InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Because of Tomomi ❯ Insult Plus Injury ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or the like. This story is for my own entertainment. (Well. You can be entertained by it too, I suppose.)

 

A/N: Holy god, a Destined Awards nomination? o_O You guys have no idea how stoked I am just to be nominated ALONGSIDE THESE PEOPLE. Characters from Shades of Gray and Metamorphosis?? I can die happy even if I don't win. (Because c'mon, HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN THOSE CHARACTERS?) SRSLY. I saw the nominations and was like o______________o

 

Banjin, from what I understand, essentially means foreigner.

 

~==*==~

Because of Tomomi

Chapter Six

Insult Plus Injury

~==*==~

 

InuYasha spent half the day wandering aimlessly, trying to understand himself. When he finally came back to Kaede's, Kagome wasn't there. Scenting the air, he knew she hadn't been gone too long, and it was Shippo who came to get her. More than likely, she was assisting Kaede with the Nakama baby. He scowled. He also smelled Mitsuo and his horse. Except there was a second horse, and it'd left with Kagome and Shippo. Had Mitsuo gone with them? Not likely. The Nakamas weren't likely to allow anyone inside with the woman in labor. Bad luck and all that bullshit.

 

Shoving the thought from his mind, he continued down the road into the center of the village. He couldn't go to Kagome. If the parents wouldn't let a human into the house, there was no way they'd welcome a hanyou. They tolerated Shippo because he was Kaede's messenger, and stayed outside. So, aimless again, he wove through the village, taking less-traveled roads, checking out alleyways. He was near the more run-down residences when he caught the scent of blood. It was new, but familiar, and human. He could feel a low growl vibrating in his chest, but he didn't think much of it. He stalked the source of the scent.

 

Two children and three older boys stood around a crumpled figure on the ground. A few of them had sturdy sticks in their hands. While InuYasha was momentarily paralyzed by his anger, one of the older boys lifted the figure by the front of her kimono.

 

“What's the matter, banjin,” one of them jeered. “How many times have we helped you up now? Why do you keep falling down?”

 

“Are you too stupid to stand, banjin?” another laughed.

 

“Why don't you go home, banjin?”

 

“Stupid crazy banjin can't even walk!”

 

Suddenly rage was an understatement. Just as a boy was about to backhand the girl, InuYasha stood over him, and picked him up in the same manner he'd lifted the girl. Terror filled the boy's face. It occurred to InuYasha that the stocky teenager had never been lifted a foot off the ground before. Who could lift him? It gave InuYasha a twisted satisfaction.

 

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?” InuYasha roared. He addressed all five kids, glaring as if his gaze could set them on fire. Oh, how he wanted to. He shook the one he held in the air. “Do you think this is a game? Is this funny to you?” One of the kids tried to run, but InuYasha cut him off. The stocky one fell to his hands and knees, his legs too shaky to hold him. InuYasha tossed the runner back into the huddle of bullies.

 

For a moment InuYasha only saw the faces of his own tormentors, the ones that picked on him because he was smaller, weaker, different, hanyou. They just had to assert their own power over whatever they didn't understand. Humiliate him because he was different.

 

“Fetch, puppy-boy, fetch the stick!”

 

“Look, he's crying! What're you gonna do, puppy-boy, bark at us?”

 

“Bad puppy! You should be grateful we play with you at all, you stupid freak!”

 

“No one wants you here, get lost!”

 

“Puppy-boy, puppy-boy! Noble's pet, puppy-boy!”

 

“I'll bet he isn't even house trained!”

 

“Puppy-boy!”

 

InuYasha realized he was full-out snarling at the bullies standing before him. Each of them trembled, terrified. One had even wet his pants. The girl looked at him as well, her face swelling with bruises already. With effort, InuYasha composed himself.

 

“Get the fuck out of here,” he demanded, his voice promising violence in exchange for disobedience. “If you or any one of your friends lay a hand on her again, I'll show you a true goddamn beating, and you will not be on the delivering side.” It took supreme willpower to keep his fists at his sides while the bullies ran past him and out of the alley. He strode to the girl in a dangerous calm, but there was a hint of fear in him. She'd seen him well and truly angry now. She'd seen just how much of a youkai he was. Was she scared? Would she run, too? He grit his teeth, offering the girl his hand.

 

She looked at his hand, his claws specifically, and for a moment he thought his fears were about to be realized. She looked to his face, confused for a moment, then smiled at him and took his hand. He helped her to her feet, but she didn't release his hand. He scowled, touching her purposely dirt-smeared hair. She hardly looked blond at all.

