InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Intertwined ❯ The Manipulator ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: All characters are products of Rumiko Takahashi, and Togashi Yoshihiro's minds, not mine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Intertwined

 

 

 

Chapter 5

 

 

 

“It's Youko Kurama!!” Shippo shouted with wonder into the quiet hut before slapping his little hand to his disobedient mouth, “I'm sorry,” he mumbled with a glance to the sick man in the room.

 

“Perhaps we should continue our little meeting outside where we will not disturb anyone,” Miroku suggested, ever the peacemaker, already leading the way past Inuyasha.

 

Youko, agreeing completely, moved next to go past Inuyasha who still stood by the door. As he neared, he winked with a knowing smirk as he pushed through the mat over the doorway. Inuyasha didn't miss the heavy chuckle that came from the demon once he reached the other side, either. One of the first things he'd noticed about the kitsune was the ears on top of his head; oh, he knew, `That bastard knows what it feels like to get his ears rubbed…last thing we need is another pervert around,'

 

The last one of the Inu-tachi to leave the hut, Inuyasha leapt ahead of everyone to catch up to the figure that stood out the most, “Alright, kitsune. You had better not try lying to us when you tell us…just how long have you been around?”

 

Brought up short by the white-haired dog, Youko halted his slippered footsteps with a flutter of silk. Blinking lazily, he smirked evilly, “Oh come, Inuyasha. You, of the whole group, should know the answer to that,” he smoothly rumbled out, his tone full of meaning.

 

Hearing such a tone come from the beautiful creature that was teasing his friend, Miroku could only assume what it was the fox was trying to imply…and it made his dark eyebrows shoot up into his hairline as he looked between the two fair-haired males before him, `Naw…' Inuyasha hadn't known of their follower either, right? So what could the kitsune mean? Concentrating closer on body language now, Miroku continued to watch the exchange between the two to figure it out.

 

Inuyasha, effectively shut up by the fox, straightened to cross his arms and fought the redness threatening to flare up over his nose, “Feh, I knew it. Hardly able to answer an easy question without your mind in the gutter…stupid ears,” he grumbled, only low enough for demonic hearing.

 

The girls still stood to the side, utterly lost to confusion as Shippo quickly jumped up to Inuyasha's shoulder, “Hey Inuyasha, is that why y...mpfff…” he garbled the rest of his question underneath Inuyasha's hand before giving up on it.

 

Shooting the depraved fox a death glare, Inuyasha clarified for his human companions, “Apparently he's been with us ever since we crossed his territory a month ago.”

 

“A month ago?” Kagome asked, trotting over to the trio of demons, “You stayed with us after we left your land?” she asked him directly, trying to avoid her own blush from his heated attention.

 

Looking into the most sea-defying blue eyes he'd ever laid into, Youko nodded, “I did,” immediately switching the conversation over, he began his own line of questioning, “Kagome, I'm curious; what caused you to begin your campaigns against Naraku?” he asked as he admired her adorable blushing. He had to know. Had to know; he was a being of a curious nature, and even he couldn't ignore the pull of the unknown.

 

Before any of them could answer however, Kagome stiffened suddenly and she spun around to look back toward the village with stark fear written all over her aura.

 

“Kagome? What is it?” Sango asked, unconsciously reaching for the weapon that she did not currently have with her.

 

“Kaede…” Kagome mumbled quickly before she darted off and sprinted toward the hut they had left a moment ago, Sango following closely behind her.

 

The men also chased off after Kagome, “Inuyasha, there is great malevolence coming from in there. It speaks of the same darkness that was within Haruo.” Miroku yelled over the loud chime of his rings on the shakujou. Unsure of what it meant, Miroku suspected that it had something to do with the curing of the man only minutes ago.

 

“Hey Fox, what did you do?” Inuyasha challenged to their white companion as soon as they made it to the hut and raced inside. Kaede lay on the floor in front of Haruo as she tried to protect her charge, her eye-patch missing. Her one eye was fixed on a point in the room that everyone else quickly took note of.

 

“Kaede, let's get Haruo and yourself out of here. We must distance the rest of the villagers for safety,” Miroku directed the woman that was glowering darkly at the point she hadn't taken her good eye off of yet. Reluctantly relenting for her charge and village's sake, she dragged the unconscious man out as best as she could with Miroku's help.

 

All at once, Youko knew what it was that had happened to alert Kagome's natural sensitivity to impurity. She stood in what looked to be a face-off with a bodiless creature of enormous black mass, her bow clutched in her hand and unintentionally charged with glowing power. As they watched, the pulsing black mass began to hiss as it misted slowly from the solid mass on the floor into that of a gassy form.

