DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha and all of the canon characters featured in this fanfic are the property of Takahashi Rumiko, Sunrise, Viz and all other respective copyright owners. I do not lay claim to these characters in any way, shape or form.
Author's notes: Well, needless to say, I don't think this month has gone quite how anyone was expecting it to. At least I managed to get this chapter finished on time? I hope you all enjoy it and stay safe.
Chapter 4
"Kagome! Get down!"
Akitoki's cry was her only warning.
He dived sideways and tackled her to the ground. Her breath slammed from her body. She gasped as a flutter of cloth sailed over her head.
It was followed by a shower of splintered ice.
Kagome lay flat, her heart jammed in her throat. Her voice was trapped somewhere far below it. The weight on her chest wasn't helping much. She cracked an eye open.
The sight of Akitoki sprawled atop her made her cram it shut again. She thrust him away with a shriek.
"Ah! Sorry Ka-"
His apology was lost in the shouts from overhead.
"Thief! Thief!"
Thief? Kagome blinked her eyes open and rolled to her knees. She glanced upwards and glimpsed a ragged figure perched atop the shrine gate.
The thief was swathed in furs and fabric from head to toe. Only a narrow slit left their eyes open to the elements. Her breath hitched as she caught a glimpse of amber. She got the distinct impression of a smirk.
"Thieving scum!"
Kagome ducked behind a root. A young bender shot past her atop a furious wave. Two others followed in her wake. Each readied a salvo of frozen darts.
The thief leapt from the gate the moment the darts took flight. Not one of them found their mark. They bounded away with a snicker.
"After him!"
The waterbenders banked hard and sped back after the thief. Kagome scrambled aside as they hurtled towards the Goshinboku. Akitoki scurried to protect her. Her heart skipped as he drew a hunting knife from his belt.
"Get down! Both of you!"
Takeshi threw himself between Akitoki and the thief. He met their charge with a swing of his club. The thief dodged it by a hair. He sprang away from another strike with a snarl.
"Surround him!"
The waterbenders saw their chance. They fanned out to surround the pilgrims and the thief, their waves rising with their momentum. They swept around them to form a wall of water.
The thief gave a grunt that might have been a curse. He sprang aside from another blow. His eyes were tight with strain. His hand shot towards the blade at his hip.
"Takeshi!" Akitoki cried.
Takeshi took another swing before the thief could draw his sword. He kept up his assault, driving the threat away from his charges. The thief dodged every strike. His glare sharpened as the wall drew tight around him.
Akitoki stumbled to his feet. He dragged Kagome up with him. His other hand still clutched the knife. He turned to Takeshi with wild eyes.
"What are you-"
"Get back down!" Takeshi didn't even glance at him. "The benders will-"
The thief slipped past him in an instant. His fist slammed straight into Takeshi's jaw. Takeshi dropped like a stone.
The thief didn't press his advantage. He sprang away with a somersault. Kagome gaped as he shot clean over their heads.
And right over the wall of water.
The benders stared in shock. The wall collapsed with a crash. The thief crowed in triumph. He made a grab for the nearest branch.
A jet of water slammed him back to earth.
"What the-"
Kagome whipped her head towards the water's source. Master Hitomiko stood framed in the shrine's gate, her robes fluttering in the wake of her assault. Her hair whipped wild about her face. Her stare narrowed as she took in the sight before her.
The thief shot her a glare. It would have been more intimidating if he hadn't been as wet as a soused herring. His muscles tensed to spring.
Hitomiko raised her arms before he could clear the ground. The thief was engulfed in a wave of ice. His eyes shot wide with shock. She stamped her foot down to freeze him in place.
"Enough. You are on sacred ground."
The thief only glowered in response.
Hitomiko looked him up and down with a calm fury in her eyes. Her mouth was set as firm as the ice. She beckoned the other benders forwards.
"Take him away. We can talk later."
The waterbenders hastened to her command. They strode towards the thief, water whips in hand. Takeshi stumbled to his feet and readied his club. He clutched his broken jaw with his other hand.
Akitoki tightened his grip on Kagome's shoulder as they approached. The knife was shaking in his hand. One of the benders waved him away.
"Stand down, young man. We've got this under con-"
His voice broke into a scream. The ice gave way in a burst of flame.
That was all the opportunity the thief needed. He rolled onto his side and lashed out with a sweeping kick. A wheel of fire burst out around him. The three benders scattered like startled birds.
Hitomiko threw up a wall of ice to shield the bystanders. It was barely enough to stop the blast. Kagome and Akitoki were drenched in a spray of half-melted snow.
The thief was back on his feet by the time she blinked away the slush. Flames sprang to his fist as he whirled on his attackers.
"I ain't got time to play with you!"
His voice was younger than his eyes. More boy than man, for all his bluster. That made no difference. A firebender was a firebender. The waterbenders closed on him with the embers of hatred kindling in their eyes.
"Fire Nation scum!"
"You dare-"
The thief lashed out with a burst of flame. The waterbenders scarce had time to deflect it. When the steam cleared the thief had already bounded past them.
