InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagome and The Silver Hanyou ❯ Chapter 6

Another week passed. Kagome still couldn't believe it that Inuyasha could've change so much. But now, she enjoyed every moment of his affection that he had for her. All the crew accepted her as the Captain's “mate” and they were somehow happy that Kagome had healed his wounded heart. The happiest was Sango. Even if at the beginning she didn't think that their relationship would work, in time, she realized about their feelings, but she couldn't believe that it would come this far, this fast. But although they were together, Kagome still couldn't say the Captain's true name. She still kept it as a secret. The only ones that knew his true name were Kagome and Miroku.

It was a warm summer's night, and Kagome was walking on the beach with Inuyasha. They were walking side by side, on the seashore, the sea's water playing at their feet. Being so close to her in the last period, Inuyasha had developed strong feelings for Kagome. He didn't even know that they could become so powerful. Every look, every touch, every kiss…it drove him crazy. But he had a problem…he had to give her back if her parents will pay for her freedom or if they will find the island. He wouldn't bear that something bad would happen to his friends. But, he couldn't live without Kagome. He would prefer death than being without her. Neither Kagome was feeling different. The last week was the most wonderful one in her life. She never thought that the wretch and bastard of a Captain could transform in a careful and tender Inuyasha. Even she knew this new side of him for only a week, she felt that it was always like this. What would she do just to see those eyes, that smile, those cute ears. She would do anything just to stay by his side, not to return to her father and Sesshoumaru, although it hurt her that her mother was crying for her safety. But she didn't want to leave Inuyasha. She heard about his past and she knew that she was the only one that could heal his heart. She wanted to be with him.

-“So, Kagome, did you like this day?” Inuyasha asked with a smile.

Kagome turned to him, her eyes shining in the moonlight. She said:

-“It was one, no, the best day in my life! I admit that it was better than a month at my aunt's beauty salon, which is my favorite!”

-“I'm happy to hear that, but I have another surprise for you.”

-“Another one? What is it?” Kagome asked anxious.

-“If I tell you, it wouldn't be a secret.”

Kagome pouted and Inuyasha smiled, then said.

-“I will take you to a special place to me. It's a secret, so close your eyes.”

Kagome didn't protest and closed her eyes. She felt how he took her arms and pushes her lightly. She trusted him with her life and let him to direct her. After a short time they stopped. Kagome felt a sweet smell. She became curious to find what it was.

-“We're here,” Inuyasha said letting her go.

Kagome opened her eyes and remain speechless. In front of her was a field with purple flowers that shined in the moonlight. Kagome took a flower and inhaled the sweet smell. A smile appeared on her face. Inuyasha just watched her smiling. After a moment she asked:

-“What is this place?”

-“This is my mother's garden. She always loved these flowers. They're called “Night's aura”, on how my mother named them,” Inuyasha responded with a little pain in his voice.

Kagome dared:

-“You've loved your mother a lot, isn't it?

Inuyasha sighed.

-“Who doesn't love his mother? Every evening I come and visit and talk to her,” he said as he took a flower. He got up and headed to a specific direction. He stopped in front that was a grave. Inuyasha kneeled in front of it.

-“Hello, mother. I've come to see you again,” he talked with his voice higher than a whisper. Kagome watched him and realized how much he loved her. She felt extra, she wanted to leave him alone, but when she wanted to leave he took her hand and pulled her beside him. He really needed someone in that moment. She could see the sadness in his eyes. She almost cried, tears forming in her eyes when he told his mother about her. After a few moments of silence, they got up and left. Kagome asked:

-“Why did you brought me here? You said it was a secret place.”

Inuyasha responded:

-“I've brought you here because I trust you. You have always been with me in the last days and I feel that with you I'm in heaven. Your presence soothes me, Kagome. You mean a lot to me.”

Kagome gasped at his comment. Her eyes filled with tears and she thrown herself at his chest.

Inuyasha pushed her, to remove his necklace and to put it at Kagome's neck. Kagome stared with owe at the beautiful stone that was on the necklace. She looked at him, trying to find answers. He said:

-“I want you to take this. I know that it belonged to Kikyou, but I want you to have it. It will protect you from harm. Kikyou said it has the power to heal wounds and break some spells; it is also the key for opening the kekkai surrounding the island. I want you to have it.”

-“But…why?” Kagome asked shocked.

Inuyasha said nothing, just caressed her face with a passionate look in his eyes. Kagome throwed herself back in Inuyasha's arms, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. Inuyasha smiled as he hugged his “angel”, but his smile faded when he realized something. He couldn't give Kagome. For nothing and no one…not even her family. He could die for her. He NEEDED her.