 

“Can you walk?” he asked her. He eyed one of her knees under the hem of her short kimono. It was red and swollen and he knew it couldn't feel very good. Still, she smiled at him. She giggled. He frowned.

 

“Youkaaaaaai!” she laughed, throwing herself at him. She hung from his neck, behind which she locked her arms, and he supported her with his arms at her waist. “Inu saved Tomo-chan!”

 

It took him a moment to realize she was hugging him. She patted the back of his head. “Inu scares bullies, but doesn't scare Tomo. Tomo isn't afraid of her friends.”

 

InuYasha clenched his jaw, trying to fight his emotions. He hugged Tomomi back in earnest. He knew that Kagome, Miroku and the others were his friends. He knew that. So why did Tomomi, saying it out loud, mean so much to him?

 

Once he had himself under control again, InuYasha carried Tomomi to Sango's place. Sango took one look at the girl on his back and abandoned her laundry.

 

“What happened?” she demanded, tenderly examining Tomomi's face.

 

InuYasha muttered, “Bullies.” Sango's eyes became icy, angry. “I already took care of them,” he said. Her expression defrosted a little, but she was still angry. “Where are the kids?”

 

“Miroku is watching them inside. Just a moment.” She slipped into the house, then returned with a small bucket and her bathing supplies. “Come with me,” she directed.

 

“Where are we going?” Tomomi asked.

 

Sango smiled at the girl. “To get you cleaned up.”

 

Tomomi wasn't all too happy about the prospect of a bath, but she did as she was told when Sango ordered her to strip. InuYasha handed Tomomi over to Sango before turning around, within reach if his help was needed but far enough away to give the two privacy. Sango put her under the short waterfall at the head of the river. When she was sufficiently wet, she sat on a rock in front of the place Sango sat on the bank. Sango scowled when she saw the groups of bruises that a kimono concealed. They were already purple and yellow. She suspected they'd be worse tomorrow. When she started scrubbing at Tomomi's hair, the girl didn't make a sound, but her expression was an amusing mix of pout and scowl. Not one of them was happy about how many times Tomomi's hair needed washing before it began to resemble its natural color. By the time she was clean, Tomomi was audibly protesting, but not fighting. Sango toweled her dry, then spread the towel on the ground and made the young woman sit on it while she examined her injuries.

 

There was surprisingly little blood. What had made InuYasha think there was more? Tomomi had a split lip, and her cheek was still swollen, but it hadn't stopped her from smiling until they got to the river. There were serious cuts and scrapes on her hands and knees, presumably from when the bullies had pushed her down. Repeatedly, by the look of it. There were other bruises on her arms and legs, and the skin had also split there under the force of the blows. The cold water reduced the swelling in her badly injured knee, but it still looked horrible. Sango was willing to bet she'd walk with a limp for a week or more. If she could walk on that leg at all.

 

“I know the salves Kaede uses to reduce swelling,” Sango announced, helping Tomomi into the yukata from her bathing supplies. The younger girl wobbled on her bad knee, but couldn't be caught to be carried again. Her limp was obvious, and halfway through the trek back to the village, she fell. InuYasha didn't give her a chance to protest before he flipped her over her shoulder. She squealed and struggled momentarily, but soon the hilarity of “Tomo-tatoes” caught up with her and she forgot she was angry. Aside from her giggling, the walk was quiet.

 

Shippo was tying a horse to the fence of Kaede's garden when they got back.

 

“Shippo…?” InuYasha asked, eying the horse.

 

The kitsune gave a smile that was somehow confused and apologetic at the same time. “Mitsuo gave him to Kagome.” InuYasha glared at the horse as if it was somehow the animal's fault. It flipped its mane and whinnied, nonplussed by the hanyou. “His name is Taashii,” Shippo announced. InuYasha only replied with a grunt before entering the hut.

 

Kagome was still gone. He sat Tomomi down near the fire pit -- where no fire burned. Kagome hadn't been back all day. The sun was already starting to set. Sango started rummaging through Kaede's medicines and herbs, a handful of linen bandages draped over her arm. InuYasha arranged Tomomi's clothing so that her knee was exposed, but her modesty was maintained. Though Tomomi made it obvious throughout the days he'd known her that she paid absolutely no mind to her modesty, it made InuYasha feel better to pretend she was a normal girl with a normal sense of self.

 

“Kagome's gone to purify a few girls that helped with the Nakama baby,” Shippo announced, entering the hut. “She said once she was done she'd come home and make dinner.”

