InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Before the Fairytale ❯ Battle Lines ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 04: Battle Lines

The air was sweet and crisp. It had sprinkled this morning, only enough to cover things in a fine mist that is quickly being drunk by the noon sun. Touga crouched next to the stream, scooping his hand in the cool water and bring it to his lips. The water itself tasted saccharine, but Touga thought little of it with the numerous flowering trees near the streambed. He was entering his third half-century of life, a teenager physically and emotionally, but has wizened mentally by decades of living. He still dawned the red outfit his grandfather had given to him when he was a small child; it too had grown with him, which he thought was rather impressive for wool-like material. Myouga said that it is a defensive property of the fire-rodent's fur, that it will shrink and expand to fit the body accordingly to make sure there is no excess to catch on things or become too tight to restrict movement.

Like usual, Myouga had left him once again, only showing up every other day to tell him of the humans roaming the outer edges of the forest. On Myouga's last check up, Touga told him he would be on the move tonight, that he had spent enough time in this tranquil area and grown bored. Myouga promised to make this next journey quick and join up with him shortly before sunset.

Touga was just far enough away from home not to be sought out on a whim. The woods were on the eastern border of the western territory, neutral territory for the dominant youkai lords, and too far out of the dog youkai's constant reach. Any further east he would be trespassing on Panther Youkai Territory, a powerful breed of cat youkai that the dog youkai had long ago agreed to a truce and to not encroach on their land as long as the cats do not try to expand on the surrounding territories. The Panther Youkai control the land on the outer most corner of Japan, neighboring the dog youkai's. Touga knew better not to venture any closer then what he has already, and even has plans on expanding that distance more.

A yipping reached the dog youkai's ears. Touga stood, wiping his wet hands off on his slacks, and turned his head about to point out which way the noise was coming from. The sound came from the west of where he was and headed south at a quick pace. Curious as to what was going on, he took case after it, leaping and bouncing swiftly through the flowered grove.

*

A small creature came shooting through the bushes, hopping through the woods screaming. He was a rabbit youkai, small in size, with long ears that are folded back as it ran on all fours. He had tiny hands, but its hind feet were pawed like a rabbit's, and even had a heart shaped furry tail poking through the pants he wore. Strapped on his back was a round straw hat, flopping as he ran. The rabbit dived into the brush and coward beside a tree trunk, his little body shivering in fear.

Two humans, a man and a boy, followed the rabbit's path. The man wore a ceremonial robe, a Shinto priest's robes. The boy wore fine clothing also, but not as lavish as the priest's beside him. The priest had a bow in hand, while the boy carried the quiver of arrows. The priest knelt down beside the rabbit's tracks, studying them.

"Shinichi," the priest waved to the boy. The boy quickly trotted to him and crouched down beside him. The Priest then pointed at the marks in the ground, "Look. These tracks had no time to settle, the youkai is close."

Shinichi nodded in agreement, hugging the arrows closer to his chest. "Which way do you think he'd gone, Master?"

He squinted at the trail, then pointed towards the tree that the rabbit hidden behind. The little youkai grasped hold of the bark of the tree even harder, shutting his eyes tight. The Priest took his bow to hand, and fetched an arrow from his pupil's grasp. He drawn the string back, arrow loaded and steadied his aim.

The sound of the arrow screeching through the air made the rabbit freeze in place, but after it had not struck him dead he peeked from between his tiny fingers. The rabbit slowly looked around the tree to see a figure in red standing between him and the priest. The priest didn't have a pleased look across his face. Touga grasped the arrow in one hand; the arrow vanished among the green smog emanating from the youkai's hand.

"What pleasure would you take in killing this weakling creature?" the youkai-dog spoke up, his voice smooth and serious.

"We take none, Youkai!" The priest retorted with just as much fervor. "Those beast have been feeding on the gardens of the locals, leaving them to starve."

"It has been our land before theirs!" Touga said in return. "This creature is not the one intruding."

"Foul beast of nature," the priest then stated. "We have the rights to this land and if your kind do not wish to leave us in peace, we will fight!"

"Then fight and throw your lives away!" Touga growled. "Your people cannot continue to eat into land that is not yours."

"Who are you, Youkai, to tell us of what land is not ours?" The priest pointed the bow towards the dog youkai when he spoke.

"I am Inu no Touga, Youkai of the Western Territories," he proclaimed. "You are currently standing on the borders between my kind's land and the fierce Panther Youkai. If you do not cease in trespassing in our lands you shall be slaughtered by the cats when they find you."

"The combined spiritual powers of the Shinto Priesthood shall smite your youkai kind!" The priest had swiped the bow through the air, resting it beside him as he spoke.

"I see little smiting out of you, other then picking on the smaller kinds of youkai. I doubt you will ever make a dint in the powerful Youkai Lords!"

