InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Decisions ❯ Chapter 11

 

Sango's village wasn't really all that far from Sesshomaru's palace. They were only an hour or two away from the village by sunset and Inuyasha's subsequent change. They decided to keep on traveling to the safety of the village because of Inuyasha's vulnerability, even though said vulnerability was never mentioned as the reason.

 

They were almost at the village when Kagome suddenly looked sharply into the forest to her left. She wasn't exactly sure what she was sensing. It was youki but it seemed that they were farther away than she could usually sense, which, admittedly wasn't very far, but that made this even weirder. These youkai didn't seem to be anything special, nothing that should have drawn her attention anyway. They were about three miles off, when she could usually only sense youki when it was right in front of her, and the only way that she could sense it then was if she was looking for it and if the youkai wasn't hiding it…or it had a jewel shard. It's because you are improving. You should be able to feel a certain youkai anywhere in Japan if you try hard enough and concentrate, at least when we have our full soul again. I think that we have a range of about ten miles right now.

 

But there are other youkai closer than these. Why would I notice these particular youkai?

 

No idea.

 

Well, you're certainly helpful.

 

The others didn't really notice anything peculiar, so they just kept walking. Strangely, they were getting used to Kagome spacing out in the middle of a conversation, such as the one Sango had been having with her when she had noticed the youkai. They figured that she would eventually come out of it and tell them what she had been thinking if it was important.

 

Kagome had lost interest in the youkai and had resumed her conversation with Sango, while moving the youkai presence to the back of her mind, when she suddenly heard the scream of a child in her mind from where she had pushed the youkai presence. She knew that it was too far away for her to run it quickly enough to save the child. Without a word to anyone other than a quick call of “Kirara!” similar to the tone that Sango always used to call her for battle, Kagome ran and jumped on a transformed Kirara and told her to hurry in the direction that she had felt the youkai. She cursed the fact that she had neglected to bring her bow. She didn't know what she was going to do when she came upon the youkai, but she figured that Kikyo could tell her how to do one of those energy ball thingies.

 

Kirara seemed to catch on to her urgency and put on an extra burst of speed that would work for short distances without unduly tiring her. When they were about a hundred feet away from the youkai, they descended. Kagome desperately wanted to just go straight to the child, but she wasn't stupid. She told Kirara to go and get the rest of the group for backup and then ran into the clearing where the youkai were kicking an unmoving sack on the ground.

 

The youkai didn't seem to notice her. There were about twelve of them, bandits by the look of them. They were mostly human-looking but with some distinct youkai features. For the most part they were not pretty. In fact most of them would have been pretty nauseating to look at if you weren't used to seeing hideous sights on a daily basis as Kagome was. But it was the leader that made even Kagome nauseous. He was beautiful…but the look in his eyes was sickening. His eyes shown with pure evil in a way that even Naraku's didn't. Or maybe Naraku was just better at hiding it.

 

The leader's attention was on a youkai child being held by one of the bandits. The child couldn't have been more than Souta's age. He had black hair that stood on end and big crimson eyes. His youki was different than any of the other demons that she had ever come across. It was like he was a hanyo, but without the human part. This must be what happens when two pure youkai of different races mix. He seemed to be a fire youkai at first, but Kagome could sense ice deep in his core. It was quite strange. Since she couldn't explain it, she put it in the back of her mind for Kikyo to ponder while she continued to access the situation. He was wearing rags that made some of the ones worn by the poorest villagers look like robes worn by royalty. They had holes everywhere and barely covered him. Kagome didn't know it but the fact that they barely covered him was intentional. He was crying angry tears as the bandits forced him to watch them kick whatever was in the sack. But what caught Kagome's attention was the fact that, instead of tears, beautiful jewels were falling out of his eyes. Kagome had the stray thought that if jewels came out of your eyes, crying into your pillow must not be very satisfying or comfortable because of all the jewels piling up under your face.

 

Just before she was about to jump into the midst of the bandits to save the boy something that the leader was saying caught her attention. “Yes, keep crying. We may not be able to make you cry anymore by doing damage to you, but we can still find other ways. Be sure not to kill it. We need to get all the tear jewels out of torturing that little cat that we can. Then you all can have all the fun with both the cat and the boy that you want while I count our jewels.”

 

“But Boss, I thought that the boy was your personal plaything?” asked one of the other bandits. “We all know how much you hate to share.”

 

“I have grown tired of him now that he doesn't cry anymore. He is now yours as long as you don't kill him.”

