InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love, Interrupted ❯ Chapter 37 ( Chapter 37 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Inuyasha and Kagome awoke the next morning to the sound of three fussy babies and chirping birds. As Kagome set about changing and feeding the babies, Inuyasha went outside to take care of "business." He returned with food and beverages from their hosts,
"Here's breakfast, Kagome. Looks good ... fresh bread, butter, fruit, corn porridge, juice and tea." he said, listing off what he had.
"Mmmmm. Good. I'm famished." she said, as he sat down beside her.
He smirked, "I have no idea why that would be."
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and hit him with her right elbow, almost causing him to spill his juice,
"Heeeey." he protested as she smiled at him.
Inuyasha cut up some bread for her and spread the freshly made butter over the crusty loaf as Kagome piled her bowl high with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and gooseberries. They ate their hearty breakfast then packed up their belongings. Exiting their room, they took the eating utensils out to their hosts where Kagome thanked them with a bowl and bid them farewell,
"Gee, they gave us rather odd looks, Inuyasha. I wonder what their problem was this morning?" Kagome wondered, as they headed out of the village and onto Ah-Un,
Inuyasha gave out a low whistle and responded with a low, "Have no idea, Koi." as he shook his head at Kagome's lack of knowing how loud she actually could get when they made love.
After stopping by a river for Ah-Un to get his fill, they headed off. Myouga rejoined the small group as promised. They were flying through the sky when they heard a voice,
"Inuyashaaaa!"
"Huh? I know that voice." said Inuyasha, as he cocked his head to find the source of it.
Kagome looked up, "HACHI!" she said, surprised.
"Hachi?" said Inuyasha, "He's not with Miroku and the others?"
Hachi landed with a soft thud on Ah-Un, "Inuyasha. Kagome. I'm so glad to see you. What has happened to Master Miroku and the others?"
"Ryouya shot them with those poison arrows and then he hid the bodies so we can't find them." said Kagome, "I thought you were there too, the day we were shot."
Hachi scratched his head, "No. When you all went outside, I snuck out the back window of the house. I didn't like what I was sensing so I ran away." he admitted.
"Well, I guess it's a good thing you did. Otherwise, you'd be with them." said Inuyasha.
"I realize that now. Tell me, where are you going?" asked Hachi.
"To meet with a demon named Takakiko." said Inuyasha.
"Who?" said Hachi.
"Takakiko is a fierce demon that likes nothing more that to eat humans and other demons." said Myouga.
Hachi looked worridly from Myouga to Inuyasha and scratched his head. He began to pull a leaf from his vest, "Ok then, well, I'll be going." he started.
Inuyasha reached out and grabbed his tail, "STOP! You're staying, Hachi."
Hachi's eyes grew wide in fear, "But, surely you don't need me ...?"
Inuyasha's glare stopped Hachi from any more protesting. He knew better than to anger the half-demon unnessecarily. He turned around and made himself comfortable,
"How far to we have yet to go?" he asked.
"We'll be there soon." answered Myouga.
The sun was high overhead when Myouga ordered Ah-Un to land in a small village. The village was surrounded by craggy cliffs that dropped into the sea, except for the very front of the village, which led to a sandy beach where fishing boats lined up in the water,.
"Where are we Myouga?" asked Inuyasha, as he glanced around.
It was obviously a fishing village. Small, quaint and quiet. The villagers ignored the arrival of Ah-Un and his travelers, giving Kagome the impression they were used to demons within their midst. Hopping off of the dragon, Myouga ordered Inuyasha to follow the road to the very end to the beach. There, on the beach, sat a tiny hut,
"RAFU!" Myouga called out, "It is I, Myouga. Myouga the flea, retainer to the great dog-general of the west."
"Myouga?" came a very old sounding male voice from within the hut, "I haven't heard that name in years. You still alive, you old bug?"