"We fear not of your lords!" He retorted. "But heed this conversation as a warning to your kind. That you shall not push around the humans for ever, beast!"

"And take this as our warning," Touga growled menacingly back. "If your kind push too far, whole villages will vanish in the night." He then motioned daringly off to his right, "Now be gone, or I shall show you how frail you really are, Human."

The Priest scowled at the youkai; Touga only pointed more forcefully to his right, returning the hateful look to the priest. The man took hold of Shinichi's shoulder, and motioned the boy into the direction the youkai pointed in.

Once the priest came close enough to Touga, he asked at a whisper, "Why are you taking mercy on us, Young Youkai-Lord?"

"Your people may be greatly misguided," Touga whispered in return. "But I do not take pleasure in stupidly slaughtering creatures weaker then I am."

The priest nodded humbly to the youkai, and urged on his pupil further. Touga stood and watched them until the duo had vanished among the trees; back to where they had came from. He gave a sigh, and looked back over shoulder to the tree where the rabbit still remained.

"You can come out, little one," Touga spoke up in a calm voice. The rabbit peered over the edge of the tree, his wide eyes looking up at the dog youkai in trepidation.

"Are you going to eat me?" The rabbit peeped.

Touga gave a loud laugh, "No, I am not going to eat you. I am full already, so you can leave with my blessings."

"Oh! Thank you, Humble Dog Lord!" The rabbit cried, holding his little hands in the air, tears of joy poring from his round eyes. He sniffled, and gave Touga a sad pout, "But I fear that I can no longer stay here. Those humans may be gone for now, but would surely come and eat me later."

Touga rubbed his chin, "Well, I suppose you can come with me then…."

"Really?" The rabbit peeped in shock.

"You aren't that big and I have been planning of leaving for a day or so now," a small pleasant grin came to the dog-youkai's lips as he spoke.

"I promise I won't be a burden to you!" The rabbit hopped with happiness.

"No, you won't be a burden at all, my little furry friend," Touga said with a laugh. "But I would like to know the name of the fellow I just saved, by the way."

"Oh! Forgive me! I forgot to give it!" The rabbit then bowed deeply before him, "Pyon-pyon, pleased to be saved, Oh Lord!"

Touga laughed brazenly once again, "Oh, please, Pyon-pyon-chan, feel free to call me by name: Touga."

"Oh yes! Touga-sama!" Pyon-pyon bounced in place several times again.

Touga, still with an amused smile from the rabbit's antics, gave a shrug. "I guess we have to wait for my friend Myouga-kun to show up, and we can be on our way!"

Pyon-pyon giggled loudly, bouncing ecstatically into the air.

*

Touga lazily lounged in one of the flowering trees overlooking the clear stream below. Pyon-pyon curled easily in the crutch of Touga's arm, burying his small head in dog youkai's corded bicep as he slept. Most rabbit youkai are barely bigger then a wild rabbits that they live with, unlike the hare-youkai, which grow to be a couple meters in height and are quite vicious. Most civilized youkai leave the rabbit youkai alone, and some even keep them as servant-pets to dote upon (especially Kitsune). The hare's, however, though bloodthirsty and troublesome, make for a hearty meal.

With his free hand, Touga reached up and smacked his forehead. The familiar squeal of pain followed, fully waking Touga and the rabbit youkai, Pyon-pyon, from their nap. Pyon-pyon yawned and stretched his little toes and hands, rolling over onto is back. Touga sat fully up, still holding the rabbit in his arm, and looked down to the flea. Myouga popped back into shape and gave a loud moan, holding his throbbing head.

"Afternoon, Myouga-kun," Touga said un-phased about just squashing the flea.

Myouga shook his head, "Oiy, I'm bound to get use to that someday…"

"Is this your friend, Touga-sama?" Pyon-pyon leaned over the dog youkai's arm and was poking at the flea's rounded head.

"Would you mind?" The flea bounced irritably.

"Myouga-kun, this is Pyon-pyon-chan," Touga said pointing to the rabbit in his arm. Pyon-pyon waved to Myouga, who'd only crossed his arms and faced away from the two.

"Awh, don't be that way Myouga-kun!" The rabbit said rather optimistically.

"Judging by the hear-say around the forest, the two of you have caused quite the commotion with the humans," Myouga remarked, eyeing the duo over his shoulder.

"Well I couldn't just let them sewer the poor little guy, Myouga-kun," Touga gave the flea a blatantly over-sympathetic gaze. "Little Pyon-pyon-chan has to eat! He has a hundred and twenty children at home to feed!"

Pyon-pyon busted out in the giggles, rolling hysterically in the youkai-dog's arm. Touga too began to laugh loudly. Myouga only became red in the face; smoke visibly coming from his scowling spherical head.