 

“Mm,” InuYasha replied. Something about it didn't set well with him, but he couldn't put his finger on the reason. He tried to ignore the feeling while he helped Sango apply salves and bandages to Tomomi's wounds. They applied whatever it was Kaede used to prevent infections and reduce bleeding, as well as the stuff that helped reduce swelling. InuYasha didn't ask too many questions, but he figured Sango knew what was in the concoctions.

 

Sango wound bandages over Tomomi's hands and up to her elbows, telling the girl repeatedly how important it was for her to keep the bandages on. InuYasha and Shippo stepped outside when she had to start applying the swelling mixture to Tomomi's abdomen.

 

“How long does it usually take to purify someone?” InuYasha asked. Shippo shrugged.

 

“I don't know,” he admitted, “but I didn't think it'd take this long. She's been gone almost two hours now.”

 

After sitting for a while, InuYasha scowled and glared at the nearly-dark sky, then stormed back into the hut to sit in a far corner with his sword leaning against his shoulder. Wherever Kagome was, he'd just have to trust that she would be home soon. There wasn't much he could do. Sounds became muffled while his claws retracted, smoothing out into human fingernails. He wrinkled his nose when he couldn't smell anything past the faint scent of Kaede's herbs. He watched his hair turn black, but it became difficult as his vision dimmed.

 

`Fuck the new moon,' InuYasha thought. `Fuck it bad.'

 

“Inu?” The bandaged girl sat in front of him, legs straight out. InuYasha smiled ruefully. In the midst of his transformation, he'd forgotten about her. God, he was such a self-centered, self-pitying asshole. Each calf was bandaged now, as well as her one bad knee. Half her face was shiny with the salve for swelling. “Is it still Inu?”

 

“Still Inu,” he replied, resigned. Still stubborn, still dense, still an outsider, even on moonless nights. Tomomi moved to sit beside him, examining his black hair. She patted his head where his ears normally were, then found his human ears. InuYasha saw Sango open her mouth to say something, but before she could get a word out, a little girl burst into the hut, crying her eyes out.

 

“InuYasha-sama!” she shouted. “I need to speak to InuYasha-sama! Kagome... Kagome-sama…!”

 

InuYasha was on his feet in an instant. “What about Kagome?” he demanded.

 

The little girl strained to look at him through her overflowing tears. “Kagome-sama is gone. A youkai… there was a youkai… He put me to sleep and my aunts and Kagome-sama…!” As the child dissolved into sobs that wracked her entire body, InuYasha swore violently.

 

How in all the hell had he forgotten about the youkai that was taking young women? Sesshoumaru had warned him just the night before! He was such an idiot!

 

“Where?” he barked. The girl continued crying. “Where was she taken from?”

 

“P-purifying… on the way back…” she broke down again, crying into Sango's shoulder. InuYasha stormed out of the house, skewing the bamboo mat that served as a door. Curse his slow human legs. He couldn't run fast enough. He went directly to the trail that led to the lake, and began scouring it for any sign of a youkai. He'd traced the path three times over when Tomomi stumbled into him.

 

“Go home!” he shouted at her. She flinched at the rage in his voice, but didn't turn back. “Get the fuck out of here! It's not safe! Go home before I beat the shit out of you for being in my way!”

 

“Tomo won't be in the way,” she protested quietly, but resolutely. “Tomo wants to help.”

 

“You can't!” he snarled. “I can't tell where they disappeared from, let alone where they went! What could you possibly do to help me?”

 

She met his glare fearlessly. “Use Tomo as bait,” she said. The shock of her statement was enough to get InuYasha to quiet down for a moment, long enough for her to continue. “Tomo will wait by the river. Youkai takes Tomo, leaves a scent for Inu to follow. Tomo protects Miko-chan until Inu comes.”

 

“Tomomi, you can't!” InuYasha choked out. If he was physically fit and stood a fraction of a chance against whatever youkai that'd taken Kagome, how in the hell did this little banged-up psycho figure she'd protect anyone until morning?

 

“I can!” she argued, balling her hands into fists.

 

“No!” InuYasha roared at the top of his lungs. Tomomi looked as if she'd been struck. Her lips quivered for a second, and he thought she was going to cry, but then she spun around and started walking off.

 

“Fine!” she snapped back at him. “If you won't help Miko-chan tonight, I'll find someone who will!”

