Hello my readers, it's Unknown entity328 with a new chapter of Far From Over! My schedule was being very uncooperative this year with work, school, and a few other things. It was especially uncooperative nearing the end of the year with how busy it gets. I intended to update all of my fanfics at the same time as a Christmas present to all you readers, but obviously it wasn't meant to be. I sometimes wish I can pull a Naruto and make clones of myself to do everything else so I can focus on my writing. Top that off with lack of inspiration and writers block, and you have yourself a stew of disappointment and failure. Anyway, while it's extremely late and wasn't what I originally planned, I have three fanfic updates ready and waiting to be read! So with that in mind, read, enjoy, and merry late Christmas and happy new year!
Chapter Five: Ways of the Sword
Inuhiko sat outside the home of Kagome and Inuyasha, staring down at the Kūchūsaiga on his lap. He couldn't get his mind off the technique he used to defeat that worm demon, the Wind Scar. Apparently, until that day, only the Tessaiga was known to be able to use that technique. He still feels shaken up from first using it and the devastation it left behind. From what was explained by everyone, there are conditions that had to be met to use the Wind Scar. One of them being to find a rift, or scar, between two powerful auras of Tessaiga's wielder and the opposing demon clashing against each other in the winds. Once the rift is found, the wielder of Tessaiga can swing the sword into the rift, releasing a powerful energy wave that has the power to kill 100 demons in a single sweep.
The more he thought about it, the more terrified Inuhiko became knowing he had such a dangerous technique, despite not having mastered it. It was pure luck that he found the rift the first time, who's to say he wouldn't accidentally use it again and hurt someone? In the first place, he didn't want to fight any demons period. He only wanted to balance out his clashing powers, that's it.
'Although, I guess a sword is better than anything else.' Inuhiko unsheathed the sword and raised it so the sunlight gleamed on the blade. He gave it a few practice swings, glad there weren't any demons nearby. 'At least with this I can defend myself.'
Behind him, Kagome and Inuyasha watched Inuhiko look over his sword. The priestess-in-training felt bad for the teen. It was obvious he was having trouble adjusting to the feudal era, she knows she did. Everything is new to him and his life is constantly in danger. She wished there was a way to send him home, let him return to his normal life. But unfortunately, the only way back was the well, and it stopped working again after Inuhiko's arrival.
'Unless.' Kagome hummed in thought, remembering all the times she went through the well. She especially remembered her first time going through it. 'That could work.'
"What are you thinking about, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, having seen the thoughtful look on his wife's face.
"I think there might be a way for Inuhiko to go home." Kagome said softly, being careful that the teen didn't hear her. She frowned as she watched as Inuhiko lost his grip and flailed to catch the sword. "But I'm not sure it'll work."
"Well, no use in dwelling on it too much." Inuyasha said, scratching the back of his head before standing up. He approached Inuhiko who finally managed to regain his grip on his sword. "Hey."
Inuhiko jumped before looking over his shoulder at the older half-demon. "Oh, Inuyasha."
"On your feet, come on." Inuyasha ordered, walking past the teen who only looked after him in confusion. "I'm gonna teach you how to properly wield a sword."
"You are?" Inuhiko blinked in surprise, standing up and running after the older half-demon. "Any particular reason?"
"Seeing you almost slice your arm off was painful to watch." Inuyasha bluntly said, referring to how Inuhiko lost his grip earlier. He pointed at the Kūchūsaiga in Inuhiko's hand, which he noticed the blade was slightly pulsating. "You're gonna have to learn to properly hold that before another demon shows up."
Inuhiko looked down at his pulsating sword as he thought over Inuyasha's words. It was true he had no idea how to hold it. Granted, he's never held a sword until the other day when facing that worm demon. The way it was pulsating was also disturbing the teen a bit. He's never seen a sword that pulsates before. If he didn't know any better, Inuhiko would think the sword was alive. Considering a demon forged it, he wouldn't be surprised if it was alive and had a mind of its own.
It would explain how he was able to use the Wind Scar despite having no knowledge of the technique. There were also a couple times that he thought the way the sword pulsated made it seem like it was happy. Happy about what, he didn't know, but it was both a disturbing and interesting reaction. One thing for sure, he needed to master the Kūchūsaiga before the next time he had to fight. It wouldn't do anyone any good if he accidentally lost his grip and sliced an ally in half. The thought alone was enough to send chills down the teen's spine.