"I get the joke already!" Myouga cried, but the two still didn't stop laughing. "Can we please leave?!"

Touga stifled his laughter, though it is visible on his skewed face that he is using all his might not to start once again.

"Yeah…. snort… In a little-bit." Touga was barely able to say before he and Pyon-pyon started their laughter once more. Myouga rolled his eyes at the two and brooded.

*

They soared across the azure sky sitting on top of Touga's shinning cloud. The day continued to be come more beautiful with the air remaining comfortable and cool throughout the high day sun. The greenery below looked bright and crisp, dotted with the colors of wild flowers and blooming trees, beneath the serene golden rays of the sun above.

Touga sat Indian-style upon the cloud, Pyon-pyon on his lap eagerly looking about the scene in awe. While Myouga stood on the dog-youkai's head, holding onto the tie that held back Touga's long silvery mane. They traveled quietly for rather some time now, never having much to say to one another. Pyon-pyon had told them about the human village that the Priest had come from, why he had been cased, and that he has been alone for a good while. Myouga confirmed the rabbit's story about the village being rather big for a human settlement, perhaps having over two hundred people living in its limits, while all others known to Touga had less then fifty each. Pyon-pyon said that the humans had leveled many acres of forest and field for their farms, including the little guy's former home. Then, the humans had the audacity to chase him away when he took his share of the food that they grew on his former land.

Touga remembered his grandfather telling him when he was small about how the humans would destroy this land if they were allowed to continue living here. Pyon-pyon's account of how he lost his home backed up Sukusokubou's warnings from decades ago. But Touga learned that it was the way of nature, that when one dominant race comes in to replace the weaker race, it is always the weaker that will suffer more. Many of the vulnerable youkai and the wilderness had to suffer for the humans to prosper. Whereas the human's presence only serve to agitate the more powerful youkai, bringing their wrath and strife down onto man. The mere existence of the priest and his student earlier that day was proof that even the humans are gaining some leverage over the youkai, and if any impressive divine adversary were to ever be born among them, the youkai will be swiftly dealt a savage blow.

"Touga-sama," Pyon-pyon spoke up.

Touga shook away the remaining thoughts of dismay that had came over him, and looked down to the rabbit. "Hum?"

"I'm starting to get a little hungry," the little rabbit looked sad, rubbing his tummy. "When are we going to land to find food?"

Touga peered over the edge of the cloud to the forest below. "I guess we can land right here."

Touga wrapped his arm around the rabbit, holding Pyon-pyon securely against his chest. The cloud dissipated beneath Touga as he positioned himself into a standing posture. He slowly floated lower, eventually sinking under the green canopy, and softly touched down on the litter-covered ground.

Pyon-pyon leaped from the dog youkai's arms and started to sniff around on the ground. The youkai-rabbit hopped off into the brush, leaving Touga and Myouga behind to only watch as he vanished amid the forestry.

"Let's leave him here," Myouga shrewdly remarked.

"Myouga-kun!" Touga curled his nose to the flea.

"All we have to do is take off, and he would never know the difference!" Myouga continued.

"I won't leave him," Touga told the flea. He plucked Myouga from his hair and dropped him. "If you don't like it, you can leave."

"But, Touga-sama! I dare not leave you alone!" Myouga had a tear in his round eyes.

"It's never stopped you before," Touga crossed his arms and turned his nose up at the flea.

"That's besides the point!"

"Why won't you just go scout? Talk to the locals…. You always like doing that!" He retorted.

Myouga huffed, putting one set of hands on his waist and the other crossed over his chest. He hopped off with an angry spring in his bounce, grumbling to himself about "Not taking this anymore!"

Touga sighed, and then wiped his hand over his face, moaning. He turned about and started to walk through the tall close-quartered trees. This was an old forest, Touga could tell. There is no new growth at all with the high trees blocking most of the sun from reaching the ground. The trees were deciduous, many still sprouting their new spring leaves, with few low-hung branches or limbs. Touga could almost swear that the trees where whispering to one another in the wind, and found the forest to be very imposing on him. As if the tall silent figures were astutely looking down upon him, this trespasser in their home.

"Where are you?" a haunting, moaning voice mournfully beckoned in the wind. Touga froze in place, his eyes darting trough the brown and green about him.

"Who said that?" Touga said below his breath.

"Who said that?" the bellowing voice called back.

Touga's shoulders tightened in frustration, and he shouted: "Who the hell are you?"

"Who are you? Where are you?" it cried.

"That's what I want to know!" Touga growled.

A wicked-like laugh ensued, echoing loudly through the woods. "One with out knowledge about himself is truly lost!"

Touga howled crossly, clawing his hands tightly before him. "Show yourself!"

"You will have to find me!" it said in return with a cackle.

"Asshole!" he yelled back to the voice, shaking a fist in the air.

