InuYasha Fan Fiction / Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Clash of the Egos ❯ FIRE IN THE HOLE! ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: C'mon! You already know I don't own Bleach or Inuyasha. I own the story + my original characters. Don't you dare take `em or I'll sue you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and if you're suspicious about the sudden rain of chapters, we're on vacation so all day we're workin' our asses off to write these chapters! My sister and me I mean.

 

Chapter 8:FIRE IN THE HOLE!

 

Once again, he found himself running, running through a concrete playground, in the middle of the night, the play equipment dripping from the rain. But this time he wasn't running away from anything. This time, he was chasing something. A black swallowtail butterfly fluttered before his eyes but just out of reach.

 

Ichigo jumped for it but the butterfly flitted farther away. The rain thickened and it beat down upon his skull, drowning out all sounds, if there were any. A memory sprang to his mind. The butterfly, it seemed so familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Something like an old friend. The butterfly slowed, swerving in the air wildly. Ichigo made a final leap, his hands closing around the butterfly gently. Excited, he opened his hands, but nothing resided in his palms but pure white mist.

 

“Ha…ha.” Ichigo heard a girl laughing happily. The laugh also reminded his ears of someone but again, he couldn't remember who. He turned around, seeing a silhouette of a small person in billowing clothing. The waving cloth was almost hypnotizing, despite the rain. If seemed as if the cloth wasn't touched or weighed by it.

 

“Ichi-chan.”

 

The midday sunlight shown across his eyelids, making Ichigo open his eyes reluctantly. “Wha…?” he muttered sleepily, scratching the back of his head and sitting up from his spot on the shack roof. It hadn't been damaged for it was halfway concealed in the woods. He had fallen asleep early in the morning while watching the villagers walk around, back and forth, doing the repairs of their homes like busy bees. He had never seen a group of people work so hard.

 

He felt horrible. He hadn't changed or bathed in any manner for two days straight. Not to mention barely eating anything. He rubbed his eyes and scratched his head furiously, it was so tangled and matted from the lack of brushing and his finger got caught in a knot in the back of his head.

 

“Ow…” he muttered, yanking the finger loose and scowling down at his feet.

 

“Hey, there Sleeping Beauty!” Karin said from below, “Have a nice beauty sleep?”

 

“Shut up you little brat.” He replied, jumping down from the roof and stretching.

 

“Well you haven't been doing anything!” Karin growled, “All of us have been workin' our butts off to get food made and Kaede's house fixed. You do know that half of it is missing right?”

 

Ichigo glanced sideways, seeing part of the old priestess's house was demolished. He said, “Isn't there any sanitation around here? I feel like I've been lying in dirt for hours.”

 

“The others have been talking about going to a hot spring but I don't think you're invited. Women only.” Karin said smirking at Ichigo. “Guess you'll have to suffer.”

 

“Well isn't there a stream anywhere where I could at least wash my face?”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Shit.” Ichigo mumbled to himself. “Why don't you tell the girls to hurry up? I mean I don't think they'll sit there forever.”

 

“Fine, fine. But find your own towel.” She answered, wandering away with a basket of what looked like onions back to Kaede's home.

 

Ichigo took this chance to explore and look at what damages had been done from the night before. He walked down the roads, looking at children who helped their parents repair their homes or by themselves. He saw that some of the children were orphaned. He felt sick to his stomach when a man and woman walked by, the body of a dead child in the woman's arms. They threw the body into a burning pile of others, black smoke rising into the sky.

 

Ichigo had to look away. `There's so much death here.' He thought, `How do they deal with it? Losing family and friends all in one night.' This village must be a regular target because of Inuyasha and Kagome's being there. A hand tapping his shoulder interrupted his thoughts. Ichigo turned and faced Chad.

 

“Um, we need help with this one house.” He said quietly.

 

“Sure, whatever.” Ichigo complied, following Chad through the village to one house in particular, which was reduced to nothing but a pile of wood. His eyes narrowed at the sight of blood staining the planks and splinters next to a little boy and girl who were also badly injured. They both wept and shook as Rukia and Orihime tried to console them so Rukia could heal their wounds.

 

“You must be tired.” Ichigo said, walking up to the two.

 

“Why?” Rukia asked, healing a cut on the little boy's cheek.

 

“You've been using your Kido a lot lately…maybe you should rest a bit.” Ichigo replied. “I mean, we don't want you passing out or anything.”

