InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Inuyasha gone succy ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Inuyasha Gone Succy

by KuroNoHime

 

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Disclaimer: I thus pronounce that I own nothing of the Inuyasha franchise

Inuyasha © Rumiko Tahakashi

 

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Glossary:

Fusuma - Japanese sliding door, they consist of a lattice-like wooden understructure covered in cardboard and a layer of paper or cloth on both sides.

Hanyoo - Finnish translitering of the word "hanyou", meaning half demon

Inu no Taisho - This is often mistaken to be the name of Inuyasha's father, but actually it is a rank meaning “General of Dogs”. Inuyasha's father's real name was Toga.

Inutachi - "Dog gang" or just as stupidly "The fellowship of Inuyasha"

Kun - Japanese suffix, used while referring to young boys, can also be applied to girls who have masculine traits or who are tomboyish. Female equivalent would be "chan". The reason Kagome doesn't add "kun" after Inuyasha's name, is because when people reach a certain level of intimacy, they are privileged to call each other just by their name. Lack of suffix is usually a sign of intimacy, but can also be very offending if a stranger addresses a person without using the proper suffix

Obi - Traditional sash that is worn with kimonos

Shooji - Also a sliding door, but not as thick as fusuma and usually divides one room from another instead of being an entry door like fusuma.

Sengoku Jidai / Sengoku era - Era of ancient Japan, known for its many wars

Yookai - Finnish translitering of the word "youkai", meaning demon

Yuzu - A citrus fruit, it's like a sour mandarin.

Zabuton - Japanese sitting cushion

 

 

"End of discussion" Kagome concluded firmly. Inuyasha rebelliously crossed his arms and walked pass her. Sango suppressed the grin that crept to her face. At a distance, Miroku was too occupied by Kirara and Shippo to give notice to the latest argument.

 

The group was on their way to a village of Kameshima. They were on an island that was located in the southern districts. There had been a rumor of a succubus yookai, which had gained immense powers by consuming an enchanted shard. Now the succubus plagued on the village at nights by disguising itself as an attractive woman. It preyed on innocent men and once it found a suitable young man to be its prey, it drained the life out of the victim - sustaining its own youth.

 

The Inutachi had been up against such foes many times before. Sango and Kagome were worried since it seemed that no matter how well prepared they were, succubus demons were extremely cunning and clever. On a couple of occasions, it almost had proved fatal to their male companions. Miroku and Inuyasha naturally felt no need for unnecessary anxiety. They had learned their lessons. Surely.

 

It had almost been a day's walk to the village. The town was relatively big and it spanned over an area that was several miles wide. The first thing they searched for was an inn. There was as much as three to choose from and they picked out one that had a lovely garden surrounding its milieu.

 

Sango gazed at her demon companions with an apprehensive look on her face as they reached the inn.

 

“I think that during day time it would be for the best if Inuyasha, Kirara and Shippo remained indoors. The people of this area are understandably suspicious of everything out of the ordinary.”

 

Then she gave a look at Kagome's modern clothing: “And if you wish to accompany Miroku and myself to the meeting of the headsman, we must cloth you accordingly.”

 

So they dropped off Kirara, Shippo and Inuyasha before heading to meet the village's headsman, Oshiro-sama. As Sango had explained, people of the Sengoku era were very suspicious about uncommon looking creatures and Inuyasha was more that happy to skip the technicalities. He was here on a hunt, not on a social call. Even Kagome was forced to wear a kimono so that she wouldn't stand out. The humans went on to meet the headsman to a nearby mansion.

 

They reached the gates and were escorted inside.

 

The headsman was an older, bald man, but much respected by his community. He lived in a large house with no family but many servants.

 

Sango, Miroku and Kagome were guided to a spacious room with a beautiful view to outside. The headsman soon joined them and they all gathered around the table that sat in the middle of the room.

 

Kagome felt slightly out of place in the very traditional settings and in her spare kimono. She sat on the zabuton and mimicked Miroku and Sango with the starchy gestures of bowing and other politeness'. She wanted to loosen her obi but kept her itching fingers in place.

 

As the man, Miroku did most of the conversing.

 

“We are honored to be summoned here by the great Oshiro-sama” Miroku bowed. Oshiro smiled and gestured the servants to pour them some tea.

 

“I am glad that you were able to come. But with no further ado, as I explained in my letter, our village has found itself as the target of a malicious demoness. The demon began to plague our village but six moon cycles ago. This far we have lost at least five good men to the savage beast,” Oshiro took a sip of his tea to calm his nerves as he continued to talk, “Three more are missing and I fear the worst.”

 

Miroku cleared his throat and asked: “Has anyone seen the she-demon?”

 

Oshiro shook his head. “No one has lived to tell the tale. The remains that have been found had all been… sucked empty of blood, of life. To an untrained eye, it looks as if the men had died of old age, their corpses shriveled and gray. And as if they had been dead for a great deal longer than what in truth they have been,” Oshiro paused for a minute and took another sip of his tea, “This is actually not the first time these things have been occurring. From so long time ago, I myself can't even remember for being so young still, this same creature attacked and killed many of the island's men. We assumed it dead after the attacks ceased for decades. But now when these occurrences were renewed, one of our older townsfolk told me about the succubus demon of before. He also knew to recommend you for exterminating that thing.”

 

The headsman squeezed down on his cup so hard, his knuckled turned white. He looked at Miroku in the eye. “My nephew was one of the victims… Can you promise me you'll kill the demon?”

 

Miroku looked back at him and answered with the greatest confidence: “Yes.”

 

***

 

“Another bust.” Inuyasha stated with a bored voice just before he crashed on the futon. He had returned from the evening's first patrol.

