InuYasha Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Not Your Normal 9 to 5 ❯ Race Against Time ( Chapter 11 )

Well everyone we're winding down. I've been waiting along time to get to this point. I hope you have enjoyed it so far. I will hopefully have the next chapter up soon and then one or maybe two after that and that should it. I'm going to finish it hehe. Reviews are always welcome and enjoy the chapter

 

 

 

Chapter 11: Race Against Time

 

The wind blew through the small grassy valley, rustling the leaves of the trees that bordered it on one side, while moving some of the lighter rocks and kicking up a little dust from the small range of cliffs that bordered on the other. The grass bent slighting under the wind returning to stand up straight and proud. The valley was quiet and almost peaceful. The only sound that could be heard was a low growl emanating from the back of Inuyasha's throat. The growl had started when he and his companions had first caught site of the individuals standing atop one of the cliffs. It had not ceased since and continued to grow in volume until it could be heard reverberating throughout the grass plain. It finally stopped when Inuyasha felt that the growl wasn't enough.

 

"Naraku!," he called out to his enemy, anger lacing through the word making it sound like a curse, "Finally decided to face me eh? Good, when I get done with your new help, I'll be right up to rip off your head and feed it to your detachments!" He ended the threat by pointing the Teutsuiga at Naraku.

 

The reply came in a mockingly sincere voice.

 

"Inuyasha, what makes you think you'll be getting past Kalin in the first place. As I told you before, you're here to finally complete your life's goal. You're here to die." Naraku started laughing when he was done, bringing smiles to Hakadoshi and Kagura's faces. The other two companions, Kohaku and Kanna remained impassive.

 

The remark didn't do anything to lighten Inuyasha's mood. He slid his eyes from the still chuckling Naraku to his first opponent. Kalin still stood about a hundred paces from them, arms hanging loosely at his side. The wind ruffled the pants he wore which were loose and provided free movement. He wore his simple black vest, providing his arms with a free range of motion and no hindrance. His eyes bored into Inuyasha's, silently communicating that this would indeed be their last confrontation. Inuyasha smirked to himself. To bad it was going to be Kalin's last fight. He had a promise to keep to Naraku and he intended to make good on it. He turned his head slightly to speak to those that stood behind him.

 

"Kagome, you stay back here, keep an eye on our friends on the cliff and warn us if they make a move. Keep an arrow ready and shoot if you have a clear shot, otherwise stay out of it." Kagome nodded her head in agreement to her orders. Inuyasha briefly glanced at his other two friends. "We do it just like we did last time, take turns, back each other up and keep him off his guard."

 

Sango and Miroku both nodded and readied the weapons that they carried. As one, the three friends started forward to meet the upcoming fight head on.

 

Kalin smiled as he saw them approach. "Let's finish this fight the only way it could finish. With you three dead at my feet." A purplish black aura formed around Kalin, a visual representation of the power he now had at his command. He then let out a yell and charged forward to meet his attackers.

 

0-0-0-0

 

"Master Korin, let me introduce you to my friend Shippo. Shippo, this is Master Korin, keeper of this tower, and also keeper of the Senzu beans." Lennex said with a flourish. Shippo waved his hand at the white cat in greeting. Korin however remained still, one hand stroking his chin. His eyes locked with Shippo's for a few moments and then locked onto Lennex's. They didn't remain there long before he spoke.

 

"Well gentlemen, it looks like I am not the only one here who can read minds. I find that interesting."

 

Shippo's eyes widened in surprise and he spoke. "You can read thoughts? Is that a demon power or something?"

 

Lennex chuckled and the Korin regarded him for a moment before turning back to answer the young demons question. "I'm not a demon, and the power to read minds comes with years of training and wisdom. It's also the perks of becoming a deity, not quite a god but a protector of these lands."

 

Shippo nodded his head in understanding and then scrunched up his face in confusion. "Who else can read minds then?" he asked.

 

This time Korin directed his gaze to Lennex and held it there. "Your friend obviously can. He speaks about me with familiarity when I have never met him before. Not once. He also seems to know how to keep his thoughts a secret from me. Very peculiar and not very trustworthy."

 

"Lennex's smile dipped a little but retorted. "Ah but trying to pry into someone's thoughts could be seen and untrustworthy couldn't it?"