*

Pyon-pyon bounced to-and-fro the dirt and covered ground. He stopped to dig a small hole in the soil, looking for roots to eat, but these trees are so old that there are none small enough for him to nibble on. The rabbit moaned, listening to his grumbling stomach.

"There's nothing here to eat," Pyon-pyon moped to himself. He leaned back against one of the tall trees and sank down in between its hard thick roots, his cute wide eyes filled with melancholy.

The sound of the rustling dry leaves caught the rabbit's attention. The noise was coming from behind him. Pyon-pyon got to his feet and leaned over to look around the wide tree. On the other side there was a pile of dried leaves heaving up and down next to one of the neighboring trees. The pile shook, scattering the dried leaves away. A leafy green-topped vegetable emerged; it was small, about the same size as Pyon-pyon, pudgy and cream in color, with a small mouth and round eyes for a face: a radish youkai! The radish stretched its cubby little arms and gave a big yawn. It started to waddle off towards it's left.

Pyon-pyon darted out from behind the tree root, giving cry of battle. The radish turned towards the rabbit, its beady black eyes going wide. Sweat started shooting from the radish as it bolted away from the rabbit, leaving a cloud of smoke behind.

*

"`You always like doing that!' Ha!" The flea huffed. Myouga continued to hop forward, angrily. He finally landed on top a knotted hole in one of the statelier trees, a magnolia, he assumed. "I can't believe that boy. If only I were ten times my size!"

The tree shuttered faintly below the little flea. Myouga jumped in surprise, hiding underneath one of the fallen leaves on the floor. In the knot that he was just standing before, a wooden face appeared. It's droopy eyes slowly scanning the area.

"Where are you?" The face spoke in a loud haunting voice.

Myouga chuckled in joy and hopped out from the leaf, "Here I am!"

"Who said that?" the magnolia roared once more.

"It is I, Myouga the flea!" Myouga hopped up into the three's point of view. The tree watched the little youkai hop in place.

"Who the hell are you?" The distant voice of Touga cried through the wood. Myouga turned and looked over shoulder towards where he had left the youkai-dog.

"Who are you?" The tree then called back "Where are you?"

Myouga shook his head, covering his face with his hand, "Touga-sama…"

"That's what I want to know!" the dog youkai angrily spitted back.

"Such an ill mannered whelp," Myouga said with a heavy sigh.

The tree laughed, its limbs shaking as it done so. "One with out knowledge about himself is truly lost!"

Myouga laughed along with the tree this time.

"Show yourself!" he howled furiously in return.

"You'll have to find me!" The tree jested and he and the flea both cackled.

"Asshole!"

Myouga ceased his amusement and frowned, "Forgive him, Great Tree, he's hopeless sometimes."

"I found that entertaining," The tree responded in a quieter tone then before. "Not many come through here, youkai and human alike."

"It must be lonely," the flea responded, hopping closer to the tree.

"The trees are my friends. We speak to each other about all sorts of things," the tree then said. "About things simple or big, near or far, and even presently or of long ago."

"Wow!" Myouga's eyes grew wide with wonder. "It must be amazing to attain so much knowledge!"

"When one has been alive for over five thousand years, the novelty of it wanes," he replied halfheartedly. "There is more small things then large, and we trees share the same concerns."

"That's kind of sad, then," Myouga said, lowering his head to one side.

"Myouga-kun!" Touga called out. Myouga turned about in time to catch a glimpse of Touga's red outfit through the trees. The dog-youkai was several meters away, his hands cupped around his mouth. "Myouga-kun!"

"Touga-sama!" Myouga called back, bouncing several times in place. "Turn around!"

Touga spun about, facing away from Myouga now. "Myouga-kun?"

"The other way! The other way, Touga-sama!" A flustered Myouga hollered. Touga turned on his heel and jogged towards the flea's voice.

"I didn't actually expect you to get this far, Myouga-kun." Touga commented as he approached. He stopped short and flinched back, when he spotted the face in the tree. "Oh, shit!"

"A dog youkai!" The tree said with disbelief.

"YOU!" Touga growled, pointing a claw at the tree. "You're the jerk that's been taunting me!"

"It was not entirely his fault, Touga-sama," Myouga reluctantly admitted.

"You've been provoking it, Myouga-kun?" he turned his glair down on the flea.

"Nay," the tree spoke. "Myouga had stumbled across me. You merely interjected yourself in the conversation."

Touga eyed the tree over, "Who are you?"

"I am Reimorikan," He answered. "Overseer of this antique forest."

"Reimorikan-sama has as much influence over this forest and its in residents as your Grandfather does among the other youkai, Touga-sama," Myouga pointed out. "Tree youkai are highly respected among the youkai, even the most animalistic of them will not harm them."

