InuYasha Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Cry of the Wolf ❯ Dueling Time ( Chapter 13 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: lance the flamesniper 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.19.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 334 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.19.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 334 | Status: Completed
’d like to apologize to all my fans for taking so long with this part. The truth is that I’ve been having computer problems that were only recently resolved. Oh and just a reminder Inu Yasha and Sailor Moon don’t belong to me. Takahashi Rumiko and Takeuchi Naoko own them. Anyone they don’t own belong to me.
Cry of the Wolf
Part Twelve: Dueling time
By
Lance The Flamesniper
Rei, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Inu Yasha looked over the city from a high balcony. Somewhere out there lurked Naraku. Which brought them to the topic they’d gathered for.
“What can you tell me about this Naraku?” Rei asked her violet eyes scanning the people below. From where they were perched the citizens looked like insects. The idea made her think of the Shiamyosho.
“He started out as a bandit named Onigumo,” Inu Yasha began. “He sent another bandit to try to kill Kikyo, the priestess who was guarding the Shikon no tama. When the bandit failed and learned that Onigumo tricked him, the bandit tracked Onigumo and burned him alive. Only the bastard survived somehow and made it to where Kikyo lived.”
“He was badly burned and Kikyo took pity on him. He desired the miko but she had feelings for a hanyou and he was too badly burned to move very well,” Kagome picked up. “But as much as Onigumo desired the miko he desired the Shikon jewel as well. So he made a deal with a pack of demons, they could have his soul in exchange for mobility…and power. The demons devoured his flesh and fused with his soul. The result was Naraku.”
Miroku took over next. “His first act was to turn the miko and the hanyou against each other. The hanyou believed the miko had ambushed and tried to kill him and the miko believed the hanyou tricked her to get the jewel. The miko sealed the hanyou to a tree then died and took the jewel into the afterlife with her. Naraku also cursed my family with a wind tunnel in my hand. His further atrocities would take weeks to tell you about. “
“So this youkai’s bad news,” Rei summarized more for herself than the others.
“Only he’s not a youkai,” Sango chimed in. “Because of the way he came to be, he’s a hanyou. And a really powerful one at that.”
“How powerful?” Rei asked almost dreading the answer.
“Without shards of the Shikon jewel he can create shiamyosho, use miasma and change shape. With the jewels and apparently now without them he could create extensions of himself, more like minions. Kanna, Kagura, Juromaru, Kagaromaru, and now these new ones. He could also absorb other beings, especially demons. We thought that we’d permanently sealed him away, but I guess we failed.”
“I see,” Rei said as she now knew what she needed to tell the queen. Only her exit was stopped by Miroku clutching her hands in his own.
“Lovely Miko would you do me the honor…,” Miroku began.
“I’m standing right here you know!” Sango snarled.
“Of praying for me while I recover from Sango beating me?” Miroku finished lamely.
-----
Winona Wilks glared at the thing in the infirmary. For the life of her she couldn’t understand it. That monstrosity was not only allowed to live, but was also being permitted to stay in the palace and be engaged to the eight Senshi. The doctor shook her head in disbelief.
“You might have them fooled,” She whispered banefully to herself. “But you can’t fool me youma. I know what you are: a murderous beast! But I won’t let you have the chance to kill more innocents.”
In Dr. Wilks’ mind she knew that everything that was happening was that freak of nature’s fault. Before it came to the city everything was peaceful. There were no rampaging youma. There were no rogue Taijya. There was only a community of peace. The doctor frowned even more as she recalled what she read of Ami Mizuno’s report. All this talk of that creature as if it had a soul, a personality and emotions. In her mind it was more proof of the corrupting power the youma had.
With these thoughts in mind, Dr. Wilks went to one of the counters in the infirmary. She quietly pulled open a drawer and drew out a syringe with a long, thin needle. She then reached into her pocket and retrieved the bottle she’d placed there. As she inserted the needle into the top of the bottle she reflected on the mix within: A deadly soup of naturally occurring neurotoxins and natural heavy metal poisons like arsenic and mercury. The crazed doctor chuckled at the irony of mercury being in what would kill the damned wolf as she drew into the syringe three times the amount needed to do the deed. If she was careful enough no one would know it was poisoning, just a natural death due to some allergen or other random event. However, just before she could insert the needle…
“What are you doing?” A feminine voice asked from the doorway.
Dr. Wilks turned to see a petite brunette standing in the doorway staring at her with angry dark brown eyes. “Who are you?”
“I’m Niisa, Kouga-sama’s personal servant.”