Tucking the sheath in his belt, Inuhiko held up the Kūchūsaiga as he looked at Inuyasha. "Alright, what's first?"
"First, hold it with both hands." Inuyasha instructed, crossing his arms as he watched the teen do just that. He then approached Inuhiko to inspect Inuhiko's posture before tapping his wrists. "Tighten your grip, otherwise you'll be disarmed easily."
"Right." Inuhiko nodded, tightening his hold on the Kūchūsaiga as he slowly became accustomed to its weight.
"Keep your shoulders relaxed." Inuyasha said, seeing how tense the teen's shoulders were. "If they're tense, it'll make reacting quickly difficult."
Kagome smiled as she watched her husband teach Inuhiko how to hold a sword. While Inuyasha may be brash, he has his moments when he shows he cares. With every instruction Inuyasha gave, Inuhiko's form was improving. There are times where Inuyasha yells when Inuhiko made a mistake. But that seemed to motivate Inuhiko more than discourage him.
"When blocking an attack from above, widen your stance." Inuyasha said, moving Inuhiko's legs apart. "This way, you're more grounded and not get overwhelmed."
They went over every proper form the older half-demon could think of and had Inuhiko repeat them. Repetition is the foundation to build muscle memory, is what Inuyasha told the teen. Until he's had more experience in battle, practicing the proper form is what he should do for now. In all honesty, Inuhiko had a hard time following most of what Inuyasha was teaching him. It was clear the older half-demon has no experience in teaching. Most of his instructions were vague and didn't make much sense, not to mention he loses his temper quickly.
That's how Inuhiko found himself practicing by the bone eater well, for quiet and an open space to practice. The teen was tempted to jump down the well again, wishfully thinking it'll work this time. He really missed modern Japan and everything he left behind there. He missed his father, his sister, and his friends. He even missed being Rin's practice dummy, strangely enough.
'Guess this is what it feels to be homesick.' Inuhiko thought as he practiced swinging the Kūchūsaiga, making sure he had a tight grip on it. He stopped mid-swing to look over his shoulder at the well. 'How can I get that damn well to work again?'
Shaking his head, Inuhiko returned to his practice and switched to practicing the forms Inuyasha taught him. He noticed that there was a sweet scent in the air, but ignored it to continue practicing. Some forms felt awkward to Inuhiko mostly because he's never practiced the ways of the sword before. But if he wants to survive, he needs to learn to properly fight back should another demon appear. He definitely didn't want a repeat with the last two demons he fought.
Just as he was about to prepare the next stance, the ground beneath Inuhiko began to shake slightly. Having a bad feeling, Inuhiko cautiously looked around, his ears twitching at the slightest sound. It was starting to become a daily occurrence for demons to attack him for the jewel in his pocket. He honestly doesn't get why they want it so badly they'd kill for it. To Inuhiko, it's just an ordinary jewel, granted it did power up the demons who managed to get their hands on it.
Suddenly, Inuhiko started to feel dizzy and lightheaded as his sight began to be blurry and unfocused. His senses felt off and he couldn't tell if he was still standing or not anymore. His grip on Kūchūsaiga began to wane until his arms fell limply to his side. Through his blurry vision, he could make out the figure of a woman wearing a black kimono with red floral patterns. Like they had a mind of their own, Inuhiko's legs took one slow, unsteady step after another closer to the woman. As he got closer, Inuhiko could see that the woman was standing beside the well with a smile on her face.
"Good, that's it." The woman said softly, smirking when the teen was now in front of her. His eyes were glazed and unfocused, almost as if he wasn't aware of his surroundings. She held a hand out to Inuhiko while using the other to cover her mouth with her sleeve. "Now, the jewel please?"
Inuhiko slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the jewel for the woman to see. Her smirk grew when Inuhiko held the jewel over her awaiting hand. Just as the teen was about to drop the jewel, the woman looked to the side suddenly. She jumped back when a sacred arrow shot in between them. The sudden movement caused her to knock Inuhiko aside into the well. She gritted her teeth when she saw this and backed away when another arrow was fired. She looked in the direction the arrow was shot to see Kagome and Inuyasha.
