InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fire and Ice ❯ From the Past ( Chapter 18 )

A/N: I've told you guys before, if you weren't so darn funny I wouldn't do such evil cliffies! But its so worth it. Not many guesses on the villain, but I hear Inuyasha, and I think one was suggesting Ryuutaisho. No votes for Naraku?

 

AN.AN.AN, you always manage to bring up something that isn't matching up quite right. Thank you! Hold off on Katsuro, I'm about to mess his world up. Mr. J, you are so so so bad! But I'll admit, I look forward to your reviews. Kakashisninjadogs, LMAO! Your poor computer. And I'm using Sesshy's fights from the fourth movie, I think, to figure out Tokijin's limits. Sure, he can blast away like crazy, but only when he's fighting alone, and even in the movie he knocks ten or so away at a time. No super moves with family right near by. And don't forget the mysterious youkai that are helping the ningens, they'd be tougher to kill. Besides, the ballerina move has a limited range. Isamu has no idea about Tensaiga. To everyone yelling that Sesshy would notice, I haven't gotten there yet! Hold your britches! She just hit the ground!

 

Sure, I own some stuff, but nothing that belongs to anyone else. How's that for crystal clear?

 

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“Knock her out before she purifies everyone!”

 

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

 

----

 

In the midst of battle, even as he was swinging to destroy a particularly annoying youkai, Sesshomaru's eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he collapsed.

 

Katsuro heard the thud, and turned in time to stop the attacking youkai from taking advantage of it. “Oh, shit!” Standing over his fallen father, Katsuro slashed through the attackers that were trying to take advantage of the downed taiyoukai.

 

“Language, Katsuro!” Yuriko dropped from the sky, crushing an unfortunate youkai and removing his neighbor's head.

 

“Look, Yuriko!” Two more opponents fell to the ground, giving Katsuro some breathing room.

 

The little hawk spotted the downed taiyoukai even as she slashed through her next enemy. “Oh, shit!”

 

“That's what I said!”

 

“What happened?”

 

“I have no idea. He was fine, then he just collapsed!”

 

“We have to get him out of here!”

 

“No kidding.”

 

Yuriko whistled for Ah-Un. While Katsuro and the Captain defended the group, she hauled the unconscious form of Sesshomaru onto the dragon. “He weighs a ton!”

 

“I'm so telling him that you said that.” A glancing hit made Katsuro stumble, blood running down his leg. Slowly but surely the insane odds were wearing him down, and now he was doing this without his father's help. Desperation fueled his choice. “Get him out of here, Yuriko!”

 

Katsuro transformed, letting his youkai half take control and turn him into a massive black dog. Squeaking with surprise, Yuriko jumped onto Ah-Un behind her unconscious passenger and took to the sky.

 

The attackers were knocked aside like paper dolls as Katsuro let go of his fury at having his family attacked. His claws ripped through an unlucky youkai as his teeth silenced another one's yell of challenge. The Captain followed suit, adding a second black dog to the mix. The ningens started to retreat under the assault, looking for other ways into the village.

 

In the sky, Merkamou had noticed his daughter's passenger. He switched to his flame form, hovering over the inu-youkai. “How bad are his injuries?”

 

“That is what is so confusing, Papa. I cannot find any! Katsuro said that he just dropped.” Yuriko shook her head. “I do not know what to do with him.”

 

“He just dropped. . .” Merkamou was suddenly racing towards the village. “Where is Kagome?”

“Kagome? What does Kagome-chan have to do with this?” Yuriko chased her father.

 

“If she is unconscious, then so is her mate. She must be hurt.”

 

The frantic search revealed no miko inside of the village, and no witnesses as to where she had gone.

 

“Where is she? Is she dead?” Yuriko tugged Sesshomaru off of the dragon and set him on the ground inside of the village.

 

“No. If she was, Sesshomaru-sama would also be dead.” Merkamou checked the inu-youkai's breathing. “He is merely unconscious.”

 

“Captured, then. The sentry tower collapsed, so she was thrown into the fray. They said they wanted the Ladies.”

 

“Hai.” Merkamou glanced over to Akira, who was being tended to by a healer and her mate. From the expressions, it was not going well. “They have captured one, and may very well have killed a second.”

