InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fire and Ice ❯ Outnumbered ( Chapter 17 )

A/N: Hi again! Hee hee hee hee. The giggling should give me away. GPPR has struck again, this time she's done `that dragon'. http://robotech.neocamera.com/fa-inu04.html

 

Just couldn't wait, so here's the next chapter. It's a little short, but it just worked this way. Now I want to hear who you guys think the villain is! Always Smiling thinks she's got it. She may, at that. I can't really tell. Anyways, enjoy the violence!

 

----------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------

 

“Sesshomaru?”

 

“Hai?”

 

“Am I going crazy, or are there some youkai mixed in there?”

 

The gold eyes slanted over to his mate. `I will not comment on her sanity.' “I do sense youkai.”

 

“Why would youkai fight alongside ningens?”

 

“I do not know.”

 

Kagome turned to the other Lords and Ladies that had gathered on the wall to look out at the gathered force. “Any guesses?”

 

“None, Kagome-sama.” Hideaki let his eyes sweep over the force that was arrayed against them. “It does make our position more perilous, however.”

 

“Just what we need. More peril.” Heart pounding in her chest, the miko stared at the dark mass spread out across the land.

 

“The youkai arrived last night.” Nami climbed up next to Kagome, giving her armor a last tug. “They just slipped in with the other forces.”

 

A small group of riders was coming towards them, four ningens and what appeared to be a youkai.

 

“And what do you want?” In her temper, Kagome just could not control herself enough to not yell at the approaching group. The gathered taiyoukai stared at her while Merkamou struggled to stop laughing.

 

“Turn the Ladies over to us, and you will live.”

 

The ningen's words were not at all expected. Akira, Mayu, and Kagome stared at each other blankly. “Nani?”

 

All of the Lords snarled at the ridiculous demand. Hideaki shoved Mayu behind him, his usually calm face showing his rage. His mate actually blushed, holding onto the back of his clothing as he unsheathed his sword. She shrugged at Kagome, who was giggling at her expression.

 

“You are a couple hundred years too late to collect the Lady of the South, baka.” Merkamou gave them a mocking smile even as he dug his talons into the wood of the wall. “Your request is impossible.”

 

“Then we will accept your daughter as a substitute.” The small group had stopped beneath the wall, close enough to be heard but far enough away to give them warning of an attack.

 

“By all means, if you are foolish enough to want me.” Yuriko set her hands on the edge of the wall, preparing to vault down.

 

Merkamou snagged his daughter by the waist and pulled her back. “Enough, little one.”

 

Even with her feet not quite touching the ground, the little hawk managed to look indignant. “They wish for me to come down. It would be rude to refuse them.”

 

“You will not touch any of them.” Sesshomaru was gazing down at the little group, trying to come up with a reason for their demand.

 

“You are outnumbered. Send the Ladies out or we will destroy you!” The youkai in the group was taking his turn to yell.

 

“Never!” Isamu also had his sword out, staying between Akira and the threat.

 

“It isn't going to happen, okay? Just forget it!” Kagome yelled back down, already dismissing them from her mind. “They obviously aren't serious. I think they're going to attack no matter what.”

 

“Most likely.” Mizuki jumped up to the top of the wall, joining her parents. We are as prepared as we will every be.”

 

“Good thing, because I think I ticked them off that time.”

 

The group had turned and ridden back to the army, which looked like it was preparing to attack.

 

Since negotiating did not seem to be an option anymore, the taiyoukai, hanyou, exterminators, and one miko gathered in the center of the village to finish preparations.

 

“Well? Are we fighting?” Katsuro looked up from the paper where he and an exterminator were drawing little lines and symbols.

 

“Of course, shetai. You do not think they came just for show, do you?” Mizuki looked over his shoulder. “My concern is what weapons they have brought with them.”

 

“We will find out soon enough.” The Captain was carefully adjusting his armor with Kumo's assistance. “What did I tell you about this, miko?”

 

“I didn't do it!” Kagome threw her hands in the air. “This one is not my fault!”

 

“Ah, well. Retirement was dull. I have one more battle left in this body.”

 

Mayu was taking a set of armor from her daughter and pulling it on, adjusting it with expert fingers.

 

“You too, Mayu?” Kagome was more then a little shocked to see the Lady of the North dressing for battle. She had totally avoided the war with Ryuutaisho.

 

“When you are my age you learn to pick your battles. I have not been needed for some time, but that does not mean I am unable.” Her smile was showing quite a bit more of her fangs then usual. “While my mate does not like to admit it, I have lead forces against him before and defeated him.”