"What impeccable timing the two of you have." The woman frowned, inspecting her long black hair to see it was slightly singed. She let out a small sigh before turning her attention back to Kagome and Inuyasha. "And I was so close."
"What did you do to Inuhiko?" Kagome demanded, notching another arrow and aimed it at the woman.
"Oh, just a little miasma." The person said off handedly, not the least bit worried about the arrow directed at her. "It has a bit of a sweet scent, numbing his senses until he's in a submissive state."
"I'll bet something like that takes time to kick in." Inuyasha surmised, covering his nose with his sleeve in case the miasma was still in the air. "I'll admit, it's a good way to get the jewel if the kid doesn't fight back."
"Sadly, I couldn't get it." The woman narrowed her eyes, looking towards the well that Inuhiko fell into. "And it seems I won't get another chance today."
Suddenly, roots erupted from the ground beneath the woman's feet and wound themselves around her. The roots then sunk back into the ground, taking the woman with them. Kagome ran over to the well and looked inside it. She was shocked to see no sight of Inuhiko at the bottom of the well. Inuyasha walked over to Kagome, who gave him a look of concern. They both peered into the well and wondered what to do now.
Inuhiko groaned and slowly opened his eyes to see that he somehow fell into the well. He felt a horrible headache and pressed his hand against his forehead. The last thing he remembered was practicing his stances and smelling something sweet. Everything then started to get all blurry and he had a hard time focusing. After that was a complete blur, but he was certain he heard one of Kagome's arrows being fired.
He got into a sitting position, ignoring his throbbing head as he rubbed the palm of his hand against his forehead. Suddenly remembering, Inuhiko quickly looked around the well and sighed in relief when he saw the jewel. He picked it up and placed it in his pocket for safe keeping. He then noticed that Kūchūsaiga and its sheath were missing, renewing his panic.
"My sword!" Inuhiko shouted, getting to his hands and knees as he frantically looked around the well for his sword. "Not here… not here either… where'd it go?!" He then heard a sound coming from his belt and looked curiously at it. "What the?" He then saw a sword-shaped keychain attached to his belt loop. "A keychain?"
"You heard that too, right?" Inuhiko jumped when he heard a new voice and looked up the well. "It definitely came from the well house."
'Well house?' Inuhiko raised an eyebrow before his eyes widened when he noticed he wasn't looking up at the sky, but a roof. 'Can it be?'
Inuhiko then heard footsteps approaching the well and saw beams of light, which he was certain what they were. He was proven right when the beams pointed down into the well and Inuhiko saw that the source were flashlights. Peering over the edge of the well was a middle aged man wearing a blue cap. Inuhiko knew immediately when he saw the blue uniform that the man was a police officer.
"What the?" The man muttered when he saw Inuhiko before looking over his shoulder. "Hey, there's a kid down here!"
"What are you talking about?" A woman's voice questioned, sounding exasperated before a woman with short red hair appeared at the wells edge. "We searched here literally fifteen seconds ago, there's no way-" She then looked down and her green eyes widened when she saw the teen. "Oh my god, there is someone down there!" She then directed her attention to the man next to her. "Quick, get some rope!"
"I'm on it!" The man saluted the woman before looking down at Inuhiko. "Don't worry kid, we'll get you out of there!"
Five minutes later, Inuhiko was now sitting outside the well house with a blanket over his shoulders and tea in his hands. The officers that helped him out of the well were in front of him, notepads out and pens ready. Their eyes occasionally drifted up to his ears every time they twitched when a new sound was heard. Inuhiko honestly forgot his ears were out in the open, which unsettled him a little.
"Now then, can you tell us your name, young man?" The female officer asked, being sure to make sure her tone was caring.
"Inuhiko Nichiya." Inuhiko replied, his ears drooping downward out of habit for being under a cap for so long.
"Nice to meet you, Inuhiko." The female officer nodded, writing down in her notepad before placing a hand against her chest. "I'm officer Umiko." She then gestured to the male officer standing beside her. "And this is my partner, officer Toyama." She gave the teen a gentle smile and knelt down to be at eye level with him. "If you're up to it, do you think you can answer a few questions for us?"
