InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Daybreak ❯ Mysterious Castle ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3- Mysterious Castle

 

 

Needless to say, Kagome didn't get much studying done. After recovering from the shock, her mother had sat her down in the kitchen and informed her of all the past events that had taken place since she had left for the Feudal Era.

 

The day Kagome and Inuyasha returned to the past, Kagome's mother had received a call from Hojo's parents at two in the morning asking if Kagome had seen their son. Apparently after saying goodbye to Yuka, Eri and Ayumi, Hojo had left for home.

And never arrived.

 

“A week ago… he's been gone the entire week…” murmured Kagome in disbelief. She forced herself to take another sip of her tea; her throat was dry from her nervous swallowing.

 

“Yes, the police are increasing the number of people investigating,” her mother said grimly. “And of course, since you were one of the last people to see him, they came here to ask questions.”

 

Kagome spluttered. “W-what…?”

 

“It was terrible, Nee-chan!!” cried Souta, his head just peeking above the table. “Mama and Jii-chan told the police you were sick in bed upstairs, but when they wouldn't leave, I had to put on your nightdress and pretend I was you!”

 

Kagome stared at him for a second before letting out a giggle, marvelling in the relief it brought from the heavy tension.

 

“And you fooled them?”

 

“Yeah! That was the worst part! I had to put on a cold mask and talk like a girl and everything! So uncool!” he grumbled as he turned his head to the side in a very Inuyasha-like fashion.

 

“We also wrapped his hair in a towel,” smiled her mother.

 

“So you did get away with it, didn't you?” asked Kagome cautiously. She felt terrible about Hojo, but the last thing she needed was for his disappearance to reveal her secret miko life she lived in the past.

 

“They bought it,” her mother assured. “Your grandfather told them you were suffering from a rare kind of Guatemalan infection, hence that was why you seemed out of sorts when they interviewed you.”

 

Good one, Jii-chan thought Kagome sarcastically. Why does it have to be from Guatemala?

 

“Oh! Hey, Nee-chan! They even asked about Inuyasha!” said Souta excitedly.

 

 

Kagome nearly inhaled her heart as it leapt into her oesophagus. “What?!”

 

“It's fine, sweetheart!” said her mother gently. “Since he was with you the last time Hojo was seen, they just needed to ask a few questions about Inuyasha.”

 

“Like what?” asked Kagome suspiciously.

 

“Like if he had a reason to kill Hojo,” stated Souta enthusiastically.

 

“WHAT?!!!”

 

Kagome stood up in a rush and smashed her fists upon the table.

 

“What do they mean a `reason to kill Hojo'?! Inuyasha would never do something like that!!”

 

“We know, we know, Kagome,” said her mother gently as she placed her hands on her fuming daughter's shoulders. “We told them there was nothing to suspect him of. Don't worry, we made up an alibi and said he ate dinner with us during the time Hojo went missing.”

 

Kagome slumped down in her chair exhaling. This was more exhausting than battling Naraku!

 

“Your secret is safe, Kagome,” her mother smiled patting her hand. Kagome smiled back gratefully. Yes, her secret was safe, but what about Hojo?

 

 

*****

 

 

The next day seemed like an awful dream as Kagome faced her schoolmates and their talk of the mysterious disappearance of Hojo. The second she walked into the classroom the girls had leapt at her, screeching in high voices.

 

“Oh my God, Kagome! Isn't it terrible?!”

 

“His mom called me the night he disappeared, asking if I'd seen him!!”

 

“Kagome, do you think, perhaps, maybe, possibly, there might be a slight chance, that guy, Inuyasha, may have…done something?”

 

Kagome had shrieked Inuyasha's defence, saying how ridiculous they and the police were being, framing him like that and how Inuyasha was just in a bad mood that day. Besides, he had stayed for dinner that night with the Higurashi's when Hojo had disappeared and there were four witnesses to this event, if they still didn't believe her.

 

After calming down, the girls, looking disappointed, had began to talk of nothing but Hojo for the rest of the day. The news seemed to be the only thing the entire school was gossiping about.

 

Groups of girls hugged each other and sobbed during recess. The guys from Hojo's club had put up a memorial in front of Hojo's locker. Kagome had done terribly on her test (which wasn't postponed, despite the circumstances) and nearly cried with happiness as the day finally drew to a close. The place was stifling! Refusing to wait any longer, Kagome had skipped the final homeroom period and raced home, eager to return to the Feudal Era.

 

She felt bad, but there was only one place she wanted to be right now. She wanted to be near Inuyasha. Things made sense when she was around him! Things were normal when they were together! There were no missing classmates, no hysterical friends; there was just reliable, strong, grumpy Inuyasha!

 

Picturing his smouldering glare as a reward in her mind, Kagome raced home as fast as she could.

