InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Destiny's Bond ❯ Discovery ( Chapter 6 )

Just a reminder: I do not own Inu Yasha (what would I do with an ill tempered Inu Hanyou anyway). Takehashi Rumiko does. I also so not own the rights to either the Shinmei School (The creator of Love Hina does) or the Hiten Mitsurugi Style (Ruroni Kenshin's maker owns that privilege). As this story is going to be part of a larger story (someday) it was important to include these two styles and my… unique take on how they came about.

 

Destiny's Bond

Ch5: Discovery

By Lance the Flamesniper

 

Kagome awoke at sunrise the next morning to the smell of steaks cooking. The smell caused her stomach to rumble in appreciation, after all the instant food she usually cooked got unappealing after the second or third day of eating them. Once Kagome was fully awake she was greeted by the sight of Kouga roasting freshly caught deer steak over the fire. Upon seeing Kagome was awake he smiled at her and waved her over to the fire pit.

 

“Good morning Kagome!” Kouga said cheerfully. “Hope you like deer.”

 

“It's… okay,” Kagome said. “We usually don't get to eat a lot of deer.”

 

“Thank Jun and Gin. They managed to down four large ones. One of which was brought here for us to eat.”

 

“I'll have to thank them sometime soon. What are you're plans for today?”

 

“Well barring anything going wrong, I plan to see what I can find in the village. I'm not expecting much, but if I can find a clue, any clue to what I seek, it'll be a blessing.”

 

&&&&&&&&&&

 

Konran went through the motions of his sword fighting style. He was well aware that he was being watched by a young man who was dutifully mimicking his moves. Normally he would have been put out by this, but in this case it was done deliberately. After all, Youmei's sword style had inadvertently been spied and mimicked by a woman in what would eventually be called Kyoto. Balance then required that his sword style be introduced into the world as well. The two would be opposite styles naturally: Youmei's would be used by a clan of demon slaying samurai, his own then would become the feared blade style of only a handful of warriors/assassins.

 

Things had been going well over the few months previous to this lesson. Today would be the last lesson really and the Hiten Mitsurugi style would be born, the perfect balance to the Shinmei School of swordsmanship. Then this matter would be balanced. The balancing fact being that if a Shinmei swordswoman and master of the Hiten style were to ever do battle neither side would be able to win; they'd either both walk away crippled or both would fall in battle.

 

Even so his mind drifted back to the conversation with the aged miko Kaede the evening before. She promised to warn Kagome and company not to make a wish on the Shikon Jewel, but would they listen or would the jewel trick them? He knew the jewel well enough after all. It had been an early project of himself and Youmei in an effort to make a weapon of ultimate balance. He had tailor made the three lead demons by fusing them with a mere fraction of his power and Youmei had “blessed” Midoriko with a little of her own power. The resulting jewel was three parts chaos and one part order. The second part of the weapon was a sword that was made of three parts order to one part chaos at its hilt was an open spot where the Shikon Jewel was to be fitted. When they were combined, no one except Konran, Youmei and their Master would be able to stand against the user.

 

Just then his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of horses approaching. Inwardly he smiled. This was why he chose this location for his training. His ultimate sword technique would have had to been shown this way anyway and what better target than a group of freeloading bandits that most people wouldn't miss and would end up just looking like yet another feudal battlefield?

 

The bandits in question were a group of five. As was usual of bandits their clothes were ratty and ill kempt. They might have at some point been farmers who'd pressed into military service then decided to go “freelance” though he suspected that they were probably bad seeds to begin with. It was easier, in Konran's estimation to equate these cretins to a pack of mange infested wild dogs trying to be wolves than to people. Regardless he sheathed his sword and waited for them to ride in.

 

“Hey boss lookit this!” The lead rider said as he jumped off his (stolen) horse.

 

“Looks like a gaijin dandy who thinks he can fight,” The leader, a towering mass of muscle and bad temper said.

 

“Oh I know I can fight,” Konran said with a smile. “I'm really quite good at it in truth.”

 

“Maybe you are, maybe you aren't, gaijin. Give us your sword and your valuables and we won't have to make a fool of you!” Another bandit added as he and his comrades drew their blades.

 

“Shall we test my skill then? Very well then.” Konran said as he pulled the sheath of his blade from his sash as if he was going to hand the sword over then pulled the sheathed sword back behind him as he coiled into a slight crouch. “I think however that I shall keep my sword if you don't mind.”

