InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Beauty and the Beast, Inuyasha Style!! ❯ The Green Shawl ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter 9

*~*~*~*~*

(Inuyasha is forced into the ground by Goshinki's massive claw, shouting as he struggles in pain. Goshinki smiles as he leans down closer, trying to crush him with his weight.)

Goshinki: Die!!

Inuyasha: Gya...

(Everyone looks on from above with worried expressions.)

Shippo (shocked): AH!

Kagome (worried): Inuyasha!!!

Tanuki (scared): He...he beat the wound of the wind!

(Shippo suddenly notices something.)

Shippo: H...hey! What's that mark?

Kagome: Huh?

Shippo: That spider on his back, he never had that before!

(Suddenly Myouga appears on Kagome's shoulder.)

Myouga: Hmmmm.....ah?

Kagome: What is it?

Myouga: That mark, there's a line that seems to be a line heading straight up into his brain...

(Close up of Goshinki's back shows that there is another line, like a ninth leg, which runs straight up his spine and disappears just at the base of his skull.)

Myouga: It seems Goshinki has been to visit Naraku...

(Goshinki suddenly stands up and hurtles Inuyasha straight up into the air. As he comes down, Goshinki throws his arm forward, slashing him across the back and sending him flying straight through one of the seven foot thick outer walls of the palace with a crash and a clatter.)

All Above: Inuyasha!

Goshinki: Heh heh heh...I should take time beating the worthless life out of you Inuyasha, in return for all the pain you have caused your "loyal subjects."

Kagome: Inuyasha...

(In the forest next to a tree, Inuyasha is finally starting to move again. He grunts in pain as he forces himself up to his hands and knees. His breathing ragged and pained, as if he's cracked some ribs. The blood trickles from the wounds on his sides and flows from his back.)

Inuyasha (gasping): B...Bastard!

(He pushes his body up to the standing position, using the tree for support and holding Tetsuiga in his other hand.)

Inuyasha (quietly): There's...no way in hell...that I'm going to let Naraku take over for me...got that?

(He lets go of the tree and heads back towards the battle ground, where Goshinki is smiling, mockingly.)

Inuyasha (quietly): I'm not gonna die...

Inuyasha (yelling): ...until that bastard's six feet under!

(He charges in again as Kagome and the other's watch on. Inuyasha is dodging as best he can, but is still getting forced back.)

Kagome: Oh no, if this keeps up...Inuyasha will...

(Suddenly Kagome looks over her shoulder and realises she still has her bow and arrows on her. Back on the ground, Goshinki claws powerfully at Inuyasha, swiping him into another wall again, but luckily not through it. Inuyasha slumps down to the ground while Goshinki laughs happily. Suddenly, however, his expression changes to surprise as he leaps to the side. A fraction of a second later an arrow pierces the ground where he had been standing.)

Goshinki: What the...

(Up above, Kagome is fitting another arrow into her bow. With Shippo jumping at her side.)

Shippo: Get'im Kagome! That was amazing!

Kagome: Thank you Shippo, let's just hope I hit him this time.

(She fires another arrow, but Goshinki dodges it easily, having been able to read her mind.)

(Note: Kagome's arrows aren't streaming light, because she doesn't have any powers magical powers in this story.)

Goshinki: Ha, bitch! You think you can hit me with your wimpy...uh!

(He jumps to the side as Inuyasha slashes at him with Tetsuiga. He lands once, then has to dodge again as one of Kagome's arrows just skins his shoulder. Soon he is on the run, dodging both Tetsuiga and Kagome's arrows.)

Inuyasha: Heh...what's the matter Goshinki? Can't read two minds at once can you?

(Goshinki dodges and jumps back as assaults are hailed at him from two sides.)

Goshinki: Bastard, do you think these puny arrows could have any affect against me? Ha!

(Suddenly Goshinki launches himself at Inuyasha, evades a vertical slash, and smashes him backwards into a wall. Inuyasha goes flying and leaves an indent in the masonry, still holding Tetsuiga. However, as Goshinki stands there in a follow through position, an arrow stabs him square in the back.)

Goshinki: Ga!

Shippo (jumping excitedly): Way to go Kagome! You hit him!

Kagome (still serious): Yeah...but that was my last arrow...and also it didn't do much damage...

(Back on the ground, however, Goshinki is staring on in shock.)

Goshinki: No...she couldn't have...

(Suddenly he reaches back and savagely rips the arrow from his skin. A trickle of blood begins to run out from the wound, which has severed the "ninth leg" of the spider which ran up his back.)