 

Kagome couldn't believe that anyone could be so evil as to do what she thought that they were talking about. She had heard about it on the news but had never personally come into contact with it. She had thought that she had seen as evil as it could get with Naraku, but the leader of these bandits put him to shame. Anyone who could do that to a child didn't deserve to live. She could feel herself losing control of her power and Kikyo wasn't helping because she wanted to kill them as much as Kagome did. The only thing that held her back was the fact that the boy was a demon and could be hurt by her purification. She had to get control.

 

“Let go of that boy now.” Kagome said in a chilling voice that she didn't know that she was capable of; if Sesshomaru had heard it, he would have been very impressed. It made all the bandits' blood run cold at the thinly veiled menace in her tone. The youkai holding the boy actually loosened his hold before the leader came to his senses and told them to hold the boy while he faced this new and as yet unseen enemy.

 

When he turned around and saw Kagome he laughed. “What to you want, little girl? Did you want to play with us too? I need something to amuse me now that the boy has ceased to do so.”

 

“You disgust me. Let the boy go now, before I am forced to purify all of you.”

 

“So the little girl thinks that she is a miko. And on top of that, she thinks that she can defeat all of us at once. We can't let her continue in her delusions. Boys?” The leader said in a mocking tone.

 

Kagome had ceased to fight for control and had settled into an icy rage. She could feel her power rising to the surface and ready to be let out as violently as her rage demanded. When the first youkai charged at her, she reacted on instinct and let her power out. It took the shape of a bow and arrow, as that was the weapon she was most familiar with. She shot first the demon charging her and then, in the next instant in less than the time that it took the leader to blink, shot the bandit holding the boy, instantly purifying both bandits.

 

“Run.” She told the boy, not even taking her eyes off the other charging bandits. As quick as lightning, she shot five more youkai before finally glancing down at the boy. He was staring at the ground as if not able to comprehend that he was being saved. “Go.” She told him again.

 

He finally snapped out of his reverie and ran to get the sack on the ground that the bandits had been kicking earlier. He spoke for the first time. “I won't leave. You're just a weak human, and an onna on top of that. You'll need my help to defeat the leader.”

 

Kagome wondered at him. Now why does that sound so familiar? “Well, if you're going to help, get behind me. I would hate to accidentally purify you. My friends should be getting here soon to help.”

 

“Hn. More weak humans won't help much. You're a miko so you're not completely useless, but regular humans would just get in the way.”

 

Kagome smiled. Well, at least they didn't break his spirit. He must have a very strong soul. Just as she finished that thought she heard her friends crash through into the clearing.

 

“What the HELL?! Why did you take off like that wench? Who the hell are you?” Inuyasha demanded of the leader of the bandits. Then he saw the condition of the boy. Kagome knew that she had had the same look in her eyes a few minutes ago and probably still had it. Their eyes met and Kagome didn't need to tell him anything. He could read it all in her eyes, they were so full of banked rage. They had been together long enough that he could guess what had happened to put that look in her eyes, even if he had never seen it before. Add that to the look in the boy's eyes beneath the contempt that he was currently showing and Inuyasha immediately went from angry to almost the level of rage that Kagome was currently experiencing. Miroku and Sango made similarly accurate assumptions. Luckily Shippo was still on Kirara's back, who was flying at a safe distance above their heads.

 

The group immediately after that silent, but effective, communication went into battle mode. Inuyasha may not have been able to transform Tetsusaiga, but he could hit harder than most youkai even in his human form. Kagome smiled chillingly. “The leader is mine.”

 

No one dared argue with Kagome so they nodded. With that, they all attacked as one and went after their selected target. Sango took on two youkai at once with her Hiraikotsu. Miroku swung at one particularly ugly youkai with his Shakujo (staff). Inuyasha went after the biggest one, who also happened to be the smelliest. I'm lucky that I'm in my human form. Otherwise I would probably have passed out by now. As it was he was having a hard time breathing but that didn't stop him from repeatedly smashing the youkai's face with his fists.

 

Meanwhile, Kagome was facing the leader with the boy behind her. “His weak spot is between his legs.” The little boy whispered.

 

Kagome smiled. He must be younger than she thought if he thought that that was a special weak spot. It also showed that he had fought him, not that she had doubted it before given how spirited he was. Just to humor him, when she attacked the leader she hit him hard in said place. I'm lucky that he's such a weakling. I don't have a weapon that is good for such close fighting. My miko power should be enough. As she finished that thought the leader was kneeling on the ground about to get up. She grabbed him by the shoulders and looked into his eyes. They were full of fear as he looked into the eyes that were starting to glow pink in preparation. “Not so arrogant now when it's you on the receiving end of a beating, are you? Prepare to die.” Her eyes glowed more brightly.

 

Finish him now, but slowly. Let the power burn him from the inside out.