"I never heard of a tree youkai before," Touga scanned Reimorikan inquisitively. "What's so special to make them as revered as my grandfather?"

"They are youkai-lords as well, Touga-sama," Myouga answered. "Rare and powerful, each possessing unique abilities of their own, and all highly resistant against energy attacks."

Reimorikan turned his yellow eyes over to Touga. "Touga-sama, might I inquire the name of your Grandfather?"

"Sukusokubou," He responded. "Why did you want to know?"

"I have heard of him," Reimorikan solemnly spoke.

"Most powerful youkai had," Touga said with a sigh.

"He has been talked about frequently recently," Reimorikan continued. Touga and Myouga both eyed the tree uneasily. "It is why I have been surprised to see you before me, Touga-sama."

"What's wrong?" Myouga was on edge, holding his hands to his chin.

"Do you not know?" Reimorikan said loudly. "An extremely powerful youkai had chased the youkai from inland, slaughtering all but a few, and followed the survivors east oversea!"

"What?!" Touga exclaimed. "I was never told of such a thing! When did this happen?"

"It has only been a couple weeks now since the youkai were massacred in the mainland," Reimorikan answered. "The youkai here had been tied up in holding this creature from crossing the mountains for several days now. The one called Sukusokubou is the last of the dog-lords holding it back."

Touga hand clasped his hands over his mouth and nose, "Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!"

"We've got to go back, Touga-sama!" Myouga fretted.

"I know!" Touga snapped back. "I have to find Pyon-pyon and tell him that we can't bring him with us.

Stay here Myouga-kun," He told the flea just as he darted off into the woods.

*

The pudgy radish panted, out of breath from out running the rabbit still on its trail. The radish bunkered down in a small nook at the foot of one of the trees, trying to recuperate some of its stamina. The radish youkai are normally sluggish creatures, unless in situations of extreme danger, and can only maintain the rate for short spurts.

The radish slowly peered about the tree, looking for the rabbit. It turned about and Pyon-pyon was sitting on the tree root before him. The radish gave a loud squeal, and fell backwards over another root. Pyon-pyon prepared himself to pounce on the prone radish, only to end up being snatched up by an errant hand.

"Hey!" the rabbit squawked. "What's the big idea?"

The radish, taking its opportunity, got to its stubby feet and bolted off once again.

"That was my dinner, Touga-sama!" The rabbit huffed and swung at the dog youkai, but was held to far away to make a strike.

"Something's come up," Touga's voice was dire, which stilled the rabbit's frustration.

Pyon-pyon looked up to Touga's serious face. "What's up?"

Touga bit hold of his lower lip, "It's bad…"

"How bad?"

"I have to go home," he answered, "and you can't come with me. It would be too dangerous."

"But what am I suppose to do?" Pyon-pyon pouted. "There is nothing out here, I'll get lonely and hungry."

"I don't think that would be much of a problem," He forced himself to give the rabbit a reassuring smile, but Touga was in no mood to even be smiling. Touga soon introduced Pyon-pyon to Reimorikan. He convinced Pyon-pyon to stay with the elderly tree, and talked Reimorikan into taking in the little rabbit. Reimorikan told the rabbit where he could find food, and Pyon-pyon agreed to keep the tree company. Touga promised the two of them that he will return, but with his people in chaos it may be months or even years. Reimorikan was unconcerned about the amount of time, and said that Touga could take as much time as he needs. Pyon-pyon, on the other hand, said for him to hurry back cause he couldn't wait forever even if he wanted to, unlike the tree Reimorikan

*

It was the afternoon of the next day when Touga, along with Myouga, finally reached the mountain range where Reimorikan told him the battle was taking place. The whole territory reeked of miasma and youki. For several miles, what once was forest and planes were now barren rock and dead soil, and even where there once was the small village where his childhood friend Kusaba once lived and died, was gone. Touga could only imagine the havoc on the other side of the mountain range, near the sea and where the dog-youkai lords' homes laid.

Touga had landed several miles away and traveled the rest of the distance on foot, to reduce the chance of being spotted. The distant howls and cries lofted over the ridge, becoming louder as he gained ground. Bright flashes and loud explosions lit up the dark overcastted skies, sending vibrations through the ground. The closer he became to the apex the more he slowed down. Nearing the top he ducked low and crawled the last of the distance.

Looking over the edge he saw the horrible beast itself. It was some sort of serpent, the color of unrefined iron and lead, and scratches lined all of its body, none cutting into its hide. It opened its fang-filled mouth; a bright ball accumulated with in the maul and shot out across the land, unearthing and obliterating rock and youkai alike in its light. The bulk of the force in its path were mid and low level youkai; only a couple dog youkai were seen, as well as a small band of other youkai lords on hand. All were swatted away with ease by the serpent monster, some even eaten alive.