Goshinki: No! That bitch!! She cut it!!

(Goshinki suddenly lets out a roar of rage. In an instant he has ripped the top off of a large old stone fountain, and launches it at Tanuki.)

Goshinki: You bitch...DIE!!

All: AHHH!

(The fountain top zooms straight for Tanuki and hits him hard in the cheek. The impact causes him to roll over to one side a fair amount before righting himself. Shippo grabs Kirara with one hand and hangs on to Tanuki's fur with the other, most of the cargo slips off, and Kagome looses her balance and begins plummeting head first towards the ground.)

Shippo: AH! KAGOME!!!

Tanuki: Lady Kagome!

(She screams as she falls, eyes closed, turning summersaults end over end amid the falling bags of rice.)

Kagome: Kyaaaaaaa!!!

(Suddenly she is snatched out of the air by Inuyasha. He lands with her upright beside him on the outside wall as barrels and bags smash behind them. Once there, however, he pulls her down with him as he stumbles forwards, breathing heavily and in pain.)

Kagome: Inuyasha!!

(Inuyasha's in too much pain to answer back.)

Kagome: Hey, are you okay? Inuyasha?

Inuyasha: F...fine...

(He takes a deep breath and stands up again, Kagome still beside him. After a moment, he turns to her.)

Inuyasha (calmly): Kagome...

(Kagome looks at him slightly surprised as he looks directly at her, calmly, as if wants to say something, however..)

Inuyasha (quickly): Huh?! Lookout!

(Suddenly, Inuyasha grabs her and jumps to the side as Goshinki comes crashing down on top of their former location. The old masonry cracks and sends out dust under the force of the impact as Inuyasha pushes Kagome back behind him and faces Goshinki.)

Goshinki (angrily): Inuyasha, you bastard!! I'll kill you!!

Inuyasha (seriously): Kagome, get as far away from here as you can!

(Kagome hesitates.)

Inuyasha (forcefully): What are you waiting for, hurry up, and go!

(Kagome nods and runs off down the wall in the opposite direction as Inuyasha draws out Tetsuiga once again. Goshinki looks at him menacingly as Inuyasha takes up his battle stance.)

Goshinki: Is he going to use the wound of the wind? Shit, because of that bitch severing the cord, I can no longer read his mind.

Goshinki (determined): But still, I won't lose! Not to some selfish brat like him...

Goshinki (yelling): ...Asshole, you're life ends now!!

Inuyasha (charging): Like hell it does!!

(They both charge forwards at full speed, Goshinki has his claws ready while Inuyasha holds Tetsuiga back, ready to take a massive swing.)

Inuyasha: Now...with Tetsuiga's true power...

Inuyasha (yelling): KAZE NO KITSU!!

(He slices it cleanly and the familiar shock wave appears that devours Goshinki, bones and all. As the dust settles, Inuyasha is the only one left standing, holding Tetsuiga and breathing heavily. He collapses to his knees, digging Tetsuiga into the ground for support. Meanwhile, Kagome watches him from a distance behind, looking rather amazed, and up in the air, everyone else observes with relieved faces.)

Shippo (exhale): Wheew...It's over...

*~*~*~*~*

(Later on, Kagome finishes with Inuyasha's bandages in front of the grand fireplace as usual. Tanuki comes in with another pile of fire wood and Kirara dozes in Shippo's lap, already completely bandaged up.)

Inuyasha: Hey Shippo, isn't it about time little twerps like you were in bed?

Shippo (surprised): Huh? What do you mean? I'm always up way later than this.

Kagome (yawns): Well, I'm really tired, so I'll be turning in.

(She gets up to leave.)

Inuyasha (annoyed with eyes closed): Hey Kagome, who said YOU could leave, huh?

(Everyone in the room looks at Inuyasha surprised, only clueing in after a few moments.)

Tanuki: Uh, come on Shippo, you can help me warm the beds with the coal pan. Kagome, you stay here by the fire until we're finished.

(He gently picks up the sleeping Kirara and they all leave the room through the great hall door. Kagome watches them go, and then turns back to look at Inuyasha who happens to be the only person in the room. He sits cross legged on the floor, with his eyes closed and an expressionless face. Quietly she sits down on a cushion a few feet beside him and does the same, only she seems a little bit more uncomfortable. There is a long pause.)

Inuyasha (roughly): What is it?

Kagome: Huh?

Inuyasha: You've been looking like you wanted to ask me something. What is it?

