InuYasha Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Cry of the Wolf ❯ Appointments and Combat ( Chapter 8 )

Cry of the Wolf

Part eight: Appointments and combat

By

Lance the Flamesniper

 

“What's is it Kouga?” Makoto asked as she heard him sniff the air.

 

“I know you three are here,” Kouga said to the empty hall. “Might as well come out!”

 

“My, my! We got a brave one here,” Riks replied as he stepped into the light, his long handled mace glinting in the pale illumination.

 

“Indeed,” Sakamuto replied as he and their apprentice Taka came into view. “Are you going to do this the easy way or the hard way?”

 

“The hard way of course,” Sango said as she stepped from the shadows beside Kouga. “After all, that's how Kouga likes it. I'm just lucky I spotted you three when you snuck in.”

 

“Good to see you again Slayer,” Kouga replied. “Are you still as good as I recall?”

 

“You just watch and try to keep up,” Sango replied as Makoto stepped forward and took on a fighting stance as well.

 

“Hmm… three on three,” Taka responded as he hefted his hand axes. “This should be interesting.”

 

“Let's go then,” Sakamuto growled as he drew his sword.

 

With that the three ronin slayers charged forward.

 

 

Ami looked at her autoscanner, then looked at the hall and blinked. The reading in the hallway indicated that there was a non-human energy source standing fifteen feet in front of her. However, the only people fifteen feet in front of her were Inu Yasha and another guard.

 

Ami's eyes widened as the implications of that sank in.

 

If one of these is a demon… then demons could look like just about anyone! Ami thought. The idea of Demons being anywhere in the city was unnerving to say the least. With a gulp and steadying breath, she strode toward the two. I wonder which one's the demon and how to tell…

 

 

To Makoto, fighting was merely something she was good at. Like cooking or cleaning. When she was honest with herself, she'd admit that she felt her fighting skills could somehow supplement her feminine ones if she could somehow balance them. Thus why she practiced Katas and sparred with Haruka whenever she could.

 

However, part of her also secretly enjoyed testing her skills. That part of her was in heaven as she ducked under Sakamuto's sword. That same part exalted in blocking his follow up swing and unloading a fist deep into his stomach.

 

A glance out the corner of her eye brought the image of Kouga and the Taijya Sango battling it out with the other two rogue slayers. To her surprise the two were back to back as Taka and Riks circled them. Suddenly Kouga locked his arms inside Sango's elbows and flipped her allowing her to drive both feet into Taka. In Makoto's mind the maneuver looked like it was stolen from swing dancing.

 

“Lesson one Makoto. There is no such thing as a dirty trick,” Lectured Kouga as he ducked Riks' mace and swept the man's legs out from under him in the same motion.

 

“A lot of styles would disagree with that,” Makoto replied as she struck Sakamuto in the stomach three times with her right knee. When Sakamuto dropped his sword to hold his stomach she saw her chance and kicked him in he knees before roundhouse kicking him in the face.

 

As Sango finished off the apprentice with a similar kick to the head she added in. “When you're in a fight for your life, you don't have time to think of what your style will or won't approve of. I wasn't aware, though, that you were taking on new students Kouga.”

 

“What's wrong with that Sango?” Kouga responded as Riks got to his feet.

 

“Nothing I suppose. I just figured you'd be more focused on other matters.”

 

“And I really should be,” Kouga responded as he ducked under two more swings of Riks' mace before burying his fist in the larger man's stomach then bringing his head straight up into the larger man's jaw. Kouga smirked hearing the man's teeth click from the impact. Riks once more tried to smash Kouga, this time with an overhead strike that Kouga decided to sidestep. As he did so he also brought his leg up and around to drop across the handle of the mace splintering the wood.

 

As Riks stared dumbly at the broken handle he held Kouga made his move. Using only a fraction of his speed he charged the man only to dive into a quick forward roll before coming up into a handstand and driving both his feet into the opponent's still aching jaw for the knock out strike. It wasn't necessarily the easiest move he could have used and certainly not the most practical, but for some reason he'd felt like showing off.

 

“Very cute Kouga,” Sango responded. “But I never knew you to show off.”

 

“I take it you know Kouga?” Makoto asked trying not to be jealous of the toned slayer but also forgetting that said slayer was married.