"Foolish weaklings!" it growled. Its voice was feminine, but deeply echoed, and spoke from a small green-marked face it bared on its chest. "You all shall be consumed by I, Namariryuuko."

The dragon opened its mouth once more, creating another ball of death and releasing it down onto the army before it. Touga flattened himself against the ground, avoiding the dust and rock that shot up from the impact.

"This doesn't look good, Touga-sama," Myouga's words filled with dread.

"Myouga," Touga spoke up. "I want you to find my grandfather or father, the first one you find come tell me."

"Right," Myouga nodded. "But what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to bite that fucking dragon's faces off!" He growled, rolling up a sleeve of his kimono.

"That will be suicide, Touga-sama!" Myouga cried, tugging on a small piece of Touga's pants. "Why can't you just wait to see what your grandfather and father have to say?"

"Cause I won't do what they want me to do anyways," Touga yanked his leg away from the little flea's grasp. "Now do what I told you, Myouga-kun!"

Touga jumped over the ledge and ran down its face, heading towards the battle at hand in the valley below. Myouga bounce in place, giving a loud crying wail, "Tooou-gaaah-saaah-maaah!"

*

Through the burning remnants of trees and chard earth, Touga sprinted forward. Leaping over cracks and crevices from the energy spheres of the youkai-dragon, Namariryuuko. The battle orders of the youkai-lords called out from the rubble, ordering their troops to regroup and reform. Touga turned towards one of the voices, recognizing it, but not of that of family.

It was that of Junitaiin, a friend of his grandfather's that had frequented their home when he was still partially living with them. Junitaiin was a youkai-lord, but not one as prominent or as old as Sukusokubou (in fact he is barely a couple centuries older then Touga himself). He was an unusual youkai; a specific kind is unknown even to him. Touga heard his grandfather call Junitaiin an "Astral Flower." Junitaiin has great mastery over plants, but he is not a plant youkai at all. Where as plants need the light to survive, Junitaiin was the light.

Touga found Junitaiin sitting on top of a pure white horse-like creature that was covered with feathers and had silvery wings. Junitaiin, himself, had long white hair-several shades whiter then Touga's own-bright pupil-less blue eyes, and feminine features in the face. He dawned heavy armor and brandished a sword in hand, making him look more opposing then his normally tranquil demeanor. They were currently grounded, Junitaiin calling for the various youkai to fall back away from the writhing, thick-body of the dragon. Close up, Touga could tell that the dragon was nearly twenty meters in diameter at its thickest, but was well over five-hundred meters nose to tail.

"Junitaiin-san!" Touga had cupped his hands about his mouth and called to the youkai-lord. He didn't respond, not hearing Touga over the roar of the troupes before him. Junitaiin pulled the reins of the horse creature back, sending it into the air where it soared backwards along side of the ground forces. Touga ran beside the receding line, easily keeping pace with the flying leader on foot.

Junitaiin landed the beast on a hill face, where the company gathered around. He had dismounted the horse and was among the crowd pulling out several soldiers and placing them into attack groups. Touga moved his way through the gathered youkai, trying to reach Junitaiin.

"Junitaiin-san!" Touga called once again. This time the youkai-lord heard the young-dog, and looked over the crowd towards him.

"Touga-san?!" He looked like he had just seen a ghost. "I thought you were dead!"

"It's been decades since I was here," Touga answered.

Junitaiin waved aside the forces gathered around him and approached the dog youkai. "Did you know what's been happening?"

"Not until yesterday," He answered truthfully and shamefully. "Reimorikan, a tree youkai, told me and I dropped what ever I was doing to come. He said that my Grandfather was heading the forces attacking it."

"He is!" Junitaiin confirmed as he reached Touga and placed a gauntleted hand on Touga's shoulder. "Sukusokubou-sama is on the northern face, his forces are handling the frontal assaults of Namariryuuko. A lot of them are awfully beaten up, Touga-san."

"I better go join up with him then," he then sighed.

Junitaiin embraced the dog-youkai, patting across his back. "It was good seeing you again, Touga-san."

Touga bit his lower lip. "Yeah…"

Junitaiin stepped back, both hands still on Touga's shoulders. "Now, go," he spoke with concern deep in his voice. "They really need your help up there."

Touga moved away from Junitaiin. "I wish you luck, Junitaiin-san."

"As do I to you, Touga-san."

Touga nodded back to the youkai-lord and dashed off, heading towards an uncertain welcoming.

*

The earth was still smoldering where Touga journeyed. Namariryuuko was just to the south, looming over burning fields, and sending wave after wave of energy cutting across the land. Touga was forced to take the long distance around, being wary to not cross paths with the dragon prematurely. He drifted over the flames and downed charcoaled trees, stirring ash and embers each time he touched the soil and bounded back into the air. Touga closed in the distance between him and the vial dragon, knowing that the forces will be placed closer in the path of the dragon then what he was now. He had dropped from the air and ran, using the sleeves of his fire-rat coat to block the flames from hitting his face.