 

"Not when I'm trying to see if you're a threat or a friend. The boys mind is open and from what I have gathered from him, you've told him quite a story, and now your here to get the Senzu beans. It doesn't appear your hurt very badly. Why should I give you the beans? Especially when I have no way to verify that you are who you say you are"

 

This time the smile left Lennex's face altogether. This was going to be harder then he though. Bulma told him not to mess up the timeline, and he had so far done a good job of keeping to that request. But how much damage would it be to let Korin know the future. Someone who was going to live the next five hundred years and have knowledge of things to come. He had thought about this and came up that it wouldn't be a good idea. No matter how trustworthy Korin was, knowing the future would be bad.

 

"I have my reasons, Master, but as you have seen in the boys thoughts, we have friends who are in trouble. The life or death kind. If I can't restore myself fully, there's a good chance this young demon is going to loose his second family."

 

Korin looked upon Shippo again and spoke without looking away. "If you are from the future, like you have told this kid, what makes you think he isn't supposed to loose his friends to this fate?"

 

The statement shook Shippo to his core. Were his friends supposed to die? Was he destined to live on alone in the world? Lennex summed up his thoughts and spoke them.

 

"I refuse to believe that. They are good people who have been fighting evil for quite a while now. I refuse to think the Kai's would damn them to a death before they were able to complete their mission!"

 

"Death isn't picky on who it takes, whether it's good or bad people. When it's their time, they die."

 

Lennex was speechless for a moment. Five hundred years can change someone. Apparently Korin was a bit frosty in the past. This time Shippo joined the fight.

 

"Listen, Lennex told me that we could help my friends if we found you. We have, all we want is a little help so I can save my friends, no my family. Please help us."

 

"Believe me kid, if it was just you, I'd be really tempted to help. But this guy gives me pause for concern. I don't like people hiding their thoughts from me. It makes me think they have something to hide."

 

"I do have something to hide, the future. I'm not going to be the one responsible for screwing up my time. Things will happen naturally like you said. But I have to help these people. They could be in for a long and hard fight really soon against an enemy they aren't familiar with but I am. I want to help them." Lennex tried again.

 

"Hmmp, what do you mean could be?" Korin asked. The cat walked up to the railing and looked out across the land. "The fight you're talking about has already started. Or was all the training you were giving this kid just a lot of talk on your part?"

 

Both Shippo and Lennex started. Shippo ran to stand by Korin looking out but Lennex stayed in the center of the room closing his eyes and reaching out with his senses. He picked up a lot of demon energies scattered throughout the land. A few stronger then normal humans and...

 

His eyes shot open and he heard Shippo inhale sharply. They had both felt high demon energy in one area, not to far from where they stood. The recognized Naraku's demon signature along with duplicates of his signature. They felt Inuyasha's demon energy peaking, meaning he was in or preparing for a fight. And then there as a normal Ki signature that Lennex was familiar with. It was a lot bigger then it was the last time he had felt it. Kalin had improved his power, or he was using more of those shards. Either way, his new friends were in trouble.

 

0-0-0-0-0

 

"Windscar!" Inuyasha shouted as he swung the Tetsusaiga downward in the apex of his jump. The energy tendrils flashed from his sword and quickly shot to were Kalin was. When it impacted A cloud of dust and dirt erupted around Kalin, making him invisible. Inuyasha landed but kept his sword at the ready. When the battle had started, Kalin had charged to meet them in the first melee. Only when he was close to them he all but disappeared from view. It brought the three Heros up short, and the hesitation was their first downfall. Kalin had appeared behind them, kicking out at Inuyasha's back, sending the half demon crashing forward into the ground.

 

Miroku swung his staff at the threat now behind them. The staff stopped moving as Kalin reached out and caught it mid swing. Miroku tried to wrench it from Kalin's grasp. He didn't budge at all. He did yank the staff forward and gave Miroku a hard uppercut when he stumbled forward due to the pull on his weapon. The monk was thrown back and landed in a heap. Kalin turn just in time to receive the business end of Hiraikotsu to his stomach. Sango had a look of satisfaction on her face as she connected with Kalin, swinging her weapon like a club. The satisfaction disappeared to shock and disbelief as Kalin calmly smiled at her after being hit. He backhanded her and sent her rolling away, the giant bone boomerang falling to his feet. He kicked the weapon out of his way in disgust. That's when he heard the half demons attack, he turned and looked up and braced himself. The attack hit and sent up walls of dirt and vegetation all around him.