And so, officer Umiko informed Inuhiko that he was missing for a week. She explained that his father filed a missing person's report when he didn't return home for three days. Shortly after the investigation, eyewitness reports determined he was last seen going up to the very shrine they're at. When they found nothing, they questioned the family that runs the shrine. However, all the members had solid alibis. After that, they began questioning him about what happened. They even questioned him about his ears, since he lost his cap and had no way of hiding them.
Inuhiko doubts they would believe him if he told them that he went 500 years in the past and that demons were real. So, in order to buy time to come up with a believable story, He told the officer he was born with his ears. He even gave the contact information of his personal doctor, the person that helped birth him, for confirmation. After that, he spun the tale of being ambushed and kidnapped.
He decided to keep some truth to his tale, and told the officer that he was on his way home from track practice when a strong wind blew his cap off. He ran after his cap to keep his ears hidden when he was snuck up from behind. He explained he was forced to inhale something that knocked him out, which they concluded was chloroform. He then continued to spin the tale of his supposed kidnapping in a way that makes the motive seem to be to experiment on him.
Inuhiko felt bad about misleading the officers that were looking for him when he went missing, but it had to be done. No one in their right mind would believe that he time traveled and fought demons for survival. In all honesty, it sounds like something straight out of an anime or manga. If it didn't happen to him, Inuhiko probably wouldn't believe it either.
After spinning his tale, Inuhiko was escorted back to his home, where he was told that his father and sister were waiting for him. Inuhiko was overcome with emotion at the thought of finally getting to see his family again. He had his doubts, but there's no denying the police car he was in and the buildings they drove by. He was actually back in his own time period, where everything was familiar and peaceful.
His thoughts then went back to his time in the feudal era and all the people he's met. Despite everything he's experienced there, it was nice. Kaede was a nice old woman who helped him adjust to life in the village. Kagome can actually sympathize with him since she was from modern Japan like him. Inuyasha, while brash and short tempered, was actually a nice guy. Then there was Miroku and Sango, he didn't talk to them much, but they helped him any way they could. He'd gotta admit, if he's back for good, Inuhiko was going to miss them.
"We're here, kid." Toyama said, bringing Inuhiko out of his thoughts before looking out the window.
The police car was parked outside a two story white house with beige roof tiles and a balcony on the second floor. The front yard had a walkway from the front door to the gate. To the left of the house was an engawa and glass sliding doors.
Inuhiko's eyes slowly widened when the door and out came a man in his late thirties wearing black framed glasses. He had black hair and eyes and wore a red polo shirt, light gray slacks, and brown shoes. Following the man was a little girl no older than five years old. She had long black hair that reached her midback and blue eyes. She was wearing a pink dress, knee-high white socks, and red shoes.
"I'm finally home." Inuhiko said softly, feeling a lump in his throat as his eyes welled up with tears. Without thinking, Inuhiko immediately got out of the car and ran towards his family. "Dad, Saika!"
"Inuhiko!" Inuhiko's father held out his arms and held his son close when the teen wrapped his arms around him. He could feel his son shaking in his arms and began to rub his back soothingly. "Thank goodness you're alright, I was so worried."
"Big brother!" Saika wrapped her arms around her brother's legs, tears streaming down her face. Her grip was so tight, it was impossible for the teen to move his legs.
The next day, Inuhiko sat at the table in the living room, enjoying a standard breakfast. He made sure that he savored every bite, having missed his father's cooking. No offense to Kaede, but there was something about modern home cooking that was more appealing. He was lucky it was a weekend, it gave him plenty of time to adjust to being back home after a week of living the feudal era. It also gave him time to recover from the beating he got yesterday.
Shortly after bidding farewell to officer Toyama, Inuhiko immediately called Rin to let her know he was back. Needless to say, she was both relieved and angry when Inuhiko finally called her. After he called, Rin immediately ran over to his house and proceeded to use Inuhiko as a punching bag. With every punch and kick, Rin yelled at Inuhiko for worrying her and finally calling her like nothing happened. As quickly as the beating came, she hugged him tightly, crying and blubbering how glad she is that he's back.
Once Rin had stopped crying, Inuhiko told her and his family the truth about his disappearance. Naturally, they were skeptical, and he didn't blame them in the slightest. However, he was able to convince them when he showed them the necklace Kaede gave him. His father, being a professor in Japanese mythology, was the first to believe him. He even demonstrated the little spiritual techniques he learned from Miroku and Kaede. Granted, he only learned how to make talismans, but they were effective.