 

Knowing that the information he held about this creature would be relevant, he spoke up in the precious few minutes they had as it completed its transformation, “This mass we are looking at now is the infant stage of the Fog Manipulator. The people that have been infected in your village were somehow exposed to the creature's reproductive agent. I have not seen one of these in fifty five years,” he stated gravely to those crowded in the hut, “When it is done transforming to its adult form, it will hold the ability to travel by shadows and transport living beings from one place to another. It is also a rather skilled arsonist, hence its incubation method. It seems that the treatment I implemented to the man earlier was not applied soon enough to halt its creation.”

 

“Why didn't you say that before?” Inuyasha asked sharply, “You know so much about it, how do we get rid of it?” briefly taking his amber eyes off of the freaky being, he shot Youko a quick look as he drew his Tetsusaiga to full size, making the room seem to shrink in size, “Preferably before it finishes growin' up.”

 

Considering the short-tempered hanyou's action, he countered it, “It cannot be destroyed in its infant stage; that has been tried many times. Any attempts at holy magic burns away, and physical violence toward it only harms the attacker by the same manner,” he answered regretfully, “But once it finishes `growing up', it can only be destroyed through one of its hosts,” he supplied quickly, “And from the looks of things, we only have another few moments before it finishes its transformation.”

 

“Hosts? This thing possesses people?” Sango spoke up for the first time since Youko's appearance as she stood on the creature's other side from Kagome, “You didn't tell us that!” she said heatedly.

 

Despite the urgency in the air, Youko took the moment to angle the woman a lifted eyebrow in mirth, “I believe I just did, love. Though it does not possess humans; it reproduces in humans. It is through youkai possession that it communicates and interacts with others. The only way to destroy the being is to do so while it is in a host youkai.”

 

As the last word left Youko's lips, the transforming creature finally completed its evaporation process and hovered a moment as it attained its bearings. After the manipulator outwardly considered its location among those it did not recognize, Youko watched as it closed in on him for a closer look. He was unconcerned that it might possess his own body; he already had a barrier for that in place since he'd been in acquaintance with one in the past. Once it realized this, the manipulator seemed to consider the others of demon blood in the room.

 

“Do not take any of them; you will not last long should you take a host,” Youko bluffed darkly, getting wary looks from those unaware of the bluff...which was everyone but him, of course. Without any other options open to the creature, it took its last means of escape from the open hostility by seemingly vaporizing into the corners of the room where the shadows lay.

 

As Kagome felt the malignance of that…thing leave the area, she rounded on Youko from across the room and gave him her fiercest look, “You had better have been bluffing you peeper, or you will not live to regret it!” she ground out impressively, referring to the comment that he might harm Inuyasha or her kit.

 

Ignoring the degrading “peeper” comment, Youko chuckled in the face of the anger he'd been witness to during her cycle, “My dear, you may take any threats to the lives of your comrades to be just that. The bluff did work, yes?” he bragged with a wink.

 

“Oh give it a rest, fox. You got a lot of explaining to do on why, exactly, you know so much about that thing,” Inuyasha said, snapping his heirloom sword back into its scabbard, “Come on. Let's go and check on Kaede and Miroku,” he left without another word after the women and Youko did…just in case.

 

 

 

The frightened villagers had been directed back to their huts with reassurance, and the remaining hosts of the Fog Manipulator creature were effectively treated before everyone finally settled into Kaede's hut for the aforementioned explaining from Youko of his manipulator familiarity.

 

“I was first introduced to the creature about a century ago when one of them became part of our clan,” he lifted his eyes to challenge anyone there to say something ill of his profession, “I was raised in a band of thieves, and met the manipulator about the time I took over leadership of it. The manipulator went by the name of Gau, and quickly became my right hand at the time. His talents for transportation and infiltration were very useful. He had a favored youkai host in the ranks that would willingly offer himself up for the job since as a host, the youkai is aware of everything the manipulator does; this includes touch, smell, sight…everything,” he stopped briefly to let this sink in before he continued his narrative, “This I know because he once tried to take my body so that he could live as leader permanently, though it was too difficult for him to maintain control of me because I outranked him in power. I drove him out easily, but it was very painful to withstand the attempted possession, so I had barriers to avoid it ever happening again put in place. It was not long after this that he simply disappeared without a trace,” he shrugged lightly, uncaring that he hadn't heard from Gau, “That was some five or so decades ago; I had him replaced immediately,” no one in the room missed the sudden change in Youko's demeanor as he said this.