 

Cho's jaw dropped. “You defeated father?”

 

“Hai. I will tell you the story later.” Mayu took her sheathed sword from her daughter, slipping it into place.

 

The roar from outside of the village suddenly increased in volume, making Kagome flinch. “I think time's up.”

 

“We must hold the wall. There are innocents in here.” Merkamou was already heading back to the wall with his sister, his eyes almost as cold as Sesshomaru's.

 

“Katsuro.”

 

“Hai, father.” Falling into step with his father, Katsuro made his way to the front lines as well.

 

“And where will you be, Mama?” Mizuki was now standing next to a full size Shou, also dressed for battle.

 

“Top of the sentry tower with my bow.” Kagome gave her daughter a quick hug. “Be careful, Mizuki-chan.”

 

“Of course, Mama.” Swinging onto Shou, Mizuki took to the sky.

 

“I should stay with you, Kagome-sama.” Kumo stared after her mate as he marched off after his lord.

 

“Go with Cho, Kumo. I'll feel better knowing that you two are with the littles.” Kagome gave her assistant a little push. “Go on, I have plenty of people out here watching out for me.”

 

Hesitant, Kumo bowed and joined Cho. They hurried off to join the rest of the non-combatants, taking cover in a fortified building.

 

The rest of the youkai were rushing towards the wall and the roar of approaching battle. Taking a deep breath, Kagome forced herself to calm down. `This is so much worse then going to war. There are children hiding in here! What is this? Why are they attacking?' She ran for the tower, trailed by the two guards that Mizuki had stuck with her, bow and quivers in hand. She had a village to defend, and no more time to worry about what had caused this.

 

----

 

“Merkamou-sama, may I make a suggestion?”

 

“Of course, Mizuki-san.”

 

“We need to give them a taste of what it is like to fight the taiyoukai, so that they do not wish to continue.” Mizuki turned to look at Merkamou.

 

“Such as?”

 

“A preemptive strike.”

 

The flash of flame zigged and zagged as he thought, staying close to Shou as they observed their enemies. “In this situation it may be in our best interest.”

 

“I agree.” Akane circled around Shou's head, annoying the dragon until he snapped at her. “Those of us that can fly should take this advantage before they can come into range of the village.”

 

“Hai. I will bring Yuriko and Seiji.” Shou dove back down towards the village, easily picking out Ah-Un. “Yuriko, preemptive strike.”

 

“Hai!” Twin roars thundered from Ah-Un as he streaked to the flames that were waiting for him.

 

“Seiji-san!” Mizuki could see the dragon standing with his parents, gesturing. “You are needed for a preemptive strike.”

 

Not one, but two dragons took to the air. Akira joined her son as they gathered above the village.

 

“No plan, just cause as much damage as possible.” Mizuki pulled her naginata from behind her back.

 

The flames turned into hawks, screaming challenge as they dove. They were closely followed by an array of dragons, echoing their screams with roars.

 

Diving into the fray, Mizuki saw Seiji at Shou's side. “Good battle, Seiji-san!”

 

“Good battle, Mizuki-san!”

 

----

 

`And that's the bonus of fighting with taiyoukai.' Kagome watched with horror and admiration as Mizuki's group sliced through the ningen army, breaking up any hint of organization as the soldiers scrambled for cover. Shou cut a swath with his ice shards, shredding the enemy's armor to bits. Shots rang out as muskets were fired at them, making the attackers swerve to stay clear. Akane jerked as though hit, but continued to attack.

 

Someone in the army sounded the charge, and for lack of any other places to go, the survivors charged.

 

Kagome quickly figured out that the odds were against her. Her arrows were not nearly as effective with the ningens as they were with the youkai, and there were five ningens for every one youkai. Frustrated, she continued to fire along with her guards. A ningen would still drop if it was a direct hit, but it was not as helpful as the effect it had on youkai when she could drop five or more with each attack.

 

The exterminators were holding the wall, with some support from their youkai guests. She could see the flash of white that was her mate's hair, right next to the spot of black that was her son. Even as she watched they leapt down into the heart of the battle, quickly followed by Hideaki, Mayu, Shippou, and the Captain. On the other side of the wall she could see Koga, also leaping down with Hideaki's advisors. Her heart thundered as she saw them leaping into danger, but she quickly dragged her attention back to taking out as many enemies as possible.