 

Rukia seemed to understand but still kept healing the children. “You've slept enough for the both of us.” She said. “Besides, I've been feeling stronger lately so I don't think I need to rest.”

 

“Whatever.” He said, putting his hands in his pockets, the trademark Ichigo move.

 

“You lazy soul reaper. Help with the house.” Uryu said as he passed Ichigo, carrying a pile of wooden boards.

 

“Shut up, nerdatron.”

 

Uryu only narrowed his eyes and said sourly, “At least, I'm actually pulling my weight. Your little catnap put more work on our shoulders. Maybe you should learn how to actually do something.”

 

“Geeky McGeekster.” Ichigo whispered under his breath before helping Chad put up a new wall for the house. He grunted as they tried nailing the walls but sadly it didn't hold. He looked around and noticed that the supplies for building sucked ass. This village must have been very poor; Ichigo wondered how they could survive. It was like roughing it all year long.

 

“He's AWAKE!” Kagome's voice rang as she ran over. “He's awake and he's trying to fight against Kaede's sutras!”

 

“Well don't just leave him alone like that! Point an arrow at his head or threaten him or something!” Rukia instantly abandoned her work and followed Kagome to Kaede's. Ichigo followed, really not wanting to work. He was sore all over and was glad there was an excuse to stop.

 

They rushed into the remains of the doorway to find the demon kid sitting in a corner, his hands tied back with sutras and his mouth covered with one too.

 

“If only I could use Sai.” Rukia muttered, looking down on the child.

 

“Well, what do we with him?” Ichigo asked.

 

“Kagome, child. You must help me with binding the young one. My powers are only strong enough to suppress him for so long.” Kaede said in concentration, her hands in a complicated position.

 

“Eeks! But I don' know how! I've never tried it before!” Kagome said.

 

“All I need is for you to lend me some of you spiritual powers.” The old woman replied, “All you need to do is follow my example.”

 

Kagome sat down next to Kaede, obviously frightened of the glares she was getting from Naraku's incarnation. She copied the sign though it took her a few moments and the sign was somewhat sloppy.

 

“Now concentrate all of your energy into the sutras binding him.” Kaede instructed. Once Kagome got the hang of it, all the demon child could manage was a bit of squirming and grunting. Ichigo still didn't like the kid's strange looks. Grey hair, yellow-orange eyes and clothes he also thought were a bit strange along with being covered in dried blood. The Sengoku Jidai was a cold and cruel place.

 

“W-what do I do now?” Kagome asked, panicking and shaking. “The kid gives me the creeps.”

 

“Calm yourself, Kagome. If your concentration breaks, he will be set free.” Kaede commanded, but Kagome faltered, her hands unfolded themselves and the demonic child seized the chance to break through the sutras.

 

Ichigo caught the fury in the boy's iris lacking eyes as he sped past them Rukia letting out a shout.

 

“I'll kill you ALL!” the boy yelled behind him as he jumped into the air, a dragonfly-like hollow catching him and flying high. “My name is Yugata Utsuro and do not forget it for I will be back! Stronger than ever!” the hollow disappeared as it sped away, taking the child with it.

 

“What an obnoxious little runt. He couldn't kill a worm with a shovel.” Ichigo remarked.

 

“You shouldn't underestimate the child.” Kaede said, “You barely escaped for your lives did you not?”

 

“That was because I was half starved and dying of tire.” Ichigo said crossing his arms.

 

“But his powers are strange. I still cannot believe one boy, looking barely eleven, being able to control the actions of hollows.” Rukia stated.

 

“Do you think he knows about us?” Ichigo asked.

 

“Yugata Utsuro will tell Naraku fast enough to keep himself alive.” Kaede uttered, “Naraku is always searching for information on his enemies.”

 

Rukia nodded, “This can't be good.”

 

“Wonderful, more people to worry about while I'm stuck with a bunch of medieval wackos.” Ichigo said angrily.

 

“Be grateful that we are alive. If not for Kagome's fluke we would've been dead.” Rukia replied, leaning back against the wall.

 

“Fluke?” Kagome growled.

 

“I saw that whelp escaping. Did you let him go?” Inuyasha growled as he bounded up, a look of pure anger in his face.

 

“It was not a fault of anyone.” Kaede said, hitting Inuyasha upside the head. “Do not try to upset young Kagome. She has enough trouble resting on her shoulders.”

 

“Kagome was the cause of this?!”

 

“OSUWARI!”