He gets a servant too!? How fair is that!? “You needn’t worry. I’m merely going to inject some medication and everything will be fine,” the doctor responded.
“Really?” Sailor Pluto responded from Niisa’s side. “Looks to me, like you were about to try for a little justice without trial.”
“You mean to tell me you’re siding with that… that… thing!?” Dr. Wilks snarled incredulously. “He killed three of my men!”
“Yes,” Sailor Pluto said. “And they doomed his species to extinction. I’d be hard pressed to say that ,were the roles reversed, I wouldn’t have done the same thing.”
“This is madness! But I will end it!” Wilks responded as he lunged to inject the wolf prince. Only her lunge was stopped short by Niisa. Years of hard work having given her petite frame a great deal of strength.
“Nicely done Niisa,” Setsuna responded coolly as she powered down and searched the not-quite-stable scientist. “Hmmm… What have we here?” She asked as she held up the vial.
“Just a little something to help the bastard sleep!” Wilks growled.
“I’m touched you’d go to the trouble, doc,” Kouga said as he opened his eyes then winced in pain. “Niisa when you’re done with the doctor I need you to go to my room and grab the brown pouch off my dresser then get me a mortar, pestle and a glass of water.”
Niisa quickly nodded as Setsuna led off Wilks. When she returned, quickly opened the pouch and took out several dried roots and some leaves which he quickly placed into the bowl and then did his best to grind the items one handed.
“What are you doing?” Niisa asked.
“This is a mix of natural painkillers, immune system boosters and a natural Sedative. It’s a hundred times better than anything synthetic,” Kouga responded as he carefully poured the somewhat pasty powder into the glass and drank it slowly. “Guess you could call it an old family recipe.”
“You should tell Dr. Mizuno about that,” Niisa chimed in. “Since the Great freeze we’ve been running short on some medicines.”
“I intend to,” Kouga replied. I’m also going to think of some way to repay you for stopping her. Perhaps a dowry… Thought Kouga as pained fatigue once again claimed him.
------
The next three days were quite simply a learning experience for Ami. As promised Kouga was almost completely healed in two days and also had offered up the healing concoction for her to study. She was also now able to study Inu Yasha and his similarities and differences to Kouga, the few they admitted to having.
One of the first things she learned about Inu Yasha, much to his ire and Kouga’s amusement, was that no matter how cute she thought they were, Inu Yasha did not like having his ears rubbed.
On the whole, Kouga and Inu Yasha were both stronger, more agile and easily more resilient than most humans. They also both had heightened sensed of smell and hearing, though Kouga nose seemed sharper. The Senshi of Ice chalked that up to his living in nearly pollution free environments.
Also during Kouga’s promised three day stay were visits from Sango, Miroku, Kagome and of course the Queen and other Senshi. No matter who was visiting Kouga always seemed to know as soon as they entered the room. It brought up an interesting topic for her: Didn’t all humans smell the same?
Fortunately Kouga had the answer. “Every living being has it’s own scent. Inu Yasha smells like Pine sap, you smell crisp and pure like ice. The Queen smells like Moonflowers, Kagome like strawberries, Rei is the scent of Cinnamon while Makoto is of Orchids. Minako smells like orange blossoms. Michiru smells like sea foam while Haruka’s scent is the desert rose. Hotaru smells of violets while small lady smells like Roses. Miroku smells like Sandalwood incense and Sango of Jasmine blossoms. also Setsuna’s scent is the tea berry.”
“And you know us all by scent?” Ami asked in awe
“Yes. In the life a wolf all things are scent related. The first scents we learn are that of our mother and father. Next is sibling then pack mates. That’s how we know who we can trust.”
“I take it then all the people you named you trust?” Ami asked blushing a little.
“Without a doubt,” Kouga confirmed.
It was also during his stay in the medical area that he lost two pursuant Senshi. Hotaru dropped out first offering up the reasonable response that she felt she was too young to marry, a sentiment Kouga shared and accepted the alternate option of just being friends. Haruka dropped out as well pointing out that she quite simple preferred women. Kouga understood that as well.
But for Kouga it was also a time for reflection. The Wolf prince had at many times in the past, been asked to make a decision that changed lives. It was the duty of a leader to make such decisions. To do what was for the greater good. Though ‘for the greater good’ was no consolation when one had to tell a female mate or a male mate or kami forbid a child, that loved ones aren’t going to be coming home. That the wage of war was blood, Kouga was tired of it. Inu Yasha, Miroku, Sango all of them had peace, why couldn’t he? First, it was the war his father waged with Sesshoumaru, then it was battling Naraku, then off to stop the Ookami civil war. To face Nobunaga, to fight off the Shinsengumi and more until the now many centuries later Naraku once more was back.