 

---

 

Katsuro stuck near his father as they cut a swath through the attacking force. What the ningens lacked in strength they were making up for in numbers, making it difficult for him to move. In such close quarters they did not seem to be interested in using any of the more advanced weapons, but they were causing enough trouble with sword and spear. Sesshomaru swung Tokijin, slashing through the crowd and obliterating any near him, but there were more to crowd in and continue to push.

 

Above them an explosion rocked the walls of the village. Katsuro jumped clear as debris fell, raining chunks of flaming wood down on them. In the distance he could hear an explosion, followed by another chuck of the wall being damaged. The ningens were firing at the walls, trying to bring them down.

 

“We have to do something about those weapons!” Katsuro slashed through two more attackers, trying to see a path through the mess.

 

“I will deal with it.” Mayu disappeared to be replaced by a giant leopard, ignoring the attacks around her to race across the battle ground. A second and third leopard ran after her, Hideaki and Isamu providing support.

 

The cannons fired again, some aimed at the walls while others were aimed at the dragons and hawks that were still attacking from the skies.

 

Katsuro flinched when he heard a howl from the sky, forgetting about his enemies as he searched for Shou and his sister. A dragon was falling from the sky, a lucky shot from a cannon bringing it down.

 

A ningen saw his distraction and slashed into his arm. Enraged, Katsuro cut through his enemies. He was not surprised to hear a leopard roar as the dragon fell to earth.

 

`Isamu. I hope Akira is alive.'

 

----

 

“Akira!”

 

Kagome watched in horror as her friend fell from the sky. She ran to the ladder, her only thought consisting of getting to the fallen ally.

 

“They're coming over the wall!”

 

Cursing, the miko spun away from the ladder, looking for the breech. The latest volley from the cannons had opened up a hole, letting the enemy start to leak through into the village. A quick set of shots from her bow helped the exterminators, making the invaders hesitate, but that would not last for long. Sesshomaru, Katsuro, and the Captain were holding the opposite wall alone, with the leopards racing towards the cannons. Another series of blasts threatened to bring the wall down completely.

 

`I need to bring in Mizuki's group.' Kagome's eyes were frantic as she looked for any way to send a signal. She saw a flash of red on the wall beneath her. Shippou had jumped back up on top of the wall and was one of the group holding off the breech. Most importantly, he was within yelling distance.

 

“Shippou-kun, I need to get Mizuki's attention!”

 

“Hai, Kagome-chan!” The kitsune sent a blast of fox fire into the sky, the blue color standing out amongst the destruction.

 

In the distance Shou slowed, turning towards the village slightly.

 

Another blast of fox fire went up, bringing Shou and the other dragons back to the village. The hawks continued to harry from the sky, blasting flames across their enemies.

 

Shou arrived first, diving low to allow Mizuki to cut through the soldiers like a farmer in the field. He could not just blast away while his allies were mixed in, but he could still rip through the mass with his claws.

 

In the distance Kagome could see that Akira had transformed back, and that Isamu had her. Even as she breathed a sigh of relief her tower shook, hit with a cannon blast. Mayu and Hideaki had most of the cannons dealt with, but someone was still firing. The wood creaked and snapped, failing around her. Scrambling, she threw her bow over her shoulder and rushed for the ladder. One of her guard jumped straight to the ground, rolling hard. The other grabbed her around the waist and tossed her, shrieking, out of the tower. The first guard had recovered and jumped up to catch her, landing hard enough to make her head knock against his armor. `Ow. Not fun.'

 

The second guard landed next to her, wheezing from his escape. The sentry tower was now nothing more then a pile of rubble, and yet another way for forces to come in. As soon as she was set back on her feet, Kagome had her bow back out. “We have to hold them off!”

 

“Hai, my lady!”

 

----

 

`I recognized that one.' Seiji spun about in a tight arc, zeroing in on a youkai that he had recognized. Snatching the lone youkai from the group, he went back inside of the village before landing and pinning the youkai to the ground. “You.”

 

The trapped solider was in a state of absolute panic, struggling franticly.

 

“I know you from the Eastern court. What are you doing here?” Seiji's voice shook through his captive, draining away any resistance.

 

“It was orders, Sejii-sama.”

 

“Orders from who?”

 

“Tsuki-sama.”

 

Seiji's claws tightened, crushing the soldier beneath them. `Tsuki. Curse his entire family! He knew we were leaving, so he arranged this to delay us and preferably kill us so he could take over. Mother should have killed him as soon as she returned from killing his brother, Ryuutaisho.'

 

“What are you doing, Seiji-san?” Shou hovered near by as Mizuki watched a partially collapsed wall for more invaders.