 

“Why target the Ladies? It makes no sense!” Yuriko stayed kneeling next to Sesshomaru, frustration in her every line. “What am I going to do with him? They need me out there!”

 

“Move him with the healer. We cannot do anything for him without finding Kagome, and that is impossible in this mess. First we must defeat the attackers.”

 

“Hai, father.” Hauling the inu-youkai with her father's help, Yuriko deposited him with the healer to watch over him. “Let's go, Ah-Un!”

 

----

 

“Kumo-san, can you tell what's going on out there?”

 

Kumo shook her head, never taking her eyes off of the one door in the building. Cho was sitting with the children, who refused to let her get away from them. While a handful of mothers cowered in the back of the room, they clung to the beautiful lady that they had just met. In this terrible nightmare, a kind face and sweet voice was all that mattered. They hardly noticed the fangs or spotted hair.

 

`Onegai. Onegai, Kami-sama, let them be alright.' Forcing herself to look calm for the littles crowded around her, Cho sang one of her favorite songs to them. It was a happy song, about a beautiful spring day, but the words kept sticking in her throat.

 

“Cho-sama, hush.” Kumo backed away from the door, picking up the katana she had brought with her and putting it behind her back. “I hear someone.”

 

“Hush, littles, hush.” Setting the one that had been in her lap with his friends, Cho moved over to Kumo. “Friend or foe?”

 

“Foe.”

 

A loud thump rattled the barred door, making everyone jump. A second blow followed, and a third. The hinges were already failing, and the door was coming down.

 

“What do you suggest, Kumo-san?”

 

“They will not touch the littles.” Kumo kept the katana behind her, standing as though nothing was wrong.

 

Cho gave a small nod and followed suit, wishing she had brought a dagger like Mizuki always seemed to have. `Lesson learned. I will simply have to work with what is available.'

 

The door crashed in, making the children squeal and draw back.

 

“And what have we here?” A ningen ducked through the door, looking around. He saw two ladies in beautiful kimonos with a group of children. “Are you poor ladies all alone?”

 

`Baka.' Cho let herself cower a bit, showing submission. As a second ningen and a youkai came in, she fluttered her eyelashes and looked at the floor. `A wilting lily, terrified.'

 

“Youkai or not, they sure are pretty.” The second ningen looked Kumo up and down. “A little older then I like them, but not bad.”

 

`I should let my mate have that one.' Kumo kept her eyes on the floor, her grip tightening on her weapon.

 

The first ningen pulled Cho over by her arm. “What were they thinking, leaving the kids to be protected by this pair?”

 

Cho glanced over to Kumo, who had maneuvered herself near the distracted youkai. “Close your eyes, littles.”

 

The two ningens looked at each other. “Nani?”

 

Using her taiyoukai speed, Cho ripped the ningen's throat out, letting him drop to the floor at her feet to bleed out. Kumo had already slammed the katana through the youkai's back and driven him to the ground.

 

The second ningen turned when he saw Kumo attack, presenting Cho with a perfect target. She leapt, driving him to the ground. Her fist impacted with the side of his head, making a sound like a melon being struck by a rock.

 

Turning, she saw Kumo yank the katana back out and slam down through the youkai's neck, removing his head. Still baring her teeth, the usually calm assistant hissed at the bodies on the floor. “We must get them out of here. They should not be with the young ones.”

 

Stomach churning, Cho helped Kumo chuck the bodies out the door. Barricading the door again was a lost cause, so the two ladies could do nothing but watch and wait for the nightmare to end.

 

----

 

Circling over the fray, Yuriko found the forces opposing them thinning. The attacks from the sky were taking the fight out of them, while the taiyoukai and hanyou were cutting swaths through them. The exterminators fired weapons from the tops of the walls, and held the enemy back when they tried to make it through the damage that the cannons had created.

 

Ah-Un fired from the sky, blasting holes in the army beneath them. Merkamou had also returned to the attack, scorching his way through the enemy. One of the leopards was down, and Yuriko flinched. `Is that Mayu or Hideaki? They are aiming for the Ladies . . . `

 

A musket fired, hitting Ah-Un as he dove low again. Roaring, he climbed away from the dangerous weapons as blood ran from his side.

 

“Ah-Un!” Yuriko swung so she was hanging from the side of the saddle, examining his wound. “How bad is it?”