 

Kagome smiled, but it wasn't her usual nice smile. For once we are in complete agreement, Kikyo. The youkai under her hands started to glow pink as her miko energy slowly burned his insides until there was nothing left.

 

She turned around to look at the boy and immediately all the emotions that she had been suppressing came rushing forth. “I can't stand anyone who would do that to a child.” The boy was currently looking at her in admiration and not a little fear. She couldn't bear to be the one who put fear in his eyes and grabbed him, fell to her knees, and started to sob. “I won't let anyone hurt you again as long as you stay with me.” She promised in between sobs.

 

The boy, never having had to comfort a crying woman, especially one who had shown such power and strength less than a minute before, looked at a loss as to what to do and slightly panicked.

 

Miroku walked up to him and patted his shoulder, all of her friends having finished their fights before Kagome and had had time to watch the end of her fight. “Don't worry. It will pass. No man is immune to female tears. It makes us feel like clods. It's normal to be discomfited.”

 

The boy jerked away from Miroku's touch before he could stop himself. To cover the action, he said, “Hn. This onna had better stop crying soon while I am still in an understanding mood.” Contrary to his words, he awkwardly started to pat her on the shoulder.

 

Sango walked up to the boy and handed him a bag full of his tear jewels. “I believe that these are yours?”

 

The boy looked at the bag in distaste before snatching it out of her hand. He then went back to comforting Kagome.

 

When Kagome finally stopped crying she looked up at her friends and gasped. “You are all hurt!” She looked back at the boy. “And you're hurt worse than all of them! Hold still.” Kikyo, I need your help.

 

Say no more. Close your eyes and put your hands on the boy's head and let your powers guide you. Imagine what you want to do and allow them to do it for you.

 

Is it always that easy?

 

Not always but healing is a natural process that the body does anyway. You're just speeding the process up a little.

 

Kagome did as Kikyo instructed and put her hands on the boy's head. “Remember, don't move. I won't hurt you.”

 

The boy didn't know why he trusted her, even if she had just saved him. For all he knew she could want him for herself. But it stood to reason that she wouldn't kill him if she wanted his tear jewels and he had withstood things that would have driven a weaker youkai crazy, especially one his age. He had been alone almost since the day he was born, when he was left for dead, tossed from his mother's village. Even though he was a newborn, he remembered that day. He had never trusted anyone but himself his whole life so he couldn't figure out why he trusted this miko, whose kind was sworn to kill all youkai. Maybe it was the look in her eyes. She seemed so pure, even when fighting and killing. Too pure to be even remotely evil. He may not know why he trusted her, but he had lived this long trusting his instincts, even if he wasn't strong enough to avoid capture by the youkai bandits. One day I will be strong enough to defend her as she defended me, he swore silently to himself.

 

Kagome watched him struggle before finally closing his eyes in acceptance. She closed her own eyes and proceeding to heal him.

 

The boy felt her hands on his head grow warm. He saw a glow from behind his eyes and flinched, preparing to feel the burn of purification. Instead he felt his injuries healing. He opened his eyes only to immediately close them again. The pink glow had been blinding.

 

When Kagome was finished she rose to her feet. “Don't go anywhere.” She told the boy firmly and then went over to her friends and proceeded to heal them as well.

 

The boy opened his eyes in astonishment. All of his injuries were gone! A miko shouldn't have been able to heal a youkai without purifying him. He stared at Kagome as she finished healing the others. Just who was this onna?

 

When she was done, Kirara came down with Shippo who flew into Kagome's arms. “Mom, where did you learn to do that? Who is that boy? What happened? Why did you suddenly run off?” The questions came out a mile a minute.

 

While Kagome answered Shippo's questions, the boy was slowly inching away from the group. If the onna already has a son then there was really no place for me to belong. He picked up the sack and suddenly sprinted into the forest. If there was one thing that he excelled at, it was speed. There was no way that some weak humans would catch him.

 

Unfortunately, he was right. He was even too fast for Kirara. Kagome was saddened that he hadn't trusted her enough to stay. She had wanted nothing more than to protect him. But she couldn't do that if they couldn't find him and it didn't look like that was going to happen.

 

“Don't worry, Kagome. He seemed remarkably mature and strong for his age. I'm sure that he will be fine.” Miroku said as he put his arm around the miko's shoulders. No lecherous attempts made.

 

Kagome sighed before looking up at Miroku and smiling. “You're probably right. He has a remarkably resilient spirit. He can survive on his own. I get the feeling that he has had lots of practice. I just wish that he didn't have to continue to do so.”

 

The group accepted that they were not going to find the boy, especially not with Inuyasha's nose out of commission. They continued on to the village and decided to get some sleep before heading to the cave in the morning.

 

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