-“Kagome?”

-“Yes, Inuyasha?”

-“Are you happy with me?”

Kagome smiled and took his hand in hers, nervous on what he'll say. But she said:

-“Yes, very much.”

Inuyasha kissed her hand and looked in her eyes.

-“If your father comes to take you, will you go with him or will you stay with me?”

-“You invite me to stay with you?”

Inuyasha blushed and said:

-“Pretty much, M'Lady.”

Kagome got a knot in her stomach. He just, in a round about way, told her he wanted her to stay. She was torn. She knew she wanted to stay with him, but wanted to be with her family. She pictured her mother crying every night over her safety. She gave a sad look that Inuyasha misinterpreted.

-“I should go now.”

-“Inuyasha! Wait!”

But before she could say something, he disappeared into the forest, leaving her alone.

Kagome remained alone for a few minutes. Why did he run off so suddenly? He looked so sad. Was there something she said? She couldn't realize what happened, but she went in his search. After a couple of minutes she stopped in the middle of the forest. Was she? Yes she was…She was lost.

-`Oh, great! Now I'm lost! I knew I took a wrong turn at that old tree!'

But she didn't know that she was followed. From the bushes, a golden eye was watching her from when Inuyasha left her. Suddenly, a hiss was heard followed by Kagome's shriek.

Inuyasha stared over the sea. Was he a fool? Did he fall in love with someone who didn't love him back? Is Kagome too young to understand? No, she was 16, a lot of his family and friends married at 16. His grandfather and grandmother on his human mother's side married at 17 and are still happily married. Marriage? Was he seriously thinking about marriage? He knew Kagome wouldn't stay with him otherwise. But would her family except him? His thoughts were interrupted by a shriek.

-“Oh, no! Kagome!”

He ran in the direction from where the cries were heard. He could hear her desperate cries.

-`I'm such a fool! How could I let her alone in this forest!?'

He arrived at the place from where the cries were heard, but and leapt out of the way mere moments before the earth beneath him buckled and cracked from a tremendous blow. Immense slabs of hardened dirt and silt, sprinkled with yellowish-green blades of grass were dislodged or thrust upright, standing erect like a row of pointed teeth around the scarred ground. A russet cloud of dust, dirt and debris - kicked up by the force of the impact - hovered over the blast radius, gradually descending back to the terrain.

His jump transported him on a branch, crouching himself like a cat. With a huff, he blew the shock of silver-white bangs out of his amber eyes to see his opponent.

There was a colossal rumbling of shifting earth and stone gnashing together, and the dust that had just began to settle was whipped up anew. From the deep gash in the land rose the cause of it. A tail. An enormous tail that was thicker than a tree trunk with fearsome spines lining the tip.

The tail withdrew, and as the dust cleared, its owner became visible. Looming well over the forest canopy, a massive snake demon swiveled its head slowly from side to side, searching for its prey. A terrible hissing issued from its gaping maw. Rows of needle-thin, razor-sharp teeth were scarcely perceptible through the gap between its scaly lips. Two fangs curled down from its top jaw, much like that of a saber-tooth tiger. Each incisor was easily the length and width of a human arm, and sharpened to a deadly point. From the center of its forehead was a single, reptilian eye that pulsed with a yellow light. The demon's blood-red scales were coated with a thin layer of putrid black sludge. Whenever it shifted, a fresh supply of inky pus oozed from hidden pores beneath the scales. The reeking stench of rotting corpses, blood and acid was enough to turn Inuyasha's stomach, even from this distance.

-“You are one ugly son of a bitch,” he murmured, his voice low and deadly as he stared down the demon. `And dangerous', he added mentally. Then he remembered, “Kagome where are you?”

From a bush on the other side of the demon a shout was heard:

-“I'm here, Inuyasha!”

Without second thoughts, Inuyasha draw Tetsusaiga and ran towards the snake. When Inuyasha was near enough to it, the snake demon let out an earsplitting roar, one that made the earth tremble and quake. The young half-breed could feel the vibrations of the bellow in the soles of his feet.

-“Feh. You're gonna have to do a lot more than snarl in order to scare me,” he murmured as his feet carried him to the enormous snake.

Faster than a lightning strike, the monster's head lashed out, its rapier fangs aimed for Inuyasha. Digging his feet into the soft soil, Inuyasha jerked to a stop and then propelled himself backwards, narrowly avoiding the strike. The demon swung its tail at him and he sidestepped the crushing blow, only to leap out of the way as its fangs imbedded into the ground where he had stood. Ducking, rolling, bending and jumping, Inuyasha evaded every attack thrown at him.

