InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Beauty & the Beast ❯ Chapter 4

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Beauty and the Beast

Speaking - "..."
Thoughts - '...'
Telepathy - ~...~

By: Cassial_Darkfox

Still don't own any Inuyasha charactors and still own Sitora and everyone else, minus Shinjiru. She's my sister's charactor, so no theiving.


Chapter 4

Kagome groaned as she woke back up, she tried to look around but found that her room was dark. She slowly sat up and found that there was no pain in her chest anymore. After sitting all the way up she looked to the drawn curtains wondering if Sitora closed them. She still couldn't see anything in the pitch black room, "Sitora? Are you in here?"

"I'm afraid not. Sitora hasn't been in here since early this morning. I came in some time ago to see if you had woken up."

"Who exactly is 'I'? I don't know who you are and I can't see anything."

There was a slight curiousity in the voice this time, "You are incapable of seeing?"

Kagome blushed, "It's really dark in here."

A second later the curtains were thrown open and the silhouette of the Lord of the castle was outlined in the silver from the moon outside. "Better?"

"Yeah, thank you."

His eyes met and held her gaze, "I wish to ask you some questions, will you cooperate?"

"If I know the answer I will answer you question."

"Why did you heal Sitora?"

Kagome never hesitated, "She was injured so I couldn't jsut leave her that way. Besides, she saved my life so I thought I'd return the favor."

"If she hadn't saved your life?"

"As long as she didn't try to kill me I would have healed her."

"You know a hanyou named Inuyasha."

Kagome looked at him in astonishment, "That wasn't a question. How do you know about Inuyasha?"

"I have someone watching him. And your village too. Though you may not remember, we had this conversation before."

"I don't remember that. Why are you having him and my village watched?"

"That doesn't concern you, but no one has been or will be harmed." He was silent then he said, "What are you?"

"I'm a human miko, you know that." Kagome's confusion was apparent.

"Your aura isn't a miko's let alone a human's. More like a youkai's, but not." He turned to her and walked to her bed, he stopped at the edge and stared at her. Finally he said, "You're hungry, I will send Sitora to take you to the kitchen to get something to eat." With that he turned away from her and made his way out of her room.

"Wait!" Seeing him stop, Kagome continued, "Thank you for taking care of me. And what is your name?"

"Why do you wish to know my name?"

"I have to call you something while I'm here." Kagome smiled at him as he slowly turned around. She took this chance to take a good look at him for the first time.

He was very tall, nearly eight feet if Kagome had to guess. He had chocolate eyes that were cold and calculating, betraying none of his thoughts. All over his body was thick black fur. He had a white cape on with purple lines on it. He was also wearing a pair of dark purple hakamas with his chest bare. He was well muscled, it was easy to tell from the moon light leaking through the window. It gave him the appearance of not black fur but a silvery-grey.

He watched her as she finally wook in what he looked like and waited for her to scream. When she didn't, but instead waited for his answer he glared at her, "I am called Lord."

"Lord? That's your name? You have to have a name, not a title."

"That is what I go by." He swiftly turned and left and slammed the door behind him.

Kagome winced, "Sheesh, you don't have to be rude."


*************


Sitora sighed as she finally decided to ignore what her Lord told her. She was supposed to sleep in the miko's room, so she was even if he was in there too. Her legs hurt from her earlier activities, so she was trying not to limp from the pain. When she saw him emerge from Kagome's room angry she feared that he had done something to her. "My Lord? What's wrong?"

"Get the miko to the kitchen and get her something to eat." He paused just as he was passing her and sniffed. He growled, "Where is Koa?"

"Uh, in his room." Sitora watched him stomp off towards Koa's room. 'Hope he survives this.' She shrugged, not really thinking that their Lord would do anything to him. She nosed open Kagome's door and walked inside, Kagome was still up and looking out the window.

Kagome turned, then smiled when she saw who had come in, "Hey, Sitora."

"Hi, there. What exactly did you say to him to make him mad?"

"I asked him his name and he told me Lord. Is that really his name?"

"It is now." Sitora's ears were back and she was avoiding Kagome's eyes.

"What happened? Please tell me his name."

She shook her head lightly, "I can't, he doesn't want to be reminded of the way he used to be."

"Then will you at least tell me what happened?" Kagome's eyes finally caught Sitora's.

"Fine, but come on I'll tell you after we get you something to eat."

Kagome nodded. She got up and out of the bed and was amazed to see that she was in a silver and red silk sleeping yukata. "Where did this come from?"

