InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lost and Found ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter 10

 

Sorry it has taken me so long to update, this summer was a mess. I am so glad it's over.

BrightShadow4494; Thank you for your kind words.

 

 

 

“Me?” Inuyasha was startled by the monk's declaration. “Why do you think it was aimed at me?”

 

“Unlike Kurama or even Ryu, we do have enemies, and it's obvious where your strength comes from.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Think about it Inuyasha. You are stronger when Kagome is near; you fight fiercely to protect her. SHE is your strength, and this was before you mated. Think seriously about how you would feel if she was threatened right now.”

 

Sango gave a small gasp as Inuyasha's eyes bled red, and he gave a low growl that sounded demonic even to his ears. Shaking his head to try to get control of his demon, he felt Kagome's slender arms slide around his neck. Pulling her close he inhaled her scent, feeling instantly calmer.

 

Now that he was calm, he was afraid of what the others thought of his near transformation. Reaching out with his senses, he was surprised to feel no fear from them.

 

Miroku nodded thoughtfully. “Whoever our enemy is, I don't think they know about Kagome's calming influence on you. I think their plan was to infect you with the nightmares that Kurama now suffers from in the hopes that you would turn on Kagome. After you realized what you had done, the guilt would have destroyed you. Am I right?

 

Inuyasha hung his head. “I would commit hara-kiri,” he answered so quietly that the others barely heard him.

 

Kagome hugged him tighter, kissing the tip of his ear. “You've never hurt me when you're transformed and I believe you never will.”

 

 

Miroku said soothingly, “We are only guessing. But this is the only way the attack on Kurama makes sense.”

 

“Unless we're looking at this wrong,” Kaede remarked. “If the plan is to destroy Inuyasha slowly, attacking a pack member makes sense.”

 

Ryu spoke up. “I see one problem with your theory, Miroku. If this enemy knows you well enough to know your strengths and weaknesses, then how did it mistake Kurama for Inuyasha?”

 

“Most of our enemies are basically cowards.” Sango answered, not hiding the disdain in her voice. “They send others to do their dirty work. We've dealt with incarnations, demons driven mad by a shard of the jewel, enchantments of all kinds, humans and demons lied to by Naraku and then sent to attack us, shikigami…..” Sango's voice trailed off as her eyes met Miroku's.

 

Miroku nodded slowly, understanding. Any more conversation was halted as several stomachs gave loud growls.

 

Inuyasha slapped his forehead with his palm. “It must be almost noon and we've not had a meal.” Standing he announced, “I'm going hunting.”

 

Kurama rose to his feet. “I'll go with you.” At the half demon's nod, he looked at the others. “Why don't you get a fire started? We'll be back soon.”

 

Watching the men walk away, Kaede looked at Ryu with concern. “How are `ye holding up child?”

 

 

Ryu smiled ruefully at the old woman. “I'm ok. I just don't like sitting around. I'd rather be doing something.”

 

Kagome laughed. “Inuyasha says he feels a connection to you, but that's just uncanny.” At Ryu's puzzled look, she explained. “You sounded just like him. He hates to wait, even if rushing in will just about get him killed.”

 

Grinning Miroku added, “We're only now getting him to see the necessity of, sometimes, needing a plan of attack.”

 

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Hunting had been successful. They had killed and skinned four rabbits. Walking back to Kaede's, Inuyasha could see that Kurama was still very troubled by the events of the past few weeks. Sighing he said, “Kurama sit here. Let's talk.”

 

Kurama nodded slowly. Sinking to the ground, he bit back a groan. By the tone of voice, this was Leader of the Pack talking.

 

Inuyasha continued, “I think I understand better than the others how you feel, but you have to stop feeling guilty. Whether it was me they were after or you, it happened and we will fix it.”

 

“I know.” Kurama stared at the ground in front of him. “I've killed when I had to, I can be a ruthless coldhearted bastard. Youko was nothing but a thief and a scoundrel. But this. This bloodlust.”

 

Inuyasha stood. “Let's get these rabbits to Kaede.” Looking at the man walking next to him, he said,”You're better since you got some rest. Kurama, know that we will help you and try not to dwell on it, it makes Ryu worry.”

 

Kurama could do nothing but nod. Ryu had been a saint and he would try not to worry her.