 

The dragon growled, but showed no interest in landing.

 

“If you are seriously hurt, you land right now!”

 

Ignoring her, Ah-Un fired another set of twin blasts into the army.

 

“You only have yourself to blame if you make yourself worse.” Sword in hand, Yuriko continued to lean over the side as she and Ah-Un raced through the enemy, cutting them down and blasting them out of existence.

 

Katsuro and the Captain were standing in isolation, the enemy wanting nothing to do with them. The remaining ningens were starting to flee, along with the surviving youkai. The exhausted and injured defenders had no interest in finishing them off. The exterminators turned their attention to helping the injured, most of whom were hit when the walls had started to collapse. Koga and the other Northern lords chased the stragglers off, striking down any that did not flee quickly enough.

 

Mayu appeared, dragging her mate in with her. Stumbling, she had to wait for the gate to open since she could not leap to the top of the wall as the rest of the youkai were doing. Still in her leopard form, she dragged her mate in his normal form through the gate and deposited him next to Sesshomaru. His kimono was slashed to ribbons and he did not respond to anything around him. Transforming, Mayu dropped to her knees next to him. “Anata.” (1)

 

Returning to her usual form, Akane landed inside of the village. Aside from a cut across her face that was mostly healed, she was also sporting a hole from a musket. Blood streaked down her side. “Where are Merkamou and Yuriko?”

 

“I am here, sister.” Merkamou touched down behind her, also streaked with blood of his own and his enemies. “Yuriko is watching over the retreat.”

 

“Thank goodness.” Akane swayed a bit from exhaustion. “I was quite worried there for awhile.”

 

“As was I.” Taking his sister's arm, Merkamou looked her over. “How bad is it?”

 

“It stings quite a bit, but I will be fine, little brother.”

 

“Mother! Father!”

 

Cho raced towards her parents, all of her usual poise and grace forgotten.

 

“Cho-chan.” Mayu started when she saw blood on Cho's clothing. “You are injured?”

 

“No, Mama. A small group got into the village and tried to get into the building with the young ones that were not fighting. Kumo-san and I had to stop them.” Dropping to her knees, Cho touched her father's cheek. “Father?”

 

“One of the weapons he was destroying exploded.” Swaying, the lady tried to stay upright and focused. “Of course he did not stop. He can be so damn stubborn sometimes.”

 

The blood soaked silk was torn away, revealing the damage. Grimacing, Cho set to work cleaning up the mess and stopping the bleeding. Her mother stared with unfocused eyes as her daughter tended to her mate.

 

“Do not worry, Mama. It does not look like he will die. He is exhausted and has lost too much blood, no more. His heart beat is as strong as ever.” Smiling a bit, Cho ripped her patient's kimono for a makeshift bandage. “I can only imagine what he was doing. He charged in despite impossible odds, correct?”

 

“Of course. Baka.” Mayu slipped towards the ground, exhaustion catching up with her.

 

A quick move by Merkamou kept the leopard from hitting the ground. “This is a sight I had never thought to see. Hideaki-sama, Mayu-sama, Akira-sama, and Sesshomaru-sama all down. How will we find Kagome?”

 

“Kagome-sama?” Cho looked up with an expression of horror. “Where is she?”

 

“Yes, where is my mother?” Katsuro dropped down from the wall, covered in blood. The cold stare made Merkamou think of his father, and he drew back half a step.

 

“Katsuro-san?” Cho looked up from her father, her heart skipping a beat when she saw his pale complexion combined with a look that she had never seen before on his usually gentle face. There was no way to know what blood was his and what was from his enemies.

 

Merkamou braced himself. “I do not know, Katsuro-san. She has disappeared, at the same time your father fell unconscious. I believe she has been captured.”

 

“And Ki-chan? Where is she?”

 

“She took off with Seiji.” Shippou walked slowly towards them, limping. “She was talking to Kagome-chan, I saw that part, and then they took off.”

 

“Baka.” Isamu looked away from Akira. “Tsuki is attempting to take over the East. They are probably on their way to stop him.”