-“Nice moves,” he commented, ducking under the thick tail that at was aimed at his head. “But now it's my turn, wise guy!”

Kagome watched how Inuyasha was heading to the giant snake. Her heart was in her throat. She pleaded that Inuyasha was safe. Suddenly, Inuyasha managed to slice the demon but instead of slicing through the ropy body - through scales, flesh and bone - there was a grating metallic sound and a shower of sparks as the great sword glanced off the blood-red armor-like skin. Inuyasha's amber eyes widened in shock as the Tetsusaiga bound back at him, catching him forcefully in the chest. The power of the recoil sent him crashing to the ground with a pained grunt, clumps of dirt and blades of grass scattering around him. The silver-haired demon raised his head to gap dumbfounded at the snake demon.

-“What the hell?!” he bellowed, his fangs flashing. `Its scales deflected a direct attack from my Tetsusaiga. How is that possible?' he wondered frantically, springing to his feet.

-“Inuyasha!” Kagome shouted worryingly.

-“Stay back, Kagome! I don't want that something bad happens to you!” Inuyasha said before lounging back at the snake.

Meanwhile, in the port, Sango was worried sick. The Captain and Kagome have been gone for quite a while. She knew that she mustn't worry, but she had an odd feeling that something bad could've happen. But maybe it wasn't that. Maybe the Captain and Kagome are too happy together to notice what time it was. Maybe now they're…She blushed and shook her head.

-“Now I think like that pervert!”

-“What are you talking about?”

Sango jumped when she saw Miroku next to her.

-“Nothing! It's just…I was thinking what the Captain and Kagome are doing now. It's been a while since they're gone and…”

-“You're worried about her, aren't you.”

Sango nodded. Miroku put his hand on her shoulder.

-“You shouldn't worry. I'm sure they're okay. Now relax. Maybe a walk on the beach will sooth yourself.”

Miroku took her on the seashore, in a place close to the one where Inuyasha was fighting.

-“KAZE no KIZU!!!”

Sango stopped.

-“Did you hear that, Miroku? It was the Captain's voice!”

-“You're right. And it's coming from the forest! Let's go!”

Back to the fight, Kagome was disoriented by the powerful light. She blinked and shakes her head, trying to recover herself. When she opened her eyes she could see the entire forest. When she was totally recovered, she realized that the wind was blowing through her hair and that she was floating above the trees.

She wished to yell but a familiar voice growled:

-“It was too close. Dirty snake.”

-“Inuyasha!” Kagome hugged him, Inuyasha kissing the top of her head to sooth her.

-“Don't worry, Kagome I'll take you to a safe place. I'm gonna…”

-“Captain!”

They looked down. There were Sango and Miroku. Inuyasha landed next to them. Kagome ran to her friend and they hugged each other.

-“Kagome, where have you been? I was worried about you!”

-“Don't worry, Sango-chan. I was with the Captain. Nothing happened but…”

Before she could finish the sentence, a scaly tail hit the earth, pulling some trees from their roots. Inuyasha took Kagome and Miroku took Sango and could dodge the attack. A scaled head came out of the trees.

-“This demon won't give up! I'll make him do it!” said Inuyasha jumping at the demon, who went straight to him, but as many times he could hit the demon, its scales blocked him to injure the snake.

-“He's without power!” said Sang to Miroku.

He closed his eyes, not wishing to admit.

-“Until the Captain will find a weak point some time soon, I'm afraid that his power won't last much longer. The Captain is strong, but even him won't be able to fight without end.”

Before anyone could respond to this bleak sentiment, a skin-crawling hiss split the air. The group instantly snapped their attention back to the snake demon. Kagome felt her heart plummet into the pit of her stomach when they discovered that single, mammoth eye targeting them. The snake demon had diverted its interest from Inuyasha to his friends. Its thin lips stretched into a terrifying, toothy sneer.

-“Hungreyyyy...” it hissed.

Faster than bullet, the demon's head lashed out at them, its mouth snapping open wide.

Kagome, paralyzed with horror, could only stare at the black void of the demon's throat and the countless rows of dagger-like teeth as streaked towards them with incredible speed. Suddenly, there was a great blaze of light and heat, and she was hit hard from the side. Kagome opened her eyes and saw Inuyasha next to her. They landed on the ground. Something warm, sticky and wet touched Kagome's arm through the fabric of Inuyasha's clothes. Withdrawing from the heat of his body, Kagome glanced at his chest. Panic rose in her throat at the sight that met her. From his neck, shoulders, arms, chest, and stomach - his entire upper torso in fact - was drenched with dark crimson blood. Rivulets of maroon dripped like ruby rain off the edge of his sleeves. Deep, angry incisions poked through the numerous tears in his clothing. Many of them were still sluggishly oozing blood.