“Why can I not have peace? What have I ever done to offend the Kami and Mother-moon so much?” He asked himself as he went through one of his katas with a bokken in the dojo.
“Nothing,” A voice responded. “You have done nothing to anger the Kami, Kouga. All the battles you had to go through, all the trials and tough choices, were to mature you.”
“Still Kagura, Ginta, Hakkaku, Saiyako and the others deserved better than they got Setsuna-san,” Kouga responded.
“I won’t dispute that,” Setsuna replied. “However, Lord Kouga, you must let go of the past in order to embrace the future. You have six women hoping to know you better.”
“True enough and each of you has aspects that I find attractive. Ami is witty and intelligent as well as shy and kind. Rei has a fire and passion that makes her seem untamable. Minako has enthusiasm and a genuinely good heart, but I think she’s trying too hard. Michiru is…strange yet also interesting. And Makoto reminds me a lot of Ayame,” Responded Kouga making the last comment sound a little disconcerting, at least to himself.
“And me?” Setsuna asked as her lips quirked into a ghost of a smile.
“Ya don’t seem like a bad person, but you certainly could lighten up a little. Yer way too serious.”
“I see,” Setsuna began as she picked up a bo from a nearby weapons rack, her face displaying a playful smirk. “Perhaps you can help me ‘lighten up’.”
Kouga laughed at the smirk and the challenge. This was going to be fun. “Very well. I accept.”
----------
In her cell Winona Wilks seethed. They’d thrown her into it four days ago. In her mind she couldn’t believe what was happening to her nice stable world. Just a few weeks ago she was one of Ami Mizuno’s scientific Lieutenants. She was praises and studied only the most important of discoveries. Ancient Earth Artifacts, ancient tomes on genetics and bioengineering from the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. She was going to be the one who helped the Senshi build hardier food plants, meat cattle and new medicines. She wasn’t just a scientist it was her mind that would shape the future!
Then she took the assignment. Dr. Mizuno had gotten a report from one of the eighty or so still functioning satellites in Earth’s orbit and spotted animal and plant life that had somehow survived the Great Freeze. Naturally, Ami was intrigued by the idea of what new life could have sprung up since the Freeze. Of course there were reports of larger than previous sea life and huge rodents that seemed to attack the farms, but aside from reports from the Taijya, there was never any proof of these ‘youkai’. So of course, she went. She took security and hoped to find samples of these ‘demon rats’ or of some other evolved life form. What she found instead was a youma who could control wolves. A youma who was now an honored guest with his own servant and a room in the palace not to mention the Senshi practically drooling over it, well maybe not all the Senshi but she was sure most of them were!
Meanwhile, she, who had seen what was happening was stuck in a cell due to face an imperial indictment on several ludicrous charges of attempted genocide, attempted murder, unethical medical experimentation and ignoring the Hippocratic oath. On the last counts she was delivered a disbarment by Dr. Mizuno personally.
She was faced with charges that would lead her to her own imprisonment. All because of one damned ookami youma. Couldn’t they see what he’d done? He was the cause of everything and she would do anything, give anything, save the good people of Crystal Tokyo from him!
“Anything, Dr. Wilks?” A smooth as warm honey voice intoned from the far end of stockade.
Wilks looked up, a grimace of surprise etching across her features. “Yes. I would do anything to get back a this… Kouga. Now whose there?”
From the shadows stepped the tall thin form of a man. His skin was slightly hued his long black hair left free to brush the shoulders of his black Yukata. It was his eyes that stood out, a deep ruby color almost the hue of dried blood. Next to him stood a pale teen clad all in white, her disturbing black eyes were emotionless, not cold but empty to look into. Still Wilks knew who this person was.
“Lord Naratomoe?”
“Would you give your soul to stop him?” Naratomoe asked raising an eyebrow slightly.
“I would give anything to stop him.” Wilks stated. “Even that.”
“Good!” Naratomoe sneered. “Then come with me. We have much to do.”
With that the door to her cell shattered. Without a word, without question, Wilkes followed Naratomoe into the shadows.
------------
Haruka, Makoto and Hotaru stared as they entered the dojo. They’d arrived late for their sparring session with Setsuna only to find themselves entering into something entirely unexpected.
Standing in the middle of the room was Kouga. Setsuna had shifted to her Senshi form more than likely at Kouga’s request since in their Senshi forms they were more durable and was against hurting any of them. His eyes were closed and Setsuna was circling him as if looking for an opening . After pacing three quarters of a circuit she charged in swinging her garnet rod low .