The reed door opened and out stepped a pale, withered, dried up old man. He walked with a cane and wore a tattered kimono that looked (and smelled) like it hadn't been washed in 100 years. When he smiled, he revealed a toothless grin,
"What do you want with me, old flea? And who are your young companions?"
"Rafu, allow me to introduce to you Inuyasha ... the dog general's youngest son. And his mate, Kagome." Myouga started.
"Inuyasha, you say?" the old man walked up to Inuyasha, as Myouga held his breath, "You're a hanyou, I see."
"Gotta problem with that, old man?" Inuyasha raised his voice and his fist.
"Nope. Not at all. Didn't know the old hound had plugged himself a human female, that's all."
WHACK! SLAM!
"INUYASHA!" Kagome chided her mate, as she grabbed his arm.
"Rafu, I should have warned you, about Inuyasha's temper ..." said Myouga.
"Got the old man's temper, do ya now whelp?' chuckled the old man, as he stood up from his pounding, "Haven't received a whacking that good in over 200 years. Ahhh, I miss your father." he said, rubbing his newly formed lumps, "So, whaddya want here, Myouga?"
"Master Inuyasha must visit Takakiko." said Myouga.
"He desires to end his life that fast, huh? Stupid youngster ... you got such a voluptuous mate too." he winked and eyed Kagome lecherously.
WHACK! SLAM! PUNCH!
"OLD MAN!!!!" Inuyasha growled, this time with no admonishment from Kagome, who just stared at the ancient man,
'Was I just hit on by him?' she thought to herself in disbelief.
The old man just chuckled at Inuyasha's response, as three new lumps formed on his head,
"Anyway, why do you desire to see her?" he asked.
"Master Inuyasha must discover a way to see through the illusions of Ryouya, Mei's son." answered Myouga.
"Hmmm." mused the old man, his voice turning serious. He turned away from the group and face out to the sea, "See those mountains over there?" he pointed.
The group followed his point. There, in the distance, stood a range of tall mountains.
"Takakiko lives amongst them. At the highest peak in the center." Rafu continued on.
The group saw the peak the old man was talking about. It raised high above the sea above the clouds. Dark storm clouds surrounded the peak, lightening flashing all around. Below the cloud line, a circle of large birds flew around the mountain. The air was purple with miasma,
"That rock is no place for a beautiful woman." he looked at Kagome, his eyes full of lust, "Or pups." his finished, as his eyes fell on her sling. He ignored Inuyasha's menacing growl, "They should stay here. Under my protection, of course."
WHACK!
"Like hell she will." said Inuyasha.
"Kagome can stay inside the village, master." Myouga said, trying to diffuse the situation.
Rafu sighed, "Oh well. It's been ages since I last enjoyed the confort of one so beautiful." he shook his head.
"And it will be a cold day in hell before you lay a finger on my woman, you lecherous old geezer!" Inuyasha informed him.
Rafu sighed again, "Well, since you won't be coming back ...I can always wait."
"Huh?" said Kagome.
Rafu looked at her, "Surely, you know that no one has returned from visiting Takakiko. Her mountain is littered with the bones of all who have gone to see her. Those birds swirling her mountain are vultures awaiting the remains of her next victim."
Kagome's eyes widened. Totousai had said something about that, but now that she saw the mountain and sensed the demonic aura, her fear for Inuyasha grew,
"HMPH! Not gonna happen old man. I ain't like the others." Inuyasha said, arms crossed.
"You still insist on going, youngster?" the old man look at him with wizened eyes.
"Damn right. My friends' lives are at stake." Inuyasha said.
"You are doing this for the lives of your friends and not power?" Rafu looked at Inuyasha in a different manner, "Then allow me to tell you this. Takakiko is not one but four people housed in one body. She is blind from age. She uses an orb to be able to see. Be watchful, young demon." Rafu turned and walked back into his hut.