 

“I warned you.” Says Kaede as she chuckled to herself. At that moment Sango entered the hut, smiling.

 

“Ready to go to the Hot Springs, Kagome?” she asked.

 

Kagome brightened up, “Sure, you come too Rukia!”

 

“Oh, I guess.” Rukia got up and followed the two outside.

 

“Have a nice slumber party.” Ichigo said sourly.

 

Later, they all sat in Kaede's newly fixed house though still somewhat shaky from the untrained repairs. Ichigo had finally got a warm spot in the hut and Chad was stuck sitting by the door. “Do you deal with this often?” Ichigo asked, scratching his newly washed head.

 

“Aye, it is because of Inuyasha's enemies. Even when my sister was alive we were used to the presence of destruction. At young ages, the children have learned to deal with it on their own.” Kaede replied.

 

Orihime sniffled, “How sad.”

 

“Yet despite the dead souls that haunt this place, I doubt a Shinigami has ever been here.” Rukia said, crossing her arms and looked down at the fire, “Why is that?”

 

The old priestess answered, “I do not know. Ever since I could remember, the souls have resided here.”

 

“How strange.”

 

“What can stop the Shinigami from coming here?” Ichigo asked.

 

“An enchantment or spell to hide the dead souls. But it would have to be very strong.” Kaede remarked. “But who would want to keep a Shinigami out of this area?”

 

“Naraku.” Sango said.

 

“Why would he want that?” Inuyasha asked, glaring at the wall.

 

“To protect Kikyo of course.” Says Miroku.

 

“That seems unlikely, she would probably try to kill any Shinigami she encountered.” Uryu said.

 

“But she keeps herself alive by absorbing the souls of the dead,” Kagome responded, “She needs the dead that the Shinigami send to the Soul Society thing.”

 

“Then how is Ichigo able to sense them here?” Rukia questioned “If there was a spell his senses would be clouded.”

 

“What if the spell was broken to make way for Yugata Utsuro?” Kagome wondered aloud.

 

“Maybe. I mean, it is possible.” Sango said.

 

“What if Naraku created Yugata Utsuro to control Kikyo?” Chad asked.

 

“How is that even possible?”

 

“Easily.” Chad began, “If he could control hollows then he can control Kikyo right? She is a hollow after all.”

 

Inuyasha twitched, “That's not true.”

 

“Give it up already!” Ichigo exclaimed, “Kikyo is a hollow and there's nothing you can do about it!”

 

“But then, why bother attacking us?” Sango asked.

 

“Maybe to learn the extent of his powers.” Rukia replied. “Maybe, Naraku was testing him.”

 

 

>~>~>~>~>~~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~> ~>~>~>~>~>~>~>

 

Yoru Aruki rolled his shoulders, hearing a satisfying crack of his bones. He slung his glaive over his back and buckled his sword. He skillfully tied his hair back tightly, his bang revealing the black headband that bearing the word, `Seishin' in Hiragana lettering.

 

He jumped down from the tree, landing silently in the lush grass of the forest. Yoru was careful to stay in the shadows as he moved quickly in the direction of the village. Night was upon him and the sounds of crickets echoed in his ears. The moon was a pale white sliver, a crescent, standing out in the black sky. Clouds loomed low over head, warning of rain. The stars were bright though, shining through the heavy masses of cloud. He was somewhat comforted by the sight but turned his mind back to the objective.

 

The wind whispered to him, begging him to go faster as he sped through the forest. Yoru Aruki couldn't help but the feeling of dread rising in the back of his mind but immediately pushed it away. Right now he had to focus on the task at hand.

 

~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~> ~>~>~>~>~>~>~>

 

My name is Chinatsu Nayuki. I am the youngest daughter of the cat demon rebel, Sokona Nayuki. Yoru Aruki during an ambush attack killed her and burned down our village. I seek revenge. The blood that the monster has spilled is the only way he seeks pleasure. He must be destroyed tonight. For a year I have trained with the heads of my clan, perfecting my skills to assassinate the creature of Hell itself. I've waited so long for this moment…

 

Chinatsu sped through the night, barely containing her excitement. This was the night, the night she had been waiting for, the night she would get revenge. Her mother would be so proud. In her hand was a pike, a full seven feet from blade to end made from iron. It was about to be painted with Yoru Aruki's blood. The lord had slipped her information about where his whereabouts would be and even made up a target for him to attack. The lord's own fleet of highly trained soldiers was going to attack the bounty hunter when the right time had come. But by the time Chinatsu would be finished with him, Yoru Aruki would be dead. She caught first sight of the small village, smirking with anticipation.