 

Inuyasha glanced quickly at his friends. Kagome was still back behind them in a defensive posture, arrow knocked but not aimed. Sango was just sitting up and rubbing her jaw, while he saw Miroku roll over to his stomach and push himself up, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs. He looked back to the site were the Windscar had blown a crater into the earth. He should have been smelling blood and charred flesh by now, but he still could only smell the bastard's normal scent. And when the haze had cleared, he saw him, without a scratch.

 

Kalin grinned ear to ear and spoke. "Amazing what a couple more shards will do for a person."

 

Inuyasha rushed forward, pushing his speed as fast as he could go and swung the mighty fang in a downward stroke. Kalin however was faster and seemed to blur to the side, missing the attack. Inuyasha tried to swing again but his attack met with empty air, and Kalin smiling at him from a different location. It was enough to piss the half demon off into growling.

 

Then Sango was on the attack, throwing the Hiraikotsu directly at Kalin. The boomerang spun straight at him with Sango running behind the weapon in its wake, unsheathing her katana. Inuyasha saw Miroku, now back on his feet flanking Kalin and getting ready to rush his blind spot now that he was focused on Sango. This left an air attack open for Inuyasha. The half demon took to the air once again and came down right above Kalin. He grinned to himself, Kalin may be fast, but he'd not get out of a three pronged attack without a scratch. Or so he thought.

 

Kagome watched from her position and cringed. In what seemed like a blink of an eye Kalin had reached out and caught the Hiraikotsu, stopping it dead in its tracks before flinging it upwards so quick, that Inuyasha didn't have time to register the movement before he was being carried up and away from Kalin, the pain blossoming into his side as the weapon crashed into him and sent him away. Sango narrowed her eyes and prepared to cut Kalin down with her sword. She went in low for an upward slash. The blade swung upwards and was stopped as Kalin quickly kicked the weapon off course. As soon as he did that he spun to his left. The kick sent Sango's attack wide and unbalanced her, and with Kalin moving out of the way, her and her sword were heading straight for Miroku.

 

Miroku saw this and used his staff to direct the point of the sword away from his abdomen and then releasing his staff with one hand, caught Sango and steadied her with the other. They turned back to the enemy and found him almost in their faces. He struck out with a left fist, catching Miroku on the jaw, while kneeing Sango in the stomach. Both fighters falling to the powerful blows. Kalin laughed as he turned back to Inuyasha. The half demon had just gotten up from the hard landing and was approaching cautiously. He would play with them a while longer before ending their lives. This was almost too much fun. Kalin laughed again as he sped towards Inuyasha, bringing the fight to him.

 

0-0-0-0

 

"Hmm that man seems to be putting your friends through the paces doesn't he?" Korin spoke. They had crowded around what appeared to be a basin of water in one of the smaller rooms connected to the main area. Upon the waters surface Korin had been able to conjure the image of the small valley that was just to the east of them The distance, Lennex figured, couldn't have been more then forty miles. They watched as Kalin laid out Sango and Miroku and then go after Inuyasha again.

 

"This is why I have to have that bean Korin. This guy may be too much for them." Lennex bit out a little angrier then he had intended.

 

Korin, however, didn't seem to mind. In fact he maintained the calm exterior the entire time they had been there. "You don't think much of your new friends' skills is that it?" he asked the Sayjin.

 

"It's not that at all. But with the jewel shards augmenting his p owner, he is stronger then all of them combine. If he had a few less shards then ya they wouldn't have a problem. I need to help them. Please, just one bean. If not for me, do it for the kid." Lennex said pointing towards Shippo, whose eyes were glued to the basin.

 

"I hate to say it, but I still don't trust you. You could be an enemy posing for a friend for all I know." Korin replied, also watching the young demon.

 

"Then put me through your tests. The ones you have for claiming a Senzu bean or your training."

 

Korin took his eyes off the fox to look at the man. "Again you speak of things that I have only thought about but have never done. Either you're from the future like you saying or you really can see into my mind. There are no tests as you say, but I did think about putting a system like that in effect, but not for another few hundred years, when man is ready to make that leap into its training."