Inuyasha watched him leave and then turned to Kagome. He parted the sling and rubbed the heads of his pups, kissing each on the top of their heads. He then took Kagome's face in his hands and lifted it up so that she looked in his eyes,
"I have to leave now, Kagome. I promise, I'll return." he said, as his lips touched hers.
Her soft whimper encouraged him to press his lips tighter to hers. How he didn't want to break that kiss! As he broke away, his eyes went back down to his pups. He noticed one was awake and looking right at him. He rubbed the pup's head again and whispered,
"Take good care of your mama for me, ok Shinta?" he smiled at his son.
Shinta yawned and smiled back at his father, as if saying, "Ok dad. Go ahead. I'm in charge now."
Kagome grabbed his sleeve, "Wait, Inuyasha."
"What?"
"I don't know why ... but something inside me is telling me to ... here take this." she said, handing him the purple sphere that Rei had left her.
Inuyasha took the sphere and looked at it. He then put it inside his hitoe as he smiled at her, "Thanks."
Inuyasha turned and grabbed Ah-Un's reins, "Let's go, Myouga. Hachi."
"Huh?" asked Myouga, "Why do you need ..."
SQUISH!
"Because I told you to!" said Inuyasha. as he jumped up on Ah-Un's back and headed off to the tall mountain peak.
Kagome watched him go, a tinge of fear filling her core. Trying to fight it back, she turned and headed into the village.
----------------------------
Lightning flashed around the center of the mountain. Inside the dark, dank cave, an ancient creature moved slowly about,
"Ahhh, sisters, someone approaches."
"What do you see? Give me the orb of sight."
"No No. Just wait. Ahhh, he's a delectable looking one, I must say. And a chubby demon too."
"A man? A man approaches our mountain? Lemme see, sister. Give me the orb!"
One sister licked her gnarly lips, "Hmm. Not very meaty from what I can tell, but he still looks delicious."
----------------------------
Inuyasha hopped off Ah-Un when it became clear the dragon was unable to advance ant further. The creature laid down and curled up and refused to go any further,
"Alotta good you are." muttered Inuyasha, as he began scaling the mountain peak with Hachi on his back.
They climbed further up the mountain,
"Where's the cave, Myouga?" Inuyasha asked.
"I ... I don't know. I've never been this close to this place before. Use your nose, master."
"Lazy bug." Inuyasha was obviously irritated by Myouga's and Hachi's fear, which heightened his own fear.
He reached a landing near the mountain peak, "This is it guys." he said, as he advance towards the cave opening.
Entering the mouth of the cave, he allowed his eyes to adjust to the inky blackness. It took everything in his power not to cough, as he covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve. He called inside,
"Yo. Takakiko. You here, old woman?"
He heard a cackling from inside and heard something slithering across the floor. As his eyes adjusted, he focused on a hideous creature that appeared on the cave floor, below the crevice he was on. Myouga trembled and Hachi covered his face in fear. Inuyasha realized they had seen the creature that had caused him to wrinkle up his own face in disgust.
The creature had numerous arms, or tentacles, he wasn't sure which. Two extremely wrinkled heads were on top of the torso. One wrinkled head appeared from the back of one of the heads on the torso and finally, a wrinkled head and neck protruded from the chest of the creature. Their body was covered in open, pussy sores. Their eyes were shut and one held a spherical glass in her gnarled hand against where the eyes should have been,
"Ahhhh ... visitors ... please come closer ... my sisters and I are blind ... we cannot see you clearly."
"I'm close enough, old hag. I need answers." demanded Inuyasha.
"And why should we give you answers? What will you give us in return?" said a head.
"Your delectable body, perhaps?" said another head.
"Perhaps we shall move closer to you." said another head, as the creature started to slither across the floor.
"Yes, yes. Wait for us, young man." cackled a head.
'That orb.' thought Inuyasha, 'That's their vision.'
"Hachi." Inuyasha whispered to the raccoon dog, "Transform into something, fly in and grab that orb. Bring it back to me."
