InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Malice ❯ Fallback: Come Into My Parlor... ( Chapter 38 )

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

Chapter 38: Fallback: Come into My Parlor...

This was it. Obake would arrive at their position within twelve hours, and then the battle for their lives and the future would begin.

Perhaps that was why everyone was breaking up into little groups to spend as much time as possible with those most important to them - all save Sesshoumaru and Kikyou - who were alone.

It hadn't really bothered Kikyou before - she was used to being alone, really, even before her death, but now... now it was harder; now she felt lonely as she had not since her resurrection.

And even though she didn't feel betrayed by Inuyasha and Kagome being together, it still made her feel even more isolated - once, she'd belonged, and now, she didn't.

She glanced at a gracefully reclining Sesshoumaru, and wondered. He seemed perfectly content as he was... she wished she could feel the same.

She was torn from her thoughts when Kagome, followed by Inuyasha, moved towards her - she was surprised to see them, as they had gone off alone some time ago just to have some quiet time together.

They had been in sight the whole time - with Obake so close, no one was taking off too far, but still, it was the best they could do, and they all were taking advantage.

Kagome sat down next to her, as Inuyasha sank down on the other side, and they both leaned into her, shocking her almost speechless with the hugs that they wrapped her in.

"We wanted to spend a little time with you before the fighting starts," Kagome said, smiling shyly. "None of us knows what's going to happen - it might be our last chance to be together, and we wanted to share some of that time with you."

Inuyasha didn't say anything, he just nodded. He'd honestly been surprised when Kagome had suggested it - but then, thinking about Kagome, he realized that he shouldn't have been surprised at all. It was just who she was - and he fell in love with her just that much more for her caring heart.

He honestly wished he could have just a little time with Kikyou alone - there were some things that still needed spoken of, things that were just between the two of them, but he didn't want to upset his mate - he'd already put her through hell over this whole mess with her past incarnation, and he wouldn't endanger her with it again, no matter what.

So he was understandably caught off-guard when she cast him a side-long glance and then pulled away from the hug with a still startled Kikyou, and said, "I think... I think that you two need to talk. Just the two of you. There's so much that's happened between you both, and you should resolve as much as you can before... well, before the battle."

Kikyou blinked, unable to say anything, though she nodded tentatively; Inuyasha stared at her hopefully for a moment. "Are you sure, wench?" he asked softly, worry clear in his voice that she would be upset, even though it was her idea.

She nodded firmly. "Yes. Go on, the both of you. Take the time while we have it, I'll be fine right here."

Inuyasha stood and offered a hand to Kikyou, who took it a bit uncertainly, and as she reached her feet, he looked down on his still sitting mate and frowned. "Promise me you won't go off anywhere - that you'll stay here?"

"I will, I promise," she smiled slightly up at him. "I'll bother Sesshoumaru while you two talk."

He nodded slowly, with one last look at her, he turned and walked with Kikyou off towards some rocks a little distance away.

Kagome sighed as she watched them - there was no denying they looked good together. She felt guilty that her happiness with the hanyou was being bought at Kikyou's expense, and she wished that it could be different.

"You are much different than any human I have ever known," came a stoic voice, and Kagome glanced over at the daiyoukai with a questioning expression.

Studying her, he said, "With the past between those two, most would not allow what you have - jealousy would sour any chance of caring on a mate's side, and would leave those two unable to resolve their shared past."

Kagome clasped her hands together loosely over her knees, and shrugged. "I'm not really like most people, I guess. Honestly, I feel badly for Kikyou - sad that my happiness with Inuyasha couldn't be shared with her. I could see it in her eyes when we were walking back over here," she said reflectively, her gaze going distant, "she feels lonely. She was given a burden fifty years ago that she didn't know how to bear - and she's paid for the cruelty of fate several times over, I think."

"I think that you have more honor than all of the human race combined. It is no secret that I do not like humans as a whole, though you and a few others have taught me that there are some small amount that are worthy of note. I will admit that I could not do what you have, nor could I accept what you have - I am a most jealous being."

She chuckled as she looked at him consideringly. "I can imagine," she said dryly. "But I can also see that, for someone that you chose, you would be devoted absolutely - loyalty. You have it, though very few do. Perhaps one day you will learn the truth of that."

"Indeed," he intoned, and then they both fell silent for a time, losing themselves in their thoughts.

After a little while, he spoke, startling her. "I have a request for you, priestess." Kagome met his gaze - it was serious, honest. She nodded that she was listening.

"If this battle does not turn out well for me, I would ask you to take Rin. Raise her - I know that she will be raised honorably and well by your hand... I can trust you."

Kagome flushed a little with pleasure - she was almost positive he'd rarely, if ever, said that to another living being.