 

`I will not panic. I will not give up. Later I will completely freak out and throw up. Right now I have to take care of my pack.' Katsuro let his eyes fall closed for a moment before looking at the injured group. “Ki-chan and Seiji-san are out of our hands now. My mother has to be found, we have to care for the wounded, and the village must be secured. How is Akira-sama, Isamu-sama?”

 

“She is not waking up.” Despair was plain in the male's voice.

 

“Can she be moved?”

 

The healer nodded. “As long as we are careful.”

 

“Let's get them moved inside. We also need to help get the other wounded moved inside so that they can be taken care off, and the dead need to be moved. Since Ki-chan's gone, the guard is going to be a complete mess. Captain, Shippou, feel like doing some yelling?”

 

“Sure, why not?” The kitsune shrugged, a bit of his fire returning.

 

“I will not have to yell.” The Captain slipped his sword back into its sheath. “They won't have the energy to argue with me.”

 

Ah-Un and Yuriko landed, and Katsuro was relieved to see another body that was up and moving.

 

“Yuriko, take over here. Help get everyone moved inside. Shippou and the Captain can take care of out here. Merkamou, I'm going to need your help.”

 

“Hai, Katsuro.” Yuriko turned to the collapsed group. “Cho-san, can you grab Hideaki-sama's other arm? If we can get him up on Ah-Un we can get him moved.”

 

“Hai, Yuriko-san.” Cho grabbed onto a limp arm and started to pull. With Yuriko's help they got the taiyoukai up onto the dragon.

 

Pushing blood soaked hair out of his eyes, Katsuro moved away. He glanced back over his shoulder at the Captain and his new assistant. “Will you two be alright with this lot?”

 

“Sure thing. They're pretty used to seeing me around, and it's just clean up. Besides, I've got the Captain with me.” Shippou drew on his last reserves to walk like he was in decent shape.

 

“I have to figure out what happened to Mama.” Katsuro wavered for an instant, the pressure threatening to crush him. “Ki-chan's gone, Mama's missing, half of the lords are down including father . . . “

 

“You can do it, Katsuro.”

 

“I don't have much of a choice, do I?” In the distance Katsuro could see the guard milling about, lost without their Commander. “Take it away, Captain.”

 

“Of course, my lord.” Despite his exhaustion, Kenshin was feeling more like himself then he had in years. Stomping across the village, he closed in on the confused soldiers. “What the hell do you think you're doing, you pack of brainless, worthless bastards? Take care of the wounded and get the watch posted, you pathetic excuse for morons!”

 

“So much for not yelling.” Shippou mumbled under his breath as he followed the Captain through the rubble.

 

“And what mission do you have in mind for us, Katsuro-san?” Merkamou watched the younger hanyou closely, still adapting to the change in his demeanor.

 

“We must find Mama. I don't want to wait for father to wake up and realize she's gone.”

 

“The village may not survive that.”

 

“Exactly. I'll take down here, you can take a loop around the village and see if you can find any sign of where they went.”

 

“Hai, Katsuro-san.” The taiyoukai disappeared to be replaced by flame, racing away.

 

Katsuro hunted for any sign of what had become of his mother. He could smell her all over the place, barely distinguishable over the stench of gunpowder and blood. His hunt revealed his mother's bow, lying on the ground outside of a storehouse. There were signs of a struggle, but nothing that could help him. He could not find her scent leading away from the scene, but he knew that was impossible. He knew his senses were weakened by his exhaustion, and the fact that he was still bleeding, but they were not that far gone. `Magic. They must have used magic.' Frustration burned through him as he went to check on his father. As soon as his father woke he would be able to track Mama, no matter where she was hidden.

 

`Don't worry, Mama. I'll find you.'

 

----

 

“Mizuki-san, stop.”

 

“We must get to the East.”

 

Seiji growled, moving to block Shou. “It will do us no good to arrive there and not be able to stand. We will land and rest for a few hours. Look to your mount if you will not look to yourself.”

 

Blinking in surprise, Mizuki dropped her hand down to Shou's neck. The dragon was breathing hard, pushing himself to the limit. She dropped her head down by his mane, her voice the softest of whispers. “Gomen nasai, Shou-chan. You should have stopped me.”

 

The dragon turned his eerie silver eyes to her, rumbling a bit. Smiling at his obvious forgiveness, Mizuki scratched at his mane. “Shall I find a nice boar for you, sleepy one?”