Hachi looked fearfully at Inuyasha, who glared back at him with daggers. Hachi quickly decided it was safer to chance the hag. He transformed into an hawk, swooped in and grabbed the orb, flying back to Inuyasha and dropping it in his hands,
"THE ORB OF SIGHT! AAAACCKK! WHAT HAPPENED TO IT!" the creature screamed in fear.
"Don't worry, hag. It's here. I have it. It's safe. And it will remain safe as long as you answer my questions." said Inuyasha, his air cocky.
The creature's voice became worried, "Fine. We'll answer any questions you have. Just give us back the orb."
"In due time, hag. First, how do I find and see through illusions created by the dog demon Ryouya of the southern lands?"
'Ryouya? He is a powerful illusionist and deadly. Do not underestimate him, hanyou." cackled a head.
"Answer me or I crush the orb!"
"You have the power within you to see through the illusions. We sense the aura surrounding you. You hold the Amythyst Sphere."
"The what?" queried Inuyasha.
"A purple aura surrounds you. That crystal you carry will enable you to see through the illusion."
"That's it?" Inuyasha asked incredulously.
The creature cackled, "Of course not. You think it would be that simple? You must break the orb and release its power. Then your demon sword will absorb the power, enabling you to see through all illusions."
"HMPH! Fine ...so I break the orb. That's easy."
"You think so, hanyou?" the creature cackled again, "Only the fusion of Reiki and Demon can open the sphere."
"Fusion of Reiki and Demon? What's that supposed to mean?" asked Inuyasha.
"That is all we can tell you."
"We can tell you no more."
"So I open up the sphere and I can see the illusions? What you've told me is the truth?" asked Inuyasha.
"Yes. But, just seeing through the illusions is not enough. Ryouya is capable of poisoning his illusions. Should you walk through the illusion, you will be killed."
Myouga and Hachi gasped at this news. Another head on the creature provided more,
"But, you have touched the Orb of Sight. As it gives us the power to see, so it has given your robe ... the robe of the fire-rat ... protection against any poisons."
"I see." said Inuyasha, "And all this is the truth."
"Yes. We swear of it. Now give us back the orb."
"Good. Here, fetch!" he yelled out, as he threw the orb into the cave, past the creature.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH! WHERE IS IT? WHERE'S THE ORB?" the creature slithered around as it tried to find it's treasure.
Inuyasha turned around and began to hop down the rock back towards Ah-Un.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Kagome sat quietly at the base of a tree in the middle of the village. As she relaxed, she sensed a presence watching her. She opened her eyes and saw a middle aged woman staring at her,
"May I help you?" Kagome queried.
"I smell poison on you. A specific poison. Tell me, where did you get it?" the woman asked her.
"Huh? Poison? Oh, these?" Kagome questioned, removing an arrow from her quiver, as she stood up.
The woman took the arrow and sniffed the tip, "Yes. This is an herb from my garden. How did you come to obtain it?"
Kagome looked at the woman in surprise. Was this the woman that her mother's professor had talked about?
"That arrow was shot at me. By Ryouya."
"It hit you? Someone knew the antidote and revived you?" the woman pressed on.
"No. It barely affected me. But, I know of the antidote." Kagome said.
The woman's eyes became slits, 'Who is this girl that can withstand my poison?'
Suddenly, Kagome gasped. She felt her heart skip a beat. She pressed her hand against her heart, "Inuyasha!"
-------------------------------------
Inuyasha was close to Ah-Un. He'd be glad to off this mountain and breathe some fresh air. His lungs burned and his eyes watered. He felt weak and light-headed. The miasma was making him extremely ill.
As Inuyasha landed softly beside Ah-Un, the dragon looked up at him. The ground began to shake violently underneath them and the vultures began swirling closer to them, their calls becoming louder and louder,
'What's happening?" said Inuyasha aloud.
The ground crumbled underneath them, sending them falling into the deep abyss.