 

~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~~>~> ;~>~>~>~>~>

 

Meanwhile, in Kaede's hollowed log of a home, everyone was eating stew forged from water and a skinny chicken and a few vegetables. Ichigo cringed at the food, eyeing it suspiciously while he stabbed at a shriveled lump of meat with his chopsticks. He reluctantly drank all of the “broth” and some of the veggies but left the meat alone, afraid to bite its bone hard surface. It seemed like he wasn't the only one hesitant to eat but Sango, Kagome, and Miroku ate it as if they were starving dogs.

 

`Where's the pizza and soda when you need it?' he thought and sighed, setting down his bowl in front of him. “I'm done.” He muttered.

 

“Already?” says Kaede.

 

Ichigo scowled down at the wooden bowl, “I'm a fast eater.” He muttered, “Where's Yuzu when you need her?” At home his sister did all of the cooking and most of the time it was good.

 

He glanced at Rukia who instead of getting one big lump, she had gotten several pinkish blobs that sunk to the bottom of her bowl. He cringed at the sight. Uryu didn't even take a bowl; he was too stuck up to eat the little bit of food they had. What an ass.

 

“AHH! IT'S—" the voice, whoever it belonged to was abruptly cut off.

 

“That doesn't sound good.” Chad remarked quietly, looking around the room.

 

Karin slammed her bowl on the floor, “How come we never will be able to rest?!”

 

“Because life sucks.” Inuyasha replied, downing the rest of his food in one huge gulp. “Let's check it out.” But by that time, everyone had gotten up and was leaving the hut. He jumped up, running after them. They walked down the small dirt road running along the middle of the village. A crowd stood around the doorway of one house in particular.

 

“Move aside! What is going on here?” Inuyasha demanded as he rudely pushed his way into the house. Ichigo peeked over the hanyou's shoulder, getting a glance of a headless corpse, covered in blood lying in the middle of the room. Looking away, Ichigo bent over, gagging at the sight. It was too much.

 

“EYAHH—” another voice in the distance was cut off.

 

Rukia shouted at the villagers, “Get into your houses! Don't stay in one place in the open!” All the villagers hurried back to their homes, some beginning to hammer boards onto their doorways. Ichigo popped a soul candy in his mouth and flew from his body.

 

“Kon, stay outta this fight. You might break my body in some unusual and terrible way.” Ichigo said to Kon whom nodded. “Take Karin with you, I feel like this is going to get serious.”

 

“WAH—” a child's voice cried this time and Ichigo jumped from its sudden ending. Fear crawled up his spine, he felt like he was going to fight an invisible enemy.

 

“Who ever is killing these people is killing them fast. That or we're surrounded.” Rukia informed the group. “You guys hide in this dead woman's house. Our enemy won't expect anyone to be there.” Kon, Karin and Chad nodded as they stepped into the home, careful of the blood spattered on the floor and walls.

 

“Now what do we do?” Ichigo asked, “Do we split up?”

 

“Of course not you imbecile.” Uryu responded, “They'll kill us off one by one if we fight that way.”

 

Orihime said, “This is just like a horror movie. It's giving me the creeps.”

 

Kagome nodded, “ I mean it is dark outside, anyone dressed in dark clothes can sneak around in the shadows with no one noticing and strike you down.”

 

“Stop, Kagome! You're scaring me!” Orihime squeaked, looking around frantically.

 

“Is there a pattern?” Sango asked, her hand tightly around the leather strap of Hiraikotsu. She looked down the road to the south, her body tense.

 

“Of course. Every time someone dies the screams sound closer.” Ichigo remarked.

 

“Wonderful.” Inuyasha snorted Tetsusaiga drawn and ready.

 

“We need to get out of the open.” Kagome suggested.

 

“But the longer we hide the more people will get killed.” Rukia replied.

 

“So what do we do?”

 

“Fight.”

 

Ichigo shivered, Goosebumps crawling in his skin as they stood in the silence of the night, waiting for the unseen predator to emerge from the shadows. “We need bait.” He said.

 

“Not Inuyasha. He looks too menacing.” Rukia said, her arms crossed in concentration. “Someone seemingly harmless.”

 

“W-what?!” Kagome stammered, “But.”

 

“You have to,” Ichigo countered, “I mean…” Uryu obviously wasn't paying attention too much. He was busy staring up at something. Maybe the moon, Ichigo didn't care.

