InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Buffy the Youkai Slayer ❯ Rattling Cages ( Chapter 14 )

14. Rattling Cages

What did being the Slayer mean, here in the Sengoku-jidai?Buffy asked herself.

Soon after the battle in the forest, they left the road and spent the next two days pushing cross-country. Inuyasha seemed confident of their direction, and he led the way at a rapid pace, often receding to just a red speck a mile or two ahead of them.

No one was joking or playing rock-paper-scissors now--all of them were focused with grim intensity on the changing landscape, looking for any sign that their enemy was nearby.

Sango and Miroku rode through the air on the transformed Kirara, the giant firecat keeping pace with Kagome and Buffy on their bicycles. The little odometer mounted on the front axle of Buffy's bike ticked off a steady number of kilometers, but the mountains, rising blue-green in the distance ahead of them, didn't seem to be coming any closer.

They didn't encounter any more youkai swarms, which gave Buffy way too much time to think as she pedaled steadily along a series of narrow footpaths that led through dry fields and thick woods.

She always been the Chosen One, no matter how much she told herself she hated being different, being a freak. But she had never doubted her own abilities.

Until now.

This was a world where most of the youkai and even hanyou were stronger and faster than Slayers. It was only luck that they'd only run across bugs and friendlies so far. All it would take was running into demon like Inuyasha, and Kagome would be bringing bad news back through the well to Koji...and Giles.

If they weren't all permanently sealed on this side of the time-portal, that was. She didn't dare try returning before she'd gotten Naraku's Portal Key.

But could she get it? Could she really do it?

That hadn't even been a question in her mind, until yesterday.

Inuyasha going easy on her during their duel, well, that had rattled her a little, but she had still felt comfortably superior to the others in the group. She was older than Sango, Shippou, Inuyasha, and Kagome. She was an experienced warrior. She had had boyfriends. She had saved the world, two or three times.

And, of course, she was the Slayer.

Of course there was absolutely no question that she was going to defeat Naraku when she met him. She knew there would be a fight. The others might help her. But no matter what, she was the Slayer, so of course she'd win, and get back the Portal Key, meanwhile dispensing her twenty-first-century wisdom to Sango, Kagome, and the others around the campfire, in a buddy-movie kind of way.

Of course.

God, I'm such a moron.

If she had to, she thought she might be able to kill Inuyasha. Fifty-fifty chance. She'd have to use her brains, study his weaknesses carefully, and take him by surprise. But she wouldn't be able to do it the way a Slayer was supposed to--hand-to-hand.

And that was humbling. Yeah, I've been cut down to size, all right.

* * *

She was still brooding when they finally stopped and made camp for the night. No hot springs here, but it was fairly sheltered, and there was fresh water nearby. Ramen again. Oh, goody.

They had established a routine by now. Shippou gathered firewood, and Miroku lit the fire using Kagome's matches. Sango and Kagome decided on what to serve from her supplies, while Inuyasha disappeared into the woods to hunt and kill something to supplement the ramen and rice.

Buffy went to fetch water from a stream a few hundred yards away. She quickly filled the kettle and returned, then stopped behind a tree to observe the others. She wasn't sure why the sight of them joking and working together made her feel so blue.

Inuyasha had returned, his long fingers hooked through the gills of two large fish, and Buffy saw how his face softened at Kagome's pleased smile.

Since their talk the day before yesterday, he'd been treating Kagome as if he was afraid she would break.

Not that he was into public displays of affection--dog-boy wasn't exactly the mushy type--but Buffy noticed how he stayed close to Kagome. Watching her. Reassuring her with a glance, a brush of fingers against her as he handed her the fish to clean, and a hand on her shoulder to steady her when she stepped on something and wobbled a bit.

In Buffy's world, Willow and Xander always had her back. And Giles. But here, she was on her own. Who had her back, in this place? Sango, maybe. But she was definitely the odd woman out.

She stepped into view, and put the kettle on its stand over the fire. "Can I help with anything else?"

Sango handed her one of the fish, and Buffy's melancholy retreated a little as she followed the other Slayer's lead in cleaning and scaling the fish, then spitting them to roast over the flames.

They didn't hate her, she thought as she straightened up, slapping away Miroku's wandering hand from her butt. But she wasn't one of them, either.

* * *

After dinner, there was still enough light left for Buffy and Sango to continue their training together. It was hand-to-hand combat this time.

When it had gotten too dark to see, they stopped. Buffy rubbed at the bruises on her arms where she had blocked Sango's blows.

"You're really good at this," she said, a little ruefully.

"I have to be," Sango said, solemnly.

"Because everything--and everyone--here is really powerful and scary?"