It was the wounded that he had found first, and there weren't many of them. A couple women youkai, wounded as well, tended to the more severally injured. One of the attendances, Touga knew to be Kumomeinu, his aunt. Kumomeinu faced Touga when he appeared on the edge of the small camp. She half worn a tattered suit of armor, her right arm was in a sling and her side was marred with burns.

She audibly gasped, clasping her well hand over her mouth. "Touga-chan?"

"I…" Touga choked on his words as he watched his aunt hobble towards him, her arm outstretched. He quickly came to her side, and leaned forward so that she could reach around him.

"Touga-chan!" She wept, placing her forehead on his chest. "Why have you been gone for so long?"

"I came as soon as I heard…"

"You should have been here," Kumomeinu moaned, her tears were soaking though his shirt.

"But I am here now," He said, trying to reassure her. "That is all that matters."

"It is not the same, Touga-chan!" She snapped back, her golden-eyes looking up at him with fervor. "You should have never gone away at all!"

"Grandfather and father didn't want me here, Kumomeinu-san," He patiently said to her, trying desperately not to raise his voice to the hysterical female.

"Hakkouga's dead!" Kumomeinu yelled. "Soku-chan sent him into battle to die!"

Touga frowned deeply, inside he felt like he was just stabbed in the stomach by her words. He knew the relationship between the two of them was unstable, but for Sukusokubou to send his own son to his death! It made Touga wonder if he would have died in battle along side his father, or would have been sheltered by a lie from his grandfather.

"And you would have rather have me die along with him?" Touga finally retorted after the shock had somewhat subsided. He knew he would have to confront his grandfather face to face about this, and most likely soon cause the deadly dragon's attacks aren't going to stop just for Touga to inquisition the Old Dog.

Kumomeinu let her hand slip from Touga's shoulder and come down to her side. She intensely glared at the ground between them. "Fare enough, Touga-chan. Please go and fight your battles, and leave this old bitch alone."

"Goodbye," he said. "For now, Kumomeinu-san."

*

Namariryuuko continued to boast as she laid waist to the opposing forces below. The cocky youkai-dragon laughed amusingly at the feeble retaliation efforts of her quarry. The few dogs fighting had fallen back, leaving the brunt of the army to fend the beast off. Their attacks on the dragon stalled her approach, but didn't hinder the brazenness of her words or the force of her onslaught upon them. Touga can see now that the front of her body was covered in scratches and scorch marks, many would have been considered fatal if Touga was inflicted with them in his true form, but they were merely superficial to her. He could see now that if he were to face her alone, he would have died, quickly at that.

The dog youkai whispered amongst one another as Touga drawn near. There were just ten youkai present; Sukusokubou was not one of them. It was a small faction, too small; even for such a scarce race as they are. They all were in full armor, the same stile Kumomeinu dawned, and about all had large pieces of their wardrobe missing from battle or taken off for bandaging. The similar armors make it difficult to tell which houses they hailed from, and even male from female with some. The once lavish people are now no more then ambiguous soldiers; the ideal of the unity was outweighed by the tragedy of the circumstance.

"Where is Sukusokubou?" Touga demanded, but they didn't answer. "I am Touga, his grandson, and I wish for a presence with him."

"We know who you are, Pup," one of the males spoke up. Touga soon recognized him to be Rijinmuku, one of the sons of Bounseito, a lord of the land adjacent to his family's territory. "He does not want to be bothered at this time."

"I don't care about what he wants," Touga replied. "I want to talk with him, now!"

One of the youkai approached, judging by the way they walked this one was female, but her face and most of her figure was masked by the bulky armor. Her left arm was wrapped in bandages from fist to shoulder, and soaked with blood and sweat in several places, but was still shielded by an arm-guard and some thick leather. The dirt, ash, and grime masked her scent from Touga's nose. She hooked her good arm around Touga's left. "I'll take you to him, Touga-chan."

"Mother?" Touga gasped, the forever-familiar voice striking him hard. She reached up with her left hand and removed the face guard from the helmet, exposing her dusty, yet still beautiful, face. She gave him a warm smile, though it was ill placed.

"It is you!" the shock still in his system.

"It has been a while," she sadly said as she guided him along. "I only wish this were under better circumstances, Touga-chan."

Touga was at a loss for words. After being away for so long he thought he would have a million things to say to her, but being brought together like this and only being in her presence made all those things he wanted to say escape him. With the news from Kuromeinu about his father still weighing heavy on him, to be rejoined with her now was a breath of fresh air to his wrenched heart.

"These past few weeks have been heard on everybody," she continued when he did not. "Those you see before you, on this field, are the last of our kind, Touga-chan. We are a fallen people, and if by chance we survive this our many other enemies will take advantage of that and finish the job Namariryuuko started.