(Kagome gets nervous and stares at the fire.)

Kagome (nervously): W...well, today, before you got here...that guy said something...about your curse...

(Inuyasha crooks an eyebrow but waits for her to continue, eyes closed.)

Kagome: ...he said that...the only way everyone could be freed from the curse was if you...if you were...

Inuyasha (flatly): If I died?

(Kagome nods slowly and looks at him, slightly pitying. Inuyasha glances at her from the corner of his eye before turning away.)

Inuyasha (indignantly): Humf! Don't look at me like that. It's just something Naraku made up, that's all.

Inuyasha (angrily): Besides, even if it were true, I won't die until I kill Naraku. Leaving a guy like him in charge...that really would make me the bastard he says I am.

Kagome (looking at the ground): Oh...okay...

(There's a long silence between them. Inuyasha crooks his eyebrows and hardens his face, as if bracing himself for something.)

Inuyasha (expressionless): Why, do you think I should have lost to Goshinki on purpose?

(Kagome seems to be taken a bit aback.)

Kagome (surprised): N, no! That's not what I wanted to say at all!...

(Inuyasha half turns his head towards her and regards her out of the corner of his eyes, looking surprised. Kagome collects her thoughts.)

Kagome (calmly): I just wanted to say that...you shouldn't listen to them, that's all.

(Inuyasha turns his head and looks at her directly, a curious, disbelieving look on his face.)

Kagome: ...because...there has to be another way, right?

(She looks at him directly and their gazes meet. They stare at each other a moment before Inuyasha looks away, a quiet, nervous look on his face. Kagome turns back to the fire.)

Kagome (getting excited): There has to be another way, and I'm sure we'll find it. Shippo, Myouga, Kirara, Tanuki, they'll help too. We'll all work together until the curse is lifted. Right Inuyasha?

(She turns to smile at him, but Inuyasha isn't watching. He's turned right around in the opposite direction, not looking. Kagome is a little surprised.)

Kagome (uncertain):...Inu...yasha?

(Inuyasha suddenly stands up and walks silently to the door while Kagome watches, wondering what's wrong. Just before he reaches the door he stops and takes a deep breath.)

Inuyasha (yelling): WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU JERKS DOING BEHIND THE DOOR!!

(From out in the hall you hear a little screechy scream, a middle toned yell, and a big crash. In the silence that follows, Inuyasha crosses his hands over his chest and taps his foot sternly. Shippo and Tanuki stick their heads into the room sheepishly, sporting several lumps from whatever it is they ran into.)

Kagome: Huh? Shippo, Tanuki?

Tanuki (nervously): h-hello Master...uh...we just got back this instant. Th-the beds are ready and warm.

(Inuyasha starts to growl and Tanuki and Shippo vanish from sight with a little "eep" noise. Kagome walks up to the door and yawns.)

Kagome (stretching): Well, I guess I'll be turning in as well. *Yawn* Goodnight Inuyasha.

(Suddenly something light hits her chest and she catches it in her arms as it sinks down. Her look of surprise grows into a stunned stare as she looks at the object. It's a green shawl, almost identical to the one that she had, only slightly better quality. She shifts her stare from the shawl to Inuyasha who, apparently, hasn't moved from his arms crossed over chest stance. His eyes are closed and his back is turned slightly to her.)

Inuyasha (seemingly annoyed): That's for you, to replace the last one.

(While Kagome is stunned to silence, he risks a glance at her over his shoulder.)

Inuyasha (slightly gentler): It gets cold here in the winter, so don't lose it.

(In one smooth motion she puts it over her shoulders and smiles at him.)

Kagome (smile): Thank you Inuyasha. I won't.

(Still looking over his shoulder, Inuyasha starts to blush the tiniest bit before sticking his nose up and looking away. Kagome either doesn't notice or doesn't react and walks off down the hall quietly. Inuyasha watches her go with a strange look on his face, almost as if he wants to believe the impossible.)

*~*~*~*~*

(Somewhere in the forest a small insect is making it's way down out of the moonlit sky. The strange bee drifts down and lands on an outstretched hand, belonging to Naraku. He stands there a moment, in his baboon pelt and mask, and then the bee flies away.)

Naraku: So Inuyasha, it seems that you are attempting the impossible huh? How foolish...

(He turns to walk away.)

Naraku: Kukuku. Shall I let you play at your game for the time being? Then it will be all the more painful for you when you lose her...and die from despair...

*~*~*~*~*