 

Lennex tried to contain his frustration as best he could. The agitation wasn't helping the situation, or the wound on his side. He checked it again to find that blood was still oozing out around the bandages. Thankfully he hadn't bleed all over the tower. "Normally id agree with your assessment of the human race, but look at this guy, he's light-years ahead of were he should be and it's all because of Naraku's interference. So let me interfere and even the odds."

 

"Or you could tip the scales totally in this Naraku's favor because you could be working for him."

 

Lennex wanted to smash his head into the side of the stone tower. This was looping back to the whole cant read your mind problem. He tried to think of another argument when he heard Shippo cry out Kagome's name. Lennex went to the basin and watched events unfold. He looked up at Shippo who looked like he wanted to leave. He couldn't blame the kit that. He had done his part by getting him here. Now maybe he could help the rest with what he had taught him.

 

"Go help them Shippo. I'll be along when I can." Lennex said. Shippo didn't need to be told twice and he ran out of the small room and jumped over the railing falling towards the ground, transforming into his seagull form.

 

"Brave kid." Korin said as he too took up vigil of the basin.

 

If the situation wasn't so serious, Lennex entertained the notion of jumping off after Shippo, without his powers.

 

0-0-0-0

 

Inuyasha was moving in for an attack when Kalin seemed to blink from where he was standing to right in front of the half demon. Inuyasha backpedaled, cursing as he went and struck out with his claws instead of his sword. They connected but didn't draw blood, a first for Inuyasha. He tried getting his sword around for another attack but Kalin had other Ideas. He reached forward and grabbed Inuyasha by his neck hoisting him up, while grabbing his sword arm with his other hand. Inuyasha tried lashing out with his legs in hope that he would be dropped. Kalin's grip however remained firm. The half demon continued to struggle until he noticed the spots that were starting to appear before his eyes. The bastard was cutting off his air. Kalin grinned up at Inuyasha, squeezing more around his neck. He watched as the half demon dropped his sword due to lack of air.

 

"MOVE!" The voice echoed inside of Kalin's head and he knew to obey it immediately. He dropped Inuyasha and quickly shot to the left, making it look as if he blurred from existence. Inuyasha dropped to the ground going flat and taking a deep breath. He was thankful he didn't land on his feet when he saw an arrow, enveloped in a pinkish light fly by. He tried sitting up to look at its source.

 

Kagome already had another arrow readied and aimed at Kalin as he gazed back at her. The voice in his head urging him to go to the girl now. That she held a secret from him. He noticed the three fighters that he had put down already starting to regain their feet. He would deal with this girl quickly and then have some more fun.

 

Kagome's eyes widened when Kalin was beside her now. He grabbed he wrist, causing the bow to fall from her grasp and pulled her to him. His other hand tracing the hem of her shirt before slipping up underneath it. Kagome didn't think her eyes could get any wider, she was wrong.

 

Inuyasha saw this and was instantly on his feet, adrenalin doing wonders for him. "Kagome!" he cried out running towards the girl and he attack, hell bent on ripping him to shreds for this offense. He could see his hand under Kagome's shirt and he could see the hand moving around. Through his rage at this act a small p art of his brain fed him some information. The movements didn't appear to be in a sexual sense. It was almost as if they were searching for something.

 

Kalin grinned as his hand came in contact with the hard object just above the girls breasts. He quickly yanked and felt the strap give way. He turned toward the incoming Inuyasha and casually threw Kagome at him. Inuyasha caught her and came to a stop, still seething with anger. He then noticed Kalin smiling at an object in his hand, his brain finally putting together what it was he was doing to Kagome.

 

Kalin stared at the pouch he had in his hand. Feeling all the shards inside it. This would almost double his collection. The voice in his head told him she was carrying something under her shirt and it had been correct. He placed the pouch in with his own jewel collection. The voice told him one more thing. That playtime was over. That it was time to rid himself of these pests. His aura flared up around him as he rose from the ground. He looked down at his opponents. Raising his arms. Globes of energy appeared before his outstretched hands.

