InuYasha Fan Fiction / Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ In Pursuit of the Green Dragon ❯ An Unwelcome Visitor ( Chapter 28 )

Musashi's Domain, 16th-century Japan

When Inuyasha awoke the next morning, he knew instantly that his youki had fully renewed itself. The power that thrummed through him as he opened his eyes had never felt so sweet, not even on any of the dawns after his human night.

He leapt to his feet and stretched, feeling his joints pop and a long-unaccustomed surge of well-being in every muscle. His newly-returned claws gleamed in the half-light of dawn.

I'm finally whole again, he thought bitterly, only it's a day too late to save Kagome.

Why, why hadn't his body healed itself in time to protect her?

He stomped away from the camp, suddenly unable to bear the sight of Edward and Alphonse. If it hadn't been for them, he wouldn't have been stripped of his powers at the worst possible time.

When Inuyasha had gone far enough away so that he wouldn't accidentally injure any of his companions, he stopped and cracked his knuckles.

"Sankon tessou!" he yelled, and felt his youki obediently surge through his fingertips as he swiped at the nearest tree.

It went down in a shower of pine needles and splintered wood, the air filled with the sharp fragrance of fresh sap.

That fucking dragon wiped the floor with me, like I was some wimpy human!

Inuyasha took aim at the next tree. It exploded into leaves and shreds of bark, and the powerful aromatic scent of cedar clogged his nose, making him sneeze explosively.

Even the oh-so-powerful sorcerer Alphonse hadn't been able to fight against Envy. The dragon had taken him out almost immediately.

Crash! The second tree, this one a maple, toppled over, taking a couple of saplings with it.

Kagome had had to protect Alphonse's sorry ass, Inuyasha remembered. If she hadn't done that, then maybe the dragon wouldn't have--

Fuck! Fuck! FUCK! Inuyasha continued to strike and lunge wildly for a while, taking down tree after tree, letting his anger run its course.

Somewhere along the line, he became aware that Edward and Alphonse had crept up on him, and were watching him.

Ha! As if they thought they could sneak up on him, reeking as they were of steel and oil, stale campfire smoke, and the harsh, unnatural scent of the dyes used on their clothing.

But they were far enough away that he wasn't accidentally going to hurt them, so he decided to pretend he hadn't noticed them.

Time to show them that he was just as powerful as they were, but in his own way.

He destroyed one last pine with grim satisfaction, making sure that it splintered spectacularly, then drew Tetsusaiga. To his relief, the sword transformed immediately.

With an effortless leap, he sprang over to where Edward and Alphonse crouched behind a small outcropping of lichen-covered boulders.

They both had the grace to look startled and guilty as he glared down at them.

"Seen enough?" said Inuyasha, hefting Tetsusaiga triumphantly. "I'm gonna kick that dragon's ass and bring back Kagome."

ooOoo

To Inuyasha's intense frustration, things weren't quite that simple.

When he returned to their campsite, followed at a discreet distance by the sorcerer brothers, he found his desire to race ahead limited by the abilities of his companions.

Miroku and Sango could keep up with him if they rode on Kirara, as usual (the fire-cat having recovered from her wounds overnight), but it was clear that Edward, Alphonse, and Souta were going to slow everyone down.

"Then we're just gonna have to leave 'em behind," Inuyasha declared, his gaze resting on Alphonse, who had just staggered in on his brother's heels.

Just the short walk back to camp had left the tall young man obviously dizzy and sweating. Edward might have healed his brother's wounds, but Alphonse had lost a lot of blood the day before, and a single night's sleep wouldn't have been sufficient to heal a mere human.

"No way," countered Edward, putting hands on hips, and scowling belligerently. "That dragon is our ticket home. We're all going together."

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha sneered. "And how do you plan to stop me?"

Edward smirked. "I could transmute something small, using your youki. Just enough to slow you down a bit." He raised his hands, and mimed bringing them together in a clap. "Don't need a transmutation circle for that!"

That bastard wouldn't dare! Trying to deny the thrill of fear that ran through him, Inuyasha stepped forward. "You even try, and I'll rip your--"

"Inuyasha." Miroku interrupted, stepping between the two of them. He spread his hands. "Edward-sama. Before either of you act hastily, you might want to hear what the villagers told Sango and me."