Sango stopped and turned to Buffy, her face a pale blur in the deep gray twilight. "Buffy-chan, what's been troubling you?"

"Nothing," Buffy said. But Sango simply stood there, and waited.

"Okay, I've been thinking. A lot. About the fight in the forest the day before yesterday."

"What of it?" Sango asked.

"I realized something about this time--this place. I just don't fit in here." There. She had finally said it.

"Did you expect to? Haven't you been telling me about what it's like to be a Slayer? Our destiny?" Sango laughed. "It--it feels good to have a destiny again, something to look forward to after we defeat Naraku."

"That's just it," Buffy said. "In my world, the Slayer is something special. Something extraordinary. But here..."

"Are you still angry that Inuyasha held back his full strength with you?"

"Yeah. No. I mean--" Buffy took a deep breath. "It was watching Miroku and Kagome fighting those bugs that got me thinking."

Sango inclined her head. "You didn't know about houshi-sama's Kazaana?"

Oh, so that's what they call his evil hand? It's like a mini black hole.

"I thought he was just a regular guy. And Kagome...well, I know you guys mentioned she was a miko's reincarnation, but I didn't realize..." Those arrows, destroying all the demons in their path with mystical energy.

"But why does this bother you, Buffy-chan? Are you jealous?"

"No!" Well, not much. "It's just...I think I miscalculated. Seeing Miroku's--what did you call it? Kazaana?--made me wonder whether Inuyasha was right about being able to find and retrieve the Portal Key on his own. When Koji sent me here, I thought this was going to be an easy mission. Do a little sightseeing, make new friends, kick Naraku's ass."

"And now you have doubts." Sango came close, and touched Buffy's arm.

"Now...I'm worried. If even Kagome is, like, a powerful sorceress, then how strong is the enemy? And why do you guys need me? It's not like a Slayer is anything special...not in this world."

"Because you are strong, Buffy-chan. And you make us stronger."

"Are you sure about that?" Buffy asked. For the first time, she truly understood how Xander had felt, all those years of working together with the Scoobies. So normal, except for his courage. "In my world, the Slayer is the strongest, the fastest. But here--here, I'm just kind of...ordinary.

"Only ordinary because all of us are extraordinary, Buffy-chan."

Buffy sighed.

After a moment, Sango added: "We are all weak when we're alone. Only together are we strong."

That sounded familiar. "Teamwork, right?"

Sango nodded. "At first, I wanted to avenge my father, my brother, my village on my own. I was the last youkai-taijya. It was my duty. But, since then, I have learned that there's no dishonor in taking allies. On the day we defeat Naraku and regain the Shikon-no-Tama, it won't matter if I did it alone, or if all of us together fought and won. What will matter is...victory."

"And friendship," said Buffy, thinking of Willow and Giles and Xander again.

"Never forget friendship," Sango said.

They began walking back toward the sound of Miroku's laughter. After a few paces, Sango asked: "Will you return to Kagome's kingdom on the other side of the well when you have regained your Portal Key?"

Buffy nodded. "I have--have things to do in my world." Slayers to train. Australia to see. Maybe even another boyfriend, someday. If I survive my visit here.

"Don't forget us, Buffy-chan. And if you should ever want to return with Kagome, you will always have a place with us."

"Thank you," Buffy said. And she meant it.

* * *

The last couple of days had been good ones, thought Inuyasha, sucking shreds of fish from a mouthful of fragile, spiky bones.

His stomach was full of cooked food. He had a solid lead on where that bastard Naraku was hiding out. And it had been two full days since Kagome had used that fucking "sit" command on him. Even Buffy hadn't been her usual obnoxious self, telling everyone what to do.

Yeah, life was good.

Inuyasha finished the last of the fish, spat the translucent bones out beyond the range of the firelight, and lay back, arms crossed under his head. He wasn't sleepy, but the girls were busy unrolling their bedding, and he liked watching Kagome bending down. Even if she wasn't wearing her short skirt today.

Besides, he was downwind of her, and her scent was soothing. Home, he thought. Home, and ramen and...wolf?

He leapt to his feet, just as Kagome raised her head. "Shikon shards. Coming this direction."

And then he knew. Shit.

Buffy grabbed her naginata and peered out into the nighttime forest. "Should I be worried?"

Kagome shook her head. "It's only--"

There was a great rushing sound, and a sudden gust of wind that whipped up the smoke from the dying fire.

When smoke cleared, Inuyasha saw that fucking wolf-prince standing next to Kagome, leering down at her like he usually did. "Yo, Kagome."

"--Kouga-kun!" said Kagome, looking flustered.