 

“Tomomi… Tomomi!” InuYasha chased the quickly limping girl back to the village and through the forest again, down a path he hadn't bothered to explore before. It wasn't exactly part of his forest, and it led away from the village, besides. It only occurred to him after they'd left the village again that he should have paid more attention to who was awake and outside. Who knew how many villagers knew of his human night now? He suppressed the thought with a wince, continuing to harass Tomomi into going back home, waiting until morning when they could actually do something.

 

They came upon a sprawling mansion, barricaded off by a waist-high wooden fence. The gate stood at least as tall as InuYasha, if not a little more. Tomomi pushed through it. It had to have been unlocked.

 

“What the hell are you doing?” InuYasha demanded, still trying to get Tomomi to turn back. He was afraid to touch her, for all her bruises.

 

Tomomi strode straight up the front steps and threw the shoji doors open. Two servants froze in the hallway, surprised by her intrusion.

 

“I want to speak to your lord,” Tomomi demanded. He had to hand it to her; she managed to sound like she wasn't out of breath. The two servants scurried away, tittering about “banjin” and “strange men.” InuYasha ignored them as best he could. They returned with three large men, who had obviously been pulled out of bed. They glared daggers at the two standing in the doorway, but Tomomi only repeated herself. “I want to speak to your lord.”

 

When the three men started trying to usher the two of them outside, InuYasha did the best he could to keep their hands off of Tomomi. He didn't miss the barely suppressed sneers on their faces when they set eyes on her hair. He tried to brush away their hands, keep them from shoving them altogether out the door. It quickly turned into a grappling match, all the while Tomomi yelled.

 

“I want to speak to your lord! Mitsuo! I want to speak to Mitsuo!” The rude demand only enraged the three large men further, and they started throwing nasty remarks out, adding to the growing clamor in the hallway. There was shouting from one guard as he tried to grab Tomomi, who screamed louder, in pain as well as anger. The two other guards grunted in pain as InuYasha alternately threw them back and hit them. One of the first two female servants ran through the hall shouting for help while the other gasped and pressed herself to the edge of the hall.

 

InuYasha tried to shout over the noise, “Shut up! Shut up, Tomomi, let's just leave! Shut the fuck up and let's leave!”

 

Quite suddenly there came the crack of a whip that silenced everyone. The guards froze, turning to look further into the compound. InuYasha threw the one he was grappling with to the ground before observing the cause of the men's sudden cowardice.

 

Mitsuo stood in a white yukata, next to a woman wearing an orange kimono that faded to white at the shoulders. She held herself in such a way that demanded respect and attention, and if it got InuYasha and Tomomi out of the house in one piece, he was willing to give it. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, her bangs cut similarly to Sango's. An otherwise standard beauty was destroyed by a slash from her chin to brow on one side of her face. InuYasha determined it was probably from a whip. The one she wielded? Had someone else whipped her? He decided it wasn't important. Tomomi was making demands again.

 

The small girl shoved her way through the small crowd in the doorway to stand in front of Mitsuo. It amused InuYasha that the man flinched a little as if to protect his ribs. So she'd made a lasting impression. Good.

 

“Miko-chan got taken,” Tomomi announced. “Help me find her.”

 

Mitsuo was sputtering instantly. “What do you mean she-- are you sure--? Men! Ready my horse!” Suddenly the entire household seemed alive with action. Mitsuo was storming down another hall, Tomomi on his heels. InuYasha ground his teeth together as he chased after them.

 

“A youkai took her,” Tomomi explained.

 

“From where?”

 

“A trail in the woods, leading to the river,” she answered.

 

“How long has it been?”

 

“A few hours.”

 

Mitsuo barked more orders from behind a changing screen, rallied his hunting party on his way to the stables. With the company assembled, he leapt astride Aki. Tomomi moved to follow him, but he made the horse step away.

 

“What do you think you're doing?” he demanded.

 

Tomomi glared at him. “I'm going to help.”

 

He laughed at her. “You? Can you ride, girl? Are you fit to?”

 

“But there's a woman in your--“

 

“Silence!” Mitsuo interrupted. “Not only is Tatsuya an exemplary horse trainer, she's also a good hunter. I thank you for notifying me of Kagome-sama's peril, but now you must be gone. I shall send word when the lady has been rescued.” His attention turned to InuYasha, who'd been silent in the man's presence until now. “You wear the same uniform as InuYasha. Do tell the youkai that his priestess is being taken care of.”

 

Before either Tomomi or InuYasha could speak around their outrage, Mitsuo rode off with his rescue party at full-speed. The two of them were left to cough on the dust the horses kicked up on their way out of the corral. InuYasha focused on breathing before he tried to talk.

 

“So,” he growled out. “Are you ready to wait until morning now?”