Kouga jumped the low swing then parried the high end’s follow up, all the while keeping his eyes closed. “Lesson two Makoto-san: never rely on just one sense in a fight. Your eyes can be tricked and thus trick you, sounds can deafen or distract you, smells can be faked or blocked and touch can deceive. “ Kouga answered as he blocked a downward strike with his bokken, dropping to one knee then launching out with a sweeping kick that Setsuna deftly dodged.
“Then what should be trusted ‘Sensei’?” Haruka asked in a haughtily mocking tone. She may have agreed to be Kouga’s friend but hearing him lecture anyone on anything, let alone Makoto on how to fight, was irritating at most.
Kouga flipped to his feet, a grin on his face and his eyes still closed. “One should always , always trust their instincts. If something seems wrong, it probably is wrong.”
Setsuna couldn’t help but offer a ghost of a smile. Even while trying to get her to lighten up, he was still connecting with the Senshi. Herself included. With the intent to get him to show off more, Setsuna charged in again this time allowing for a longer exchange as bokken and Garnet rod clashed in a long string of feints and parries.
For Kouga this was a life event. A sparring match with someone who didn’t seem to make mistakes, his student watching and hopefully studying his motions. A student who was just like Ayame only human. Kouga liked spending time with Makoto, but whether that was because she was like Ayame or in spite of it was up for debate. She was tough yet feminine, liked to cook and secretly reveled in fighting. Warrior and woman. It was a bouquet he felt he liked.
For Makoto seeing Kouga move was an experience in itself. Haruka would grouse if she said it aloud, but Makoto thought of Kouga as being kin to the North wind, no, all winds. His movements, whether in walking, sprinting, jumping or running were fluid. There was no wasted movement. He was something otherworldly and primal. Above all he held a passion for life. Makoto thought often of what it would be like to have such a being as he in her arms, sharing that primal, gentle passion with her. The thought scared and excited the lightning mistress.
Kouga ducked parried and weaved around Sailor Pluto’s strikes with the skill of a master and the grace of a dancer. The wolf prince’s bokken tangle-locked with the Time Senshi’s garnet rod bringing the two face to face. There was mischief in Setsuna’s magenta gaze and Kouga suspected he was about to be on the receiving end of it. The two twisted to detangle their weapons only to have Setsuna twist around disarming Kouga while swinging the heart final of her rod at Kouga’s legs. Kouga, off balance from the tangle lock felt his legs go out from under him causing him to land on his rear, though he quickly rolled into a handstand that caught the staff’s follow up strike with his feet.
Haruka blinked as she watched the wolf in action. She’d faced off with him when they first met and she now had a sneaking suspicion that the wolf was holding back. Still she couldn’t help but smirk when Kouga was disarmed. That smirk turned into a confused frown with Kouga catching the staff with his feet. Yet no matter how much she stared the image stayed the same: Kouga was in a handstand his legs were straight save for where he’d scissored his shins and had trapped the staff.
For Kouga the maneuver was a little strain on his newly healed arm. Still he could now see Makoto. She was staring intently at him. Something in her eyes made him pause however as for a brief moment she was seemingly replaced with Ayame. A blink later Makoto Kino’s image was back giving him a high beamed stare. With a shake of his head the turned the handstand into a round off cartwheel disarming and flipping the stunned sailor of time.
“Nicely done Kouga-san,” Setsuna responded as she picked herself off the floor.
“You as well,” Kouga responded distractedly. “Please excuse me, I need to go clear my head. I shall see you all at dinner.”
-------
Winona Wilks tried not to stare at the hell Naratomoe was leading her through. In one of the rooms of his estate there were screams as people suffered all manner of torments, too many to count and too sickening to forget.
“W-what is this Naratomoe?” She asked at last.
“Pay this no mind,” Naratomoe said dismissively. “It’s merely a hobby of mine.”
“This is a hobby?” The somewhat insane doctor asked. “How is the torture and death of helpless people a hobby?”
“It relaxes me,” Naratomoe said in the same casual tone which a person would use to ask someone to pass the salt at dinner. “But that should not concern you. What should concern you is what I need you to do.”
“And what’s that?”
Naraku smiled behind his disguise and held up two vials each holding a hair. “I want you to use the DNA in these to make something that will destroy that sinister wolf!”
Whose more sinister, him or you? Winona mentally asked. Still she’d agreed to help and doing this would be simple. So why did she feel she was selling her soul. “Gladly. It won’t be a problem at all.”
