but Inuyasha was not one to sit idle while fighting had to be done. "Sango and Miroku can handle it..."
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After a long debate with his brother, Inuyasha finally agreed to take Tamako home. But he insisted that he would be along shortly after. Sesshoumaru went along ahead to track Ryura's scent.
Inuyasha carried his daughter home in his arms. Her eyes had since closed, but the purple jagged stripes remained on her skin. He walked slowly, his hands holding her gently as he could. As he came back up to his hut, he was almost surprised to find Kouga sitting there on the ground by his hut.
"Hey, mutt-face. I thought I smelled you two coming back." Kouga said as he stood up in one swift motion. His cerulean eyes looking at Inuyasha, he paused as he noticed Tamako in his arms. "W-What...what the fuck did you DO mutt!?" he yelled, instantly enraged. Moving quickly to Inuyasha, he snatched the girl from his arms, looking down at her.
Inuyasha growled a little as Kouga took her so quickly. "Wolf, I would not fuck with me if I were you." But, he still let Kouga take her, his arms dropping to his sides.
"What in the hell is the matter with her!" Kouga demanded, looking down at Tamako in his arms. Shifting her up a little bit.
"Get her inside. I...I have...a favor to ask..." he said reluctantly. He hated asking Kouga for favors, but he needed someone to watch over her.
Looking up at him with a puzzled look before Kouga walked into the hut. He'd never been actually invited in by Inuyasha before. Walking through the door he knew to be Tamako's room, he slowly and carefully laid her down on her futon, looking at her face. Brushing her bangs out of her eyes slowly, it was then he noticed the purple marks on her cheeks. Sniffing in deeply, he could tell the change of her scent. "What...what is this? She smells like a full blooded youkai..."
"Thats because she is right now." Inuyasha answered. Moving into the room and taking a seat against the wall, putting his hands into his haori and looking down at his daughter laying there, so vulnerable, making him sigh. "Look Kouga...we do not get along, at all. But...I need you to do this for me. Kami no, I need you to do this for her." he said, figuring Kouga would be more likely to do a favor for Tamako than himself.
"What is it she needs me to do?" Kouga asked, keeping his eyes down on her slowly.
"Just...to stay here. Watch her. I have to go after the demon that did this to her to fix it."
"Why didn't you just kill the demon on the spot!? What the fuck happened! And don't make me ask again."
Sighing, Inuyasha decided to explain. "The demon that did this, Ryura, has been using Kagome and her powers. He lured us in, and used Kagome to break Tamako's spirit. Since she is the product of a union between myself and a powerful miko, her spirit has the ability to create another jewel. Different from the shikon no tama, but the same as well. Its called the Kanju. Well, long story short, he was successful in getting what he wanted. And, I don't know if she'll be like this until we get the jewel back or what. But...she is in her full youkai state, so if she wakes up..." his voice trailed off for a moment. Sighing and looking down. "She...won't be herself, Kouga. If she wakes up, she'll want to do nothing but kill. Kill everything. She'll be a mindless demon. And...I need...no, she needs you to stay here and protect her from that."
Listening, Kouga nodded slowly, looking up at Inuyasha, taking his eyes off of Tamako for the first time since he'd brought her inside. "I'll do it. But so help me, if you do not kill the bastard, I'll rip you to shreds."
Inuyasha shook his head. "If I don't kill the bastard, I'll be dead. She is my life, Kouga. So long as I'm breathing, I will ensure her safety, I will get the Kanju back and figure out a way to put it back inside her, to get my daughter back." he explained.
Inuyasha leaned over and kissing Tamako on her forehead slowly, closing his eyes halfway. "I'll be back soon, princess. I love you to the moon and back." he whispered quietly just to her, though he was pretty sure Kouga could hear him. Sighing as he stood up, looking at the wolf. "T...Thank you." he pushed out. He'd never said something like that to the wolf before.
But Kouga only nodded. He didn't even make fun of Inuyasha for his words to Tamako. Inuyasha never said those words while others were around them, they were only for his daughter. And Kouga didn't even seem to care.
Once Inuyasha was out of the room, Kouga sighed and brushed the hair behind her ear, looking down at her. "He better fix this...I...I need you so much..." he told her sleeping form. He wasn't even speaking in a sexual way. Tamako's presence in his life did wonders for his spirit. His spirit ached to be near her, hear her kindness. She had definitely inherited her mothers good nature, and it was softening him to the point of actually needing another being. He found himself more at ease around her, talking to her and hearing her views on things. She was intelligent, kind, strong-willed, and fiery all at the same time. All of those things softened him as a whole. And, as she aged and matured, his feelings would mature with her. He would be whatever she needed him to be. Even if it were to just be a friend to her as he was now.
Gently bringing the blankets to cover her form before he sat back against the wall, looking down at her. "Kami, what have you done to me, kid..." he asked slowly.
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A/N: Cliffhangerr! :-). I'll conclude this cliffhanger in the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy my little story as much as I do. And, as for what will happen to Kagome? Who knows. Read and find out!
Will Inuyasha save Tamako? Will he get his mate back? Tune in next time for these questions to be answered! :-D *And now I sound like a TV announcer, lmao.*
P.S. I also added Uncle Sesshy to the chapter for all those Sesshoumaru lovers! He is an interesting character to write for. Lol. He'll be seen in the upcoming chapters as well! And maybe I should add a little RinxSess to the story? Whatcha think?