That got Inuyasha's attention.

Without a reliable scent trail to follow, he didn't have a chance in hell of finding Kagome and the dragon, unless someone had seen them, or knew where the dragon had his lair. So the monk and Sango had left camp just after dawn to visit a nearby village, hoping to gain some information.

"It's about the new daimyo of Kasama Castle," Sango said. "Most of the human servants fled months ago, and some of them were from this village. They told us that the castle's new lord is a shape-changer. Sometimes he's human, a foreigner, and sometimes…

"--he's a fucking dragon," Inuyasha finished, triumphantly. "Well, what the hell are we waiting for?" He turned to go, tensing his muscles in preparation for his first great leap ahead. If he hurried, he could be at the castle gates by sunset.

"We also heard that he's gathered a host of youkai as his retainers and guards," Miroku added.

Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga, letting the sword's transformation speak for itself. "I'll blow them all away with Kaze no Kizu."

Miroku put a restraining hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "And what of Kagome-sama? If she's a prisoner in the castle, do you really want to bring the walls down around her ears? The same goes for those humans left in the castle."

"Fuck," muttered Inuyasha, his mind leaping ahead to the next possibility.

If Kagome was really being held prisoner amongst a horde of youkai, they would be out for blood, especially if that blood belonged to a powerful miko who had purified plenty of their number.

Sango nodded. "We can't simply destroy the castle, so we will have to defeat the youkai individually, I think. And for that, all of us will need to fight."

Her gaze swept the group, and Inuyasha saw Souta shrink back a little, then square his shoulders and stand straight with an air of determination.

"Yeah, but we still need to get there as soon as possible. I ain't leaving Kagome as youkai-bait any longer than I have to," Inuyasha said grimly, trying not to picture the girl in a dungeon somewhere, surrounded by slavering enemies.

She isn't dead, he told himself, his chest giving a painful twinge. She can't be! The dragon wouldn't have bothered to take her if all he was going to do was toss her to his minions as food. He needs her for something.

Inuyasha badly wanted to believe that it had to do with the jewel that Envy had stolen from Naraku.

Not dead, he told himself again, trying to convince himself. I can still save her.

Inuyasha flexed his fingers, relishing the sight of his newly-returned claws. If any of those youkai had even looked at Kagome funny, he'd have their asses…after he kicked the dragon's ass.

The last he saw of her, Kagome had been bleeding. He'd make Envy pay for that.

"I've got an idea!" Edward said, interrupting Inuyasha's thoughts with a rather maniacal grin. He rubbed his gloved hands together.

"Oh, yeah?" Inuyasha scowled, remembering what had happened the last time Edward had gotten an idea.

Even Miroku was looking somewhat uneasy at Edward's sudden enthusiasm.

Alphonse shared a long glance with his brother, as if exchanging silent communication, then turned to the rest of the group with a grin. "Brother's specialty is improvisational alchemy. And we've got Kagome-san's jewel shards, so he should be able to transmute something, ah, without danger to you, Inuyasha-san" he added, with an irritating note of condescension.

Before Inuyasha could do more than mutter a skeptical "Keh," Alphonse had turned away, and joined his brother.

The two foreign sorcerers dropped to their knees and crouched over a bare patch of dirt, and began sketching something with twigs, muttering rapid gibberish.

ooOoo

"But, Brother, what about fording streams? There don't seem to be many bridges in this country, and the engine will short out--" Alphonse said a short while later, waving his twig for emphasis.

"Not if we raise the frame this far." Edward lifted his hand to knee-height. "We'll need bigger wheels, and it'll raise the center of balance, so we'll have to be careful with turns and steep areas, but if we--" he lapsed once more into jargon that Inuyasha didn't understand, but Alphonse apparently did, judging on his vigorous nods and murmurs of agreement.

Souta cautiously sidled closer, peering over their shoulders with a combination of shyness and intense curiosity.

"Er, that looks like a species of motorcar," he said, hesitantly. "If you don't mind me asking, where do you intend to get the steel for the frame? Or the petrol to run it?"

