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.
Chapter 16
"Tsubaki... " Kaede's face was drawn with horror. "But... how?"
Tsubaki cast her a sideways glance. "Ah, Kaede. Older but none the wiser, I see." She turned back to Kagome. "I believe we have some unfinished business, Avatar."
"W-we?" Her tongue stumbled over the word.
"Oh, Kikyou and I go back a long way, as I'm sure you're more than aware."
Kagome swallowed. Her throat was dry as clay. "What are you-"
"There's no use playing the fool, Avatar. You've had more than enough time to get acquainted."
"I don't know what you're-"
"Save yourself the effort." She shook her head. "And to think I almost had my hopes up."
"You... " Kaede's eyes were still fixed on Tsubaki. "This can't be... "
"Yet here I am."
"But... Kikyou..."
"Kikyou." Tsubaki spat her name like a curse. "Oh, Kikyou took much from me, yes. But even Kikyou had her limits."
Kaede had no reply to that. Nor did anyone else. That or Tsubaki wouldn't let them speak.
She didn't wait for an answer. She turned to her followers. None of them had moved since she arrived.
"Well, it's about time you made yourselves useful." She nodded towards Kanna.
The thief shot her a scowl. Tsubaki held it with a smirk. The two airbenders exchanged a glance.
He thought the better of it. "Keh." He stalked off to thaw the girl out.
Tsubaki gave a chuckle. "Now, where were we? Oh yes, the Avatar." She lifted her hand as if she was stringing a puppet.
Kagome gasped as she was yanked into the air. She forced back her panic. "What are you-"
"Don't worry, I'm not going to break you." Tsubaki couldn't keep the amusement from her voice. "You'll be coming with me."
"No." Miroku gritted out the word.
"Oh?" Tsubaki peered at him down her nose. "And what are you going to do about it?"
Miroku's scowl deepened. His eyes were even more venomous than Tsubaki's. "You... won't... "
"Oh, spare me." Tsubaki snapped her fingers. He toppled to the ground.
"Miroku!" Kagome cried.
"Don't worry, it's nothing permanent." Tsubaki prodded him with her foot. "I wouldn't want to let a healthy young bender go to waste, after all."
Kaede's face darkened. "You... wouldn't-"
"I would. And what's more, I can." She stopped her retort with a twitch of her fingers. "I suppose I have you to thank for that, Avatar."
"Me?" She stared at Tsubaki. "Wha-"
"Oh, you've done more than enough. Our friends will take care of the rest."
"Friends?"
"I believe you've already been acquainted."
She gave another chuckle. One that set Kagome's teeth on edge. Now that did explain a few things.
"Just what are you-"
"You'll find out soon enough, Avatar. They have been busy. Why a few more minutes and... " She relished a few seconds' pause. "Need I say more?"
Kagome's jaw clenched. "You-"
"You'll be coming with me. Unless you have other plans, of course?" She cast a pointed glance towards the other captives.
None of them made a reply. Not that they had much of a choice. Then again, it wasn't like she had one either.
"Fine. But no one else gets hurt."
Tsubaki snickered at that. "I knew you'd see it my way." She beckoned her forwards.
"You too, Kanna."
The female airbender frowned. "Kanna-"
"Will come with us. Surely you can manage the rest yourselves?"
Her eyes narrowed. Tsubaki held them with a questioning glance. Her shoulders slumped. "Fine."
Kanna gave her a blank stare in reply. She took another look at the prisoners and stamped her foot down. An ice creeper shot out to pin Kallick and Tapeesa. She sent another two towards Miroku and Kaede.
"Thanks, Kanna."
She gave the airbenders the tiniest of nods. She turned back to Tsubaki without a word.
"Well, I think I've kept you waiting long enough."
Tsubaki dragged Kagome towards her on invisible strings. Kagome bit back a yelp. Tsubaki smirked at her discomfort.
"Don't worry, Avatar. You're far more use to me alive." Her eyes glinted with malice. "For now."
The Oasis was housed in a vast cavern. The spirit water's glow lit their path as they drew near. A gentle warmth rose to greet them. It did nothing to ease the chill in Kagome's heart.
The chill deepened as they drew closer. She hugged herself mentally. Her breath stilled as the ice gave way to a carpet of grass.