 

“So, you knew one of these…manipulators fifty-some years ago and haven't seen any others since?” Kagome asked when he finished, “I would think there would be others around, wouldn't there?”

 

Youko adjusted his attention from within his thoughts to Kagome's smooth face, “There are more about, I'm sure. What I have not seen in fifty years is one in true form or its infant stage. They are usually within hosts or stay hidden in shadows where they feel most comfortable,” he said to her easily as he mentally tried categorizing her eye color. There was just no name for it…though he thought he could remember seeing a jewel within a necklace that was the exact same shade. It had been some years ago, but he hadn't had reason to swipe it at the time. If he could just remember where it was that he'd seen it…

 

“How exactly does one avoid being used as a host of either species?” Miroku prodded about the barrier Youko mentioned that he had in place, breaking the fox's train of thought, “And what of hanyou? Could they be used for both, or neither?” added as an after thought.

 

His mind back on the present, he considered this briefly; answering as best he could with the information he knew of Gau, “I imagine the demon half within a hanyou would make it impossible for the fetal form to grow; the body would heal too fast and overheat it. Though I presume one could be used as an interactive host for a manipulator,” he answered with a glance toward Inuyasha, who he suspected had wanted the answer to that one as well, “As far as the prevention of one's use, a sorceress I knew was able to implant a barrier that was effective against the manipulator. It is anchored by branding oneself with the counteractive properties of the characters for sunlight. Although it must be done with sorcery, or the brand will mean nothing,” he warned, “In youkai's case, the sorcery also keeps the brand from fading due to the healing process,” it had nearly killed him when he'd gotten his own branding that he'd had to mar his perfect skin for the barrier's anchor, but it had been necessary at the time. Besides, he thought with vanity, the women loved it. Of course, it was in a place that would require him to be without pants to view it, so...who knew if said women were thinking clearly anyway?

 

“Where would a human come into contact with the reproductive agent of a manipulator? How is it implanted?” Kaede asked, thinking of the prevention of any further infections.

 

Snapping from his increasingly naughty wanderings, Youko looked to the old woman, “Well, although the manipulators can move through shadows in mist form, one has to be in a youkai host to release the agent. Regardless of the species of the host, it is expelled through the fang. The human incubator must be bitten by it to be implanted with the reproductive agent. If you search your recovering victims, you will most likely find the implant marks somewhere from the implanter,” he advised her, though why this hadn't been done yet was beyond him, “This might help determine what species of youkai was the one to infect your village. Either way, I'll leave some of the plant that I used for your villagers with you should you need it again.”

 

Nodding her head, Kaede lifted herself from the floor with a grunt, “That brand might merit some later consideration. Now, however, this old woman is going to retire for the night,” Kaede, temporarily wearing a strip of cloth over her damaged eye, again addressed the fox formally, “Arigato, Youko-sama, for your aid in curing the frightful agent from the villagers. Incidentally, will ye be staying with us? Ye are more than welcome to; your continued aid would be most valued.”

 

Making a show of thinking about it, he smirked lightly when he heard Inuyasha growling at the prospect, “Oh, I thought I might hang around for a while,” he stated for the room before turning with a victorious look to his eye.

 

Nodding once, Kaede shuffled over to collect her futon, “Very well. I shall speak with ye at all at breakfast.”

 

 

As the current occupants of Kaede's small hut exited to make their way to their own, Inuyasha pulled aside to the fox and began his objections, “You might stay here whether we tell you that you can or not, but there ain't no way you're gonna stay in the same hut as us!” he shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Youko.

 

Miroku couldn't contain his curiosity, “Inuyasha, what is it that bothers you so of our new friend? He has done nothing but aid us in a time of need,” though Inuyasha didn't know of the wood he'd left for them weeks ago, he did. Actually, he had his own opinions on what the possible problem was, but he couldn't really work out the details on his own.

 

Crossing his bare arms and giving Inuyasha an expectant look, Youko stood in the limited light coming from within the surrounding huts, “Yes, Inuyasha. Why ever do you dislike me?” he added with mock confusion.

 

Narrowly avoiding mimicking the fox's stance, Inuyasha spun around and walked farther toward their recently gifted hut, mumbling something barely coherent about perverts sticking together. Youko caught this of course, and winked at Shippo when he heard the kit sniggering at the comment.