 

 

*****

 

 

She was panting his name in his ear again.

 

“Inuyasha…”

 

He had her pressed against him, their bare chests touching. He was running his hands up and down her back, feeling how soft she was. He buried his nose into the crook of her neck, diving into her scent, as he felt her clutch at his back. He smirked at her shuddering gasp when he slid his hands down to cup her behind and gave it a gentle squeeze.

 

“Please, Inuyasha…” she practically whimpered.

 

She was burning up in his arms. A trickle of sweat rolled down her temple before he licked it away savouring the taste of her hot, salty skin. He was so close…

 

“DAMMIT!!” Inuyasha cursed as he slammed his head into the back of a tree, leaving a dent in the wood.

 

Stupid day dream!! Inuyasha rammed his head back again as the mental image returned. Stupid Kagome!!

 

He had decided to keep his promise this time and wait for her instead of going to pick her up as he didn't want a repercussion of last time; it hurt much more to be sat on that hard grey stuff than on grass. He had tried to hang around Miroku and Sango who were helping Kaede with her chores, but of course, the waiting just made him more irritable. So he had taken off into the forest to wait impatiently around The Well.

 

Eventually he had sat sulking by a tree a little way from the portal, imagining what he was going to say to her the second she finally did show up. He knew she still had a while before she came back, but it didn't stop his bad mood. He had imagined he had told her he was getting sick of her leaving him to which she responded then make me stay with you forever. He didn't know how his mind had moved to that point, but suddenly he was caressing her, feeling her warmth on his body, hearing her voice moan in his ear. Then his body had started to react to the dream.

 

Inuyasha looked down at the bulge in his hakama.

 

“Fuck!”

 

Whenever he got like this it usually would never go away until he had a quick cold dip in a river or until he `dealt' with it himself. Mind you, he could usually get rid of it if a sudden thought of Kikyou flashed through his head. The immense guilt he felt was usually enough to make him go limp. Focusing on his past with Kikyou, Inuyasha closed his eyes and willed himself to calm down.

 

He nearly roared in frustration when Kikyou morphed into Kagome smiling sincerely at him.

 

Inuyasha looked down. His `friend' still looked `up'. He sighed. It was just the way of the body, he was once told. Well, it was still fucking embarrassing!

 

Looking around, he reluctantly began to reach for the knot in his pants. As he slowly untied, he imagined Kagome's scent surrounding him. Just her face, her eyes, looking only at him… she smelt so nice…

 

“Inuyasha?” she called in reality…

 

“FUCK!”

 

He leapt in the air, one hand holding the loosened knot, and landed behind a tall bush, which he had conveniently placed between himself and the girl standing by the well.

 

“Don't fucking sneak up on people!” he yelled.

 

Kagome's eyes widened from the sudden outburst. “Well, excuse me! And I thought you might be happy to see me back early for once!” she fumed.

 

Inuyasha knew she couldn't see anything below his waist thanks to the bush, but still crouched lower in a defensive manner. He had to keep her away until he calmed down.

 

Inuyasha snorted. “Yeah, it's about time you got it right. What's the matter? That Hojo guy isn't giving you any attention back there?”

 

Kagome's face fell. Inuyasha held his breath in hope she would storm away in anger.

 

“Listen, Inuyasha…” she began as she stepped forward.

 

Noticing the movement, he leapt up onto a high branch, facing away from her.

“Yeah, whatever! As soon as you get your ass in gear, we're leaving! I'll go tell Shippou you're back.”

 

He sped off into the forest without looking back, leaving a very confused and angry Kagome with her mouth hanging half open. It was for the best. He'd rather her angry than appalled. Cursing to himself, he leapt through the forest in search of a cold rushing river.

 

 

*****

 

 

`She's pissed, she's pissed, hot damn, is she pissed' thought Miroku stiffly as he faced away from a fuming Kagome. He could practically feel the venom emanating from her body as she sat quietly behind him, gently stroking Shippou as he slept in her lap.

 

Since she had returned from the future, she had not spoken a word to Inuyasha and had spoken only a few polite words to the rest of the group. When suggesting he call for his tanuki servant to fly them to the new rumoured castle, she had only replied “fine” before resuming her darkly stoic presence. He would have taken this response as an enthusiastic one if it were not for the murderous vibe she reeked.

 

Trying to ignore the hairs standing up on the back of his neck, the monk looked out over the vast green mountains below them.

 

“How is it, Hachi?” he called from the overly inflated tanuki's back.

 

“We should be getting close now Miroku-sama,” their giant, yellow carrier replied.

 

“So, Myouga,” said Miroku as he turned to the little flea hopping on his shoulder. “You say Kaede's rumour is right?”