 

“Oh yes. The two of us are old and dear friends,” Sango smiled.

 

“She's probably my Second best friend after Kagome,” Kouga responded as he effortlessly lifted Riks, Sakamuto and Taka onto this shoulders. The sight caused Makoto to stare in wonder as well as blush as she watched the muscles under his skin flex with each move.

 

Good looking, nice, and very strong. I don't know how well I'll fare, but I'm certain going to try to earn him. Makoto thought.

 

 

For Minako the search was not going well. Kouga wasn't in his living quarters. He wasn't in the kitchen, or the dining hall, or the ballroom or her bedroom (Though in her own defense that was more wishful thinking than a place to look). Still she wouldn't give up!

 

When a total mega-hunk is at stake, Minako Aino will eat pies to the occasion, She thought as her search proceeded to the other Senshi's rooms.

 

 

Rei, for her part had figured out by now that she was looking in the wrong places. That in mind she decided to try to track Kouga using his demon energy. The only problem was that she was encountering some kind of hazy interference. She quickly rounded a corner and bumped into someone.

 

“Why if it isn't the Senshi of fire,” Naratomoe replied as the Senshi looked up at him.

 

“Good evening Naratomoe. What are you doing in the Palace this time of day?” Rei asked. She didn't like this particular member of the court. There was something about him that reminded her of a venomous snake.

 

“I am merely finishing up a rather tedious bit of unfinished business. Fortunately it should almost be over with, so I may move on to…other matters,” the court member said his blood colored eyes sparkling like rubies in the pale light.

 

“I'm sure you will. I should remind you, however, that the palace is off limits to most courtesans unless they have an appointment with the King or Queen at this time of night,” Rei chided.

 

Naratomoe bowed. “I shall be leaving shortly. As I said, I was merely tying up a loose end.”

 

Satisfied that her rebuke was understood Rei stalked off on the trail of the wayward wolf. All the while Naraku sneered at her retreating form.

 

“I'm actually surprised that a Senshi would want to learn Ikani Sagyouba. Especially when most of them are already skilled warriors,” Sango said to Makoto. It should be noted that most people in Crystal Tokyo knew who the Senshi are. After a certain time it was impossible to not know them.

 

“Most of them probably wouldn't,” Makoto conceded. “I guess in this way I'm special because fighting is something I'm naturally good at.”

 

“I'd agree with that,” Kouga stated as they walked. “You possess a lot of strength and natural grace that lends itself to such a thing.”

 

Makoto merely blushed at the compliment. “C-could you tell me more about the style?”

 

“I could,” Sango said. “At one point there were two schools of it: The Ookami Ryu and the Taijya Ryu.”

 

“So Slayers practice this style too?”

 

“To an extent. But a lot of slayer tricks were also stolen into ninjitsu,” Kouga responded. “Sango was actually one of my first students.”

 

“Though Kouga is obviously very intelligent, his school focuses on speed and strength while the Taijya School focuses on cunning,” Sango supplied.

 

“The Taijya Ryu also focuses on weapon use more,” Added Kouga.

 

“I see,” Makoto responded as they started past the main hall of the Palace en route to the stockade.

 

 

Ami approached Inu Yasha first. She knew the guard from a few previous meetings, though he never showed up for physicals. She'd always wondered about that as well as the fact that Inu Yasha never seemed to get sick.

 

“Uhm Inu Yasha?” Ami asked tentatively.

 

“Yeah? What is it Dr. Mizuno?” Inu Yasha asked. He'd know she'd been there for the last few minutes without actually seeing her. He also knew that there were six scents approaching. Three he knew, three he didn't.

 

“Uhm has Kouga passed here recently?” Ami asked hopefully.

 

“No.”

 

“Then I must warn you. There's a demon in this hallway.”

 

Inu Yasha blinked at that. Oh the irony of this! “Really?”

 

“Yes. But I'm not sure which of you it is.”

 

“I see…”

 

Before Ami could finish though she caught a glimpse of the rather strange parade passing the hallway and hurried to catch it. “Makoto! Kouga! Hold on a minute!”

 

As the trio stopped for Ami, Kouga took the time to nod to the Inu hanyou. From the looks of things he'd helped the mangy mutt dodge a major bullet. Inu Yasha for his part merely `feh'ed and went back to standing guard.