"You had to wear something, and we couldn't just let you sleep in your bloody clothes. So we put you in that." Sitora pushed the door open and waited for Kagome to follow.


***********


It was dark in his room as he stared out the window at the moon and the stars. He didn't know if he would ever be able to see the reflection of the youkai he used to be. All of them were different. Every single one of the servants and anyone else who served under their Lord. To them it was natural to act like they did; like everything belonged to them.

Their Lord was well known among the youkai and humans, so taking was in their blood. This left them with the sense that they were invincible too. That was a mistake that they all paid for. Even Sitora, she didn't deserve to suffer what had happened to them. She showed up at the palace a week before the curse was placed on them. Sitora was a new recruit for the general's position, the old one had been killed shortly before. Very quickly she beat out every other youkai there and became the new general to serve by his side.

He never saw her before the curse, never cared to. It just seemed to him that there was another youkai who would die shortly after being put in the position. Not one to really socialize he left her alone and she never saw him either. After the curse was placed on the occupants of the palace he finally saw her and found out just how wrong about her he was. She was more than happy to be where she was even if that meant taking on the curse that shouldn't have been put on her.

She took the curse thing in stride and was even good tempered about it. This led to her and their Lord getting to be close friends. He respected her and she respected him in her own way. Sitora was the only one who could get away with the things she did because of her relationship with their Lord. Over the years they spent together Sitora and him got closer and closer.

Now they were open with their feelings. He told her he loved her, it was true, but he was afraid of what would happen when-if the curse was lifted. Things might go back to the way they were for the two of them. Back to not speaking to eachother and hardly ever seing eachother. Koa didn't want that, not at all. He hoped that it was the same for her too.

"There is no way I am going to sleep tonight." He sighed into the darkness. His wings stretched out behind him as he tried to get comfortable. Being in an animal form for years made him miss his humaniod form immensely. Koa closed his eyes and willed sleep to come to him, the only thing that came to him was the sound of breaking wood. "Wha-" He was cut off when the form of his Lord picked him up and shoved him against the wall.

Koa remained still, "Lord?"

"How long?"

"What? I don't underst-"

He growled, "How long have you been rutting with Sitora?"

Koa's eyes widened, "You know?"

"I caught your scent on her this evening. Not too long ago." His claws tightened on Koa's neck, "Now, how long?"

"A few days," He couldn't hardly breath, "my Lord..."

"What did you tell her? That you love her?" His tone held no room for arguing, "You have done this with many females in the past, I will not let you do it to her too."

"I'm not playing around with her." His voice cut out. The grip on his neck loosened slightly just to let him talk. "I am not the same youkai I used to be Lord. Just as you have changed, so have I. I love Sitora and would do anything to keep her."

"Is that so? Does she know about the females in the past?"

"Yes, she does. I told her just after she told me she loved me."

He dropped Koa, "If you hurt her I will kill you Koa." Then he turned and left.

Koa coughed. He was expecting that, but not this soon. His wings were sore from being pushed against the wall with all his weight and his Lord's strength. It was going to be a long night.


************


Inuyasha looked at the morning sun and sighed. He never caught up with that youkai, he was far too fast for him. Now he hoped to catch the youkai's scent or youki again this morning. His eyes scanned the forest below him as he stood atop the highest tree around. To his right he heard a roar, turning that direction revealed a fire neko with Sango and Miroku, with Shippo on it.

"Inuyasha!" Kirara came to a stop near the hanyou and Miroku smirked at his old friend. A bright red hand print was visible on his face. "We thought you could use some help in your search for Kagome."

"Help? Why would I need your help?"

Sango tried to risist punching him and failed. She punched Miroku at his hand's intrusion on her rear. "It was more like we need your help Inuyasha. We can't find her separately, not we're going now anyways. So what do you say?"

He frowned, "I guess I could help you guys, but if you slow me down I'm leaving you behind." His face shot to the North, the youkai's scent was back. Without a word Inuyasha sped away after the youkai that escaped him the previous day.

Miroku watched Inuyasha go, "Perhaps we should follow him?"

"Yeah, Kirara after him!" The fire neko chased after the inu-hanyou.

'Come on. Stay still.' Inuyasha saw the youkai below him and fell to the ground to intercept him. He landed on the ground in front of the youkai. The elusive youkai was a wolf. "Hey."

His turquoise eyes narrowed at Inuyasha, "What do you want hanyou?"