 

“He's watching us.” Uryu remarked flatly.

 

“WHAT?” Kagome gasped.

 

Uryu pointed up to a figure clad in black standing on the roof of a house not far away from them. “He's right there.” It was a man, silhouetted against the bright moon, his white hair flowing slightly in the breeze. On his back was some sort of staff, but Ichigo couldn't see very well.

 

“Shit.” Ichigo muttered. The figure jumped into the air, disappearing for a few seconds. Ichigo gasped in awe, silence once again enveloping around them. Then, in a wisp of black a man landed in the middle of their group, swinging his leg and knocking Miroku and Sango back, their bodies skidding across the dirt and bumping heavily against a house. The man, grabbing Rukia by the neck and throwing her, her body colliding with Orihime, sending the two back in a heap.

 

Inuyasha seemed to have enough and jumped blindly at the assassin but getting a sword thrust into his side. Inuyasha's knees buckled and he stepped back, clutching his side in pain as the man slammed his foot into the hanyou's face. Ichigo was almost too stunned to move but he ducked as the man threw a dagger straight over his head. Kagome screamed, aiming an arrow at the man but he was too quick. He grabbed her bow, snapping it in half with one hand and throwing her at Ichigo whom dived out of the way.

 

Kagome tried to land on her feet but her ankle twisted the wrong way, making her trip and fall on the ground hard. “Ow!” she screamed and her eyes watered while she clutched her ankle in pain. Ichigo unsheathed Zanpaku-to and jumped, slashing down with the blade, however, the man sidestepped, his sword slicing against Ichigo's skin. Ichigo managed to step away, the sword only getting at his side's skin surface. He tried to ignore the pain he was feeling, he ground his teeth, seeing Miroku and Sango stand together behind the invader. He felt the blood trickling down his side and winced.

 

“HIRAIKOTSU!” Sango yelled, throwing her boomerang and it sped towards the man yet, he skillfully pulled his staff out, slicing the weapon in half. Now that he got a good look at it, Ichigo had never seen such a weapon, it resembled a two-bladed spear but the blades were curved, looking like thick crescents. The staff looked like it was made of marble, pure black, with green lines running around it like lightening.

 

Inuyasha growled, “Who the hell are you?”

 

“It will be no harm in telling you, since you will die very soon.” The man replied coldly, his unusual silver eyes gleaming with what Ichigo was excitement. “I am Yoru Aruki and I was sent to destroy this village.”

 

“So this man is an assassin.” Miroku said. “And a demon nonetheless.”

 

Yoru Aruki smirked, “I am the best in the business. By the morning or sooner, this village will be no more.”

 

“You sicko.” Ichigo muttered.

 

“Quite the contrary Shinigami. I am perfectly sane.”

 

Ichigo huffed, “I didn't say you were crazy, I said you are a sick monster, going around killing people for money.”

 

The demon's eyes narrowed considerably the irises turning into little slit, “You will regret insulting me, Shinigami.”

 

In the background the sounds of screaming people came from the villagers who were trying to escape.

 

“Who warned them…?” Yoru wondered aloud, a wide smirk appearing. “Makes everything more interesting.”

 

“You're EVIL!” Kagome yelled as she tried to stand but faltered.

 

“I'm a business man.” Was the response.

 

Uryu coming out of nowhere, a silver arrow pointing straight at Yoru's head, “Get out of here, or else I will resort to killing you.” Ichigo sweatdropped.

 

“How did he go unnoticed?”

 

“Simple, no one ever pays attention to him.” Kagome replied.

 

Yoru Aruki's eyes narrowed even more, “You think a simpleton like yourself can kill me?” He jumped and kicked Uryu in the face before the Quincy could think.

 

~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~> >~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>

 

Orihime and Rukia ran around the village, warning the people of the demon's intentions. Sadly they ran away screaming instead of being silent which would have been the better thing to do. Rukia heard a little girl ask her father, “Who is it daddy? Is it the Nightwalker?”

 

The man ignored his daughter's words and hurried with the rest of the villagers. Rukia pondered on what the child had said. Obviously this man was known far and wide by why? And how?

 

“I think that's the last of them.” Orihime said quietly, “We should go back and help the others.”

 

“No.” Rukia replied, “If we just run up to them that man's attention will be instantly directed towards us. He will probably be angry about us freeing the villagers.”

 

“Let's go anyways. We could probably sneak into the scene or something.” Orihime said.

