InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ InuYasha: The Journey Continues ❯ Chapter 18: Battle for a Mate ( Chapter 18 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 18: Battle for a Mate
 
I still don't own InuYasha.
 
InuYasha stood facing Kouga; the breeze rustling his hair around his face and eyes. Kouga couldn't stop gawking at what he saw before him. InuYasha had demon markings on his face. There's no way a hanyou should have demon markings like that. He had seen Sesshomaru before, the two red marks on his face. But he was full demon and it was a mark of power.
 
InuYasha popped his knuckles in his usual fashion, readying his claws for the fight. Tetsusaiga still stood imbedded in the ground beside him, transformed.
 
“Listen dog face, I told you it was a misunderstanding and I didn't mean to hurt Kagome, she is my intended you know that.” Kouga shot at InuYasha
 
InuYasha only answered back with a low growl. He put his right foot forward and placed it in the dirt. He drew a line in front of him and backed away a few paces. Kouga watched as InuYasha looked him dead in the eye and raised his hand. He motioned for Kouga to come to him as he resumed his pose, hands by his sides.
 
Kouga couldn't believe it. InuYasha actually just challenged him openly. This was a dual now, and the winner would get to court Kagome. Kouga wasn't about to lose.
 
“If that's the way you want it mutt, you got it.” Kouga said smiling. There was no way InuYasha could keep up with him and his jewel shards. InuYasha might not be using his sword but Kouga had no qualms about using his advantage.
 
He was on InuYasha in a flash, dust kicking up behind him as he sprinted towards the hanyou. The punch came from the right and Kouga could feel it connect as the dust came up around them. As it settled Kouga heard a soft chuckle. He looked and saw his fist gripped in InuYasha's hand. The smile on InuYasha's face was cold. He bent Kouga's wrist back and heard the wolf stifle a cry of pain. He released the wolf and Kouga jumped backwards, gaining much needed space from him.
 
`How did he just catch my punch?' Kouga thought to himself. InuYasha had put both hands back by his sides again and was smiling that evil smile. He was going to wipe that smirk off of his arrogant face.
 
“That wasn't my full speed puppy. I'll show you why you can't beat me.” Kouga shouted but InuYasha's smile only grew larger. Kouga charged again, this time planning on kicking him. He may be able to catch a normal arm, but there was no way he would be able to stop his enchanted legs. He leapt into the air and rocketed towards InuYasha. InuYasha easily hopped back and saw Kouga strike the ground, leaving a small crater. But before the dust could clear, Kouga shot out of the newly formed hole with another kick. InuYasha got his arm up but just barely. There was a loud pop.
`Heh' Kouga thought as he brought his leg down. Let's see him fight with a dislocated shoulder. InuYasha felt the pain in his arm but it didn't matter. There was no way he was going to lose Kagome. He threw his arm out to the side and another loud pop was heard. Kouga stared as InuYasha reset his own shoulder.
 
“You're going to have to do much better than that.” InuYasha said rotating his arm to ensure his shoulder was back in.
 
The attack was on again; both charging this time claws and fangs bared. They met each other and blows were exchanged. From someone looking from the outside, it would have been hard to see what was going on. Their fists and legs moved so fast that it was hard to keep up. Both moved with extraordinary speed and the shouts and yells were enough to wake the dead…or at least the unconscious.
 
 
Elsewhere in the world
 
Hakudoshi landed in front of the palace. His body fully recovered from InuYasha's attack. He still could not shake the image; the miko had stopped his blade. He walked through the main gate and he saw the multitude of demon carcasses around the place. Apparently Naraku had been having some sport.
 
“Hakudoshi” a female voice called to him.
 
He turned and saw Kagura on the steps of one of the pagodas, her fan tapping on her shoulder.
 
“What do you want?” He said glaring at her.
 
“How did fair against them?” She asked, unmoved by his tone.
 
“I was beaten” He said coldly. “He has grown more powerful than the last time we saw him.”
 
Kagura stopped tapping her fan. InuYasha had grown more powerful? He was already causing enough trouble for Naraku before but now to have beaten back Hakudoshi and his creation…She thought about this for a while.
 
“But what I really am surprised about is the miko he travels with” He started again, staring off into nothingness. Kagura looked and watched him as he continued. “She effortlessly blocked my energy blade.”
 
A look of shock almost took over Kagura's face but she held stoic. How could that frail little girl she had seen being protected all the time have that kind of ability? That attack was no laughing matter either, it was capable of leveling buildings in a single swipe. Hakudoshi began to walk again, heading towards the center of the palace.
“He is not to be disturbed.” Kagura said calmly, stopping him.
 