 

The girls walked together behind the unearthly figure, and Kagome was mesmerized by the motions of his tail as he followed in the direction of their hut until Shippo spoke up, “So…did you like your pocky?” he asked with all the exuberance of a smitten kit.

 

Unable to answer the kit regarding their trade in secret, Youko answered him with a nod accompanied with a wink; earning him a full flash of teeth from Shippo in a grin. The silent communication was interrupted as Kagome remembered the beginning of their trip with that question.

 

She broke her eyes from his tail and jogged up to him, Sango also catching up to the foxes behind her, “Yeah, sorry I could only give you the strawberry kind,” she said, drawing his golden attention up from Shippo, “When I go back home, I'll get some extra of the chocolate for you to try, kay?”

 

He watched her lips as she spoke; enjoying the fact that it was he she was speaking to. He returned to her jeweled eyes, “Perfectly fine, the sweet sticks you left for me were quite good actually,” he answered somewhat truthfully; she didn't need to know that he'd already had the chocolate… “You're home is not here?” he parried, not missing the way Kagome seemed to realize she'd let something slip, `Yes…full of surprises, this one. Her home must be a secret…' This was proved when Inuyasha whipped around and gave Kagome a meaningful look.

 

Kagome nearly tripped over herself trying to repair the slip to the clever kitsune, “Er…no, I live in a different village from this one…So you like strawberry, huh?” she blatantly evaded the prodding line of questioning.

 

Youko walked on next to the girl with Shippo now on his shoulder as he quirked a brow, clearly not buying the evasion. Letting her have her way for now, since he would most definitely find out the answer eventually, he returned his eyes to the front where he could see Miroku entering the desired hut, “Hai, very good. I ate them all in one night,” since Shippo now sat on his shoulder; he could feel the child's delight in their private joke. He looked over to Sango as they reached the hut, “And the sentiment was much appreciated.”

 

Sango smiled before she and Kagome entered the hut next, Youko following into the room. To irritate Inuyasha, of course; he would probably sleep outside for the night anyway.

 

Somehow, Inuyasha had expected the pervert kitsune to come into the hut even after being told otherwise. Fine. He just wouldn't sleep…again. At least that way he could be sure this Youko guy would keep his hands to himself with the girls there…if he even liked `em, that is…

 

“So, do you need a futon or something?” Kagome asked him, taking the job of hostess for the night. Right after asking him that, she mentally kicked herself; he probably didn't even need to sleep, `Smooth Kagome…' she thought before plowing on, “Or…do you even need to sleep? Oh well, we have extras anyway. It is going to get cold tonight. Wait, do you feel the cold?” she didn't even realize she'd begun prattling until she was thankfully stopped by Sango's hand.

 

“Would you like a futon for the night?” Sango asked the youkai standing before her smoothly despite the butterflies in her stomach that began beating the moment his intense eyes were on her. She imagined he naturally had that effect on most beings; female or no.

 

“I will be fine without one. I will probably stay in the forest for the night and rejoin you in the morning,” he declined before again taking lead of the conversation, “I wanted to get an answer of my own before parting for the night, though.”

 

When he heard Inuyasha growl in warning, he dropped all pretense and gave Inuyasha a look that shut him up fast, “What was it that has brought you all into such personal jeopardy with Naraku?”

 

 

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“I cannot believe you are making me take host in a female. This is not exactly what I had in mind,” Gau smoothly toned out in Kagura's voice as he lifted an edge of the kimono at her collar to peek inside.

 

Naraku gave his newest incarnation a glare fit to light him afire, “Relax. She needs to be punished now and again,” knowing Kagura could still understand what was being said from behind Gau's possession, he sent the feminine figure a reprimanding look with the comment, “It must be very painful…” He stood from his spot on the pillows and strolled over to the waiting decanter with his favored “Doburoku” sake, “You were successfully grown; be happy. You should be grateful that I even allowed you out, Gau,” he said in that deceptively gracious manner of his as he poured himself a cup of the liquid fire. Those humans he'd used for Gau did not taste pleasant.

 

Turning toward Gau, Naraku sipped as he focused his crimson eyes on Kagura's face, “So. What you saw before you ran away…”

 

Sighing roughly, Gau pulled up his memory of the group gathered about him as he had gained consciousness from the villager, “The first thing I saw was the man you used to incubate me. He lay behind an old woman with one eye. It wasn't long before a girl with odd clothing came into the room carrying a miko-charged bow, followed by a second with fighter's eyes,” Gau looked up to the dark hanyou that was now essentially his father, “That was them, wasn't it?” when Naraku nodded, he continued narrating from his memories, quickly coming to one that truly excited him, “They were followed by an old acquaintance of mine; one I had thought never to see again.”