 

**************************************

 

Kaede pointed out to Shippo which herbs to pick. She wanted to add a bundle of fresh herbs to the dry ones she had packaged for the trip the young ones would be taking. She had no idea if herbs could be used to try to free Kurama's memory, but she meant to make sure the Grandparents had all they may need. As she worried over these small details, she was listening with one ear as Kagome and Ryu debated whether or not Kurama should just be taken back through the wells. Finally, the old miko could no longer hold her tongue. “You may want to discuss this with Kurama first. He is a prideful man. Taking this trip the hard way may be just what he needs.”

 

Ryu looked stunned. Finally she said, “You're right, Kaede. I didn't think about it that way. He would see us trying to get him through the wells as being babied.”

 

Kagome snickered, “Kaede, how is it you know so much about men when you've never been married?”

 

Kaede actually blushed. “Feh. I'm old. It comes from years of observing people, and having you lot to take care of!”

 

Kagome and Ryu looked at each other and giggled.

 

****************************************

 

A few miles away a solitary young woman walked, her features not showing the inner turmoil her thoughts were creating.

 

She thought back to the last conversation she'd had with Inuyasha. The one where he told her, not unkindly, that he loved Kagome and would be taking her as his mate. He also informed her that although he owed her Naraku's death he did not owe her his life.

 

Settling herself at the base of a tree, she tried to sort out her feelings. After Inuyasha had left, she wanted to be angry. She wanted to see this as a betrayal. But she couldn't. She had changed since Kagome had saved her from Naraku's miasma.

 

She shook her head a little, as she thought about her. Kagome. She had tried many times to do harm to the oddly dressed girl. And as many times, Kagome had come to her aid. Her reason. It would cause Inuyasha pain. What Kagome didn't understand, and what she, Kikyo could see, was that Inuyasha had started to have feelings for her. Now Inuyasha had acted on those feelings.

 

Why? Why didn't it matter to Kagome? It had mattered so much to her. His demon side. Did that mean that she did not love him? No, she had cared, but maybe not enough. Could you only love half of someone? Kikyo thought she, maybe, understood. Kagome's actions were a simple example of unconditional love.

 

Mixed in with the thoughts about Inuyasha and Kagome were questions about what she had witnessed a few weeks ago. Walking in the forest outside what had been her home village, she had noticed a strange red haired young man near Go-Shinboko fighting a bear demon when a movement in the grass behind the young man caught her attention.

 

A large snake demon was slithering towards him fast. Her shout of warning died in her throat, as the young man whipped around and sliced the head off the snake with the strange weapon in his hand. Miasma poured out, overwhelming the boy. She had readied an arrow and fired, seeking only to purify the miasma. Shockingly a tall silver haired fox demon stood in the middle of the swirling mass of poison.

 

Meeting his eyes for a moment before her arrow hit its mark, her attention was drawn to the demon bear as he howled and ran off. Swinging her gaze back to where she had seen the fox, she was surprised to see that he had disappeared. The red head lay unconscious.

 

Needing to investigate, she was struck by the fact she had sensed no demonic aura from the fox, the bear yes, but not the fox. Shrugging she wondered if he had been caught in the backwash of her arrow. She hoped so, one less demon.

 

Kneeling next to the fallen young man, she studied his face. She had seen him in front of sister Kaede's hut. Staying in the trees, she had watched as he played with the young kitsune that followed after Kagome. Did that mean he was a friend, relative of hers? Gracefully rising to her feet, she turned her back on the prone man. He was, after all, not her problem.

 

Walking a short distance away, she noticed something on the ground. Bending to pick it up, she was struck by the feeling of dread that was coiling around in her brain. Naraku had just become a lot more dangerous. Looking down at the shikigami in her trembling hand, she could just make out the faint pulses of Naraku's evil aura. But who? Who would work with that...monstrosity?

 

To charge a shikigami to the size of that snake and fill it with a miasma required someone of great spiritual powers. But who? And why? Why would someone of that stature work with someone as evil and twisted as Naraku?

 

Shaking her head and bringing her thoughts back to the present, she rose gracefully from the base of the tree. She still had not found out who would be crazy enough to work with Naraku, but she had a lead. Starting to walk again, she wondered, not for the first time, if she should let Inuyasha and his mate know of the latest development. Shrugging, she thought that, maybe if she ran into them she would.