“Excellent! Now get to it!” Naraku said as Dr. Wilks left. “Soon Kouga you’ll find the world to be a lot more dangerous, and lot less safe. After all,” Naraku said as he looked at the creature in the shadows. “Who do you trust, when you can’t trust anyone?”
TBC
Cry of the Wolf
Part Twelve: Dueling time
By
Lance The Flamesniper
Rei, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Inu Yasha looked over the city from a high balcony. Somewhere out there lurked Naraku. Which brought them to the topic they’d gathered for.
“What can you tell me about this Naraku?” Rei asked her violet eyes scanning the people below. From where they were perched the citizens looked like insects. The idea made her think of the Shiamyosho.
“He started out as a bandit named Onigumo,” Inu Yasha began. “He sent another bandit to try to kill Kikyo, the priestess who was guarding the Shikon no tama. When the bandit failed and learned that Onigumo tricked him, the bandit tracked Onigumo and burned him alive. Only the bastard survived somehow and made it to where Kikyo lived.”
“He was badly burned and Kikyo took pity on him. He desired the miko but she had feelings for a hanyou and he was too badly burned to move very well,” Kagome picked up. “But as much as Onigumo desired the miko he desired the Shikon jewel as well. So he made a deal with a pack of demons, they could have his soul in exchange for mobility…and power. The demons devoured his flesh and fused with his soul. The result was Naraku.”
Miroku took over next. “His first act was to turn the miko and the hanyou against each other. The hanyou believed the miko had ambushed and tried to kill him and the miko believed the hanyou tricked her to get the jewel. The miko sealed the hanyou to a tree then died and took the jewel into the afterlife with her. Naraku also cursed my family with a wind tunnel in my hand. His further atrocities would take weeks to tell you about. “
“So this youkai’s bad news,” Rei summarized more for herself than the others.
“Only he’s not a youkai,” Sango chimed in. “Because of the way he came to be, he’s a hanyou. And a really powerful one at that.”
“How powerful?” Rei asked almost dreading the answer.
“Without shards of the Shikon jewel he can create shiamyosho, use miasma and change shape. With the jewels and apparently now without them he could create extensions of himself, more like minions. Kanna, Kagura, Juromaru, Kagaromaru, and now these new ones. He could also absorb other beings, especially demons. We thought that we’d permanently sealed him away, but I guess we failed.”
“I see,” Rei said as she now knew what she needed to tell the queen. Only her exit was stopped by Miroku clutching her hands in his own.
“Lovely Miko would you do me the honor…,” Miroku began.
“I’m standing right here you know!” Sango snarled.
“Of praying for me while I recover from Sango beating me?” Miroku finished lamely.
-----
Winona Wilks glared at the thing in the infirmary. For the life of her she couldn’t understand it. That monstrosity was not only allowed to live, but was also being permitted to stay in the palace and be engaged to the eight Senshi. The doctor shook her head in disbelief.
“You might have them fooled,” She whispered banefully to herself. “But you can’t fool me youma. I know what you are: a murderous beast! But I won’t let you have the chance to kill more innocents.”
In Dr. Wilks’ mind she knew that everything that was happening was that freak of nature’s fault. Before it came to the city everything was peaceful. There were no rampaging youma. There were no rogue Taijya. There was only a community of peace. The doctor frowned even more as she recalled what she read of Ami Mizuno’s report. All this talk of that creature as if it had a soul, a personality and emotions. In her mind it was more proof of the corrupting power the youma had.
With these thoughts in mind, Dr. Wilks went to one of the counters in the infirmary. She quietly pulled open a drawer and drew out a syringe with a long, thin needle. She then reached into her pocket and retrieved the bottle she’d placed there. As she inserted the needle into the top of the bottle she reflected on the mix within: A deadly soup of naturally occurring neurotoxins and natural heavy metal poisons like arsenic and mercury. The crazed doctor chuckled at the irony of mercury being in what would kill the damned wolf as she drew into the syringe three times the amount needed to do the deed. If she was careful enough no one would know it was poisoning, just a natural death due to some allergen or other random event. However, just before she could insert the needle…
“What are you doing?” A feminine voice asked from the doorway.
Dr. Wilks turned to see a petite brunette standing in the doorway staring at her with angry dark brown eyes. “Who are you?”
“I’m Niisa, Kouga-sama’s personal servant.”
He gets a servant too!? How fair is that!? “You needn’t worry. I’m merely going to inject some medication and everything will be fine,” the doctor responded.
“Really?” Sailor Pluto responded from Niisa’s side. “Looks to me, like you were about to try for a little justice without trial.”