The Oasis was greener than she'd dreamed possible. The air was ripe with dew. Water sang from an endless spring. Every nook and cranny was filled with life. In any other circumstances the sight would have stopped her in her tracks.
In these ones it only deepened her dread. If only she could just do something. Anything. She fumbled desperately for a plan. Each idea was more hopeless than the last. Tsubaki's grip was as inescapable as time.
"So, here we are."
Tsubaki wrenched her to a halt. She hovered at the water's edge. Tsubaki forced her gaze up towards the Goshinboku's roots. They cast a lattice of shadows on the cavern's walls. She drew in a breath.
"Now what?"
"Need you ask?" Tsubaki tilted her head to one side. "Very well." She pointed towards the largest root. "That one should be quite sufficient."
"The tree?" Kagome swallowed. Nothing good could come of that. "What are you-"
"What else?" Tsubaki replied. "A simple touch should do it."
Kagome set her teeth. "You don't know what you're-"
"Said the pot to the kettle." A smirk rose to Tsubaki's lips. "Of course, we could always try a little bl-"
An icicle shot past Tsubaki's cheek. She flinched away. Her grip loosened in an instant.
Kagome slumped to the ground. Tsubaki clapped her hand to her face. Her fingers came away bloody.
"Who?"
Her gaze snapped towards the nearest root. There was a faint scuffle. Her glare sharpened.
"You dare... " She clenched her fist and dragged the bender into the light.
"Meriwa!"
"Ava-" Meriwa's voice cut off in a choke.
"That's quite enough from you." Tsubaki tightened her grip. Meriwa's face grew purple.
Kagome rushed to her aid. Kanna froze her in her tracks. Her fingers clutched at the gap between them.
"Meriwa!"
"Keep her quiet." Tsubaki ordered. Meriwa's eyes squeezed shut. Her chest heaved like a dying fish. "This is no time for-"
A jet of water slammed into Tsubaki's back. She lost her grip and toppled to the ground. Meriwa fell beside her with a gasp.
A lone figure stepped out from behind a stalagmite. Water swirled around her like a tempest. She fixed Tsubaki with a stare.
"Master Hitomiko!" Kagome's voice choked away to a stop. She shot Kanna a panicked glance.
A bullet of water shot from the shadows. It hit Kanna straight in the stomach. She collapsed without a sound.
Kagome hauled herself upright with a wheeze. She stared around her in bewilderment. "Who?"
"Avatar." Master Amaruq stepped out of the darkness with a nod. Water writhed around his fists. His eyes were still trained on Tsubaki.
Hitomiko shot him a frown. "That was-"
"The child's a bloodbender," he retorted. "We don't have time for niceties."
Tsubaki raised her head with a hiss. "You-"
He silenced her with a deluge of water. It froze into a prison before she could blink.
"That'll do, Tsubaki."
Tsubaki's mouth drew into a snarl. "How did you get-"
"The island's secrets are many," Hitomiko replied. "And they are certainly not yours for the taking." She eyed her with superb disdain.
"Really. Your generosity astounds me." Tsubaki gave her a glare to match.
"It's more than you deserve."
"Oh, we'll see about that."
"Enough." Amaruq held up his hand. "There'll be time for explanations later. Are you hurt, Avatar?"
"I-" She let out a cough. "I'll live. Thanks."
Hitomiko strode to her side. "Don't force yourself, Avatar. Take deep breaths." She laid a hand on her back. A protective ring of water encircled them both. "I should have gone with you."
"It's okay." She drew in another breath. "Meriwa?"
"I'm... fine," Meriwa wheezed. "Just... need air."
"And... the others?"
"Your friends and family are safe, Avatar," Amaruq reassured her. "You'll have plenty of time to talk. We just need to-"
"But-"
Kanna cut her off with a single gesture. The water crashed from the Masters' hands. They were snared before Hitomiko could so much as frown.
"Well." Tsubaki let out a breath. The ice melted into vapour. She hauled herself to her knees.
"It seems you've underestimated my pupil."
Kanna made no reply. Her gaze was still fixed on her captives. Even the blood trickling down her chin didn't sway her attention.
