InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Divergence ❯ Chapter 7

Divergence

 

Canto VII

 

“Even as the sails inflated by the wind

Together fall involved when snaps the mast,

So fell the cruel monster to the earth.

Thus we descended into the fourth chasm,”

 

-The Inferno, Dante Alighieri, Canto VII, Lines 13-16

 

That bastard was lucky the first thing Hirkaru had taught him to do was to keep his temper. If he hadn't the least of his worries would be invaders. Inuyasha was angry enough to blow this whole fucking island away. The hanyou stopped his furious silent rant and stood still. His feet had carried him to the edge of a plateau and the forest seemed to stretch out endlessly before him. He felt the wind twisting around him, up then down, back, forward, left and right. The wind elemental closed his eyes and held a hand out, palm facing up, and then he twisted his wrist sharply so his palm was facing out.

 

Stop.

 

The currents stilled, awaiting his instructions.

 

The one who is wind but is not wind, find her.

 

The currents twisted in on themselves before speeding off, sending the command along one another, doing his bidding as quickly as possible. What could have been seconds later the currents had completed his task and stilled before him again, waiting further instructions.

 

Show me.

 

The currents passed the knowledge onto him the only way they knew how. A twisting pathway opened up in his mind's eye. One created from what the wind had broken against and what it hadn't. Inuyasha's eyes remained closed as his shifted slightly following the current's fastest path to the wind sorceress. Finally he was able to fit everything together and he opened his eyes, blinking in the late afternoon sun. Autumn had a way of painting the sunset a full range of colors. He'd been standing there for hours.

 

Inuyasha sighed and waved his still upraised hand dismissively. The currents danced around him for a brief moment before continuing to do what they had been doing earlier, playing with one another on the edge of the cliff. The hanyou stepped back warily and ran a hand through his hair. He turned around and was completely unsurprised to see a small band of men surrounding him, their leader's sword at his throat. Inu-youkai from their smell. Inu-youkai spying. Their leader pressed the sword harder against Inuyasha's throat and narrowed pale blue eyes on him.

 

“What are you doing in the Inu no Tashio's lands?” he hissed softly.

 

Inuyasha leaned away slightly so he could speak without cutting himself. “I'm standing at the edge of a cliff talking to wind. What are you doing here?”

 

The soldier didn't answer him. He just stared at him in thought for a long moment before pulling back a strange look on his face. “Lord Inuyasha?”

 

“No, I'm the other Inuyasha. What are you, stupid?”

 

Daiki ignored Inuyasha's snide comment and began to look pleased. “What are you doing here my Lord? You usually don't arrive until the first week of winter.”

 

“I'm not visiting, actually I'm leaving.”

 

The commander looked confused and Inuyasha sighed warily. When he'd been little, and the word was being used sparingly, he'd been nearly 10 at the time and still toddler shaped, he'd began migrating to the west in the winter. He'd had no control over the instinct. He'd felt like doing it, so he'd done it. Eventually, meaning nearly two decades later, his presence was finally noted. It had been Daiki who had found him sleeping high in a tree to avoid the snow covered ground. The commander, who hadn't been a commander then, had had him brought down and questioned. He'd figured out who he was and insisted Inuyasha be brought to the castle. That had been the first time he'd ever been in the clan keep that had been built into the side of the plateau that he was standing on now. Sesshoumaru had not been pleased. Inuyasha had tried to stay away from him as much as possible for years afterward. His thumb never did work as well after that incident. But just because Sesshoumaru refused to acknowledge him, didn't mean Daiki had to. So up until before Inuyasha had been pinned to the tree he'd visited the West every winter and Daiki would find him in the wilderness every two weeks and spend time with him, teach him, give him food and whatnot.

 

Daiki looked confused and Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

 

“I was here to talk to the bastard about his would be invaders.”

 

Daiki frowned but knew better than to comment on the way Inuyasha referred to his Lord. The commander wouldn't be caught dead admitting this out loud where anyone could hear him, but he considered Sesshoumaru to be very unreasonable when it came to his half-brother.

 

“What did you have to tell him?” he asked slowly ignoring his men beginning to get restless.

 

The smile that Inuyasha gave him sent shivers up and down the youkai's spine. “If you want to know ask his highness.”

 

Then Inuyasha stepped around Daiki and disappeared into the forest with a single jump. Daiki blinked after him for a few silent moments before running his hand rough through his dark hair. One of his men stepped forward.

 

“Sir?”

 

Daiki looked at the young scout sharply and nodded, silently telling them it was time to move on.

 

 

Surprisingly he found Kagura not far from where Edo was under attack. She was perched high in a tree, looking over the destroyed fields and villages. He dropped down next to her causing his to gasp and reach for her fan before she realized what was going on.

 

“Fool! What are you trying to do, kill me?”

 

Inuyasha gave her a mock hurt look. “Why would you think I'd do that? I'm not stupid.”

 

Kagura glanced around them before relaxing and giving the hanyou her version of a smile which was really nothing but the raising of her eyebrows. Inuyasha managed to recognize it for what it was and smiled back at her.

 

“I recall you saying something about coming back to visit you so you'd have company. Sorry it took so long.”

 

Kagura snickered softly and stood up. “Well I know there's a reason you're here. What do you need?”

 

“Nothing,” Inuyasha answered shortly also getting to his feet. “I need someone with me. We are at war you know. I would think you'd appreciate being free of a certain moldy smelling demon.”

 

Kagura turned to look at him so fast he was afraid she'd given herself whiplash. “You can free me?” she asked softly, suspiciously, as if daring him to lie to her.

 

Inuyasha gave her a look that screamed, `Are you kidding? Of course I can.' Kagura laughed openly at that and reached up to pat him on the head fondly.

 

“If you do free me, what will we do then?” she asked brightly.

 

A slow smile curled Inuyasha's lips upward and after a moment Kagura's face split into a wholly vindictive grin.

 

“What's first?”