Worst of all, she knew that every last drop of it was his.

-“Inuyasha….” Kagome breathed, realizing that both her hands and clothes were stained with his blood.

The dog demon glanced down at her. When he detected her eyes on his injured body, he merely shrugged it off.

-“Just a few scratches,” he murmured. “But we need to find a weak spot!”

-“I noticed that the snake has one unprotected eye. That could be his weak spot.”

-“Are you sure about that?”

-“Not really. It's just a theory…”

-“You aren't sure?! What if he kills me if I try to kill him?!”

-“You've got a better idea?!” Kagome cried at him with tears streaming from her eyes, then she turned around and left.

Inuyasha watched her, but heard how the demon pulled out some trees, in search of them.

-“We have to find another method to kill him, or he'll destroy the entire forest!” said Miroku coming beside Inuyasha.

-“Kagome said that the eye could be a weak point.”

-“It's a good idea! It's the only unprotected spot. That could be the point where to attack.”

Inuyasha lifted the Tetsusaiga saying:

-„I think that i have no other choice.”

-„We will be right behind you,” Miroku told him as Kirara transformed herself in her demonic form.

-„Don't come too close,” Inuyasha warned. He looked at Kagome and grumbled, „Take care of her for me.”

-„We will,” said Miroku.

Without another word, the silver-haired dog demon leapt between tree trunks making his way up to the top. When he broke through the leafy green canopy of the forest, he saw with perfect clarity the enormous shape of the snake demon. Bounding over trees, Inuyasha flew towards the demon, ignoring the pain of his injuries.

-“Oi! Ugly! Over here!” he yelled, attracting the demon's searching gaze.

The monstrous snake roared and lashed out at Inuyasha with its tail. Anticipating the blow, he vaulted into the air and captured one of its tail spikes in his clawed hand. Holding on with all his might, he delayed moving until the demon had settled. When it was stable enough for him to move, Inuyasha heaved himself up onto the writhing, scaly body.

The black sludge the secreted from the demon's scales made an disgusting sound as his feet sunk deep into it as he sprinted up the length of its body. There was a sizzling sound and the putrid scent of burning flesh before Inuyasha felt the pain in his feet. Glancing down as he ran, he saw that his boots were melted and the flesh of his skin was bubbling. Enormous blisters were sprouting up around the enflamed area and blood was seeping from the soles of his feet. The world faded in and out of focus as his vision grew hazy as the venom soaked into his body through his feet.

-`Dammit', Inuyasha cursed, driving his legs faster over the snake's body. `Venomous acid. I've got to kill this thing quickly.'

The demon bucked and twisted, attempting to dislodge him, but Inuyasha held fast, despite the slippery, acidic slime. He dashed up the demon's body, racing straight towards its head. Unsheathing the Tetsusaiga, it transformed with a flare of light.

-“Heh. You've been a real pain in my ass,” Inuyasha snarled at the demon, propelling himself off the snake demon's body and launching high into the sky. “Too bad I'm going to have to cut your life short!”

He concentrated upon the moment.

-“Here goes nothing!” Inuyasha roared. “KAZE no-!”

Inuyasha's battle cry was cut off when the demon's tail crashed into his chest. Pain lanced through him as its tail spikes drove straight through the flesh of his right shoulder and leg and slashed against the side of his face.

The force of the impact jarred his grip on the Tetsusaiga. The collision, along with his exhausted body, torturous wounds, and the trace amount of poison that was now in his bloodstream, cause the sword to be ripped from his hand.

-“No!” the half-breed cried, snatching blindly at the air. His fingers just barely clipped the hilt of the sword before it spiraled out of his grasp. It plummeted to the ground with a clang. Light flared around the blade and it reverted back to its rusty, battered form.

Fear unlike anything he'd ever known shot through him. The Tetsusaiga was the only thing keeping his bloodthirsty demon-half in check. Without the sword in his hand, there was nothing preventing the beast inside him from breaking through. He changed only when he did not possess the Tetsusaiga and his life was in mortal peril.

He could perfectly remember the last time he had transformed. His demon half had ruthlessly slaughtered an entire band of thieves, showing no mercy even when they had begged him for their lives. While Inuyasha himself could not recall the event once he had turned back, the scent of their blood had lingered on his claws for weeks afterward, no matter how many times he washed his hands. The smell remained, reminding him that he had morphed into a murderous killing-machine. And he knew that he could turn on his friends and kill them without even knowing it or being able to stop it.