"It's an Amestrian design, so it's steam-powered. Plenty of water in Japan, right?" Edward replied. "And we can make our own steel by extracting iron ore, and adding carbon."

"But there aren't any iron mines in this area," Souta replied. "I know of one in Hokkaido, and there are some in Honshu, but those are quite far away."

Edward's face fell, then he looked eagerly around. "We could use other metals...let's see, we have the ration cans, those can be transmuted for the piping. And the weapons Ikeda made us bring, those are steel, and..."

His eye fell on Tetsusaiga, and Inuyasha clutched his sword reflexively. "Not a chance in hell, you bastard," he growled.

"Uh, okay. What else have we got...?" Edward continued his inventory, but even Inuyasha could see that their group's stores of metal were pitifully scant.

"Now what?" Souta asked, when Edward wound down.

Edward shrugged, unfazed. "We can transmute some metal using the rocks around here. I know the basic structure of iron--it should be easy enough to do."

"And we can transmute wood to construct the body and maybe synthesize some tires using other plant matter," Alphonse added. "Perhaps we can even fashion a glass windscreen using some of the sand from that stream."

He looked up at Inuyasha. "Inuyasha-san, can you bring some of the trees that you, er, knocked over this morning?"

In short order, Miroku, Sango, and Souta were also drafted into gathering an odd assemblage of materials, while the brothers used a stick and string to painstakingly scratch a new sorcery circle into the soft dirt of their campsite.

The transmutation of a collection of weird and apparently useless objects was done in several stages and took far too long, as far as Inuyasha was concerned.

Ed and Al assured him, over and over again, that whatever they were constructing would allow them all to travel rapidly towards Kasama Castle. Seething with his forced inactivity, Inuyasha sulked high in the branches of a nearby tree, glaring down at the brothers, willing them to hurry the hell up with whatever it was that they were building.

Finally, as the sun stood near noon, they were ready to activate the final spell.

Over the course of the morning they had discovered that Alphonse could also access the power stored in Kagome's jewel shards, which meant that Souta could rest in between transmutation attempts. Channeling the power of the shards into the transmutation circle was apparently an exhausting activity, and Souta was quickly panting and flushed with effort.

Inuyasha gleefully observed that Edward, however, was utterly unable to get the jewel shards to do anything. Served the bastard right!

"It's not your fault, Brother," Alphonse was saying to a seething Edward, who held a shard, white-knuckled, in his bare flesh hand, glaring down at it. "I think I can use it because I have the ability to project my soul into inanimate objects. It seems to work similarly to Professor Higurashi's ability to imbue objects with spiritual powers." He looked at Miroku, who was standing a respectful distance away, but observing the proceedings with keen interest. "Miroku-sama, you also have spiritual powers, correct?"

When Miroku nodded, Alphonse continued: "Have you been able to use Kagome-san's shards? Could you help us out here?"

Alphonse looked surprised when Miroku replied: "I have never tried to use the Jewel shards, Alphonse-sama, nor do I wish to attempt it. You will forgive me if I decline your request, though I am willing to help you in any other way."

"But--but why not?" Edward asked, clearly bewildered, his gaze bouncing between Miroku and the shard he was still holding.

Miroku sighed. "I've seen how the Jewel's power corrupts its wielders, Knowing my own weaknesses, I resolved some time ago not to allow myself to come into contact with it." He paused for a moment, then continued. "It is Kagome-sama's intention to purify the shards and make the Jewel whole again, and to find a way to make it disappear from this world forever. I will help her to accomplish this in whatever humble way that I can."

"What a waste!" Edward declared. "I mean, with that much energy on hand, who knows what you could do! The possibilities are limitless!"

"I think that's the problem, Brother," Al said, with a thoughtful expression. "I don't know how to explain it, but the Jewel shards feel somehow alive to me, like the Philosopher's Stone. It's got that same aura of--of terrible power gained through terrible wrongness."

Edward stayed silent for a long moment, staring down at the shard he still held, and handed it abruptly back to Souta with an expression of distaste. "Okay. One more transmutation, and then we'll be done with this. Al, you wanna help me bring the engine over here?"

