InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ For the heart of a demon ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

For the heart of a demon

Yeah! Good times no? Well not exactly… Not sure of how to get this quad spacing or whatever it is out of the way to just single. Oh well. If anyone cares to give a suggestion, then I will try to answer it to the most of my knowledge.

Chapter 4

Washi landed going down the shoot of the home of a small lord. He was welcomed with open arms by a snake demon.

"Wa-shi! How good to see you again my friend. I presume our friend will join us in tow days time! You are home here."

The girl inu was loosing too much blood, but would soon make it to her ally's home. "Tsume, it has been a while."

"Noriega-chan. You have had Washi flapping about worried. Four days from border lands is long."

"The battle had temporarily lessened my energy."

"From what I have heard, a half legion would do that to a person." Tsume assumed the silence meant Noriega was not going to give a response. "Very well, come, rest. Sleep the night. In the morning, later, we will catch up over the absence between us."

Noriega slept longer than she had planed, but was glad to wake up to the smell of food ready to eat. She dressed feeling well despite the hole in her shoulder still bleeding. She would have to learn to do many things with her left hand now. Not that she did not have the ability to use it, but that she favored her right. She joined Tsume and Washi at the table and the three dined then discussed various topics.

"I feel as if you have other question of me Tsume, besides kaigi no kihou and Oonagi."

"Perceptive as always. The eastern lord Unagi has knowledge of your relation with me, to an extent. He always knows when any enter his lands."

"What does Unagi wish of me."

"The great lord of the east, half eel, half lizard, knows I am not in negative standings with Nike, the demon of wanted desires, but also has heard of you Yaburn no Ketsueki and requires your, talents."

Noriega looked at the snake demon before her and spoke, as normal, without emotions. "He has nothing I want."

"I can not tell my lord that. If you wish we may travel there after you have spent another night here." Tsume saw her stare directly at him ever so slightly unnerving him. "Washi has wasted energy upon your return and is tired. He is not even seven years of age and must rest more than we."

"Very well, I will take your words into mind Tsume." Noriega stood. "It is a two day travel to the eastern lord's palace, so Washi will sleep while we travel. If you believe that I am incapable of functioning at my skill level because of a previous battle then you are sadly mistaken. I am in no need of a handicap of extra time to continue on snake." She walked towards the door. "Washi, come. We all leave now."

As they approached the palace the sun was high in the sky. It resembled the other entire cardinal direction lord's. Only the gardens, entrances, and other specific aspects were different. In her mind, Noriega compared the Eastern palace to that of the one she longed for and smiled on the inside.

The three were welcomed through to a main hall into a library. Unagi resembled more of a lizard than a snake or an eel, but Noriega just stood to Tsume's side as Unagi sat down from collecting something. There were five others in the room who she assumed to be nobles of the land. They were all amphibians or reptile youkai.

"Tsume. You have brought the most beautiful woman in existence to me. Who is also a skilled killer in the south from what I can tell. I shall stay on your good side, my lady."

"When you have reached my good side I will be the one whom decides if you stay or not."

Unagi and the nobles knew they could not challenge her. If the stories were correct, and most were on some level, her power was incredible. Unagi did his best not to be unnerved from the cold emotionless way Noriega held herself.

"Very well. Like Tsume, you are free to sit, or continue standing Nike. Why did you not take the position of southern lady for yourself."

"I did not want the land at the time nor do I now."

Unagi nodded his head. "Good to hear."

A noble, who was a brown and bright red lizard, spoke. "What are your current plans after this Nike sama."

"I have business to attend to in the north. Speak what you want before I fall asleep bored from a guessing game."

Tsume grinned to himself as Unagi spoke. "Very well, Yaburn no Ketsueki. There is a pack of ninjas in my lands who are evasive. Would you kill them for me?"

"You have nothing I neither need nor want and I have enough favors to last everyone's grand children in this room ten fold. Why should I assist you."

"There is nothing Nike wants, needs."

"Do not make me repeat myself."

"Anything."

Noriega began to walk out through the doors. "Feel honored. I have not killed you for your deceit and insolence."

Noriega ran for seven days to a small village. There was a dry well in the distance made out of old wood as well as a very old massive tree. She took down the demon wards around the village with her miko abilities and went into a hut. There was a squat old woman in miko garbs wearing an eye patch before her combining herbs in a shallow bowl. Noriega walked out of the hut with a white soul orb and put it into her hip sack after listening to its advice. Washi, on her shoulder, thought to her as she went through the forest.

`You growl because you have to wait out for the wound to close?'

"Yes Washi. I will spend my time doing other things. I have twelve days to wait."

`Okay, but you know Naraku has been following for hours. He will want you to fight the hanyou.'

"He is one as well."

`You know who I mean, Inuyasha.'

Noriega smiled revealing no emotion. "Very well then." She tied a leaf and a tiny satchel to his leg. "Give this to Mamochan Washi. You know what to do."