'I'm still sore all over.' Inuhiko groaned, his eyes squinted as he took another bite of rice. His eyes drifted to the sword keychain beside his fried fish. 'Where did this keychain even come from?'
Inuhiko was certain he never had or bought a sword keychain when he disappeared in the feudal era. Then there's the fact he couldn't find Kūchūsaiga anywhere when he got back. He looked all over the well with no sign of it. That worried him quite a bit, as the sword was supposed to keep his demon and spiritual powers in check. In fact, he didn't feel anything painful despite not having the sword with him.
'I wonder…' Inuhiko picked up the keychain and let it dangle as he stared at it. He then shook his head with a small smile on his face. 'Nah, even if demons and magic exist, there's no way-'
He was cut off mid-thought when the keychain gave off a blue ethereal glow. It was at this moment Inuhiko's father and Saika walked in. The glow became brighter, causing Inuhiko to shield his eyes. The keychain then began to expand in size while the keyring and chain vanished. Inuhiko felt a weight on his lap as the glow died down and he looked down to see Kūchūsaiga resting on his lap.
"No way." Inuhiko muttered, looking astonished as he picked up Kūchūsaiga and got to his feet. He unsheathed the sword and stared at his reflection on the blade. "How is this possible?"
*Flashback*
"Well, just be sure to keep it with you at all times." Totosai said, getting Inuhiko's attention as his cow rose into the air. He reached into the folds of his robe and pulled something out before tossing it towards Inuhiko. "Here."
"Huh?" Inuhiko caught the object and looked down and his eyes widened at what he saw. It was a simple keychain of a blue bear with white wings. "Hey, I was looking everywhere for this!"
"Why did Totosai have it?" Kagome wondered, leaning forward to get a better look at the keychain.
*End of Flashback*
"So that's why he had it." Inuhiko deadpanned, staring at his sword before sheathing it with a sigh. "That Totosai, he seriously has a screw loose somewhere."
"Fascinating." Inuhiko's father said, looking at the sword in his son's hands with awe. He adjusted his glasses as he inspected every angle of the sword. "The craftsmanship of the blade and sheath are superb, truly the work of a master blacksmith."
"Glad you like it, dad." Inuhiko gave his father a half lidded stare before moving Kūchūsaiga away. "But you can't have it, this is literally keeping me alive until I can control my powers."
"I know, I'm sorry, son." Inuhiko's father apologized, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I couldn't help myself." He then had a thought and looked at his son curiously. "Say, do you intend to learn sword fighting?"
"I guess." Inuhiko shrugged, looking at Kūchūsaiga curiously, still wondering how it became a keychain. "I mean, you never know, there might still be demons in this era." He looked at his father and sister with a look of worry. "If there are, I want to at least be able to protect you two."
"I see." Inuhiko's father smiled at his son when his phone started to ring. Fumbling through his pocket, he pulled out his phone and answered it. "Nichiya here."
While his father was on the phone, Inuhiko continued to inspect Kūchūsaiga, trying to figure out how to turn it back into a keychain. He tried unsheathing and sheathing it, setting it on the table and backing away, even praying to it. Saika laughed at the last attempt, much to Inuhiko's embarrassment. He then tried channeling some of his spiritual power into the sword. There was a brief glow, but nothing after that happened. He tried his demon power with the same result.
As a last attempt, albeit risky, Inuhiko tried channeling both powers at the same time. He struggled, as both powers were trying to overpower the other. Inuhiko never tried to use both powers at the same time out of fear of them clashing again. However, he knew he had to try eventually, so why not now. Kūchūsaiga glowed once again, but unlike the previous attempts, it began to shrink in size. Inuhiko had a bead of sweat trailing down his face as a chain and keyring formed on Kūchūsaiga. A minute later, the sword was once again a completely inconspicuous sword keychain.
'I can't believe that actually worked.' Inuhiko let out a sigh as he wiped the sweat off his face. 'Still, that took a lot out of me.'
"I understand, I'll be there soon." Inuhiko looked over to his father to see him hand up and pocket his phone. He then looked at his son and gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry Inuhiko, but do you think you can watch your sister for a while?"
"Was that the university calling, dad?" Inuhiko asked, picking up Saika and resting her against his hip as they looked at their father curiously.