He wouldn't allow that to happen. He needed the sword back

The silver-haired demon growled in frustration and seized the spike piercing his shoulder. Jerking himself free of the monster's spines, regardless of any further injuries, he crashed solidly to the ground. White-hot pain slashed through him as the heavy landing sent shockwaves through his raw, bloodied feet. Gasping, Inuyasha swayed precariously. Shaking his head to clear his vision, he quickly locating the fallen Tetsusaiga and dashed towards it.

Every step was agony. The acid had eaten through most of the flesh on the bottoms of his feet. Blood flowed at a steady rate from his soles, staining the grass with crimson footsteps. But Inuyasha pressed forward through the pain, zeroed in on his sword.

A mere foot away from his weapon, he caught a glimpse of Kirara soaring over the tops of the trees, the three humans on her back. But that moment of distraction cost him dearly as a rope of red scales landed in front of him, barring the way. Caught off guard, Inuyasha couldn't move fast enough to jump over it before the demon's tail encircled him. He grunted in pain as it wrapped tightly around him, pinning his arms to his sides as it trapped him within its coils.

There was a chorus of horrified yells from his friends.

-“No! Inuyasha!”

-“He's not holding the Tetsusaiga! His demon half could take over!”

Kagome horrified herself.

-“What do you mean by that, Miroku?”

-“Every time he doesn't have Tetsusaiga, his demon-half could take control of his body. He's out of control. He kills everyone, without caring if it is friend or foe. We've got to help him fast, before it's too late!”

-“Kirara, take us down! Now! We must help him!” Sango said to the Fire-cat demon.

Grumbling, Inuyasha thrashed about, his fangs bared:

-“Let go of me, you bastard!” he yelled, struggling to free his arms and legs. The black sludge was now sliding over his entire body.

The demon let out a series of short, choppy hisses, laughing snake-like at him. The coils constricted around Inuyasha.

He snarled:

-“Laugh now while you still can. When I get out of here, I promise you, I'll be the one with the last laugh!”

As the snake's body tightened around him, the slimy obsidian acid steeped through his clothes. He cried out in pain as the poison singed his exposed skin, scorching his flesh, eating away at it. His clothing sizzled as the acid consumed the fabric, burning straight through it. The acid covered his open wounds, searing them like placing a red-hot poker over them. Worse yet was that Inuyasha could feel the poison entering his bloodstream as the acid burned more wounds into his body.

-`My strength is draining, Inuyasha panicked, feeling the agony sap his power. I've gotta get out of this.

-“You are not taking me down without a fight you son of a bitch!” he shouted, kicking and squirming as much as the tight coils would allow him. But he knew things didn't look good. The venom was already in his body. The more he struggled, the more it spread. At the same time, he knew that if he stopped moving, the snake demon would squeeze him until he was dead.

-“Hurry!” Miroku yelled, vaulting over the side of Kirara's shoulder the second she landed. “We've got to save Inuyasha!”

-“You stay here, Kagome,” Sango ordered as she jumped off Kirara. She gave Kagome a bow with arrows, saying, “Use it well. Remember the lessons I thought you.”

-“Okay,” she nodded in agreement, taking up her bow.

Then Sango sprinted after the monk, ripping her Hiraikotsu from her back and flinging the enormous boomerang-like weapon at the demon. It spun through the air and clipped the side of the demon's neck. Harmlessly, it glanced off its scales. The demon slayer caught it as it flew back toward her.

Nocking an arrow, Kagome fired at the demon's eye, but it ducked out of the way

-“Aim for its eye!” Miroku called out, dodging another attack. Throwing an anxious glance at the half-breed trapped within the demon's coils, he yelled. “Captain, hang in there!”

-`I can't move.'

Inuyasha's breathing was labored. His heart was pounding erratically. Pain was turning his world dark. His skin was bubbling and boiling, melting off his bones in a bloody mess. Blood loss and the poison were clouding his vision, fogging up his head.

The snake was constricting him slowly, hampering all movement and crushing his lungs against his chest. Breathing became impossible. Inuyasha's bones cracked and popped as the coils tightened. The venom was eating him alive.

-`If he doesn't get free soon, he's going to transform!' Kagome thought fearfully, firing another arrow.

Inuyasha stopped struggling. His breathing stilled. An arrow dropped to the ground. Kagome's head snapped onto Inuyasha. Darkness erupted around the half-demon, enshrouding him, twisting and corrupting his aura. The priestess's brown eyes widened. Her bow clattered to the earth aside the fallen arrow.

-“No,” Kagome breathed, and then screamed, “Inuyasha!”