 

“Yes, Houshi-sama,” jumped the flea youkai. “Even in the youkai world, my sources have told me that rogue youkai are targeting the castle. There is a rumour about a being sent from the heavens residing there.”

 

“A heavenly being…” murmured the monk to himself. “I see…”

 

Keeping his eyes fixed on the horizon that was beginning to glow orange, Miroku shifted closer to the youkai exterminator on his right.

 

“Has Kagome-sama told you what is bothering her, Sango?” he whispered in her ear.

 

“No, but it would probably be something to do with Inuyasha,” sighed Sango quietly. “It must have been really bad, though. Even Kirara is feeling nervous.”

 

True to her word, even the small fire neko's fur was standing up as if it had just been electrocuted. Miroku sighed.

 

“If only that Inuyasha could finally get it together,” he thought aloud. “And stop running off to meet with Kikyou, hurting poor Kagome-sama's feelings…”

 

Inuyasha, who had been sitting rather frightened at the back of the flying youkai, heard this and glared at the monk.

 

“What the hell, you bastard? You don't know anything!”

 

“Oh? And you do?” asked Kagome expressionlessly.

 

Inuyasha cowered from the vicious aura being sent his way. He couldn't work out why she was so mad. It wasn't like he hadn't spoken like that to her before.

 

“We're descending!” called the tanuki as he began to fly lower to a large village. The castle rested on a low lying hill looking over the small town.

 

“Thank heavens,” exclaimed Miroku as his hand inched towards Sango's rear. “I don't think I could've taken any more of the tension.”

 

There was a loud crack as the hiraikotsu met the monk's head and a thump when he hit the ground.

 

“Well, that was refreshing,” said the monk cheerfully as he began to brush the dirt off his robes. The others landed lightly on the ground behind him. The group said their goodbyes to Hachi and began to walk to the castle. As they neared, Sango turned to her friend.

 

“Kagome-chan, can you sense anything?”

 

Kagome shook her head. “No, there's no feeling of a shikon shard's presence.”

 

“So this is the castle Kaede-Baba was talking about?” asked Inuyasha as he stared at the palace gates.

 

“It certainly seems so, but I can't see why youkai are targeting it. It's not radiating any youki or strange auras that would entice them.” said Miroku.

 

“Maybe it's the heavenly being they want,” piped up Shippou resting on Kagome's shoulder. He had woken up from the loud noise made when Miroku's skull collided with the hard ground.

 

“Perhaps… it looks like this will take some investigating,” said Sango.

 

“Keh, whatever,” Inuyasha scoffed. “Whatever it is they're after, we'll just get to it first and beat the rest of them to a pulp.”

 

 

*****

 

 

“I see…youkai have been appearing every evening.”

 

“Yes Houshi-sama! We are at a loss of what to do!” cried the retainer. He kneeled in front of the group, his hands placed in front of his knees on the tatami mats. Behind him knelt the palace guards and servants. All the men in the room had black bags under their eyes, conveying the immense exhaustion they had from remaining awake the past several nights.

 

“It's always the same group of youkai that storm the castle. We've tried all kinds of ofuda, but they don't seem powerful enough. Every night we lose more and more men. If this keeps up..!”

 

Miroku raised his hand calmly.

 

“I understand. Do not fear. We will exterminate them tonight. Of course, we may need a place to rest…” he trailed off.

 

“Of course!” cried the retainer. “I will ask the permission of the Lord of this castle. He is a most humble and generous Lord!”

 

“Excellent!” said Miroku smugly, rubbing his hands together. He turned to Kagome, Shippou and Sango and beamed. “It's been quite a while since we've stayed in a castle.”

 

Inuyasha, sitting on the wooden veranda outside the room, rolled his eyes. “That's `cause most of `em have figured out you're a scab.” He grumbled.

 

Suddenly a loud bell began clanging from the watchman's tower stationed behind the palace walls.

 

“YOUKAI! THE YOUKAI ARE HERE!!”

 

“The youkai?!” cried the retainer.

 

“Already?” exclaimed Kagome.

 

“It's about time…” smirked Inuyasha as he took a giant leapt from the room to the roof of the watch tower. He faced the forest a hundred yards away and sniffed the air. “Yep, they're definitely coming,” he grinned to himself. Reaching for his hilt, he drew tessaiga and held the massive fang poised for the fight.

 

“Everyone, station yourselves around the Lord's room!” ordered Miroku. “Leave the youkai to us! Only attack them to defend!”

 

“Kagome-chan, let's go!” shouted Sango as she followed after Inuyasha.

 

“Stay here, Shippou-chan,” said Kagome. “And Myouga Jii-chan, don't run away without telling us first.”

 

“What? I would never!” cried an outraged Myouga who had miraculously popped up within the safety of Shippou's tail.