 

Shou dropped like a rock, heading for a stream meandering through the trees.

 

“I believe he likes the idea of a rest.” Seiji dropped at a more leisurely pace, his chuckles rumbling through his chest.

 

“It is never a surprise when Shou wishes to rest.” Securely on the ground, Mizuki pushed her bound hair aside so Shou could settle in for a nap. “I will return shortly with dinner for him.”

 

“I will see to our meal.”

 

Mizuki actually fidgeted. Something about that just felt weird to her. “I can take care of myself.”

 

“You already must find enough for that beast at your neck. What kind of a rest will it be if you are also hunting for yourself?”

 

“It is none of your concern.”

 

“Just drop it, Mizuki. No one is here, and I will not tell anyone that I did some hunting for you.”

 

Unable to come up with an answer, at least not a coherent one, Mizuki stormed off into the woods. `I will kill this particular meal with my bare hands.'

 

It was not a boar, but a very irritable sow that she brought down without weapons. She felt more in control after that then she had since her mother had sent her off on this insane mission. It was hard work to drag her kill back, and it opened up her arm again. Growling, she dropped the sow at the edge of the primitive camp they were forming and gave Shou a shake. “Up, sleepy one. Dinner is here.”

 

Shou blinked at her before realizing what she had said. Dropping to the ground, he changed to his wolfhound size and dug right in.

 

`It is very difficult on my own appetite to be around him when he is eating.' Mizuki flattened her ears as she moved away from her ecstatic partner. `I can make it through bloody, filthy battles without concern, but his enthusiastic devouring is more then I can bear.'

 

“Your timing is impeccable, Mizuki-san.” Seiji had a fire going, and his own handiwork was already staked out and sizzling away. “I considered just having it raw, but seeing the way you are reacting to your little friend I am glad that I decided to start a fire.”

 

Mizuki's stomach flipped around some more. “I do not know if I will be able to eat.”

 

“Of course you will.”

 

The blue eyes just stared. “And you are so certain of this.”

 

“Or I will force it down your throat. What good will you be if you pass out? Also, you need to sleep. I will keep watch.”

 

“And when will you rest?”

 

“I do not need to.”

 

Feeling rather like she had been slapped, Mizuki sat down on the opposite side of the fire, as far away as possible from that dragon. “Understood. I will not make you force food into me or knock me unconscious.”

 

Seiji could smell blood in the air again. “You should tend to that arm as well.”

 

“Hai, Papa.” She desperately wanted to move away, to hide with Shou and forget this entire situation, but he was still eating and she really, really did not want to go over there.

 

“Do not call me that.” Pulling a hunk of meat from the fire, he got up and thrust it at Mizuki. “You are all that could come, and I cannot have you collapsing on me.”

 

“I told you. I will take care of myself.” Standing, Mizuki brushed past Seiji. “Look to your own care.”

 

Grabbing onto her arm, Seiji dragged her back. “And I told you . . . “

 

Mizuki grabbed onto his kimono, flipping the shocked male to the ground. Holding him down with both hands, she glowered at him. “I am not as weak as you think I am, you bastard. If you do not wish for my assistance, fine. I will return to my pack and assist them as I should be doing. It was mother's wish, not mine, that I join you. I will not hinder you any further.”

 

Still recovering from the sudden change in his view, Seiji grabbed onto both of her arms. “How did you . . . “

 

“I warned you to never underestimate me.” Mizuki moved to pull away, but Seiji did not release her.

 

“Is it underestimating you to assume that you will need to sleep and eat since you have been in battle all day and will be continuing tomorrow?”

 

“No, it is underestimating to assume that I will need sleep when you do not.”

 

“I am a taiyoukai. I can go for weeks without sleeping.”

 

“And I can certainly stand to miss a night or two. Or a week's worth. I have done it before. Quit trying to make decisions for me. You do not know me.”

 

“True.” Seiji glared at the angry eyes that were just above his own. “Not that you exactly make it easy to know you.”

 

“And now what are you babbling about?”

 

“How am I supposed to know if you do not tell me?”

 

`Logic. Damn. How often do I have to deal with logic outside of father?' Mizuki attempted to move away again, and this time Seiji let her. “Then ask.”