With a large smile, she said, "I would be more than happy to take care of her, Sesshoumaru, though I would rather see you live through this battle and continue caring for her yourself - you make a very good father-figure, you know - Rin is a wonderful child, and very lucky."

He tilted his head and watched her silently for a moment. "My brother's good fortune is my loss, Kagome. I could almost wish that I had met you first - and that I had not carried such a disdain for humans when we did meet. You make a good mother - and a wonderful mate, it is obvious even to this one, who knows little of emotions."

With that, another silence fell, though this one, on Kagome's part, was a stunned silence. That was something she'd never thought to hear from the stoic, icy daiyoukai.

It seemed that Rin had had more of an effect than any of them had known.

She would have been surprised to hear that it was just as much due to she herself - she was one of the only people, youkai or human, that he truly respected, and he had developed a certain affection for her.

No, he wasn't in love with her or any such thing; he could, however, admit to himself that if she had not been mated to his brother, he could have come to be so.

She truly was unlike any being he had ever come across, and he was glad that he knew her. Inuyasha need never fear his interference on that score - should anything ever happen to him, Kagome would be protected and cared for; he himself would never harm her.

It was time.

Their opponent was only minutes from their position now, and they had all drawn into their places as they'd discussed; Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha front and center, Koga and his friends on one side, Sango and Miroku on the other - and Kikyou and Kagome slightly behind and higher on the rocks.

Anticipation was high - none here had ever laid eyes on the Obake, and no one knew what to expect - though Kagome had an idea, and spoke quickly to her friends.

"Hey guys... don't be surprised when you see him - I think that he's going to appear using Naraku's form - mostly. Probably to rile us up."

Sesshoumaru glanced back over his shoulder at her, impressed. She was smart - and there was a good chance she was right.

"Keh! Don't really matter what form the bastard takes - he'll still die either way."

They fell silent after that; just waiting for the enemy to show up.

When he did finally show himself in the bright soul-light being cast by Kikyou and Kagome, his eyes went immediately to the younger miko, completely ignoring the rest of those gathered as she stared in disgust at his form.

She had been correct when she'd surmised what form he'd use - though it wasn't completely the spider - there were various shifting parts that seemed to be in a constant state of flux.

It was altogether revolting.

"So, little priestess, you have returned to your fallen master. I'm so sorry to disappoint you - I'm sure you were looking forward to being reunited with him. However, I will gladly accommodate you - since he is now a part of me - I will be your new master."

Inuyasha had to clench his hands tight around Tessaiga to hold onto his hanyou form - he wanted nothing more than to let go and shred the creature before him that was daring to taunt his mate.

"Shut up, you stupid bastard, and leave my mate alone! Keep your filthy thoughts offa her!" he warned, enraged.

With no warning, he swung Tessaiga back, then arced forward with the edge of the blade, sending the adamant barrage against him...

And the battle was joined.

Suddenly, the silence wasn't silent anymore, as Obake got a large surprise; he was fast, but so were his opponents.

These people would not be so easy to fight as had the last group that had come against him.

As the shards of diamond fell against the floors and walls of the cave, making loud ringing sounds, some found a home within the flesh of the creature, and he hissed sibilantly as he scuttled backwards, his attention finally, fully pulled away from Kagome.

Using one of Naraku's tricks, he shot off a bunch of veiny spikes, much like the adamant shower that he'd just endured; his failed to connect, however, as Miroku jammed his shakujo into the rock of the cave floor and raised a barrier around the group.

Kagome was desperately trying to rid her mind of the sudden images that had flooded it - with being thrust into the presence of one who had deliberately tried to make himself look like Naraku, her fear had risen up, and she was fighting it back down even as the first blows were exchanged.

Sesshoumaru stared at the Obake, watching his actions. He is judging our strength - feeling us out - just as I am doing to him.

With a casual swing, he sent a wave of energy at the Obake, not surprised when he managed to dodge a great deal of it. He is fast...

Still, some managed to hit, and it looked like the Obake had misjudged their strength - he had been injured already, and it wasn't a surprise to see him retreat a ways to sit and stare at them, giving himself a bit of a breather.

An arrow arced overhead suddenly - Kagome was having none of that. The corona of light surrounding it was impressive as another arrow, only slightly dimer than the first, flashed over - Kikyou had followed her sister miko's lead.

Both arrows hit; Obake had to shed the parts of himself that they had penetrated or be doomed to purification - at least, the parts of him that were youkai.

Just behind the arrows came hiraikotsu - and then Kagome and Kikyou took off, fleeing back down the next redoubt position, then taking their stances and covering the retreat of the others.

This confused the Obake: so far, in this five minute skirmish, they had landed all the blows successfully - yet they were now fleeing? He watched as they fled back towards the two women, and wondered what they were up to.