 

In a lightning quick motion Konran surged forward drawing his sword faster than the eye could perceive it. All the bandits knew was that one second their prey was standing in front of the lead rider and the next he was standing behind the rider returning his blade to its sheath. The scout stood perfectly still then fell over having not even gotten a chance to strike his opponent. With a cold smile Konran dispatched all his opponents in with only one strike to each until only the leader remained.

 

“Still want my sword, boss?” He said with an icy smile. “I can give it to you rather easily as you can see.”

 

“N-no! I don't want nothin' to do with you! Get away from me!” the bandit stammered as he took a step backward.

 

Konran frowned, looking completely unhappy, almost disheartened with that answer. “I see. I certainly can understand your fear. Killing is not a pleasant thing and I despise having to resort to it. But I am what I am and cannot stray from having to do this at times. I have slain your bandits. Unfortunately I have to slay you as well. After all if I let you live you might tell others I'm here. And while I can deal with them, I'd much rather not. I don't like being forced into killing people needlessly after all.” With that said he charged forward drawing his sword again. This time his attack hit nine times all of them in vital spot. The bandit leader stood for only a moment later before seeming to implode.

 

“You there, in the bushes!” Konran called to his `student'. “I won't hurt you like I did them. Come here.”

 

The young man walked into the would-be battlefield nervously, the sword in his hand rattling nervously.

 

Konran smiled a warm, gentle smile to the man. “I don't know your name or why you've been watching me all these months. But you've now seen all I can teach you about my sword style. The name of this style is the Hiten Mitusrugi ultrasonic sword technique. As you can see it will slay most enemies in one blow. It is my gift to you and through you to these troubled times and unfortunately to the world, which is regrettable yet necessary. Do you accept?”

 

“Y-yes! You must be a powerful kami to know such a powerful style!”

 

For a moment Konran said nothing an unreadable expression on his face. “I am not a god, my student I'm a Shinja, a follower. Go now; you have moves to name for the maneuvers of my style have no names. And beware for there is only one style you and your students must be cautious to face. It is called the Shinmei style of swordsmanship.”

 

The boy ran off in a hurry, eager to begin his legacy.

 

&&&&&

 

The sun had begun its climb toward mid-point when Inu Yasha's group broke camp to head for the Taijya village. The going was cautious simply because the Taijya had laid several alarms and traps that hadn't been sprung yet. Kouga for whatever reason had decided that it was his and Inu Yasha's duty to clear then out. Inu Yasha suspected there was more to it. He was right.

 

“What's this about ya mangy wolf?” Inu Yasha growled as he side stepped another arrow launching trap.

 

“Whatever do you mean Inu Yasha,” Kouga asked a little too innocently as he inspected a spot several feet down the path.

 

“I mean you're up to something! I want to know what!”

 

“At the moment I'm disarming traps. The Taijya do good work on them,” Kouga replied triggering what Sango had told him would be the last of the traps- a pit full of sharp spikes. “Though I did want to talk to you.”

 

“Talk to me? About what?” Snorted Inu Yasha derisively. “We have nothing to discuss.”

 

“Don't we? It seems to me that we've been fighting each other for quite a while now.”

 

“An' whose fault was that, huh?”

 

“Mine,” Kouga said surprising the inu hanyou. “It was petty of me to do so, making it another thing which I will spend time atoning for. She is a good woman. Which is why I have to ask you: Have you told her how you feel about her?”

 

“Have I told who how I feel about her?”

 

“Kagome. Have you told her that you love her?”

 

“W-what the hell are you talkin' about? I don't feel anything for her, she's merely a shard detector!”

 

“Inu Yasha, you can lie to the others all you want, but don't try lying to me… or to yourself. I know you love her because you wouldn't have fought me so hard for merely a shard tracker. Truthfully I've probably known for a while about your feelings. But my mind was clouded. So I say to you again: she loves you so you need to tell her how you feel lest you lose her.”

 

“What? If I don't tell her you're going to take her away? I'd kill you before you could!”

 

“I have no interest in Kagome. Not anymore at least. But do you really think I'm the only one who sees her beauty and kind heart? If you want her you should make a play for her. Otherwise some other may steal her away.”

 

“It's not... It's not that simple,” Inu Yasha said, surprised that he was about to open up to his greatest enemy outside of Naraku. “I made a promise to Kikyo…”

 

“You made a promise to a dead body that walks around you mean,” Kouga interrupted. He's heard and on occasion seen the miko, and even from a distance could smell that she was dead.

 

“Shut up! I made a promise to her, that when Naraku was finally defeated, I would go to hell with her. So even if I do love Kagome, I can't stay with her.”