 

They had stayed at the inn for several days now, but there had been no sign of the succubus. They took turns in scouting the area, but had found nothing. They didn't know how long they would afford to stay if things didn't start to happen. And it was especially intricate to chase after something that didn't possess a consistent form.

 

Kagome relied on the fact that she would be able to sense the shard if the succubus was to come near her. Sango wasn't going to take any chances with Miroku, so the two always patrolled together.

 

“I'm going the check the gardens this time” Kagome announced and headed out. The girl had a bow and an arrow ready at hand if she needed them. She and the others left Inuyasha resting at the inn while they, in turn, kept an eye on the surroundings.

 

Kagome found the vast greenery comforting. Truthfully she was stressing out being away from home for so long. She sighed and sat on a rock that was positioned next to a garden pond. The school assignments were undoubtedly piling up. Kagome placed her equipment next to her and picked up little stones. She threw them into the water and marveled the ripples that broke the cool surface. A vague though of if any fish lived in the pond wondered to her mind.

 

Then a twig crackled somewhere near and she got that pestering tingle in her spine that something was off. She quietly stood up from the rock and picked up her bow and arrow. She bended her bow and aimed her arrow at the bushes. It was sundown and everything basked in the orange haze. She took few steps forward as quiet as she could, tensing her shoulders. She could almost feel it.

 

She was keeping her cool and the element of surprise was on her side. She inched forward. Closer, closer until… she tangled her foot to the underbrush and her fingers lost their grip on the arrow. She barely had the time to think “Crap!” when the arrow was already flying across the air and into the bushes.

 

“AAAAEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYY!”

 

A horrifying screech made all the animals of the garden flee for their lives. Then an elderly woman barged trough the bushes and headed straight towards Kagome.

 

“AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHH! SOME VILE THING ATTACTED I! AAAH! HELP!”

 

A little gray haired inn maid pranced around the bushes with an arrow sticking out from her backside. Kagome would surely have been amused by the scene if she wasn't so petrified by the thought that she was going to be charged with an assault and hanged.

 

“Umm, excuse me, ma'am...”

 

The little woman ceased her galumphing and seemed just then to notice Kagome. The maid looked at Kagome, then her bulged eyes stared at the bow in her hands.

 

“Dear gods, lass, what were ye doing!?”

 

***

 

Kagome aided the old woman back to the servants' quarters. Luckily the wound was only a small gash. Most likely the arrow's speed had been reduced by branches and other objects in its way. A direct hit would have certainly been graver.

 

Kagome sat in a little room on a rugged zabuton. She was embarrassed and bowing her apologies to the old woman who was serving her tea.

 

“Don't mind it. I've had worst things happen to me.”

 

Despite her age and aching behind, the old woman put aside the teapot and ever so gracefully sat down. They were sitting by a small table and the woman, having introduced herself as Kishiko, urged Kagome to drink her tea.

 

Kagome cumbersomely reached for her cup of tea and took a sip of the bittersweet hot liquid. She could taste yuzu.

 

“So, ye tell ye're a demon hunter of sort?”

 

Kagome hastily swallowed the tea and nodded.

 

“Yes, me and my companions are here on a mission.”

 

The elderly woman inquired about their mission and Kagome explained to her how they had come to be at Kameshima because of the succubus demon. She also admitted that they hadn't had any luck finding the creature. Kishiko was silent and stared absently into nothingness.

 

Kagome was about to thank her for the tea, but then Kishiko looked at her. Her eyes held the kind of calmness and adamancy that only came with age, yet the cool exterior seemed to be deceitful. Her soft voice spoke out to her.

 

“I've lived a long life `ere, on this accursed island. I know yer foe and I tell ye, she, or rather it, is not to be taken lightly. No worldly has ever survived from a battle with that creature. And I should know, for I too have fallen for its trickery once.”

 

Kagome looked at Kishiko, confused. But the grave sadness in the old woman's eyes told Kagome more than words could have.

 

“I was but yer age when the succubuss robbed me of my fiancé. I went searching him in the woods and found him… or what was left of him, anyway. Then I saw the succubus. Standing over his poor body and laughing at me. And has that sight never ceased to haunt my dreams since.”

 

“Wait,” Kagome interrupted, “you saw the succubus? But I thought that nobody knew what it looked like?”

 

Kishiko laughed dryly. "Don't ye understand why it is so difficult for the men to recognize the succubus even if they saw her? It not only takes the form of a beautiful woman, it takes a form of a woman that is desired by the man. A form that is intimate to the man." The older woman shook her head.

 

The miko realized in that second that he had been left alone in the inn.

 

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped. She ran out of the room. She didn't even waste time picking up her shoes or equipments she had left on the floor of the entrance. Barefoot she hasted her way through the gardens. She ran all the way to their room, never staggering or halting. If the old maid was right, Inuyasha was in grave danger.

 

Kagome swung the fusuma door aside and gasping for air called Inuyasha's name.

 

"I've been waiting for you, my dear", a voice welcomed her from behind.

Kagome turned around and was faced with a pair of clammy gray hands that wrapped themselves around her face. She tried to shout but her voice was drowned by a mouth that latched itself on her lips. The succubus bit down and drained the blood from her lips. Kagome struggled against her, but the demon was far more powerful. Once it had drunk enough, it pushed Kagome aside. The miko fell on the floor, powerless. Her head was spinning and the only thing she saw, before blacking out, was herself. She was standing there looking down at herself.

 

 

 

A/N: Ryokan (Japanese inn) dates back to Edo period (1603-1868), when actually the story of Inuyasha takes place in Sengoku period (1467-1573). So, to be historically accurate, ryokan type of inns did not exist yet. You can perceive the inn of my story as an early version of the ryokan that came to be later.

 

Chapter two is also ready. Will be upping it within a week. This will be a three chaptered story.