He growled, "I am so going to kick your ass for that you mangy wolf!" Inuyasha stopped his attack on the wolf and sighed, "A friend of mine is missing I need to know if you've seen her."

"What does she look like?"

Inuyasha froze, the only thing he could say was that she looked like Kikyo. How could he answer the wolf's question without using Kikyo? "Uh, I..."

The wolf laughed, "You don't know what your friend looks like?"

Sango saved him from complete embarrassment, "She has long black hair, blue eyes and is a little shorter than me. Her name is Kagome, she's a miko."

"No, can't say I've seen this Kagome around." He flashed a toothy grin, "But if I see her I will be sure to make her my woman."

"Why you-"

Miroku put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, "Thank you..."

"Kouga." He looked as the rest of the youkai exterminators came out of the forest. "I'm leaving, being around you, dog turd, is bringing me unwanted attention." Kouga sped away in a whirlwind of dust.

"The next time I see him I am going to remove his head." Inuyasha's fists were clenched at his sides. He felt like a fool, not being able to describe Kagome to someone else.

Miroku sighed, "Come on, we should move on." He motioned to his right where Sango's father was standing. "We should all split up. What do you think Fushigi?"

Sango's father sighed, "It would be the only way to get anything done. Sango you go with Miroku, Inuyasha, and the kit. I will take the rest of our people South."

"What?! You're knowingly letting me go with that hentai?! He should go with you."

Fushigi laughed, "He may be a hentai as you claim my dear, but he will protect you with his life. I want you to head West. We will meet up at the boundry between the territories." His eyes softened, "Be careful Sango."

She nodded, "I will be. You take care father, we will see you in a few days." With steel in her eyes Sango looked at her new travelling companions, "Come on, Kagome's waiting for us."

Kohaku watched his sister walk away into the forest with Inuyasha and Miroku. Shippo was perched on her shoulder, he looked back at them and waved. He waved back, "Be careful Shippo!" A hand fell on his shoulder. He turned to his father.

"Come on son."

"Okay."

They left the clearing hoping that they'd all see eachother again. Fushigi knew Sango felt uneasy about splitting up, for good reasons too. There would be no help from anyone should there be trouble. He didn't want to leave his daughter anymore than she wanted to leave him, but he was at ease. Her being with Inuyasha and Miroku ensured that she would be taken care of.


*************


Miroku watched Inuyasha as he walked far ahead of them. He was unusually quiet, he had been ever since they left Sango's father and the others. The hanyou had yet to say a word to anyone and when Shippo tried to talk to him Inuyasha threatened to hit him. Though he was unsure of what put the hanyou in his current mood, he knew that it couldn't go on. They wouldn't get anything done if Inuyasha wasn't cooperating with them.

The sun had begun it's descent to the mountains of the west. Clouds were scattered throughout the sky and floated by slowly to the east, threatening with rain. There was a slow breeze pushing through the tree, loosening any dry leaves. The fallen leaves littered the path heading through the forest.

Shippo picked up another leaf from the ground and placed it inside his haori for later. His fox magics required certain items for them to work, leaves was one of theose items. Using leaves Shippo could create many fake versions of himself for attack or, more likely, defense. It always confused the enemy long anough for him to get away.

He sighed sadly, 'It didn't work on Kagome though.'

His first time anywhere near her village was when he was looking for food. Inuyasha had refused to get him anything so he took off. His nose led him to the miko village, the forest outside it actually. There in the clearing near a stream was a human in miko garbs. It was Kagome, she was enjoying a picnic out in the woods.

Using his leaves Shippo made about ten replicas of himself and surrounded her. He got a large plate of food and was about to take off when she grabbed his tail. She had seen through all of his illusions and even caught him. Afterwards she made him apologize and then gave him some of her food. That was the begining of their friendship, and it was through him that Kagome met Inuyasha.

Inuyasha's nose twitched. He looked back at Shippo, "Shippo stop."

Sango stopped and looked back at Shippo. He wasn't doing anything that she could see, just collecting leaves. "Inuyasha-"

Tears stung the back of his eyes, but he forced them back. Crying wouldn't bring Kagome back. "Sorry, I couldn't help it Inuyasha."

Now she was confused. 'It must be a youkai thing.' She shrugged to herself and kept walking. Sango abruptly stopped when a sensation shot up her spine. She grabbed her hiraikotsu and slammed in over Miroku's head. "You perv! What is with you?! Don't you ever stop?! I can't believe my father wanted you to come with me!"