 

Without warning, the remaining light of the day was blocked by an overbearing shadow spread across the castle. A grotesque, flying, snake-like youkai and its smaller brothers looked down at the red clad hanyou staring up at them defiantly. Red tentacles spewed from the leader snake's mouth, thick green mucus dripping from their tips.

 

“What the fuck are you waiting for?” Inuyasha sneered. “You gonna stare at me all day?”

 

The snake reared its tail back and sent it flying at the dog demon. Inuyasha dodged the strike as the tail smashed into the thick stone walls. Landing on an untouched ledge, he turned and swung his sword.

 

“KAZE NO KIZU!!!”

 

An explosion of light ripped away from the sword as the head snake youkai was cut into two clean pieces. Taking the opportunity, the smaller snakes dove into the palace grounds towards the castle.

 

“Where the fuck do you think you're going?” yelled Inuyasha as he tried to race after the swarm.

 

“HIRAIKOTSU!!”

 

Sango's boomerang came flying out of nowhere ripping apart the smaller youkai before she gracefully caught it on its return.

 

“Inuyasha, look!!” screamed Kagome pointing to the sky. After realising she was talking to him again, Inuyasha forced down his feelings of relief and looked up to see another swarm trying to attack the castle from above.

 

“Sango!” He shouted.

 

“Already on it! Kirara!”

 

With a roar, the transformed fire cat picked up her human partner and took to the sky.

 

Without warning, Inuyasha was struck by something and skidded into the gravel. The tessaiga clattered to the ground, untransformed.

 

“Inuyasha!!” Kagome screamed. She knocked an arrow into her bow and faced the thing that had hit her hanyou companion. It was the head snake with the red mouth-tentacles.

 

`Didn't Inuyasha already…?' Her thoughts were interrupted by the snake youkai diving at her. Taken aback, her foot slipped and she let go of the quiver, the arrow narrowly missing its mark. The snake youkai, ignoring its near miss, continued to lunge for the girl, its red tentacles stretching out in anticipation.

 

“YOU BASTARD!!!”

 

Kagome had barely any time to think as a strong arm encased her waist and pulled her to a warm, red haori covered chest.

 

“SANKONTESSOU!!” Inuyasha screamed as his other free arm ripped the snake's face to shreds.

 

“What the hell? I already hit that guy square in the face…!” Inuyasha said aloud while gripping onto Kagome's waist. He was careless, and it had nearly cost him Kagome's life…

 

“Inuyasha…!” Kagome exclaimed as they watched the remaining pieces of flesh writhe, each beginning to form its own head. Soon there were several smaller copies of the head snake youkai, each with red tentacles hanging from their mouths wriggling on the gravel.

 

“Shit. So that's how it survived my Cutting Wind…” growled Inuyasha.

 

“You two might want to get behind me!” Called Miroku as he ran towards them, undoing his rosary beads. Inuyasha held Kagome tighter as he leapt behind the monk.

 

“KAZAANA!!” Miroku yelled as he opened his palm towards the youkai. Instantly, the snakes were dragged towards the black hole in his hand and disappeared.

 

“Sango! Lead the rest down here!!” he yelled. Following his order, Sango and Kirara flew over the monk's head to land behind him. The remaining snakes, without a thought, proceeded to chase after her, only to be sucked into the darkness of oblivion. Miroku replaced the beads around his hand.

 

“It's over,” he announced.

 

Kagome felt Inuyasha's silent sigh as he withdrew his hand from her waist. She shivered as she felt a cool wind where his warmth once was.

 

The four of them turned when a loud cheer escalated from the castle. The guards and servants were shouting their applause from their places stationed around the building. The retainer from before ran up to them and bowed deeply.

 

“Thank you so much, my friends! If you would just wait here, my Lord, himself, wants to come out to thank you.”

 

“The Lord, himself, huh? He finally comes out when the danger is over…” muttered Inuyasha.

 

“As is expected Inuyasha,” stated Miroku factually.

 

Kagome suddenly stiffened. “I sense a shikon fragment coming from the castle…”

 

“What?” said Inuyasha.

 

“My Lord!” cried the retainer, throwing himself to the ground, as a figure stepped down the main stairs from the building.

 

“Now, now, please do not put yourself on the ground like that. I'm not used to it,” smiled the young Lord.

 

Kagome caught her breath when she saw him. His rich brown eyes surveyed the four strangers in front of him. His gaze landed on the young girl whose eyes widened at him.

 

Inuyasha squinted at the young man. `Isn't that…?'

 

“Kagome,” smiled the Lord brightly.

 

Kagome gaped at him. It really was…

 

“Hojo…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: Now that's a better cliffhanger. All answers revealed next instalment.

 

Thanks for reading! (Inuyasha ain't mine)

 

xx GoldenDust