 

Rukia nodded, “Alright but we must stay to the shadows.”

 

The two girls trudged quietly, heading back in the direction of the others. Rukia led with Orihime behind her.

 

“Don't breathe through your mouth. It makes noise.” Rukia whispered to Orihime who covered her mouth with a hand. They moved on, and Rukia caught sight of the battle seen. Basically, Inuyasha was being smacked around by the assassin. And so was everybody else. Pathetic.

 

~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~> ~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>>>

 

Inuyasha slashed down at the demon but Yoru Aruki flipped back, landing on Kaede's roof (they had repeatedly tried to attack him, but only drove him back to that point.) Little did Yoru Aruki know the house was still unstable from the construction earlier that day. The roof fell in, taking the assassin with it. They all reluctantly walked over to the scene. Rukia and Orihime helped Kagome up and they followed.

 

Inuyasha stepped into the hut for a moment before coming back out. “The fire's dead and no one is in there. The guy disappeared.”

 

Ichigo looked around himself, the assassin didn't seem to be anywhere. Maybe he was under the rubble. Some mighty killer.

 

“You think the Nightwalker can be defeated that easily?” an ignorant and confident voice mocked. They all looked up to the branch that hung low upon Kaede's home. “Think again.” He stood with the cauldron of boiling stew in his hand. Ichigo flinched thinking of the burns one would receive from it. Yoru Aruki threw the cauldron, and it hit Inuyasha swiftly, the stew pouring out all over the hanyou.

 

“Damn it! OW!” Inuyasha screamed. It seemed that the hot stew didn't mix well with the wound on his side. Yoru Aruki began to smirk but was knocked off the branch by a purple blur. Ichigo sweatdropped, the rising fear of the man deteriorated. Yoru Aruki flew from his standing point, him and the blur landing on the ground. It was a girl with super long…purple hair. Her eyes seemed crazed with anger as she held a pike to Yoru Aruki's throat.

 

Ichigo's jaw dropped. “What the hell…?”

 

She screamed, “ My name is Chinatsu Nayuki! You killed my mother! Prepare to die you sorry excuse for a demon!”

 

Yoru, snorted, easily throwing the girl off of him and pulling his glaive into hand. “Oh, you mean you're the daughter of that weak rebel? She was too easy to kill. Even though the sight of her blood on my blade was quite satisfying.”

 

“DIE!” she screamed again, swinging her pike, however, the assassin moved too quickly. He had her long hair in a hand and pulled her back.

 

“Are you sure, you are talking to me?” he asked coldly, “You're too unskilled to kill me.”

 

“Not true!” Chinatsu yelled, trying to squirm from his grasp. “I trained for a year!”

 

“I've trained, killed and hunted for two hundred.” Was the reply and Yoru Aruki threw her back, her flailing body hitting a tree. She charged at him again, but the demon only swerved to the right, kneeing her in the stomach, sending her flying. Chinatsu tried another attack, swinging her pike at a diagonal angle, but Yoru Aruki grabbed the staff of her weapon, yanking it from her grip and slamming the end into her stomach.

 

Chinatsu stumbled back, the wind seemed to be knocked out of her after a few breaths, and she ran at him again, able to grab her pike from his hands and slamming it into his side. Yoru Aruki was unaffected, from the hit and pulled the blade from his flesh, and flipped back, landing on his feet with ease. He seemed to be saying something under his breath, and a large ball of energy, red energy seeped through his palm and soared at the girl, hitting her body and exploding.

 

Ichigo and the others watched from the sidelines. “I bet fifty bucks on Yoru Aruki. That chick can't beat him.” He said randomly.

 

“I don't know,” Rukia said, “She seems to have a lot of passion and rage.”

 

Uryu shook his head; “She's only trained for a year. That's close to nothing.”

 

“But she's a demon!” Kagome butted in.

 

“So is he.”

 

“Then again, she's attacking blindly.” Rukia said wisely. They continued watching in silence, or in some of their cases, awe.

 

Yoru Aruki leapt into the air and Chinatsu looked around wildly. He appeared behind her, grabbing her hair again and in one smooth move of his bladed staff her hair came off, his blade coming close to her scalp. She fell over, flat on her face. Ichigo winced; thank God he didn't have long hair. Yoru Aruki held the bundle of hair tightly; fire seemed to spring from the surface of his skin, burning the strands of purple. He sprinkled the hair over her body, “There, what a pretty hair cut.” He said sarcastically.