A smirk found it's way to the monk's face, "But Sango my dear, you know that we are meant to be. Why so you deny what your heart desires?"

"The only thing my heart desires is your immediate death monk!" She raised hiraikotsu over her head, "If you wish to live long enough to have children you better lay off monk!"

"There would be no point Sango my dear. It is you whom I wish to bear my children. Would-"

"Ah, what is that smell?!" Shippo clamped both of his hands over his mouth and nose trying to keep out the intruding aroma.

Inuyasha's brows furrowed. He sniffed the air and his eyes widened. "Human blood and a lot of it."

Sango and Miroku stopped their fighting and turned their attention to Inuyasha. Miroku patted his robs getting the dust off of himself, "Where is it Inuyasha?"

"This way." He sped off towards the end of the forest.

They jumped on Kirara and followed after the hanyou. Inuyasha was stopped ahead at a ledge over looking a village. Smoke was rising up from some of the huts as fires died down. The entire village was destroyed and most of it was burned to the ground. The only hut remaining was a hut that stood in what used to be the center of the village.

Inuyasha jumped down over the cliff. On his way down he saw dead humans and animals on the road leading into the village. Blood flowed from their corpses into the river that ran through the village coloring the water pink. He landed at the bottom of the cliff and Kirara landed next to him.

Miroku said a quick prayer for all of the dead and got off of Kirara. "Come, we need to see if there are any survivors." He walked past Inuyasha anf further into the village.

"Go with him, leave Shippo with me." Inuyasha's eyes held no room for arguing.

Sango simply nodded and followed after the silent monk.

Shippo hung onto Inuyasha's shoulder and took in the devastation around them. Dead humans littered the streets and blood was pooled everywhere. The village's livestock was slaughtered far worse than the humans. Something on the ground caught his eye, "Inuyasha look." He pointed to a single item near the corpse of a cow.

Inuyasha bent down and picked it up. He held it between two of his claws and studied it. "Do you know what this is Shippo?" He offered it to the kit.

He took it, "Yeah, it's a tiger fang. They're very rare to find, there's no way that a human would have this. It's only treasured by youkai and is even used by certain youkai to enhance abilities."

"What abilities?"

"It depends on the tiger's elemental power." He looked at the fang closely and shook his head. "I don't know what this one is. Only a youkai with the specific element can feel it, so it's not earth."

Inuyasha was silent. He looked at the cow near his feet, it had been ripped to shreds. He cocked his head, "What the-" He knelt down and looked at the cows wounds, they were slashes and bites. "This cow..." His eyes drifted to a nearby human, "and all these humans were attacked by at least one tiger."

"Are you sure?" Shippo looked at him in doubt, "Tigers are rare Inuyasha, you know that."

"Yeah, but look at all of this. No normal youkai could do all this. They wouldn't burn down the huts either, there would be no point in it Shippo."

"I guess-" Inuyasha put his hand over his mouth.

"Shh." His ears twitched as he tried to figure out what that sound was. His eyes widened when it finally registered in his mind why he was suddenly shaking. His while body was wracked with tremors.

Shippo felt what Inuyasha did and stilled. His breath came out in short quick bursts, he was shaking too.


**************


Sango exited the only hut that was still standing. All she found was three children, all dead. Their parents were not in the hut, but Sango knew there was no way they were alive. She had never seen anything like this before in her life and prayed to never see again after this. Kirara was with Miroku checking bodies. She wiped her brow where sweat had accumulated. The sun was already lowering behind the mountains in the west and stars dotted the sky.

Miroku stood up and surveyed the damage. He had been to over twenty people and all of them were dead. Most of the dead were children and their parents were either outside their ruined huts or missing completely. This led him to believe that, though a surprise, the attack wasn't fast enough to keep the parents from trying to save their children. 'All in vain.' He also didn't understand why a youkai would kill all the animals in the village and killing all the humans as well. It made no sense to him.

Kirara hissed suddenly. All of her fur was sticking up and she was looking towards where they had left Inuyasha and Shippo. Flames wound up her body. When they cleared she stood in her much larger neko form.

"Inuyasha." Sango and Miroku ran to the fire neko and hopped on. "Hurry Kirara!" Sango held onto Kirara's fur as she sped towards their friends.

Miroku's eyes were focused ahead, 'We shouldn't have split up. It is too dangerous in a village this large.'


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