 

Walking again, her face still not showing her inner turmoil. However, she was no longer alone. Her Shinidamachū were floating, twisting beside and around her.

 

*********************************************

 

Kaede looked at the group lounging around on the ground. Lunch had been eaten and everyone had a full stomach and was content, for now, to enjoy each other's company. Shaking her head, she smiled. Nothing in her life or training had prepared her for this motley crew. Two half demons, a man with a demon inside him, though she sensed they were merging before this incident happened, a girl from the future with unexplored miko powers, a demon slayer, a once lecherous monk and a full blooded demon kitsune, who was like a grandson to her.

 

Looking over at Ryu and Kurama stretched out on the grass, she grinned a little. She had been right about Kurama's reaction about going through the wells. He had vehemently vetoed the idea.

 

Letting her eyes wonder over the group again, her smile started to fade, so young, so much in love, so….oblivious. Shaking her head, she knew she would have to be the voice of reason.

 

“Before you leave in the morning, there are some things that must to be discussed.”

 

Hearing the seriousness in Kaede's voice, Shippo stopped his scampering to sit as six pair of eyes focused on her. “Inuyasha, you know how dangerous it is for a hanyou, but Ryu does not, her life may have been lonely, but it was not filled with danger as yours was.” Seeing Inuyasha nod at Ryu, sensing that he would take care of it, she continued. “You also have to be careful when entering a human village. There are those who would seek to do harm to demons or hanyous who mate with humans.” Again, Kaede paused as Kagome gasped.

 

At Kagome's gasp, Miroku looked at her quickly. Noting the wide eyes and trembling hands, he felt his eyebrows climb, asking a silent question.

 

Catching the looking on the monk's face, Kagome tried to explain how she was feeling. “I knew how much danger there was, I'd just forgotten.” Taking Inuyasha's hand in hers, she said, “I can't understand how there can be that much hate for who someone is, not anything that they've done. I don't want anything to happen to Inuyasha because someone just doesn't understand our desire to be together.”

 

“It's not just Inuyasha and Kagome who have to be careful. Ryu, you and Kurama need to watch yourselves, too.” Kaede again paused as startled eyes looked at her.

 

Looking at the couple in front of her, she continued. “With eyes like yours Ryu, the demon in you is obvious, but Kurama looks human even if we know about the demon in him.”

 

“You have to hide your mating marks!” Sango interjected urgently.

 

All eyes came to rest on Ryu. Dressed in her customary t-shirt, her mating mark was plainly visible.

 

“Child?” Kaede questioned gently.

 

Ryu looked at the ground and nodded resignedly.

 

“Thank you.” Kaede said with a smile. “It will help keep you safe from those who wish to do you harm.” With that she rose, muttering about things to do and slowly walked back to her hut.

 

Ryu felt all eyes on her, but kept her gaze stubbornly fixed on the ground, her face slowly turning red.

 

Finally, Inuyasha took the initiative asking, “Oi, you want to tell us what that was about?”

 

“It's nothing really, just Kaede had more traditional clothing made for me.”

 

Kurama felt his jaw go slack in shock. “You don't mean a kimono?”

 

Ryu looked at him quickly, grinning slightly at the look on his face. “Heck no! She had a haori and hakama made for me.”

 

“This could actually be fun.” Sango said in a falsely bright voice. “It's warm enough for us to camp, so we can avoid the villages if we need to. We haven't spent a lot of time together since our ceremony, and we could use this time to catch up.”

 

The gathered friends appreciated Sango's attempts to lighten the mood, but everyone's thoughts were plainly visible on their faces. Hunted by demons for the shards, hunted by humans for who they dare love and hunted by a mysterious foe, who had already attacked one of them. Was that attack an isolated incident or were they all in danger?

 

 

 

A/N: In Japanese, hara-kiri is a colloquialism, seppuku being the more formal term. Samurai (and modern adherents of bushido) would use seppuku, whereas ordinary Japanese (who in feudal times as well as today looked askance at the practice) would use hara-kiri. Hara-kiri is the more common term in English, where it is often mistakenly rendered "hari-kari." From Wikiepedia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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