In my heart, I hoped you would have stayed away where it was safe, but I know now that even then you would not be. You would have only been alone out there."

"I would have never stayed away, Mother," Touga told her. "Even if I were the last, I will make sure, with every last breath in my body, that Namariryuuko would have never gotten away with this atrocity."

"I know you would have, Touga-chan," She had placed her cheek on his shoulder and kept walking forward through the black mountainous hinterland. She led him to a small outcropping of jagged rocks, where she told him to stay. She moved further in, turning behind a tall rock, and out of Touga's sight.

"Sennyo," Sukusokubou's voice was rough and angered as he spoke. "I told you I would arrive when I was finished."

"My son is here," she responded flatly.

"Touga-kun?" his voice had changed drastically, reverting back to the one more familiar to Touga. There was some whispering following, too low for Touga to over hear, but he could tell there was another with them.

Touga straitened his posture when his mother stepped forward once more. Another woman followed behind Sennyo, one nearer to Touga's own age, and also was clothed in the same fashion of armor. Bundled in her hands, she had bandages, vials of ointments, and what appeared to be a sewing-kit. Her eyes met his as she passed, there was a fire in her eyes and she didn't turn away from him. Touga moved along with her gaze until she was forced to break away her stare and trek forward.

"Amaya-meinu," Sukusokubou's voice spoke up from behind. "She is Kumo-san's granddaughter, Touga-kun."

Touga turned back around, his features stern as he looked over the old lord. Sukusokubou was looking strait ahead, leaning against the rock, his face showing his indifference. His armor was fractured and ragged, and his pelt was not over shoulder. The Mugoi-kyouran and Monosugoi-desu were strapped securely at his side. He smelt of fresh blood, soil, and medicine.

"I talked to Kumomeinu-san," Touga answered. "She told me about my father…."

"HE left on his own!" Sukusokubou snapped, still not turning to look at Touga. "He died saving your mother," he said lowly. "I didn't want to argue with him and I told him to go ahead, that I wouldn't stop him."

"How do I know you are not lying to me now?" Touga gave a faint growl in his words. "Like you always have been."

"Sennyo will vouch honestly to that!" He snapped his head over at Touga. Touga's breath stilled at what he then saw. The left side of Sukusokubou's face was brutally marred, and even was missing his eye, leaving only a sunken gouge where it once was. The wounds were fresh and open, inflicted within the last couple hours.

"Grandfather…" Touga said below his breath.

"You should have waited back with the others." Sukusokubou hovered his hand over the wounds, hiding them partially. "We're all wounded, all on our last efforts. You should have never came back and forgotten about us."

"Mother said the same thing," He said. "But I told her, like I am telling you, that I will not let this go un-avenged, even if I die trying!"

A passion arose in the old-lord's remaining eye; Sukusokubou came upon Touga, removing the sheathed Monosugoi-desu from his sash. He held the fabled sword out to Touga, "Then take up these arms and avenge us!"

"I cannot take your swords!" Touga said in shock.

"I am giving them to you, Touga-san!" he forcefully stated, pushing the sword against Touga's chest. "I am too weak to face this dragon and use them properly."

"I don't know how to use them, Grandfather!" Touga had taken the sword out of his grasp, if only to stop the old dog from jabbing him with it.

"I taught you personally how to sword fight, Touga-san!" He barked, now holding the Mugoi-kyrouran (the smaller sword) in hand. "Don't tell me you've forgotten so easily!"

"I have not!" Touga retorted. "The Monosugoi-desu and Mugoi-kyrouran are magical weapons that I know nothing of!"

"Yes you do," he pointed the sheathed sword at him. "You just haven't realized that I had already taught you how."

The good half of Sukusokubou's face looked upon him expectantly, the look that Touga had frequently given him when small. The Mugoi-kyrouran was still in his outstretched hand, the hilt of the dagger-sword towards Touga. Touga reluctantly accepted the sword from the old-lord and held it, sheathed, point up before him.

"Now that's cleared up!" Sukusokubou clasped his hands before him and rubbed them. "Go off to tell Amaya-meinu to come back here and finish fixing my face, and then go off to acquaint yourself to those swords a little bit more. We've got a fight to get to!"

Touga stared solemnly at the swords for just a little bit longer before acknowledging his grandfather's words and walked off to fetch the young youkai-woman. He placed the swords in his sash, the same way his grandfather had placed them on himself: the Mugoi-kyrouran on his right, and the Monosugoi-desu on his left. It felt so strange to have the swords at his side, and wonders if this first time would also be the last.

Chapter 04: Battle Lines

Author: L. D. Pickerill a.k.a. Myu2k2

Date: Thursday November 04, 2004.