"Kouga," snarled Inuyasha. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The wolf-prince spared him a single contemptuous glance. "Patrolling the border of my tribe's lands, dogface. What are you doing here? Trespassing?"

"Why you--" Inuyasha's hand tightened around Tetsusaiga, but Kouga, in his maddening way, had already turned his attention back to Kagome.

He was, in fact, holding both of her hands and looking deeply, possessively into her eyes.

"Oh--um, Kouga-kun!" she stammered. Blushing. Blushing! "I'm--I'm so sorry if we were trespassing."

Inuyasha felt a growl starting deep in his chest. Why wasn't Kagome slapping his face? She never had any problems doing that when Miroku groped her!

Gods, how he hated that wimpy wolf!

Inuyasha's hatred was strengthened by the fact that, somehow, human women found Kouga attractive. Not for him the looks of fear and disgust thrown in Inuyasha's direction when village girls noticed that his ears weren't...right...or when they saw his teeth.

Worse yet, Kagome always smiled and blushed at Kouga's slimy compliments, slimier even than Miroku at his worst. She had even forgiven Kouga for kidnapping her!

Even Buffy was wearing that look on her face. That slightly glazed expression.

"Keh!" Inuyasha spat, turning away. But not before he'd noticed that her her scent had changed subtly, indicating an interest in mating. Not her, too!

How did Kouga do it? Was it because he was a full youkai? Or just because he had an unshakable arrogance? Whatever it was, Kouga was everything Inuyasha desperately wanted to be: smooth, confident, and a leader.

Just smelling that pissy wolf-scent was enough to set Inuyasha's teeth on edge.

"--we were just, I mean--it's Naraku! It's sort of an emergency!" Kagome was saying. Irritated, Inuyasha noticed that she still wasn't trying to free herself from Kouga's grasp.

Any minute now, he was going to put an arm around Kagome, and try to kiss her. And when that happened, Inuyasha would have no choice. He would have to kill Kouga.

"What kind of emergency? Are you in trouble, Kagome?" That wimpy wolf looked pleased at the possibility, and drew her even closer. Don't you dare! "You know I'd do anything to help my woman!"

* * *

His woman? thought Buffy. She wondered if her mouth was hanging open. Who is that guy with Kagome?

The tall, dark, and handsome newcomer was holding Kagome's hands to his chest, an almost comically besotted expression on his face. Buffy noticed that her friend was looking more than a little embarrassed, and but Mr. Handsome wasn't taking the hint.

And Inuyasha was...growling. Actually growling. And his ears were twitching, which Buffy noticed he only did when he was really upset.

She took a closer look at the newcomer. Kagome had called him Kouga-kun, and no one else besides Inuyasha seemed bothered by him, so he must be friendly.

He wasn't human. He had human features, but he also had pointed ears, and large blue eyes which gave him an inhuman stare. And he had a wolf's tail sticking out from the back of his very short fur kilt.

Buffy's glance darted to Inuyasha's butt, thoroughly covered by his baggy armor-kimono-thingy. I really ought to ask Kagome whether he has a tail, too...

Then she returned to her assessment of Kouga. Not human...or not entirely human. Looks young. Lots of hair. Ponytail. Nice legs.

Really nice legs. Long and tautly muscled. A runner's legs. And not too hairy.

Kouga noticed her checking him out, and to her astonishment, he blushed.

Ohmigod! That's so cute! she thought. Must be something in water around here. All the humanoid demons all seem to be hotties.

She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry if I was staring at you. You know, where I come from, the demon guys are all sort of...warty. Or covered with slime."

"We have those here, too," interjected Inuyasha, without taking his eyes off Kouga.

Hoo, boy! If looks could kill!

Kouga-kun gave her a wide smile, full of pointed teeth. Of course. "My Kagome tells me that you're hunting Naraku. In that case, I have some news for you."

"Please, sit down, Kouga-kun," Kagome said, pulling him forward. "Have some tea."

He dropped down to sit cross-legged by the fire. "Hakkagu and Ginta and the wolves should be along in a while," he said. "They're always so far behind."

As Kagome hastily dug for teabags in her pack, Buffy noticed that Kouga wasn't wearing anything under his kilt, and hastily tried to look elsewhere.

Everyone except Inuyasha sat down around the fire.

Inuyasha remained standing, his hands tucked in his sleeves and his chin up in the pose that Kagome referred to as his "angry statue" look.

Well, Kouga was putting the moves on Kagome...

"So, Kagome, what do you know about large clouds of insect youkai traveling south?" asked Kouga, when Kagome had finished brewing a pot of tea.

He held out his cup, and she poured. "It means that Naraku is launching a new attack."