 

“The East is in danger.” Launching back into the air, Seiji hunted for his parents. He found them just inside of the wall, Isamu crouched next to Akira. “Father, mother!”

 

“She was hit by a cannon.” Isamu held Akira's hand, a frantic expression in his eyes. “A healer is on the way.”

 

“Leave her to the healer, father. Tsuki is taking over even as we speak.”

 

“No. I will not leave her.”

 

“Father, the East . . . “

 

“To hell with the East! She could die, Seiji!”

 

Stunned, Seiji peered at his mother's unconscious face. “I cannot help. I know nothing of healing.”

 

“Neither do I. I can't stand this! Her life is slipping away and I can do nothing!”

 

Seiji sniffed delicately at his mother, then rose suddenly and turned away. “I can do nothing for her but defend her lands.” He took off. “Mizuki-san!”

 

“Hai, Seiji-san?” Mizuki risked a look towards the dragon that had come up beside her.

 

“I must go. The youkai were sent from the Eastern court, and even now I suspect that the court is being taken over.”

 

“Your parents. . . “

 

“Mother is unconscious, and father will not leave her.”

 

Mizuki hesitated, looking at the battle around her. “You cannot go alone. It will accomplish nothing.”

 

“I have no choice. I will not stay here and let this scheme come to fruition.”

 

`There must be someone we can send.' Mizuki spotted her mother, firing her glowing arrows, and dove Shou down to her. “Mama, the youkai are from the East. Someone is attempting to take over.”

 

“Nani?” Kagome fired again before looking to her daughter. “Akira and Isamu can't go.”

 

“Seiji intends to go by himself if necessary. Who can we spare?”

 

“To stop someone from taking over? We can't send that many, Mizuki-chan. You're the strategist, you know that.” Kagome glanced around, seeing the still difficult odds. “It's too close still!”

 

“But it will destroy the entire point of coming here if Akira loses the East. Perhaps we could send Katsuro and Shippou.”

 

“I know what will happen if the East falls.” The miko could see that everyone was overwhelmed with fighting. She couldn't even find Katsuro and Shippou now. `This rescue is probably going to take an army, and we don't exactly have one right now! Someone has planned this very well. Planned . . .'

 

Kagome froze, staring at her daughter, the tactical genius. `Brains and brawn. It's so crazy, it just might work. I hope she forgives me one day.' “You go.”

 

“Impossible. The guard is looking to me.”

 

“In this chaos? It's a free for all, Mizuki-chan, and you know it. You can go and help Seiji check it out. If it's real, then send word and we'll come as soon as we can. No crazy stuff, just do what you can until help can get there. At least try to keep Seiji alive.”

 

“I cannot go.”

 

“We can't let the East fall. Not now, not when we have to make ourselves scarce. You're the best fit, and I'll order you if I have to. Just go!”

 

“But Katsuro . . . “

 

“That's an order, Commander.”

 

“Hai, my lady.” Still torn, Mizuki returned to Seiji. “I am coming with you.”

 

“Nani?” Seiji could smell her blood, and he could see it staining the white silk of Mizuki's sleeve. `She is injured, and now she will face more impossible odds.'

 

“The East cannot fall. Now is not the time for it.” Shou took off, leaving Seiji to follow them. `Mama, I hope you are correct.'

 

Kagome watched her daughter and Seiji take off for the East. `If those two can't do it, no one can. Gomen nasai, Mizuki-chan.'

 

Ignoring the chaos around her, she fired more arrows into the army opposing them. Her arms were aching from the long battle, but all was not lost. The walls were holding, and since the leopards had destroyed the cannons it looked as though the youkai would be able to win the day. Realizing that she was out of arrows, Kagome turned to look for her other quivers. Most of them had been buried when the tower had collapsed, but there had to be more around here somewhere!

 

Unnoticed by her guards, she jogged across the village and ducked into a store house that she thought held weapons.

 

`Rice. Not exactly what I was looking for.' Ducking back out, she was quite surprised to find a group of ningens waiting for her. Swinging her bow, she tried to break free, but her miko powers did her little good against her attackers.

 

They swarmed her, trying to secure her arms. Kagome's infamous right hook connected with one of them, sending him flying backwards. She threw up a barrier, but three of the ningens were already too close and were trapped inside with her. The men grappled with her, dragging her down and trying to secure her arms. “Get off of me you bastards!”

 

“Knock her out before they find us!”

 

There was a thud, a flash of pain, then black.

 

----