After all the bits and pieces created during earlier transmutations had been dragged into a jumbled pile, and the lines and arcs of the transmutation circle retraced, Edward, Alphonse, and Souta knelt at their designated positions.

The circle lit with an unholy pink glow that made Inuyasha shudder in memory of what it had felt like to power that sorcery with his own youki, and there was a silent explosion and dance of components.

When the light died away, Inuyasha saw that Edward and Alphonse had fashioned a large carriage that looked like the self-propelled ones used in Kagome's world.

Well, that might work, thought Inuyasha, remembering what he had seen during his visits to the other side of the well. If it did, then it wouldn't matter that Alphonse was still recovering from his injuries, or that Kagome's uncle was a scholar used to soft living.

There was another delay as water was fetched and the large tank at the back of the car was filled, then a flurry of activity as the bedrolls and supplies were packed up and tied to the roof of the carriage.

One final clap of Edward's hands as Alphonse stood at his shoulder, concentrating on the glowing splinter in his grasp, and the carriage roared to life.

Inuyasha took a cautious sniff, and realized it didn't smell nearly as bad as the ones in Kagome's world. Edward, Souta, Alphonse, and Miroku entered the carriage--Miroku easing himself inside rather gingerly--as Sango, dressed in her youkai-exterminator armor leapt astride Kirara.

The carriage lurched forward, then began to roll steadily towards the road.

Finally! Inuyasha bounded ahead, listening to the steady roar of the carriage as it followed him up the bumpy, rutted path that led to Kasama Castle.

ooOoo

True to Edward's word, they made excellent progress that day, even with frequent stops to refill the carriage's tank with water. As the sun began to sink past the horizon, Inuyasha thought that they might make it to Kasama Castle by noon the following day.

They had still lost precious hours constructing the carriage, but it was still better than proceeding at the walking pace of ordinary humans.

When they finally halted to make camp in the orange twilight, Inuyasha watched as Alphonse and Edward coached Souta through an attempt to light the campfire using sorcery.

Kagome's uncle had miniature versions of those spell-circles inked on the backs of his hands, and he was clutching Miroku's flint and steel. Edward and Alphonse were both watching him intently, offering low-voiced advice.

Souta nodded, frowning in concentration, and muttered something under his breath. Then he leaned forward slightly, tapping the flint and steel together.

Perched safely in a nearby tree, and out of range of the transmutation, Inuyasha couldn't help starting in surprise as an enormous blast of flame engulfed the humble pile of kindling in the firepit, then jumped further, cutting a bright swathe of destruction through the campsite.

Edward and Alphonse dove in opposite directions to avoid the blast, Edward cursing loudly.

Inuyasha saw the nearest bushes catch fire.

"Holy shit!" Edward yelled, rolling to his feet and laughing wildly. "You did it, Professor! You really--hey, my bedroll is burning!"

He ran forward and stomped frantically on the smoldering cloth with his thick-soled shoes, extinguishing the glowing patches.

"I still think that Kagome's matches work the best," Inuyasha yelled down at them, and Sango laughed.

"They do seem less dangerous," she agreed.

Edward cast a dirty look in both their directions, then turned away to finish salvaging his bedding.

"Professor, are you all right?" Alphonse hastily heaved a large piece of wood onto the blazing kindling, and made his way around to where Souta was sitting.

Kagome's uncle was looking dazed and cradling his hands to his chest.

"I--I burned myself," Souta admitted, and grinned shakily. "It worked! I think I need to adjust the oxygen ratios a bit, though--"

Inuyasha tuned them out as the discussion became gibberish to his ears. He hoped they would stop talking soon, and do something about dinner. He missed Kagome's ninja food--the bland, fishy concoctions extracted from the metal cylinders were filling but not nearly as tasty as the instant ramen she brought him from her world.

He wondered if Envy was feeding her properly, and tried not to think about her, possibly hungry and probably frightened, captive in a fortress crowded with youkai.

I'm coming, Kagome. I'll be there soon.