It was obvious the group thought he would follow, thus, the two with bows standing to cover their retreat, so he decided to wait, instead - to see what they would do.

It also gave him a little time to continue healing the damage.

The worst of it was the parts of himself he'd lost to purification - it was conceivable that they could merely pick off all his various parts that way, leaving only weak, human bits of himself - he would be nothing to kill at that point.

But he didn't think that's what they had planned - they probably weren't even aware of the fact that they could do so.

Their lack of information would only help him.

He watched closely as they moved, then re-formed at a distant point, though the light was once again low, being who he was, he could see just fine - in fact, he could see better in the pitch dark then he could with the light... it hurt his eyes, the light did, and he didn't like it.

When he won his freedom from these caves, he would have to take the time to become somewhat used to light again - though he would never like it, his time was the night, still, for any true freedom to be his, he had to be able to at least function in it.

What he needed right now, though, was to figure out what they were up to - and look for openings - weaknesses.

Sesshoumaru had already figured out one - they would have to be very careful with how he and Inuyasha used their swords. He had noted a crumbling of the walls and ceilings a bit when he had sent his energy wave at the Obake, and he definitely didn't want to cause a cave-in.

So the moment they reached their next position, he spoke up. "Inuyasha." As soon as he looked over at him, he said, "We must be very careful with the swords energy attacks - we do not want this cave to come down on our heads."

He listened for a moment as his brother cursed up a storm, then nodded, sheathing the Tessaiga.

"Guess we'd best stick with our own native energy attacks, and even then, we'll have to be careful. Damn!" he said in frustrated anger. "Stupid fuckin' caves!"

"We'll have to be much more careful now, period - without the swords, we're going to be fighting much closer up than we had planned," Sango broke in, and Sesshoumaru nodded at her.

"That is correct, taijiya. At this point, our most effective weapons are going to be the two miko, and you, monk," he addressed the male standing protectively at the slayer's side. "Your attacks are the least likely to de-stabilize the caverns."

"He's moving," Kikyou called down the those still on the ground. She and Kagome were placed a bit above on rocks for easier shooting.

Indeed, they could see him scrabbling around a bit as he scuttled closer slowly, and every eye was fixed on him, wondering what his next move was.

They found out as a wave of miasma moved towards them, and instantly, Kagome and Kikyou fired, twin bolts of purifying energy moving to clear the air - they knew he was using it as cover to sneak up on them, as well as to poison the air of the cavern.

Suddenly, shouts erupted from amongst them as tentacles came up from beneath, and the formation broke as they all began fighting to keep themselves from being grabbed, shouts and yells echoing loudly, confusingly.

Just as most of the attachments were destroyed, a scream broke out, and Ginta was jerked away from the group by a tentacle. Kagome's eyes blazed and she fired immediately, cutting the end holding her friend off and watching as he scrambled, terrified, back to Koga and the others.

"Try it again, Obake," she yelled in fury, "and I'll cut off the next ones, too!"

Her group studied her for a few moments, startled as Ginta gulped and called, "Thank you, sister," in a choky voice.

"What are you guys all lookin' at," she hissed. "You should be watching that!"

Everyone whipped back around to see Obake himself slither close, once more attempting to grab someone - this time, it was Miroku that hit him with a set of ofuda, leaving him to leap backwards again, screeching in pain as they burned out, opening a nice hole in several more of his limbs.

At that point, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha both struck out, one with blades of blood, and the other with his acid whip, just as a hastily sent out set of spiky tentacles managed to gain blood on the brothers, though the injuries were minor, it allowed time for the Obake to once again disappear backwards.

Taking quick stock, Sesshoumaru noted that everyone was still okay, though he, Inuyasha, and Ginta did have minor injuries, they would heal within minutes. Eyeing once more the direction the creature had vanished in, he nodded, and turned to look up at Kagome and Kikyou.

"Fall back again - we are running well within our schedule, and I have every intention of keeping it that way."

Both women nodded, scrambling down from the rocks. Kagome looked at her mate, quickly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, wench, I'm fine - it's just a scratch. It's almost healed already, now get goin'."

She turned and took of with Kikyou loping next to her without another word, knowing he was truly okay - there was no pain in his voice at all.

So far, things hadn't been too bad, though that scare with Ginta had been too close for comfort, but they still had a ways to go - how long could they all keep this up without rest?

I guess we're about to find out. It's a good thing I brought as many arrows as I did...

... because I have the feeling we're going to need every one of them - and wish we had more before this is through.

A/N: And the battle is joined! The first bits herein described are merely the first skirmishes - the real fun starts when they reach the main cavern - once they've trapped Obake there, that's when it starts getting crazy dangerous.

That's for next chapter... and Malice is finally winding down - it's almost done after over a year. Let's hope the last chapters don't disappoint!

Amber