InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Freedom ❯ Feudal: The Past of the Shapeshifter ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer:

 

Inuyasha: Konchanwa, readers. I'm stuck doing the disclaimer, since Kathryne-San fell asleep, and so did everyone else…(growls) so: Rumiko Takahashi-sama owns me. Wait…yeah. She owns both me and InuYasha the manga and show...whatever. I think that's right. Oh what the hell, here's the next chapter.

 

Chapter Eight: Feudal: The Past of the Shapeshifter

 

Inuyasha, after comforting a very frightened Kagome, leaped down the well. Instead of Kaede's village, where most often he landed, he was back in his circle in the forest behind Kanaye's home. Kanaye was there, sitting on his rock.

 

“How did you—“

 

“The portals are all connected, I just had to pull you through one,” Kanaye said impatiently, standing. Due to his limp he nearly toppled over as he stood. “Come. This is very urgent.”

 

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In his home, they sat across from each other, while Mika was in the corner, repairing Kanaye's eyepatch. All that remained was a huge scar, which completely erased all traces of his eye.

 

“Kobayashi Haruki…so, what else did the youkai say?”

 

“This Haruki youkai is a shapeshifter.”

 

Kanaye nodded. “He is. I know about him.” He sighed. “Kobayashi-sama was a feudal lord. He was born to a wealthy family, raised in riches. But it is said that his village believed he was a hanyou, because his appearance was so pale. But appearance aside, Haruki was indeed human. The villagers revolted against them when Haruki was a child. He wandered around, trying to find his place, until he grew older, and things changed.”

 

“How did he become a youkai?”

 

“I'm coming to that. Haruki crossed paths with the kuro miko Tsubaki. Do you remember her?”

 

Inuyasha growled, “Yes.” He had nearly lost Kagome due to that witch.

 

“Well, Haruki had been shunned from village to village due to his appearance. In anger, he vowed to return to those villages that rejected him and destroy them. When he crossed paths with Tsubaki, he asked her to turn him into a youkai.”

 

“But I thought you couldn't do that. Only with the Shikon no Tama.”

 

“Tsubaki knew a way—a way in black magic. Haruki sold his human soul for the youkai form. Now resides a youkai soul: an evil, black one. He has the power to change his appearance to anything he pleases.”

 

“Just like Naraku.”

 

“Exactly.”

 

“Did he ever get his revenge?”

 

“Oh, yes. A rather unconventional way. He would buy a home in the village—often a mansion like the headman or the lord—and within, every season, he would ask for the most beautiful woman in the village to come to him. You'd never see her again. After a while, he'd get bored, and…he'd destroy the entire village. His strength was unrivaled.”

 

“How do you know so much?”

 

Kanaye sighed. “One of the villages that shunned him was mine. I was but a child when he came. Later, when he returned, I had been the headman. One of the girls he asked for…was my wife.”

 

“Wait. I thought you said your wife died from Naraku.”

 

“My first wife was the one Kobayashi-sama took. My second wife died from Naraku.”

 

Sympathy filled Inuyasha. Man…he's been through everything! And here I am complaining…

 

“Kobayashi-sama also has children,” Kanaye continued. “Four of them. One of them is full youkai, but the other three are hanyous.”

 

“Hanyous?”

 

“It seems that even though Kobayashi-sama has a youkai soul, his heart is still human. That heart still has weakness for human women. He also thinks that because of this, hanyous are stronger than both youkai and human.”

 

Man, is he turned around, Inuyasha thought. But deep down, he found himself wishing Haruki's theory was true.

 

“Inuyasha-san,” Kanaye said, drawing his face closer. “I warn you…I have seen Kobayashi-sama's power. Do not, by any means, underestimate him. His power rivals that even of Naraku. If you do…may all gods have mercy on you, Inuyasha-san.”

 

Inuyasha nodded. “I will.”

 

Kanaye leaned back in thought. With his eye closed, it looked strange coupled with that scar. “I have crossed paths with another you may know.”

 

“Who?”

 

“One Kariudo Sesshoumaru-sama.”