 

“That… is the stupidest thing I have ever heard and that's saying something considering that I spend a lot of time with Ginta and Hakkaku. Kikyo is dead and has been for a long time. Even an old wolf could tell that. Only a complete and total idiot would prefer something dead over someone alive! I suggest you tell Kikyo next time you see her that she'll have to go to hell alone. I will do what I can to help you should she press the issue.”

 

Inu Yasha wanted to argue with Kouga. But there was something in his tone, some bit of steel that he'd never known the wolf demon possessed that hinted that he would be very sorry if he didn't listen. All he could do was nod dumbly.

 

“Good. I'm glad we understand each other,” Kouga said with a nod.

 

&&&&&&&

 

“Kagome,” Sango asked. “What do you think of Kouga?”

 

The miko blinked in surprise at both the question and the speaker. “He's made some mistakes but otherwise he's a good person… er youkai. Why do you ask?” And why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like the answer?

 

“Would you say he's… beautiful?” the demon slayer asked her cheeks going crimson.

 

Okay this is just too weird! “Uhm, he's handsome I suppose. I never really thought about it. Why do you ask?”

 

“N-no reason,” Sango stammered. “I just saw him last night by the fire and the thought occurred to me. It's just silly.”

 

I'm not so sure about that, Kagome thought. Something definitely weird was going on inside Sango's head. But she didn't know what. Before she could respond Sango spoke again.

 

“So are you and Kouga… together? I mean I know he was interested in you, but are the feelings returned?”

 

“No, he and I are just friends.” What is going on here?

 

When Sango spoke again her voice sounded almost sultry, not like Sango at all. “Good… You wouldn't suit him anyway.”

 

“What did you just say?” Kagome asked incredulously.

 

Sango blinked looking as if she just woke up. “I'm sorry Kagome I must have just dozed off on my feet, what were you saying?”

 

“You just told me I wouldn't suit Kouga!”

 

“I… did? I don't remember saying that.”

 

Kagome blinked. Had she just heard the voice that Sango had been telling her about? Kagome wasn't sure. But she had a feeling that whatever was happening with both Kouga and Sango was going to change things in her little group, The worst part was she couldn't tell if it was going to be for the better or the worse.

 

&&&&&&&&

 

As the day progressed Kagome kept a close eye on Sango. For the most part Sango was sullen, especially when she paid her respects to the fallen villagers, but there were also times when she would spot Kouga as he wandered the village. Her gaze would become half lidded and then linger over his form until he was out of sight. Though the village was still deserted there was a feeling of anticipation in the air, as if something was going to happen.

 

Finally around sundown Kouga ended his search. His features took on a look of anguish and hopelessness. It tugged at Kagome's heart to see him so low. “Kouga, what did you hope to find here? Please tell us.”

 

Kouga sighed. “There was a person I knew in this village. I only met her once back when I was a cub. I was hoping to find her again.”

 

“You came here looking for a woman?” Miroku asked warming to the subject suddenly. That is until Kouga glared at him and Sango bashed him into the ground a lot harder than she usually would.

 

“She had wanted to become a Taijya so I thought maybe she was on a mission when this village was destroyed and that maybe she would have left a clue as to where she went.”

 

“And you didn't find anything?” Kagome asked.

 

“Not a thing,” Kouga sighed.

 

“Well did you any other clues other than she lived here?” Kagome asked then mentally. And why were you looking for her now?

 

Kouga looked at Kagome, hesitated then reached into his kilt and retrieved the pendant. “I have this. She gave it to me when we parted.”

 

Up to this point Sango had been sitting with her knees in front of her and her hands resting atop them. Then Kouga took the pendant out. Her eyes fixed on the glinting plinth of red jade. Her eyes widened as the memory from her childhood, the one that was always buried just out of reach came to the forefront of her mind. She shifted positions so she was sitting with her legs under her, her muscles preparing for what was about to happen.

 

“Kouga you said it was a girl who wanted to become a Taijya?” Sango asked.

 

“Yes,” the wolf prince said. “Her name is written on it, but I can't read kanji so I just called her Taijya-no-hime-chan.”

 

Sango's breath caught in her throat at the sound of that nickname. “Ko-kun? Is it really you?”

 

“Ko-kun? But only she…” Kouga's began only to be cut off as Sango tackled him in a fierce hug.

 

“Ko-kun! You were one of my only friends when we were younger! I missed you and father… he told me he killed you!”

 

Miroku chose this time to get to his feet. “What's going on here?”

 

“Uhm, what indeed?” Kagome asked in confusion.

 

TBC