Tsubaki gave a chuckle. She reached out and swirled the vapour around herself. It condensed into a serpent of water. It lifted her high into the air. She stared down at their captives with utter contempt.
She shook her head. "Honestly. This is a disappointment."
"Indeed," Amaruq agreed mildly.
Tsubaki gave him a frown. His face remained as placid as the Oasis. Something whistled from the darkness.
A boomerang thwacked into the back of Kanna's head. She dropped like a bag of rocks. Tsubaki gaped in shock. Takeshi rose to his feet and reclaimed his weapon. His free hand reached for his club.
Amaruq sprang straight back into action. Hitomiko swept after him. Meriwa unleashed a water whip. Takeshi charged in with his club held high.
Tsubaki halted them with outstretched hands. She held them with a stare.
"Fools," she spat. "As if such paltry tricks-"
"Let them go."
Kagome's voice was soft but steady. A globe of water trembled between her hands. She could barely hold back her anger.
Tsubaki merely smiled. "Oh, Avatar. Aren't you forgetting something?" She clenched her fingers.
Amaruq's breath gave out. Meriwa choked and spluttered. Takeshi stared in shock.
"Avatar... " Hitomiko's voice was cut off by Tsubaki's tightening fists.
Kagome's jaw tensed. She held her ground. "I said, let them go."
"Oh?" Tsubaki didn't so much as flinch. She regarded her with a cold smile. "I don't think you're in much of a position to argue, Avatar."
Hitomiko began to cough. The water quivered between Kagome's hands. She steeled herself with a breath.
"Like you can talk."
"Really now? I think you'll find otherwise." Tsubaki's smile widened. "Unless you'd prefer to risk your friends' lives?"
Kagome opened her mouth. Tsubaki tightened her hold. Hitomiko's eyes squeezed shut. Her face was growing paler by the second. Amaruq wasn't even breathing. She couldn't save them like this.
She lowered her hands. The globe collapsed into a puddle.
Tsubaki gave a snicker. "I thought as much."
She relaxed her grip. Her captives slumped to the ground. She had Kagome pinned in a moment. She sank to her knees with a gasp.
"It's not use fighting it, Avatar." Tsubaki shook her head. "Still, I must admit, I'm a little disappointed."
"Well, excuse me for being a disappointment," Kagome replied.
"Calling you an excuse would be generous." Tsubaki gave a tut. "Really. Kikyou would never-"
"I'm not Kikyou." She gritted out the words with a glare.
"Oh, that's plain enough," Tsubaki replied. "Kikyou was a master of all four elements. Whereas you are barely a novice of one." She shook her head again. "It'd be tragic if it wasn't so convenient."
"How wonderful for you."
"Wonderful indeed." Her smile was merciless. "After all, I can hardly let all that power go to waste."
Kagome readied a retort. Her mouth stayed motionless. Fear gripped her like a hand around her throat.
"Don't worry, Avatar. It's nothing permanent."
Kagome shot a panicked glanced towards her companions. Amaruq and Hitomiko lay unconscious. All Meriwa and Takeshi could offer her were helpless stares.
Tsubaki's smile sharpened. "I think we've talked quite enough for now. Don't you?" She clenched her fingers.
Kagome's instincts grasped for her throat. Her hands stayed still. Her mind reached for the tree. Please. Please.
The roots didn't respond. Her body stayed frozen. Her blood rose up to claim her vision. Everything was drowned in blinding blue light.
Tsubaki's shriek shot straight through him.
Kagura and Byakuya froze like stone. Inuyasha bolted for the cavern. The echo was still ringing by the time he reached the light.
Enough.
The words rang deep in his bones. His entire body tensed. He lurched to a halt.
Kanna lay motionless on the ground. The waterbenders' eyes were fixed on the tree. None of them paid him any mind.
Tsubaki stood frozen before the Oasis. Every muscle in her body was as taut as a bowstring. Her mouth was closed fast. Her eyes were wide with panic. The Avatar was nowhere in sight.
You will go no further.
His hackles rose. That wasn't her voice. No human spoke like that. His ears pressed flat against his skull.
He raised his gaze and met a pair of blinding blue eyes.
Constructive criticism is very welcome!
I update once a month.