“You mean to tell me you’re siding with that… that… thing!?” Dr. Wilks snarled incredulously. “He killed three of my men!”
“Yes,” Sailor Pluto said. “And they doomed his species to extinction. I’d be hard pressed to say that ,were the roles reversed, I wouldn’t have done the same thing.”
“This is madness! But I will end it!” Wilks responded as he lunged to inject the wolf prince. Only her lunge was stopped short by Niisa. Years of hard work having given her petite frame a great deal of strength.
“Nicely done Niisa,” Setsuna responded coolly as she powered down and searched the not-quite-stable scientist. “Hmmm… What have we here?” She asked as she held up the vial.
“Just a little something to help the bastard sleep!” Wilks growled.
“I’m touched you’d go to the trouble, doc,” Kouga said as he opened his eyes then winced in pain. “Niisa when you’re done with the doctor I need you to go to my room and grab the brown pouch off my dresser then get me a mortar, pestle and a glass of water.”
Niisa quickly nodded as Setsuna led off Wilks. When she returned, quickly opened the pouch and took out several dried roots and some leaves which he quickly placed into the bowl and then did his best to grind the items one handed.
“What are you doing?” Niisa asked.
“This is a mix of natural painkillers, immune system boosters and a natural Sedative. It’s a hundred times better than anything synthetic,” Kouga responded as he carefully poured the somewhat pasty powder into the glass and drank it slowly. “Guess you could call it an old family recipe.”
“You should tell Dr. Mizuno about that,” Niisa chimed in. “Since the Great freeze we’ve been running short on some medicines.”
“I intend to,” Kouga replied. I’m also going to think of some way to repay you for stopping her. Perhaps a dowry… Thought Kouga as pained fatigue once again claimed him.
------
The next three days were quite simply a learning experience for Ami. As promised Kouga was almost completely healed in two days and also had offered up the healing concoction for her to study. She was also now able to study Inu Yasha and his similarities and differences to Kouga, the few they admitted to having.
One of the first things she learned about Inu Yasha, much to his ire and Kouga’s amusement, was that no matter how cute she thought they were, Inu Yasha did not like having his ears rubbed.
On the whole, Kouga and Inu Yasha were both stronger, more agile and easily more resilient than most humans. They also both had heightened sensed of smell and hearing, though Kouga nose seemed sharper. The Senshi of Ice chalked that up to his living in nearly pollution free environments.
Also during Kouga’s promised three day stay were visits from Sango, Miroku, Kagome and of course the Queen and other Senshi. No matter who was visiting Kouga always seemed to know as soon as they entered the room. It brought up an interesting topic for her: Didn’t all humans smell the same?
Fortunately Kouga had the answer. “Every living being has it’s own scent. Inu Yasha smells like Pine sap, you smell crisp and pure like ice. The Queen smells like Moonflowers, Kagome like strawberries, Rei is the scent of Cinnamon while Makoto is of Orchids. Minako smells like orange blossoms. Michiru smells like sea foam while Haruka’s scent is the desert rose. Hotaru smells of violets while small lady smells like Roses. Miroku smells like Sandalwood incense and Sango of Jasmine blossoms. also Setsuna’s scent is the tea berry.”
“And you know us all by scent?” Ami asked in awe
“Yes. In the life a wolf all things are scent related. The first scents we learn are that of our mother and father. Next is sibling then pack mates. That’s how we know who we can trust.”
“I take it then all the people you named you trust?” Ami asked blushing a little.
“Without a doubt,” Kouga confirmed.
It was also during his stay in the medical area that he lost two pursuant Senshi. Hotaru dropped out first offering up the reasonable response that she felt she was too young to marry, a sentiment Kouga shared and accepted the alternate option of just being friends. Haruka dropped out as well pointing out that she quite simple preferred women. Kouga understood that as well.
But for Kouga it was also a time for reflection. The Wolf prince had at many times in the past, been asked to make a decision that changed lives. It was the duty of a leader to make such decisions. To do what was for the greater good. Though ‘for the greater good’ was no consolation when one had to tell a female mate or a male mate or kami forbid a child, that loved ones aren’t going to be coming home. That the wage of war was blood, Kouga was tired of it. Inu Yasha, Miroku, Sango all of them had peace, why couldn’t he? First, it was the war his father waged with Sesshoumaru, then it was battling Naraku, then off to stop the Ookami civil war. To face Nobunaga, to fight off the Shinsengumi and more until the now many centuries later Naraku once more was back.
“Why can I not have peace? What have I ever done to offend the Kami and Mother-moon so much?” He asked himself as he went through one of his katas with a bokken in the dojo.