 

Inuyasha saw the energy appear and cursed silently to himself. He started running, Kagome in his arms as the first blast left Kalin and hit the ground just behind him. Sango and Miroku split off into two as they saw their own blast coming their way. Kalin kept firing at them. The blasts would injure, but not powerful enough to kill really. He was still having some fun with them. Watching them run and scatter to avoid being hit.

 

Inuyasha quickly made his way over to where he had dropped the Tetsusaiga and picked it back up. He then dodged another blast and ran towards the tree line. He set Kagome down and told her to stay back. Kalin wouldn't fire at her hopefully if she wasn't out in the open. Kagome nodded and Inuyasha jumped away from raising his sword and letting loose a Windscar. The energy collided with an orb of Ki energy and the two canceled each other out. Kalin raised his eyebrow in acknowledgment before firing a blast with more power behind it. Inuyasha tried the same tactic but this time the blast tore through the Windscar. He had just enough time to leap away without being incinerated. The blast however when it impacted sent a shockwave out that twisted him in the air. Inuyasha landed hard on the ground.

 

Kalin then turned his attention towards the other two. The girl was making her way back to her weapon while the monk was running to get under him. Stupid. He charged another blast and fired. Miroku looked up at the incoming energy and quickly grabbed the prayer beads on his right hand, ripping them off and freeing his wind tunnel. There were no Saimyoushou around. Naraku must be slipping. The orb of energy accelerated even faster as the void pulled it in. The tunnel of air even started to pull Kalin down a little bit. He had to exert some power to keep afloat. Then the energy blast hit the void and disappeared.

 

Miroku knew now that Naraku was not slipping. He didn't need his poison insects around to neutralize the wind tunnel. The minute that the blast passed through his hand, the high concentration of energy was like a mini sun. And the heat was almost comparable. His flesh blistered and peeled when the energy was sucked in. The only saving grace was that it went in quick. But the burns hurt none the less. He quickly wrapped the beads around his hand sealing the curse once more, then cradled his hand against his body and willed the pain to go away as she dropped to his knees in momentary anguish.

 

0-0-0-0-0

 

Lennex watched Miroku sink to the ground, his face a grimace of pain. He looked over at Korin and spoke. "You still think these people are 'destined' to die?" he bit out. Korin stood unfazed by the taunt and returned with "Do you still plan on hiding your intentions from me."

 

Lennex turned back to watch, a war raging inside him. The cat was defiantly not trustworthy back in this time and he was stuck on Lennex not allowing him to enter his mind and read his thoughts. He didn't want to pollute the time line and cause changes to it. But he didn't want his friends to die. He had only known them a short time but he just had a feeling about them. They were defenders of this time's Earth, the same as he and his group were defenders in the future. He watched as a beam of light different from the energy orbs flashed from Kalin's hand. It sliced into Sango's calf, dropping the girl onto the ground. She tried to pick herself back up using only one leg, favoring the other. Kalin raised another orb and was getting ready to throw it at her. Both of them knowing she had no way of avoiding it this time, and her friends were to sp aced out to help her. She didn't turn away from Kalin however, and continued to stare at him defiantly, facing death like a true warrior.

 

Lennex was about to see one of his new friends die. He refused to let that happen.

 

"Don't say I didn't warn you." he muttered as he let down the guards in his mind. Opening up his thoughts to Korin.

 

0-0-0-0-0

 

Sango knew this was the end. But she refused to give Naraku the benefit of watching her die weak. The orb left Kalin's hand and she watched it speed closer to her. This was it. A weight hit the back of her legs, causing her to fall backwards, her hands flailed out automatically to grab for anything to slow her fall. They came in contact with fur. The blast impacted the ground blowing another hole into it, but Sango was no longer there. Kalin sneered as he observed the exterminator floating in the air atop her pet.

 

Sango, realizing what had happened, gave Kirara a squeeze in thanks and then sited in her enemy again. Kirara doing the same. The fire cat was not happy that her master was almost killed. They saw Inuyasha running along the ground, his sword taking on a silvery sheen to it. Using signals from years of practice Sango silently guided Kirara to drop out of the sky and head off to Miroku just as Inuyasha swung his sword.