"But it's also good news," interjected Miroku. "Because we hope to find Naraku's castle by tracing the youkai swarms to their source."

"How many swarms have you seen, Kouga?" asked Kagome, anxiously.

"Three or four in the last two days," he replied, his gaze fastened hungrily on her.

She froze. "We have to hurry, then. I don't know much time we have!"

Kouga cocked his head to the side, and his thick ponytail swung over one tanned shoulder. "Why are you so scared, Kagome? Afraid that dog-face over there won't be able to protect you?"

"I can do a better job than you!" Inuyasha shouted, his golden eyes narrowed to angry slits in the firelight. His hand had dropped to the hilt of his sword.

Kagome raised her hand to stop him. "The youkai aren't after us, Kouga-kun. They're--they're after my family. There are seals in place to ward them off, but I don't know how much longer..."

"Then, of course I'll join you," Kouga said. He took Kagome's hand again. "It's my duty to protect my woman. And her family."

"No way!" Inuyasha said. "We don't need that wimpy wolf! I'll only end up having to rescue his miserable hide--again!"

His words clashed with Kagome's smiling, "Will you really help us, Kouga-kun?"

Oh, man, now there's a recipe for disaster, thought Buffy. Don't tell me that Kagome's really that clueless. Or, maybe...she glanced over to her friend. Who was still letting Kouga hold her hand, but who was sneaking side-long looks at Inuyasha's glowering face. She knows exactly what she's doing.

* *

It was an uncomfortable night.

Two more wolf-youkai showed up, panting heavily from their run. They were introduced as Hakkagu and Ginta, eagerly addressed Kagome as "Sis," to Inuyasha's disgust, and seemed pretty friendly for demons who regularly dined on human flesh.

After a brief explanation, Kouga sent them away to continue patrolling.

Kouga and Inuyasha both insisted on standing guard over the camp. And Buffy, seeing the glares they had been trading all evening, and who was kind of bothered by Miroku's revelation that the wolf-youkai ate people--or used to, before Kouga decided Kagome was his woman--stayed awake, too.

Just in case.

She noticed Kagome wasn't sleeping, either.

* * *

The next day, they reached Naraku's castle two hours after noon.

Not that Buffy could actually see a castle, to begin with. But Kagome stopped her bike suddenly, her gaze fixed on what looked like an empty meadow at the base of the nearest mountain.

"I sense a barrier," she said.

Inuyasha sniffed deeply. "You're right. I can smell that bastard Naraku. It's very faint, though."

Kouga nodded. "That's his stench, all right."

Dismounting, Kagome drew an arrow from her quiver. She closed her eyes briefly, as if saying a prayer, then left the road and walked forward, holding out the arrow at arm's length.

At the edge of the meadow, her arrow suddenly flared, and Buffy saw what looked a ripple on the surface of a pond spread upward and outward through the air.

Inuyasha drew his sword. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

He jumped into the air, and landed lightly next to Kagome. Kouga joined them in the next instant--he had moved so fast that only a puff of dust remained in the road between one eyeblink and the next.

"Hey, wait for me!" Buffy parked her bike, and swiftly untied her sword and naginata from the frame of her pack.

Naraku, at last! She felt an unfamiliar tenseness around her middle. Her heart was beating fast, even though she hadn't started fighting yet, and her palms were suddenly sweaty.

Shit. I'm scared. It had been a long time since she felt real fear. But she couldn't let it stop her. Not now. She wiped her hands on her jeans, fastened the swordbelt, and gripping the naginata, went to join the others.

Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga, and it transformed with the familiar flash of golden fire. He frowned, concentrating, and Buffy saw the blade's aura turn blood-red from hilt to tip.

He swung the sword down, and the ripple this time was a tidal wave propelled by scarlet fire. With a liquid green burst, the barrier exploded.

Suddenly, instead of a meadow, there were whitewashed walls topped by dark, curved tiled roofs. Right in front of them was the castle's gate. The thick plank-bound doors were open, and a dark vapor swirled out.

The wind shifted suddenly, bringing a throat-scraping smell of acrid decay.

"Careful," said Miroku. "That miasma is extremely poisonous."

"Indeed it is," agreed a female voice. "Not that you'll get far enough to actually breathe it in."

There was a woman standing just inside the gates. She was dressed in colorful robes, and had an elaborate upswept hairdo.

"You again," she said, flicking open a red-and-white fan. As she did so, Buffy noticed that she had a youkai's pointed ears and freaky red eyes. "Don't you ever weary of these useless attacks?

"Who's that?" Buffy whispered.

Without taking his eyes off the fan-wielding youkai woman, Kouga growled, "It's Kagura. And I'm going to kill her today."