“Nothing,” A voice responded. “You have done nothing to anger the Kami, Kouga. All the battles you had to go through, all the trials and tough choices, were to mature you.”
“Still Kagura, Ginta, Hakkaku, Saiyako and the others deserved better than they got Setsuna-san,” Kouga responded.
“I won’t dispute that,” Setsuna replied. “However, Lord Kouga, you must let go of the past in order to embrace the future. You have six women hoping to know you better.”
“True enough and each of you has aspects that I find attractive. Ami is witty and intelligent as well as shy and kind. Rei has a fire and passion that makes her seem untamable. Minako has enthusiasm and a genuinely good heart, but I think she’s trying too hard. Michiru is…strange yet also interesting. And Makoto reminds me a lot of Ayame,” Responded Kouga making the last comment sound a little disconcerting, at least to himself.
“And me?” Setsuna asked as her lips quirked into a ghost of a smile.
“Ya don’t seem like a bad person, but you certainly could lighten up a little. Yer way too serious.”
“I see,” Setsuna began as she picked up a bo from a nearby weapons rack, her face displaying a playful smirk. “Perhaps you can help me ‘lighten up’.”
Kouga laughed at the smirk and the challenge. This was going to be fun. “Very well. I accept.”
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In her cell Winona Wilks seethed. They’d thrown her into it four days ago. In her mind she couldn’t believe what was happening to her nice stable world. Just a few weeks ago she was one of Ami Mizuno’s scientific Lieutenants. She was praises and studied only the most important of discoveries. Ancient Earth Artifacts, ancient tomes on genetics and bioengineering from the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. She was going to be the one who helped the Senshi build hardier food plants, meat cattle and new medicines. She wasn’t just a scientist it was her mind that would shape the future!
Then she took the assignment. Dr. Mizuno had gotten a report from one of the eighty or so still functioning satellites in Earth’s orbit and spotted animal and plant life that had somehow survived the Great Freeze. Naturally, Ami was intrigued by the idea of what new life could have sprung up since the Freeze. Of course there were reports of larger than previous sea life and huge rodents that seemed to attack the farms, but aside from reports from the Taijya, there was never any proof of these ‘youkai’. So of course, she went. She took security and hoped to find samples of these ‘demon rats’ or of some other evolved life form. What she found instead was a youma who could control wolves. A youma who was now an honored guest with his own servant and a room in the palace not to mention the Senshi practically drooling over it, well maybe not all the Senshi but she was sure most of them were!
Meanwhile, she, who had seen what was happening was stuck in a cell due to face an imperial indictment on several ludicrous charges of attempted genocide, attempted murder, unethical medical experimentation and ignoring the Hippocratic oath. On the last counts she was delivered a disbarment by Dr. Mizuno personally.
She was faced with charges that would lead her to her own imprisonment. All because of one damned ookami youma. Couldn’t they see what he’d done? He was the cause of everything and she would do anything, give anything, save the good people of Crystal Tokyo from him!
“Anything, Dr. Wilks?” A smooth as warm honey voice intoned from the far end of stockade.
Wilks looked up, a grimace of surprise etching across her features. “Yes. I would do anything to get back a this… Kouga. Now whose there?”
From the shadows stepped the tall thin form of a man. His skin was slightly hued his long black hair left free to brush the shoulders of his black Yukata. It was his eyes that stood out, a deep ruby color almost the hue of dried blood. Next to him stood a pale teen clad all in white, her disturbing black eyes were emotionless, not cold but empty to look into. Still Wilks knew who this person was.
“Lord Naratomoe?”
“Would you give your soul to stop him?” Naratomoe asked raising an eyebrow slightly.
“I would give anything to stop him.” Wilks stated. “Even that.”
“Good!” Naratomoe sneered. “Then come with me. We have much to do.”
With that the door to her cell shattered. Without a word, without question, Wilkes followed Naratomoe into the shadows.
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Haruka, Makoto and Hotaru stared as they entered the dojo. They’d arrived late for their sparring session with Setsuna only to find themselves entering into something entirely unexpected.
Standing in the middle of the room was Kouga. Setsuna had shifted to her Senshi form more than likely at Kouga’s request since in their Senshi forms they were more durable and was against hurting any of them. His eyes were closed and Setsuna was circling him as if looking for an opening . After pacing three quarters of a circuit she charged in swinging her garnet rod low .