 

"Adamant Barrage!" He called out as he swung. Thousands of Diamond shards flying from his sword towards Kalin. For the first time in this confrontation, Kalin's face registered shock. This attack was new to him. He raised an energy shield, but the projectiles hammered against it, some making their way through. He was able to maneuver to keep from getting hit by all but one of the shards. It cut a grove just under his left eye. Kalin brought his hand to his face and wiped the blood away. He stared at it for a moment before forming another energy ball, vaporizing the blood on his hand. This one was much bigger then the last ones. Almost the size of a child and twice as round. He then threw it at the half demon who had managed to draw his blood once again.

 

0-0-0-0

 

Lennex saw Kirara save Sango in the water basin, but it was already too late. His shields were down and Korin had taken his fill. Lennex wouldn't have changed his decision however. Enough was enough; he had to help here and now, even if it was his past. The cat deity looked a little shaken up. Lennex had not lived through all five hundred years that separated their respective times, but he knew a lot of the major events in history. Including the stories of Goku and the enemies he would face to protect Earth. It must have been a lot to take in. But it got the result he was hoping for.

 

"It's good to see I haven't started graying, five hundred years in the future." he said weakly, a lame attempt at humor to cover his discomfort at all the new knowledge he had received.

 

"I know it's a lot to take in Master Korin, but I really need one of those Senzu beans."

 

Korin looked up at Lennex and nodded lifted his hand. In it were two green beans. "Take two, you may need them. I'm sorry I didn't take you seriously."

Lennex took the beans, pocketing one and quickly eating the other. "Don't worry Korin, everyone is still alive, so it's not too late. He felt the beans restorative effects hit him almost immediately. He tried raising his power level and this time there was no wave of weakness. Not at first. There was still something there that wasn't right. Something that felt as if his powers were being drained. But a lot more slowly. The difference this time was; he could use his power fully now. He waved at Korin before taking the same path Shippo had and dove over the side of the tower going into freefall, pressing a few buttons on his watch. Korin walked up to the rail in time to see Lennex's body falling straight down and then suddenly it was wrapped in a white nimbus of energy as he blasted off towards the horizon, an contrail of energy in his wake.

 

"Good Luck." The cat said before turning around

 

0-0-0-0-0

 

 

The energy blast hurtled towards Inuyasha, but the half demon didn't budge. He was sick of running. He readied his Tetsusaiga and tried to see where the energies collided. He almost didn't make it, since the energy was different from demons energy. But at the last moment he saw the scar and swung his sword at it.

 

“Backlash Wave!” He cried out. The results were spectacular. The normal backlash wave reversed the energy in a reverse direction, causing multiple tornadoes of energy to spread out towards the attacks origin. This time however there were no tornadoes of energy. But a giant explosion. Energy beams flew out of the collision striking everywere.

 

Kalin had to erect and energy shield to block the beams that came back towards him. Inuyasha ducked and dodged the best he could while Kirara took Sango and the newly picked up Miroku and flew as fast as she could to get them out of danger.

 

This upset Kalin all the more and he started throwing beams left and right at the ground towards Inuyasha and in the air at his aerial opponents. It took everything they had to keep from getting hit.

 

Kagome watched this from the tree line, worried about her friends out there risking their lives. She hated cowering like a frightened girl. She looked around at the cliff face and saw that everyone up there had their eyes on the chaos. And then she saw her bow. It was were she had dropped it still and out of the combat area. She sprinted towards it, keeping an eye on everything so as not to get caught. She reached it in moments and took it up, knocked an arrow and aimed. She let it fly and the pink aura of her purification powers enveloped the arrow. It would have hit Kalin in the back if he hadn't of turned to fire another blast at Inuyasha. He quickly veered away and the arrow flew harmlessly past him. He turned to stare at the girl and Kagome knew she was in trouble.

 

Inuyasha saw what had Kalin's attention and it felt as if his heart had fallen to his stomach. “Kagome, run!” he cried as he started for her. Miroku, Sango and Kirara also headed toward their friend from the future as quick as they could.

 

Kalin however made up his mind about her. She had to die. He threw his hands up and an energy ball formed above his head. It was twice the size of a normal beach ball and then threw it without hesitation. Kagome saw it coming and if the fear hadn't have frozen her in place; she knew that running would have done any good. She saw her friends trying to get to her, but knew they were not going to be able to reach her. The globe of energy raced towards her.

 

She closed her eyes and waited for what was to come, listening to Inuyasha's panicked cry.

 

“KAGOME!!”