“He will like to hear what I have said.” Hakudoshi said looking ahead into the miasma.
 
“He already knows” Kagura stated.
 
Behind the pitch black cloud Naraku sat on his makeshift throne. His new body and powers allowed him to have a sight into his incarnation's minds. He saw what Hakudoshi had seen; the girl stopping the energy blade with a blinding light. He pondered this as his poison insects flew out of the cloud and out into the world.
 
 
Kagome stirred again; the pain in her arms waking her. Her eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the light shining through the trees. She remembered being face to face with Kouga but now she seemed to be alone. She heard sounds, muffled but there. She was warm and she fought to keep her eyes from closing again and falling asleep. It had been a trying day already and now she was hurt even worse. She finally blinked her blurriness away and looked down. She was covered with InuYasha's fire rat coat. Had he found her? She looked around and saw Tetsusaiga. It was in the ground and still transformed. But where was InuYasha? That's when she heard the yell.
 
She slowly moved around the rock and saw the fight; InuYasha and Kouga fighting each other. This was different than their other fights. There was no egging on, no comments about each other, just fighting. They broke apart momentarily and the wind picked up. It blew InuYasha's hair from his face and that's when she noticed them: the marks. He was in full demon mode without Tetsusaiga. He would kill everyone around him. She had to stop him and quickly before anyone else got hurt.
 
“InuYasha” she shouted the best she could. Both stopped in their tracks and looked towards Kagome, now leaning against the rock. Her hand covered her wound and blood was still dripping down her arm.
 
“SIT” She said quickly while he was distracted.
 
The beads glowed and Kouga relaxed a little. He loved this part. InuYasha would eat dirt and he would get away. But that didn't happen. InuYasha remained standing. The beads glowed but he didn't come crashing down. Kagome looked on in shock…she had to snap him out of his demon state (and she didn't want to do it a nice way).
 
“SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT!!” she screamed. The beads continued to glow brighter with each command and yet he still stood. He was straining against the beads and he was winning. That's when she felt it. She looked and saw Tetsusaiga. It was pulsing; she looked back towards InuYasha and saw the beads return to normal.
 
`Oh no' she thought.
 
Kouga took this opportunity to strike while InuYasha was occupied. His right leg came around and tried to catch InuYasha in the face. InuYasha's hand shot up and caught his ankle. He hadn't even been looking at him, how did he know?
 
With a loud growl InuYasha grabbed his ankle with both hands and began to turn. He picked up speed and Kouga was quickly getting swung around. Then there was nothing but pain. Kouga back nearly snapped as he was mercilessly slammed into a tree. The trunk splintered and the indent of the wolf's back was evident. InuYasha let go and Kouga fell to the ground with a thud.
 
`Hard to breathe' Kouga thought. `He must have broken a few of my ribs in the process. This isn't looking good.'
 
InuYasha was on him in a flash. He picked him up by his armor and decked him in the face again. Kouga stumbled back, trying to regain his bearings. InuYasha pressed his attack and swiped at Kouga's stomach. Luckily he moved enough not to have his gut sliced open but the blood still came from his now clawed chest. InuYasha had actually pierced his chest plate with his claws. Kouga's vision was quickly getting blurry.
 
`Damn' He thought. `When did he get this tough?'
 
Kouga continued to back up until he felt the rock behind him. He watched InuYasha as he stared at the wounded wolf.
 
`Time to get this wolf off my back once and for all' InuYasha thought to himself.
 
Kagome couldn't comprehend what happened next until it was already done. One second InuYasha is there and the next he had Kouga by the throat, pinned against the rock. He claws digging into this neck every so slowly. Kouga was gasping for air and unable to speak.
 
“So, you think you can just come around, cause trouble, and wound my mate?” InuYasha spat at Kouga. Something incoherent and a lot of gasping came from Kouga. InuYasha squeezed harder. Blood was now coming from underneath his claws. Oh how he had waited for this day; the day to show this damn wolf who was the boss.
 
Kagome could now clearly see InuYasha's face. `His eyes aren't red. He's not in his full demon mode. Then what the hell happened to him? And did he just call me mate????' Kagome's mind spun but then saw where the situation was going and remembered that Kouga had hurt her.
 
A gentle hand came to rest on InuYasha's shoulder and he relaxed his claws enough to stop piercing Kouga's neck.
 