 

Chinatsu jumped, flipping backwards, and sliding across the dirt. She brushed the ashes from her clothes, “You'll pay!” she screamed. But it was too late; his glaive was already soaring towards her like a dagger. The blade hit her right in the face, her body slowly falling to its knees and collapsing backwards on the ground.

 

“There that will shut you up.” He said and smirked. “You're just like your mother. An annoyance. Died like her too. So much for killing me.”

 

Ichigo sweatdropped, `He looks crazy talking to a corpse like that.' He thought.

 

“Perfect. She was serving as a distraction now he will unmistakably come after us.” Uryu stated aloud.

 

At that moment a fleet of soldiers burst through the woods. Ichigo stared, his eyes bulging from their sockets, this has to be a nightmare!! There was no way one man, even a demon couldn't kill all of them. The soldier who seemed to be the leader pointed at Yoru Aruki, yelling, “We, the most skillful of our lord's soldiers have come to destroy the Nightwalker! We have come in the name of our lord!”

 

~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~> ~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>

 

Yoru Aruki prepared himself as the army charged at him. In one, two, three, strokes of his glaive, thirty men were down, blood spurt from their bodies, splattering over his blade. He jumped, whispering a hex under his breath, his fire energy leaking from his palm and speeding at the warriors. It hit without a doubt, exploding and sending up the bodies of the soldiers caught in the explosion.

 

“You think you can defeat me?” he shouted, landing in a tree. “Well to the human, thinking is believing even when the pure truth is negative.” The soldiers didn't seem to notice the band of human behind them, the group just sort of sat there and watched. He threw his glaive like a boomerang, the staff spinning wildly as it hurled towards the soldiers, slicing them in half. Yoru jumped and ran to catch it.

 

He kicked away four soldiers and punched another in the face, his knuckled pushing in the skull. The man coughed up blood and died instantly. Yoru Aruki caught his glaive and watched the rest attempt to escape. He cut them off, and in one smooth motion slicing them in half. All of them except one who collapsed in fear.

 

“Don't kill me!” he begged, sobbing frantically.

 

“Then relay this message to your lord: I will come for him and his life will end by my hand. I've taken this personally. Now run before I decide to kill you.”

 

The soldier nodded, scrambling to his feet and stumbling off into the woods, blubbering like a woman. Yoru smirked, “Poor humans. They never learn.”

 

But then from behind someone smacked his back. Electricity being sent up his veins insanely. Yoru Aruki grunted before falling forward, unconscious.

 

~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~> ~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>

 

Orihime concentrated her spiritual energy into the sutra Kaede-san had placed onto Yoru Aruki's back. Even though she wasn't a priestess like Kagome, Kaede practically told everyone in the group to focus their minds on the charm. According to her, Yoru Aruki's soul was a strong one and Orihime agreed. Even all their powers combined could barely keep him still. Rukia tried to reason with him.

 

“Why do you insist on trying to kill us?” she asked. “We have done nothing to you. You won't be paid by that back-stabbing lord.”

 

“I have vowed that every being that has crossed my path dies if they have no use.” He replied coldly, still squirming.

 

“You must have had a very devastating life to make you so bitter.” Karin stated absently.

 

The demon sprang to life almost, jumping from his spot in the corner. “DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK OF SUCH A THING!”

 

Karin flinched. “Of what thing?”

 

“You know exactly.”

 

“No I don't! I'm just eleven!”

 

Ichigo sighed, “He means his sad and horrible life.”

 

“I think you two are making him mad.” Orihime said as she sat watching the assassin from her spot on the floor. Her hands were still in the position for the binding spell.

 

“Nah, ya think?” Inuyasha snorted.

 

“The dog general's son shouldn't speak out of place.” Yoru Aruki hissed under his breath.

 

“WHAT!?” Inuyasha yelled standing up and growling at their captive.

 

“What, after living two hundred and eleven years you think I wouldn't know about your father?” Yoru Aruki asked in a mocking tone.

 

“This is becoming somewhat of a personal fight.” Kagome said to herself as she watched the two argue back and forth.

 

“I think they are taking everything too personally.” Rukia stated.

 

“Osuwari!”

 

Inuyasha was pulled down, hitting the floor loudly. He squirmed for a second until the spell wore off and he jumped to his seat. Kaede sighed, “More damage to my already harmed home.”

 

“Instead of just leaving here how about we cut off his legs so he can't fight?” Inuyasha suggested after dusting himself off.