Noriega watched as Washi pushed off of her arm flying off. Naraku jumped out of the trees and walked aside of her at night. He later spoke.

"Three hours and you do not even look back."

"You did not speak either. I believe the logic you are using are human ways Naraku, or Onigumo."

Naraku's eyes had a hint of anger in them, far less than his voice. "Do not call be by that name." Silence. "Why did you lave when your ward returned to you in an injured state the previous time I have seen you?"

"No one goes unpunished for harming my ward. Did Kagura tell you?"

"The ones you have not seen will be made more aware of your deadly ways. My incarnates will be marked."

"If I had known I would not have killed him. I have no reason to harm you."

"Where is the soul stealer going."

"I need information I do not know."

Naraku became curious. "What type?"
"I would not expect a hanyou spider to be able to smell the issue, nor his incarnates. So if you do not know, you will not be told."

He knew his sense of smell was less than a humans at times. She looked fine to him, and she was not pregnant. After looking her over again he spoke.

"Very well, then I will follow and observe. When will you deal with Inuyasha and Kikiyou?"

"Yet another reason I need information I do not know. When two souls give conflicting words, one has been lied to. How often do you as a hanyou truly need to sleep, for the hour is getting late."

"I will rest if and when you do."

"Do not test me hanyou."

"Hmm. I thought you liked games Noriega."

She smiled with no emotion. "True, but I will not stand for tired hanyous slowing down my pace if I was not told their sleeping habits are like humans."

It was only four hours until sunrise. He had never known her to stay asleep after that. Naraku saw the area he was in suitable. So he sat. "Truly, as you say, every night as a human. One of the many reasons I wish to be full demon."

The inu girl sat against a rock. They were in a clearing slightly hidden from normal eye sight. "Agreed."

"On which part." Naraku received an emotionless smile, she got under his skin and he liked the feeling. "Tell me Noriega. You do not call me a friend or an ally, or an enemy but a means to an alliance. What am I to you. Truthfully?"

"Naraku, the hanyou."

I am who I am. He smiled. "And when I become full youkai?"

"When that day comes to pass, I will inform you then."

"Will you be there, when I wish on the skikon no tama."

"When else will I tell you."

"Now."

"You said yourself, I enjoy games."

"Why the change. You would have normally left by now from my insolence."

"I have revisited my past after a brief visit in the western lands. I am not surprised Kagura chose not to tell you. Go to sleep now or I will continue on and not give a second thought to your tired body when you pass out from lack of sleep."

Dawn soon came. Correct like the rain Noriega immediately woke standing. But she looked down to her right to see Naraku truly still asleep. His tainted blood prevented him from accepting two hours of sleep. He spoke to her too much. But, she could not find it in her self to wake him. He woke four hours later.

"Why did you not wake me."

"I already told you I will not have a tired hanyou slow me down I do not like repeating myself do not make me do it again." She walked off. "We leave now."

Naraku spoke later asking a question. "Tell me, how you know the ways of a hanyou so well."

"I once knew a human for sixteen years, I traveled with a hanyou for two of those years, and am a demon. Combined is a hanyou no less." Time elapsed with evening in sight. "This is the village. You would do well to stay here, for there are demon wards."

"As for yourself."

Noriega continued walking. "I am powerful enough for it to have no effect."

She went into a large hut killing about nine humans taking the white soul of one. She walked out past Naraku heading south east as she listened. She soon growled in pure anger.

"What has the soul said to you Noriega."

"If you are a demon in less than ten days I may inform you. I am able to kill Inuyasha, but not Kikiyou, for obvious reasons once they are confronted. You will also will be told my given name that is not my birth name from them."

"They know you?"

"They knew who I once was. But she never was who she seemed."

Naraku did not follow her so decided to drop it. "Where has Washi gone."

"To your compound after his task is finished."

"Hmm. The wind changes with you and in the east. We must go to my compound at once."

"This Noriega will not fly. You may ride your miasma, I will follow through the forest."

Naraku knew she was fast, but her speed was incredible. She could keep up with him and seemingly go faster. They reached the compound in five hours. Kagura had been sending her undead warriors truing to stop them. But everything was purified, and she knew the tetsigua greatly weakened Naraku's abilities when wielded properly, thus hers as well. Naraku's other demons came to attack, but Inuyasha soon came up with Kikiyou. She shot an arrow directly at Kagura, but it hit a dark red barrier. Kikiyou spoke.

"Inuyasha, he has a very powerful miko with him with my soul in her."

Inuyasha shouted obnoxiously as normal. "Come out from hiding with Naraku of all people Kagome so Kikiyou can have her soul back!"

"Inuyasha my love, I do believe we both know that she has changed to her birth name once she was no longer lied to."

Inuyasha raised his fang sword and swung it down in front of him. "Then Noriega get your ass out here now I do not have all day… And bring the jewel shards!"