 

“Sesshoumaru?!” Inuyasha said. His half-brother! “When?!”

 

“Recently. He seems to be looking for you to fight you. However, I told him that you were gone…as was Naraku. He said no more after that.”

 

Though the thought of Sesshoumaru angered him, Inuyasha knew that being in Kagome's time was more important.

 

“One more thing, Inuyasha. Due to the rat youkai's reappearance, I sense Kagome has remembered something. You should go back. I will inform you of anything else.”

 

“Thank you, Kanaye-san.”

 

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Inuyasha slept rather hard that night when he returned to present times. Due to this, no-one disturbed him for the remainder of the night and well into the morning.

 

When someone knocked on the door, Miroku answered it.

 

“Kagome-san!” Miroku said, surprised. “Konnichiwa! How may I help you?”

 

“I'm looking for Inuyasha-chan. Is he here?”

 

“Hai, he is. But…I am afraid he's had a rough night, and he's asleep.”

 

“Oh! I'm sorry! I'll come back later then.”

 

“No, no, not at all. I'm sure once he wakes he'll be glad to see you.” Miroku placed his arm around Kagome's shoulders. “Meanwhile…Kagome-san, I have a favor to ask you…”

 

Before he could mention what this favor could be, Sango banged him upside the head with her bag. “Hentai! You dirty little—“

 

“Did I come at a bad time?” Kagome asked as Miroku moaned on the ground.

 

“No, not at all, Kagome-san. I think Inuyasha's coming to.”

 

Meanwhile, Inuyasha was still fast asleep, face buried in his pillow. Both Shippou and Kirara were on his back, trying to figure how the best way to wake him without stirring his wrath, until Kagome entered.

 

“Kagome-san!” Shippou said, grinning wildly. “Konnichiwa!”

 

“Konnichiwa, Shippou-chan.”

 

“I would wake Inuyasha for you, but…oh! I have an idea! It'll wake him up so he can talk to you.”

 

“That's okay, I can come back later,” Kagome said, unsure of what exactly the child had in mind.

 

“There's a magic word that'll wake him up no matter what! And only you can say it.”

 

“Me? Only I can say it?”

 

“Yep. If any of us say it, it won't work. So, it's…” He leaped up her ear and whispered. When he finished, Kagome looked rather puzzled.

 

“Osuwari?” She repeated.

 

At that precise moment, Inuyasha's sleeping form went through the mattress and onto the floor below. Shippou roared with laughter as the now-awake Inuyasha stood.

 

“Bastard! Son of a—” He stopped as soon as he saw Kagome. “Kagome-chan…what are you doing here?”

 

“Gomen-nasai! I didn't mean to wake you, Inuyasha-kun!”

 

“It's alright. It's mostly the runt's fault.” He shot a malevolent glare at Shippou, who had now cornered himself to avoid the inu hanyou, though he was still chuckling evilly. “What is it?”

 

“It was strange…I had a dream last night. It was too weird, and I…had to tell you, because…well, you were in it.”

 

“I was in it?” Inuyasha's heart leaped. The memory Kanaye was talking about!

 

“Hai. I…dreamt that I was in a huge forest, and I was wandering around. I had no idea where I was, until…I came across Goshinboku. That's the tree on the grounds of my shrine. Except my shrine wasn't there…and I saw you pinned to the tree. You were in a red haorihakama…and you were asleep. But I was scared, because there was an arrow through your chest.” Kagome paused and smiled. “You looked so peaceful…”

 

That…was the day she first saw me. I was pinned there by Kikyou, and she released me…

 

“That's an amazing dream, Kagome-san.”

 

“I know. It's funny, isn't it?”

 

“No, it's a dream.” Her memory…will it start to come back now?

 

Inuyasha sincerely hoped so...for their sake.

 

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Inuyasha: The translations/clarifications:

 

Tsubaki: The dark priestess. She wanted to have Kikyou's job as protector of the Shikon no Tama.

Osuwari: “Sit.” What makes the rosary work.

Hai: Yes

Kuro miko: Literally, “Black Priestess”

 

Anyway, I guess I'll see you all next chapter(s). Sayonara.