“Its ok, InuYasha, I'm alright.” Kagome said softly finally smiling at him. She still had questions but decided to get this situation resolved first. “You can let him go.”
“NOT THIS TIME!” InuYasha glared back at the helpless wolf. His air was running low and he was getting tingling sensation in his legs. He could barely hold on to InuYasha's wrists any more. “He hurt you, and now he will pay with his life.”
 
“I know that your angry, but please forgive him, just this once.” Kagome asked sincerely as she wrapped her arms around his free arm. “We might need him against Naraku later.”
 
InuYasha considered this for a moment before looking back towards Kouga.
 
“You touch her again, and I will kill you where you stand, are we clear?” He growled at Kouga. He nodded quickly and InuYasha let his grip go. Kouga slid down the boulder and sat against it, quickly breathing in as much as he could. He stood shakily and turned towards Kagome to thank her
 
“Leave Kouga,” she said without looking at him. He went to speak but InuYasha hushed him with a glare. Kouga turned and with one last look at InuYasha, he sped off into the forest.
 
InuYasha walked towards Tetsusaiga and pulled it from the ground. It then shrunk down and he slipped it back into the sheath. He turned to look at Kagome who was still wearing his haori as a jacket of sorts.
 
“I think we need to talk.” she said looking into his eyes.
 
“Yeah,” he said, not breaking their eye contact. He moved closer to her and gently rubbed the back of his finger down her face, whipping away a stray tear. He led her to the boulder and he sat down, his back resting against it. She sat in front of him and stared at his face. The marks were still there.
 
“I assume you want to know what I was doing with Kikyo.” InuYasha got right to the point. Kagome nodded slowly, looking away.
 
“I had to tell her about us.” He said, staring intently at her. Kagome shot her head around to look into his eyes. “She had a right to know. However things got out of hand and I was forced to send her soul to the nether world.” InuYasha said almost matter-of-factly.
 
Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. He had killed her…in a way. “So all I saw was….”
 
“Her vain attempt to get me back to her. But it didn't work and then she threatened you. No one does that to a demon's mate and lives to talk about it.” he said. “That's why I was going to kill Kouga, he hurt you and you are my intended.”
 
Kagome couldn't believe herself. How she had let a single bad thought almost ruin everything she wanted so deeply. And yet…he didn't hesitate to come to her rescue yet again. She moved forward and sat into his lap. She nuzzled her face into his chest and his arms gently wrapped around her. He was careful not to touch her injuries and held her carefully. They stayed like that for a while until Kagome finally spoke up.
 
“So, when did you get the marks on your face?” She asked
 
“I felt them surface when I saw what Kouga had done to you. I was so enraged I was sure that I would have gone full demon. In fact I felt the surge of power that usually comes before but I never lost control.” He said, his hands rubbing down his cheeks over his new marks.
 
“What about the Tetsusaiga?” Kagome continued. “You stuck it in the ground and it didn't change back. In fact, I think it stopped me from s-ing you.”
 
“I can't explain that one, just felt like what I needed to do.” InuYasha said taking in her scent and pressing his nose into her hair.
 
Kagome stopped asking questions and was content to lay there in his arms forever. She knew now that she would never have to worry about him straying away from her. He was hers, and she was his.
 
“We better head back; everyone is going to be worried about you.” InuYasha said finally. Kagome didn't want to move but he was right. She also had to get her arms looked at. He picked her up bridal style and turned towards the village.
 
“Are you ok like that?” He asked.
 
“I'm good, just easy on the bumps alright.” Kagome smiled back at him
 
“You got it” InuYasha grinned and they were off. Kagome noticed that he was faster than usual and it seemed that they made it back to the village in no time. The others came running out of Kaede's hut when they heard InuYasha call them. Sango and Kaede took Kagome in and started working on her wounds while Kirara and Shippou watched. Mirkou went to InuYasha to talk.
 
“I'm sorry” the monk stated
 
“About what?” InuYasha glared at him
 
“I doubted you when you went to see Kikyo.” He said looking at the ground
 
“No bid deal monk, just know that I love Kagome and that will never change.” InuYasha told him
 
“Sure thing” he smiled and sat next to InuYasha. “So, how did you get those marks anyway?”
 
InuYasha started to fill in his friend about what had gone down after he had left.
 
 
That's it for this chapter. I hope you liked it. As always please review, input is always welcome. To those of you that wanted Kouga to die…I apologize but that would have meant sleeping on the couch for a month. Anyway, we're getting fairly close to the final show down. New powers, new alliances, and new lemons (he's got to mark her sometime.) Inspiration from this chapter was drawn from Devikuro or the owner of the ear-tweak website. http://www.ear-tweak.com/ramen/kizuna.htm that is a link to the picture that inspired InuYasha's changes