"Yeah, they wanted me to appraise something." Mr. Nichiya nodded, cupping his chin as he gave a thoughtful hum. "They believe they had found something akin to OOPARTS."
"OOPARTS? Saika repeated, tilting her head curiously at the word.
"Out-of-place artifacts, Saika." Inuhiko explained before looking at his father. "What was the artifact?"
"Strangely enough, a bicycle wheel." Mr. Nichiya gave his children a look of uncertainty while they traded unusual glances. "I know what you two are thinking, and I agree, it's ridiculous."
"Well, you're the university professor, time to put your skills to good use." Inuhiko said, giving his father a cheeky smile.
"Watch it, young man." Mr. Nichiya gave his son a playful glare before ruffling his hair, being careful of his ears. "Take care of your sister."
"I will." Inuhiko said, moving his father's hand away while his sister laughed at his now messy hair. He gave Saika a look of playful irritation as he set her down. "And what's so funny?"
"Your hair looks like a lion's mane!" Saika laughed, pointing at her brother's hair, which now hid his ears from view.
"Oh really?" Inuhiko smirked mischievously, wriggling his fingers before he pounced. Saika let out a squeal of laughter as her brother messed with her hair. "Let's see how it looks on you!"
"No!" Saika exclaimed, laughing as she tried to get out of her brother's grip. She freed herself and began to run away.
"You're not getting away!" Inuhiko grinned as he got to his feet and began to run after his sister.
Mr. Nichiya smiled at his children's antics as he put on his suit and straightened his tie. It's almost like his son never disappeared for a week. Of course, he's still concerned about what he told them about the well and its abilities. If by some chance it was still working, then Inuhiko might be sent back to that dangerous era. Sure, his son had a sword now, but he didn't know how to use it. Choosing not to dwell on it until it happens, Mr. Nichiya left the house to do his job.
Inuhiko now stood in his backyard, after tiring out Saika and putting her down for a nap. He had Kūchūsaiga unsheathed and held in both hands. He took a deep breath as he widened his stance. He tried to remember what Inuyasha taught him about what each stance was meant for. Keeping his grip firm, shoulders relaxed, stance then closed his eyes and visualized Inuyasha standing before him, Tessaiga drawn. Inuhiko always thought image training he saw in anime was ridiculous, but figured he'd try it.
And so, he and the imaginary Inuyasha immediately clashed swords. The two pushed each other back before clashing blades again. They repeated clashing blades, Inuhiko being the one overpowered every time. It was a repetition of locking swords, dodge, parry, counterattack. Even though he knew there was no one in front of him, Inuhiko was immersed in the simulation. Despite there being no physical opponent, he could still feel the weight of the attacks. With every clash of their blades, Inuhiko can feel his stances and movements improving little by little.
'Huh, maybe they were on to something with this.' Inuhiko thought as he blocked another attack from the imaginary Inuyasha. 'Still, I should train with a real person soon.'
He continued his training for another hour before calling it quits and opening his eyes. He was breathing heavily and covered with sweat as he sheathed Kūchūsaiga. Changing Kūchūsaiga back into a keychain, Inuhiko decided to practice his spiritual and demon powers next. Utilizing his spiritual powers was much easier, mostly because he had Miroku and Kaede teaching him. As for his demon powers, he surmised it was mostly instinct since Inuyasha never taught him how to use them. He remembered hearing how Inuyasha could actually use his own blood as a weapon.
Choosing to give it a try, Inuhiko meditated and reached deep within himself. However, except with his spiritual powers, he needs to reach deeper. When he found his demon power, he was immediately overcome with a desire for blood. Not wanting to be overwhelmed, Inuhiko tried to push down the desire with great difficulty. He was eventually pushed back and his eyes shot open, hands on the ground as he breathed heavily.
"Whoa, that was intense." Inuhiko muttered between breaths, unsteadily getting to his feet and approaching his house. "I still have a lot to learn." He looked down at the sword keychain on his hip. "Especially in the ways of the sword."
Now it's time for Review Corner; the segment where I reply to your reviews and answer questions that you may have regarding this fanfic!
Karsap: I have a few ideas for who the new main villain could be, but it's still a work in progress at the moment.
That's all, I hope to see you all again real soon!