 

“No way that's so cruel!” Orihime protested.

 

“We wouldn't have gone with it anyway.” Ichigo said. “Only an idiot whose pride has been broken would ever think of that.”

 

“Shut up, baka.”

 

“Make me.”

 

“OSUWARI!”

 

“I suggest we tie him to a log and send him up the river.” Karin said.

 

“He would just break free and come after us.” Rukia said.

 

Then, Orihime had an ingenious idea; She turned to Yoru Aruki. “What do you wanna do?”

 

“Kill you all.”

 

“Thank you Orihime for that wonderful idea, it got us nowhere.” Uryu said sarcastically from his spot in the opposite corner from Yoru Aruki.

 

“You don't know how to be nice do you?” Karin asked flatly.

 

“I think not.” Ichigo said.

 

“Your ranting is giving me a headache.” Rukia said glancing at Ichigo and Uryu.

 

“Yes, my head is hurting from hearing their mouths run on and on.” Yoru Aruki agreed, “Let's shut them, shall we?” In a second his eyes turned to slits and Uryu and Ichigo collapsed unconscious.

 

Karin yelled, “You jerk!”

 

“Everyone! Your minds have relaxed on the sutra! Concentrate!” Kaede instructed and they all obeyed. Though it seemed, losing two people had lessened their strength. And then Chad joined in, and Yoru Aruki's body was bound tightly.

 

“Inuyasha! You help too!” Kagome ordered the hanyou to sit next to her and copy her movements. Yoru Aruki cried out in pain from what seemed the force of their spiritual powers. “I never knew you had it in ya!” Kagome complimented the hanyou.

 

“Keh.”

 

“Great what do we do now? I say we go with my idea.” Karin said.

 

Rukia smiled, “I have a wonderful idea. I can use my Kioku Chikan to erase his memory of us!”

 

“But he will remember his mission and come here anyway.” Orihime said.

 

“We erase his memory THEN send him up the river!” Karin suggested smirking. “Who votes with me?!”

 

“Nobody.” Says Sango.

 

“Ah, darn it.”

 

“Well what do we do?”

 

Orihime pondered for a moment until a daydream snagged her.

 

“FIRE IN THE HOLE!” a voice yelled as they ducked behind a mound of dirt. A huge explosion sent dirt and rocks up in the air. Everyone was clad in dark green camouflage army suits. Ichigo had a round old- fashioned helmet resting on his head and Rukia's hair was in a messy bun. Rukia held a 12 gage and Ichigo bit the pin off a grenade and threw it, an explosion heard in the background. All of their faces were dirty and bruised.

 

Karin was operating a machine gun, “LET'S SEND `EM UP THE RIVER!” the little girl screamed, and hundreds of bullets flew in the air, pounding in Orihime's ears. The target: Yoru Aruki standing atop a tank with a red flag.

 

“COMMUNISTS SHALL PREVAIL!” He yelled in a rough and hoarse voice. He was wearing a bandana on his arm and a rebel hat with a shotgun at his side. The tank fired, and she and her friends ducked for their lives.

 

Until Sango and Kagome came flying over in a jet. They bombed the tank, the explosion too much for human ears. Inuyasha and his team of dogs along with Uryu and his S.W.A.T. team of Quincies came and arrested Yoru Aruki. He flailed but they handcuffed his wrists and threw him harshly into the back of an army jeep.

 

Orihime blinked away the dream and came back to reality. Yoru Aruki was staring at her, as if shocked beyond belief.

 

She blinked again. “What?”

 

“You are one demented girl.” Was the answer.

 

“Why do you say that?” she was kind of confused.

 

“Your little daydream was somewhat disturbing….”

 

“Wow, how'd you know that? Did you read my mind?”

 

“No kidding.” Kagome said sighing. Ichigo finally blinked and sat up, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes.

 

“What the hell happened?”

 

“I think Yoru Aruki tampered with your nervous system with his own mind.” Rukia answered, “Causing you to fall unconscious.”

 

Yoru Aruki smirked, “Sure did.”

 

“Why can't you just leave us alone?” Kagome yelled.

 

“That way no one can get hurt.” Rukia said agreeing.

 

“You're holding me captive.”

 

Sango smirks evilly. “I have an idea.”

 

End Chapter

 

A/n: We hope you liked this extra long chapter we did it for you. Thanks you guys for the new reviews, we hope you like Yoru because in the next chapter you'll find out a lot about him!