 

When Ami caught up with the group, she found herself staring as Kouga was carrying what was easily four hundred pounds of humanity. Based on his muscle tone he should not be able to do that, yet he was. “What..?”

 

“Ronin Slayers,” Sango intoned.

 

“Assassins,” Makoto said. “They were after Kouga.”

 

“But,” Ami began. “How did they know he was here? The public hasn't been told about him.”

 

“Maybe one of the Lords hired them,” suggested Makoto.

 

“It makes no difference to me who hired them,” Kouga replied. “We'll put them in the stockade and let the interrogators find out. Was there something you wanted Ami-san?”

 

“Uhm,” Ami blushed as Kouga turned his gaze on her. “Yes…”

 

“Well?” Kouga asked as the group continued to walk.

 

“I was wondering if I could study you,” She said.

 

“Study me?” Kouga asked confusedly.

 

“Well yes. I've never gotten a chance to study a youma or a youkai up close. I was wondering if you'd let me check you out,” Ami blushed then corrected herself quickly. “Examine you.”

 

Makoto raised an eyebrow at the usual shy Ami's slip. I guess I'm not the only one that's going to take this order seriously.

 

“Yeah, I don't mind that. Where do you want me to be and when?”

 

Ami gave Kouga the directions to her lab blushing and stammering the entire time. “A-and just before l-lunch would be best.”

 

Kouga thought about it as he deposited the three Slayers in a cell. “Sure sounds good.”

 

With that the quartet slit up with Sango deciding to escort Kouga to his room since she was a “neutral party”.

 

 

“You really do know how to liven a place up Kouga-kun,” Sango teased.

 

“Haven't I always?” Kouga responded. He'd always enjoyed the company of Kagome's friends. As far as humans went they were always polite and respectful as well as treated him nicely. In way he supposed they'd became his friends as well.

 

“That's true enough. So what did the Neoqueen offer you?”

 

“Her idea was to engage me to all her Senshi until a time that I find one I like,” Kouga replied.

 

Sango looked at Kouga through wide eyes. Of all the things she'd though up as a solution THAT was the last one she'd have thought. “Quite a task Kouga. Any idea how to go about it?”

 

“None what-so-ever. But it beats dying,” Kouga stated then offered Sango a smile. “But at least I'll have good friends to help me out right?”

 

“Absolutely!” Sango enthused as she left Kouga at his room. No matter what, Kagome, Miroku, Shippou and I will always be willing to help. No matter what. With that in mind the Slayer deftly snare Minako before she could charge Kouga's room and proceeded on her way.

 

 

Riks, Sakamuto and Taka paced their cell angrily. How dare the Royals lock them up! They'd only been doing their duty as licensed practitioners of the taijya tradition. The fact that their licenses were revoked and that the head of the taijya had expelled them didn't matter. Still they had an ace up their sleeves. After all, their employer was Lord Naratomoe.

 

Naratomoe entered the stockade late that night with him was a teenaged girl. Her figure was lean, almost petite She possessed a delicately sculpted face that was framed by snowy white hair that only made her coal colored eyes stand out. She was clad in a white haori and matching hakamas. More disturbing was how no matter how the three slayers tried; they could not sense either human ki or youki from her. It was almost like she wasn't there at all.

 

“Boss!” The three exclaimed.

 

Naratomoe didn't look amused but said nothing.

 

“You were right. It was a wolf demon and the head Slayer's working with him!” Riks exclaimed.

 

“Get us out of here and we'll take care of `em but good!” added Sakmuto.

 

“I don't award failure,” Naratomoe growled acidicly. With a motion the teen stepped forward bringing to bear a mirror.

 

“What the..?” Taka screamed. It turned out to be the last works he'd ever say as his soul along with the souls of Riks and Sakamuto were pulled into the mirror.

 

“May you be more useful in the afterlife!” Naraku sneered. “Come along Kanna.”

 

Kanna said nothing as she turned and disappeared with her master.

 

Hours later the startled guards would find the Dead Slayers and panic.

 

TBC

 

I'd like to thank Silent Messiah for all the help she's been giving me with this fic. Without that it would be hard pressed to actually finish it. I'd also like to thank you the readers for being so supportive. Also I'd like to remind everyone that any character that isn't property of Naoko Takeuchi or Rumiko Takahashi belongs to me.