"After him!"
Hitomiko hurled a water whip after the thief. It coiled around his ankle and froze into a shackle. She yanked him towards the ground.
The thief whirled on her in midair and unleashed another punch. A stream of fire erupted towards her. She released her whip to shield herself from the blast.
The thief landed in a crouch. The other waterbenders rushed to surround him. He sprang to his feet with a drawn blade. Their deluge was met with an arc of flame.
"Down!" Hitomiko ordered them.
Kagome flung herself aside. Akitoki did likewise. A wave of fire scorched over their heads. It was followed by a scream that seared sharper than the flames.
Kagome raised her eyes with a gasp. Two of the waterbenders lay rolling on the ground, desperately trying to extinguish themselves. The third had only just escaped with a singed sleeve. She clutched a globe of water to her arm. Her speechless stare was still fixed on the thief.
He turned on her with a growl. She flung out her arms in a panic. The globe burst like a bubble. The thief snorted in contempt and readied his blade.
His strike was halted by a lash of water. The thief yanked his arm back with a curse. A fetter of ice formed around his wrist.
He spun to find Hitomiko readying another water whip in her free hand. He blasted it away with a shout.
She blocked the flames with a single lash. Her grip on his wrist held fast.
The young bender scurried away to aid her comrades. The thief paid her no mind. Not that he had the chance to.
Hitomiko was relentless. She hounded him with her whip, seeking a stranglehold. He parried every strike with an arc of flame. His feet held their ground.
Hitomiko set her teeth and drew back her arm. She yanked the thief clean off his feet.
The thief took a wild swing at her in midair. His flames seared the snow. Hitomiko released him to roll aside.
He dropped to the ground and stumbled into a crouch. Hitomiko rolled to her feet. A salvo of ice darts glinted in each of her hands.
The thief grunted and threw himself aside. The darts ripped past his face. One found its mark in his shoulder. His sword fell from his grasp. He thudded to the ground with a groan.
A small object tinkled from his torn parka. It caught the moonlight with a glint as it rolled along the ground. It came to rest within an arm's span of Kagome.
Kagome blinked and made out a small glass vial half-buried in the snow. Clear liquid swirled inside it. It was far from remarkable but something about the motion drew her hand as well as her eyes. She reached out to pick it up.
"KAGOME!"
Akitoki's voice shattered on her name.
The thief left the ground at the same moment as her gaze. A pair of amber eyes bore down on her. They burned as bright as the flames streaming from his fists. It was all she could do to roll aside.
The thief slammed his fists into the snow. He cursed as it gave way to steam. He sprang to his feet and met Kagome with a glare. He cracked his knuckles and took a step forwards.
"Get away-"
Hitomiko's threat was cut short by another blast. Kagome threw herself flat with a yelp. A wave of heat seared past her. The roots took most of the impact. The reek of smoke filled the air. Cries of horror rose to join it.
"Stay the hell out of it," The thief warned Hitomiko. His eyes were still fixed on Kagome. "Give it back. Now." His voice was taut with fury.
Kagome crouched low, her body wracked by coughs. She clutched the vial close to her chest. She shrank back against the tree as the thief took a step towards her.
"I-"
"Now." He came another step closer. His eyes were almost desperate. Flames flared from his upraised fists.
"W-wait!" She raised an open hand. Her voice shook as much as her body. "Why are you-"
He loosed a punch. A firebolt shot past her face. It fizzled out a bare foot away from her. She shrieked and scuffled backwards.
The firebender glared at her with searing contempt. "Now." The flames at his fists flared into daggers. "You've got-"
His threat was cut short by a scream.
A blur of fury barrelled towards him. He stumbled back in shock. Akitoki's knife slashed straight past his throat. He missed him by a hair.
Akitoki staggered into another slash. The thief sprang aside. Akitoki didn't let him take so much as a breath. He kept up his onslaught, punctuating every word with a stab.
"Get. Away. From. Her."
The thief leapt back in a burst of flame. Hitomiko took her chance. She rose up and swept out a hand.
A tendril of ice shot towards the thief. He stumbled, slipped and fell. Akitoki was on him like a leopard. The thief's eyes narrowed as he went in for the kill.
He lashed out a foot and blasted Akitoki clean off his feet.
Akitoki hit the snow screaming. He flailed about like a dying fish. His fists beat at the flames devouring his parka. They did nothing to relieve his agony.
"Akitoki!" His name tore from Kagome's throat.
Takeshi rushed to Akitoki's side, heedless of his own injury. The young waterbender rushed after him. She doused the flames in an instant. Even she couldn't extinguish his groans.
The thief rolled back to his feet. His chest still heaved with shock. His eyes shot from foe to foe as he weighed up his next move.
"Akitoki..."
Anger welled up inside Kagome, drowning out her fear. She tore her eyes away from him and fixed the thief with a glare. Somehow, she found her voice again.
"Stop."
"You talking to me?" The thief's voice was tinged with disbelief.