Kouga jumped the low swing then parried the high end’s follow up, all the while keeping his eyes closed. “Lesson two Makoto-san: never rely on just one sense in a fight. Your eyes can be tricked and thus trick you, sounds can deafen or distract you, smells can be faked or blocked and touch can deceive. “ Kouga answered as he blocked a downward strike with his bokken, dropping to one knee then launching out with a sweeping kick that Setsuna deftly dodged.
“Then what should be trusted ‘Sensei’?” Haruka asked in a haughtily mocking tone. She may have agreed to be Kouga’s friend but hearing him lecture anyone on anything, let alone Makoto on how to fight, was irritating at most.
Kouga flipped to his feet, a grin on his face and his eyes still closed. “One should always , always trust their instincts. If something seems wrong, it probably is wrong.”
Setsuna couldn’t help but offer a ghost of a smile. Even while trying to get her to lighten up, he was still connecting with the Senshi. Herself included. With the intent to get him to show off more, Setsuna charged in again this time allowing for a longer exchange as bokken and Garnet rod clashed in a long string of feints and parries.
For Kouga this was a life event. A sparring match with someone who didn’t seem to make mistakes, his student watching and hopefully studying his motions. A student who was just like Ayame only human. Kouga liked spending time with Makoto, but whether that was because she was like Ayame or in spite of it was up for debate. She was tough yet feminine, liked to cook and secretly reveled in fighting. Warrior and woman. It was a bouquet he felt he liked.
For Makoto seeing Kouga move was an experience in itself. Haruka would grouse if she said it aloud, but Makoto thought of Kouga as being kin to the North wind, no, all winds. His movements, whether in walking, sprinting, jumping or running were fluid. There was no wasted movement. He was something otherworldly and primal. Above all he held a passion for life. Makoto thought often of what it would be like to have such a being as he in her arms, sharing that primal, gentle passion with her. The thought scared and excited the lightning mistress.
Kouga ducked parried and weaved around Sailor Pluto’s strikes with the skill of a master and the grace of a dancer. The wolf prince’s bokken tangle-locked with the Time Senshi’s garnet rod bringing the two face to face. There was mischief in Setsuna’s magenta gaze and Kouga suspected he was about to be on the receiving end of it. The two twisted to detangle their weapons only to have Setsuna twist around disarming Kouga while swinging the heart final of her rod at Kouga’s legs. Kouga, off balance from the tangle lock felt his legs go out from under him causing him to land on his rear, though he quickly rolled into a handstand that caught the staff’s follow up strike with his feet.
Haruka blinked as she watched the wolf in action. She’d faced off with him when they first met and she now had a sneaking suspicion that the wolf was holding back. Still she couldn’t help but smirk when Kouga was disarmed. That smirk turned into a confused frown with Kouga catching the staff with his feet. Yet no matter how much she stared the image stayed the same: Kouga was in a handstand his legs were straight save for where he’d scissored his shins and had trapped the staff.
For Kouga the maneuver was a little strain on his newly healed arm. Still he could now see Makoto. She was staring intently at him. Something in her eyes made him pause however as for a brief moment she was seemingly replaced with Ayame. A blink later Makoto Kino’s image was back giving him a high beamed stare. With a shake of his head the turned the handstand into a round off cartwheel disarming and flipping the stunned sailor of time.
“Nicely done Kouga-san,” Setsuna responded as she picked herself off the floor.
“You as well,” Kouga responded distractedly. “Please excuse me, I need to go clear my head. I shall see you all at dinner.”
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Winona Wilks tried not to stare at the hell Naratomoe was leading her through. In one of the rooms of his estate there were screams as people suffered all manner of torments, too many to count and too sickening to forget.
“W-what is this Naratomoe?” She asked at last.
“Pay this no mind,” Naratomoe said dismissively. “It’s merely a hobby of mine.”
“This is a hobby?” The somewhat insane doctor asked. “How is the torture and death of helpless people a hobby?”
“It relaxes me,” Naratomoe said in the same casual tone which a person would use to ask someone to pass the salt at dinner. “But that should not concern you. What should concern you is what I need you to do.”
“And what’s that?”
Naraku smiled behind his disguise and held up two vials each holding a hair. “I want you to use the DNA in these to make something that will destroy that sinister wolf!”
Whose more sinister, him or you? Winona mentally asked. Still she’d agreed to help and doing this would be simple. So why did she feel she was selling her soul. “Gladly. It won’t be a problem at all.”
“Excellent! Now get to it!” Naraku said as Dr. Wilks left. “Soon Kouga you’ll find the world to be a lot more dangerous, and lot less safe. After all,” Naraku said as he looked at the creature in the shadows. “Who do you trust, when you can’t trust anyone?”
TBC