 

At this declaration, Naraku's dark brows narrowed in thought, “Really,” he stated, unsure which of the group Gau had known. He hated being surprised.

 

“Hai. The one I knew is a Silver fox. I was fairly surprised to see him among humans, but the fact remained. It was him…delectable as ever,” the prospect of seeing Youko again sent shivers through Gau's borrowed body.

 

“Name,” Naraku prodded, putting down his sake cup. Gau looked outwardly to find Naraku glaring impatiently at him.

 

“The fox's name is Youko. He is a Silver Spirit kitsune thief that I knew before I answered Onigumo's call. I once tried to overtake him, but he proved too powerful,” Kagura's voice sounded regretful as Gau used it to talk of his past.

 

Understanding that this…Youko must be a new addition to the shard hunters, Naraku motioned for Gau to continue, making a special note to acquire more information of this fox through other means.

 

“Once Youko appeared, he was followed by a young demon that looks quite a bit like him,” he said in appreciation, unaware that Naraku had no idea what Youko looked like, “You know, with the ears and all…” Gau continued, waving a hand in the air.

 

`Ahh…there's Inuyasha.' “That would be him. The hanyou that must be disposed of,” Naraku supplied, now knowing that the new member would have similar ears to Inuyasha. Well now, he'd have to see this for himself, “You saw a monk too, I would presume. He is the one that carries the curse I put on him some time ago,” he moved closer to Gau to continue, “That wind tunnel might be capable of ruining our plans, so this must be done either without him there, or unable to use the Kazaana.”

 

“Hai, Master. Though with the unexpected pleasure of finding my old partner, I might ask a favor of you before I agree to go through with this,” he bravely voiced his desire to get a piece of what he wanted, not really knowing that he had no choice in the matter; Naraku had no qualms about killing Gau's current host to rid himself of the manipulator.

 

“The kitsune, correct? I will see this new member before I consider hearing of this favor of yours,” he said by way of dismissal, “And Gau…you will do nothing without first seeking my council,” he warned with one more glance before Gau dropped his control of Kagura and slunk away with the shadows. Kagura stood weary in her spot from the possession, but by catching her near fall on the shoji frame next to her, she remained standing as she waited for her orders from her despised master.

 

Turning to see Kagura's usually graceful stance replaced by her current state of lethargy, Naraku chuckled at her expense, “Hurts when you try to fight it, doesn't it?” Returning to his bed of pillows next to the window, he pushed open the shoji to display the night air, “I have no need of you this moment Kagura, but you will remain…convenient should Gau need a host. That will be all,” he finally dismissed to the wind sorceress.

 

She didn't have the energy to so much as sneer at him, so she did her best to glide out of the room in her usual manner. Once the shoji was closed behind her, she had to refrain from sagging and dragging her bare feet as she made her way back to her “convenient” room. Oh, how she hated Gau…her master even more so. She wanted nothing more than to try bathing away the filth of that dark creature that had forcefully inhabited her body. It wasn't surprising really, that Kagura could see and read Gau's memories as he spoke of them. What was a little unnerving, however, was his sick fascination with the ins and outs of her kimono. At that thought, despite the desperate call to lie down and recoup her strength through a bit of rarely needed sleep, Kagura pivoted in the direction of a suitable bath.

 

 

His troublesome incarnation dismissed, Naraku again cursed the day that his mirror to the outside world had broken. It was his mistake, really. And this was something he didn't readily admit often. Naraku watched from his seat of blood red pillows as the remaining sliver of the moon took its celestial route through the night. He really could have used Kanna's ability this night to see the new addition to the group. Oh he still had the saimyoushou, but instead of receiving the visual information directly, he would simply have to await their return. If this kitsune had enough power within him to repel possession from Gau, he could also hold enough power to interfere. His enemies always did have a nasty habit of surprising them with unexpected allies.

 

Naraku frowned into the night, `Never in a thousand years would I have expected the dog brothers to reach a truce…' he growled in perturbed anger within his mind. Oh yes, the brothers still clashed a bit, but it had been a while since they had been real enemies. This, of course, making the proverbial thorn in his side grow to annoying proportions. And now they had a powerful Silver Spirit kitsune to add to the ranks of their allies.

 

If only he could see this “Youko” creature for himself…