That only spurred her temper. "I said stop. Now." Her voice was small but even.
He gave a snort. "Or else?"
"You want this, right?" She held up the vial.
"Don't!" Hitomiko's face was ashen with horror. "Girl, you don't under-"
"She understands alright," the thief cut in. He gave her a brief nod. "Give it back and no one else gets hurt."
His statement was met with cries of outrage.
"Lying bastard!"
"Don't listen-"
"Don't!" Akitoki's voice rose above the others despite its hoarseness. "He's only-"
"Shut it!" the thief growled. His flames burned brighter still. "Okay, Missy. One last chance."
Kagome swallowed. His words hovered above her like an axe. Imploring eyes were all around her. She took a deep breath and laid her hand on the Goshinboku's root for support.
"No."
The thief sprang forwards with eyes aflame.
Kagome hurled herself aside. An arc of flame swept past her. She made a grab for the tree.
Please.
Her hand brushed the bark for an instant. She lost her hold and fell face first in the snow.
"Kagome!"
Akitoki. She forced herself up onto her forearms, ignoring her body's complaints. The taste of blood was bitter in her mouth. She spat it out and raised her head. A shadow loomed over her.
She shrank back against the Goshinboku. The thief made no move. She didn't take her eyes from him. She sucked in another breath.
"Don't you-"
He wasn't looking at her. Neither was Akitoki. Even the waterbenders had lost interest in the chase. Their eyes were fixed on the Goshinboku. She glanced up as a creak sounded above her.
There was a crack that split the sky.
The earth gave a shudder. The tree gave a groan. A spark of azure light gleamed from the scar in its trunk. Another shudder brought forth another spark.
The thief gaped at the tree, his quarry forgotten. Kagome lay stock-still, her heart the only part of her that couldn't stop moving. The others sat transfixed, their battle abandoned. Even Hitomiko was frozen in awe.
The crack grew into a fissure. The groan grew into a roar. The sparks grew into a blaze. The onlookers scurried for cover. The earth gave a final heave. All was drenched in blinding blue light.
Kagome jammed her eyes shut. She was dazzled all the same. When her vision finally cleared, she was staring straight at the cleft in the Goshinboku's trunk.
A pair of crimson eyes stared straight back at her.
Kagome recoiled as though she'd been stung. The eyes rolled in amusement. A low chuckle rose from the crack.
"So, you've finally decided to show yourself."
The voice came from the tree, low and deep and dark. It carried an undertone of malice that set her every nerve on edge.
The young bender found her voice before Kagome did. "Who's there?"
"Show yourself!" another demanded.
Another chuckle came from the tree. "They never learn, do they?" Even when tinged with amusement the voice lost none of its venom.
There was another creak, as though the trunk itself stretched. The tree groaned as something scraped against its inner hollow. Hitomiko tensed. The thief's fists flared up. The voice gave a tsk.
"Really. The lengths one must go to..." The voice was almost bored. "I suppose it's been a while, hasn't it? Very well then."
There was a splintered snap. A piece of bark fell from the trunk. A shadowy hand emerged from the gap to claw at the jagged wood.
Kagome cringed away from the tree. The thief raised his fists. Hitomiko readied two water whips. The others could only gape. The air hung thick with tension.
Laughter rippled through it. Another hand found a grip. And then another. The silence was torn to splinters as a woman's face burst from the trunk.
Kagome's breath rushed out in a scream.
The woman threw back her head and crowed in triumph. She raised her six arms to the moon. Her flesh was formed of shadows, darker than the night sky. She was naked from throat to belly, yet Kagome was the one shivering. For nothing about the rest of her was remotely human.
Her lower body was long near as long and thick as the trunks of lesser trees. It grew longer by the second. It twisted and writhed like the great unagi from Grandpa's stories. Yet she was no sea serpent. Each segment of her "tail" bore a twitching pair of legs. Kagome shuddered as they scrabbled against the shattered trunk.
The woman pinned her with a stare before she could back away. Her eyes glowed fierce as coals. Kagome could only stare back. The woman's mouth broke into a mockery of a smile.
"Well? Is that all you've got to say for yourself?"
"You-" Kagome began. Her lips and tongue were near frozen in fear. "You're-"
"A little slow on the uptake, aren't we?" Her smile broadened to reveal a pair of fangs. "I do hope you won't disappoint me, Avatar." The word was a curse on her lips.
"A-Avatar?" Kagome's voice emerged as a squeak.
Akitoki gaped at her in bewilderment. All she could do was shake her head.
The firebender's shock gave way to a derisive snort.
"Oh, you've gotta be-"
"Oh no." The monster's smile was near as venomous as her words. "There's no mistaking you."
"W-wait." Kagome raised her hands. They were still shaking. She took a breath to quiet them a little. "Listen. I don't know what you're-"
"Oh, I think you do." The monster's smile widened to a grin. The branches shivered as she leaned closer to Kagome. Her eyes flared with bloodlust as she loomed over her prey.
"Avatar Kikyou."
Constructive criticism is very welcome!
I update once a month.