 

“Not with the expression that you are currently wearing. Sit down, eat something. I am ready to fight Shou over his kill, so I know you must be hungry.”

 

Shou growled at the mention of his kill.

 

“A joke, little one.”

 

“He is not amused.” Mizuki finally helped herself to some food, her body's demands overriding any feelings that might make her refuse it again.

 

“If nothing else, we should think of a plan for when we arrive in the East. With an army of two, excuse me, three, we should expect to do something other then charge in.” Seiji moved over so that he was close enough to Mizuki to actually see her.

 

“Ah, a relief. I had been rather concerned that your plan would be to charge in, swords flashing in the sun.”

 

Snorting, Seiji gave her a mock glare. “I do have some sense. I would like to live through this experience.”

 

“And now a show of intelligence to go with the forethought. You are shocking me, Seiji-san.”

 

“And you are shocking me, Mizuki-san. A sense of humor?”

 

Mizuki blushed, and quickly turned her face away to hide it. `Oh, what the hell?'

 

The blush was not lost on the dragon. “It is not that embarrassing. Many would consider it an attribute.”

 

“Even when it is directed at them?”

 

“I do. However, very few seem to have any interest in teasing me.” The dragon examined his claws. “I wonder why?”

 

“I do not fear you, Seiji-san.”

 

“I know. You never have.”

 

Glancing over, Mizuki saw that he was studying her. `Now what? I cannot stand this. I hate him, I know I do! Right? What? What is wrong with me? I know he sees me as nothing but a duty, so I should not be reacting to him watching me. I feel like an animal caught in a trap. Oh, Mama, what have you done?'

 

Gathering her wits back together, Mizuki returned her attention to her meal. “We are supposed to be planning.”

 

“Ah, yes. I had almost forgotten our impossible task tomorrow. You are the tactician, Mizuki-san. What shall we do?”

 

----

 

`Oh, my head. What happened? More importantly, where am I?'

 

Kagome forced her eyes open, looking at the wall across from her. `That's not a good sign. I think I'm lying on a dirt floor, and that's a stone wall. Please, please don't let this be a cell.'

 

Trying to sit up, the miko found that her arms were tied behind her, and that her shoulders did not appreciate this at all. Once she had made it to her knees, she twisted to see the rest of the room. `Oh, no. It's a cell. I'm a prisoner. It's been centuries since something like this has happened!'

 

“Good morning, ningen.”

 

Whipping her head around, Kagome focused on the youkai that was outside of her cell. “What do you want? Why am I here? My mate is going to kill you so much.”

 

“Assuming he is still alive of course. I heard that he went down during the fighting.” A second youkai leered at her from outside of the bars.

 

“Like that would work on me. I happen to know for a fact he's still alive, and I'm pretty sure he's up. I hope you're at peace and all that.” Wiggling a bit, the miko got to her feet. “You should probably just let me go.”

 

“Nah. You can't do anything to us tied up like that, and we do have our ningen friends here. We just have to stay out of reach.”

 

“You think so, huh?”

 

The air snapped as Kagome's aura jumped to life. The youkai drew back. “Knock her out again!”

 

Two of the ningens reached for the bars of her cell, one of them armed. Kagome smiled. “I don't feel like being knocked out again.”

 

Her barrier snapped to life, and she jumped forward. The ningens and youkai were thrown back to hit the wall behind them. The ningens were stunned, but the youkai were also burned anywhere the barrier touched them. As quick as she had brought it up, Kagome let it drop away again. `I have to save my strength until Sesshomaru gets here.'

 

“Now, Kagome-sama. That is not very nice.”

 

The familiar voice brought Kagome's world to a crashing halt. Slowly she turned, looking towards the source. “Impossible. Why?”

 

“Why? You still do not understand? To save you, of course. I told you that I would save you, even if you did not thank me at the time. You will thank me eventually.”

 

“No. I thought you were my friend. Was it you that organized the army that attacked us?” Kagome backed away from the bars, her heart frozen.

 

“Hai. The rule of the taiyoukai is over.” Hooves scraped on the stone as the speaker came forward. “You will be safe with me, Kagome.”

 

“You have lost your mind, Takanou.”

 

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A/N: Hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee

 

(1): Anata - darling, a pet name for a wife to call her husband.