Sango eventually shooed the brothers away to fetch water for tea and stew. As Miroku carefully opened the food cylinders that had survived Edward's construction of the carriage, she found Kagome's medicine box, and tended Souta's blistered hands with salve and bandages.

Inuyasha made several forays into the nearby woods, bringing back armfuls of fallen branches to feed the fire.

He returned from one trip to overhear Edward say, "Look, Al, you know I'll figure out how use those shards eventually, right? And when I do, you, me and Souta, we'll each need one if we're gonna face Envy."

Edward turned to Miroku. "Do you know where we could get some more of those shards?"

Miroku shook his head. "There aren't many left. The largest fragment of the jewel was in Naraku's possession, and now I suppose this Envy has it. Other than that--" he held up fingers in succession, counting them off. "Sango's brother Kohaku carries one to sustain his life. And Kouga, a wolf-youkai and the leader of the Eastern Wolf Pack, bears two shards in his legs. And then there are Kagome-sama's two shards..."

Just then, Inuyasha caught a familiar--and unwelcome--scent.

He barely had time to leap down from his perch in the tree before a small whirlwind of leaves and dirt blew through the camp.

Inuyasha heard the rapid pounding of bare feet against earth skid to a halt, and found himself nearly nose-to-nose with Kouga.

"What the hell do you w--" Inuyasha began, but Kouga ignored him, peering around interestedly at the campsite.

His fur kilt was heavy with dust, and his legs were coated thickly with it. His long black hair, pulled back into its usual high ponytail, appeared several shades lighter, powdered as it was.

"What's that stink?" Kouga asked, wrinkling his nose. "Something smells even worse than you do, dog-shit, and that's saying something." He peered around some more, and Inuyasha could see him sniffing. "And where's Kagome?"

Inuyasha saw Souta's eyes nearly bulge from their sockets as he caught sight of Kouga's tail.

"Gone, you wimpy wolf," Inuyasha growled, succinctly.

"A dragon took her," Miroku added.

Thanks a lot, you stupid monk, thought Inuyasha.

True to form, Kouga immediately pounced. "What do you mean, a dragon took my woman? What kind of incompetent are you, dog-shit? Or is that sword of yours just for show?"

Now Alphonse's eyes were nearly as wide as Souta's.

And Edward--Edward, damn him, was smirking!

His woman? he mouthed silently at Inuyasha, who scowled back.

As soon as he got rid of Kouga, Inuyasha was gonna beat that smile off Edward's face.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Inuyasha asked, cracking his knuckles. "Kagome ain't your woman! But if you really want to help us..."

His hand dropped to Tetsusaiga's hilt. It thrummed eagerly under his palm.

"How?" Kouga responded, a little warily.

"You can give us your shards, you wimpy wolf!" Inuyasha crowed, drawing his sword.

Finally, a chance to redeem himself! And show both of the sorcerer-brothers what he could do, now that his strength had finally been restored!

Tetsusaiga transformed with a satisfying blaze, and Inuyasha brought the wide blade down low, sweeping at the shards embedded in Kouga's legs.

The wolf-prince leapt backwards and dodged the blow, but only barely.

Inuyasha pressed forward, doing his best to target Kouga's legs below the knees. In the past, their fights had been void of deadly intent--each would have cheerfully smashed in the face of the other, but the object was to humiliate, not kill.

But now, with Kagome's life hanging in the balance, Inuyasha needed to make sure that every member of their party could fight.

And that meant taking Kouga's shards.

Once again, only the speed lent to him by the shards in his legs allowed Kouga to leap out of danger.

"Hey!" exclaimed the wolf-prince, his blue eyes narrowing. "Wait a minute, dog-face! Since when did you get so serious about this--?"

Inuyasha charged forward once more.

Canon and Historical Notes

Sankon tessou: Inuyasha's most basic attack, using a combination of his claws and his youki to destroy anything he strikes. Translated in the English dub of the anime to "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

Kaze no Kizu: One of Tetsusaiga's powers, a destructive wave of energy that uses the interplay of Inuyasha's youki against an opponent's youki. Translated in the English dub of the anime to "Wind Scar."

All hail the wonderful kokoronagomu, beta reader extraordinaire!