InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Metamorphosis ❯ Chasing Our Tails ( Chapter 13 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: King Baka 
The Inu-gang finally meets Daichi, and a sinister allaince is formed.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 01.13.2009 | Updated On: 12.24.2010 | Pages: 5 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 3.9K | Status: Completed
The Inu-gang finally meets Daichi, and a sinister allaince is formed.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 01.13.2009 | Updated On: 12.24.2010 | Pages: 5 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 3.9K | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.
Fanfiction of the Week: Memento Mori, by LuxKen27
Great story; you’d be hard pressed to find many short AUs that could top it. It definitely deserves the awards it has won.
youkaineko – wow, thanks for the great review! I’m never sure how many people are actually paying attention to the fanfiction of the week segment, so it’s great to hear from you. And yes, I do admit that the whole Kagome turning into a hanyou idea is pretty cliché. Your thoughts and sentiments pretty much echo my own; I wanted to make my story different from all the other ones I’ve read by keeping Inuyasha, Kagome, and the rest in-character. It’s nice to hear that readers are seeing exactly what I want them to see, so thanks again.
Chasing Our Tails
“OW!!! Dammit, Takebaka! Be more careful!”
“If you would just sit still and grit your teeth we would be done already,” Takehiko replied, resisting the urge to fling the bandages at his sister and tell her to dress her own wounds. The seriousness of her burns forced him to put up with her whining, as she wouldn’t be doing much of anything for a few days. Bitching was really all she was capable of, and boy had she been doing a lot of that lately. There was something, however, which he would not tolerate.
“How many times must I tell you not to call me that?!”
“Call you what?” Sora asked innocently.
“Takeb—I won’t say it.”
“Well how am I supposed to know what you don’t want me to call you if you don’t tell me, Takebaka?”
Grrrrrrr. “There, you’re done!” he growled irritably tying the last bandage into place. Rising, he stomped off to calm down, and hopefully to keep himself from strangling his sister, whom he had just spent the whole of the afternoon and evening patching up. Her genuine, if not somewhat strained, laughter rang out behind him.
“Come on, Onii-chan! (1) Lighten up! I’m burned to a crisp here and in excruciating pain and I still have a sense of humor. Where the hell did you leave yours?”
“Oh, let’s see…I probably lost it when you almost got yourself killed today!” he yelled, rounding on her. “What the fuck were you thinking?!”
“It’s not my fault! How was I supposed to know she had miko powers?”
“She told us, that’s how! You stupidly assumed that she lost them after assimilating Minoru’s youki.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit! Tell me you didn’t make the exact same assumption.”
“…”
“That̵ 7;s what I thought.”
“Yeah, well at least I didn’t nearly get myself purified.”
“That bitch is gonna pay for that, believe me,” Sora sneered. “Just look at my beautiful wings! I look like somebody roasted me over a fire!”
“I noticed.”
“You’re a real asshole, you know that, right?”
“Would an asshole have bandaged you up so nicely? And while listening to your non-stop bitching?”
“Bitching, huh?” she asked, a playful glint in her eye. “Well at least I’m not a stinky ass-sniffing little puppy.”
Takehiko shook his head, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest. He could never hope to win a verbal insult contest against Sora. She was the youngest of the three of them, and though they had all grown up quickly, she was the only one who allowed her youthful side to show often. Plus, she was certainly the most talkative of their trio. Duo, he mentally corrected, at least for now.
“Sora,” he said, the light bantering replaced by deadly seriousness. The hawk looked at him quizzically, but did not interrupt. “When we go back into battle, just…be careful.”
Nodding, she cracked a solemn smile. “You too, Onii-chan. Neither one of us wants to end up alone again.”
A somber, oppressive atmosphere descended on the siblings, and neither dared break the silence. Lost in thought, they didn’t notice as night fell and the rest of the world went to sleep. They could only hope the sun would rise on their trio once more, someday.
“There it is—Daichi-sama’s cave.”
“About time,” Inuyasha grumped. It was mid-morning, the day after Takehiko and Sora’s latest attack, and the hanyou’s already short supply of patience was wearing thin. He was really the only one of the group with any sense of urgency, for good reason. He didn’t want Kagome’s return to being human to be a decision, but a foregone conclusion. And yet, he could see it shifting towards the former as Kagome became more comfortable with her hanyou senses and abilities every day. Now that they were finally here, he hoped he could nip that problem in the bud and reverse her metamorphosis today.
The cave entrance was large, at least fifty feet in diameter, and carved into the side of a small mountain. The area around the base was clear of trees for at least a hundred yards in every direction, and covered in lush grass and wildflowers. Larger beds of flowers were dispersed throughout the clearing, expertly maintained by loving hands. Kagome was overwhelmed by the beauty of it all, stopping to sniff at the brilliantly colored blossoms as they wove their way through the maze. In hindsight, that probably wasn’t the best idea.
“ACHOO!” she sneezed, a full body motion that nearly knocked her off balance. It happened again. And again. Inuyasha laughed at her, staying well away from the aromatic blooms. She might have osuwari’d him had she been able to draw in the necessary breath. Finally he took pity on her, walking back and tossing her over his shoulder, backpack and all, before resuming the trek. It was a good two minutes before Kagome was able to calm down, and she grimaced in disgust at the slimy mucus on her hands. She wiped them off on the only thing handy.
“Oi, wench! What did you just put on me?”
“Nothing.”
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. Her voice was just too innocent… Setting her down at the edge of the field, he quickly removed his haori, glaring daggers at her the whole time.
“Ah, gross! I don’t want your fuckin’ sticky nose shit on my back!”
“Here, Inuyasha,” Kagome offered, handing him a baby wipe she had produced from her bag. “And that’s what you get for throwing me over your shoulder.”
“Ungrateful bitch. So much for ‘thank you Inuyasha for saving me from the smelly flowers,’” he declared in a high-pitched voice, which Kagome belatedly realized was supposed to be mimicking her own. It was an extremely bad imitation, and it had the added effect of making him seem about twelve years old. Sometimes I think Souta’s more mature than he is.
“I do not sound like that, baka. And I am grateful! You didn’t have to carry me like that, though. We all know how much you like it,” she added sarcastically.
“Keh!”
Kagome was satisfied with that answer, knowing it constituted an admission that she was right. But Inuyasha barely missed a beat.
“Now, if the wench is done sticking her nose where she shouldn’t, we can go.”
Kagome had to literally bite her tongue to keep from uttering ‘the word.’ No, bad Kagome! Remember what you promised yourself. I will only use it when he really deserves it. I will only use it when he really deserves it. I will only…
A low growling from up ahead stopped them in their tracks. Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga and motioned for everyone to stay back. He carefully picked his way along the path, the snarling increasing as he neared the entrance to the cave. Kagome was gripped by trepidation, but it subsided when Inuyasha relaxed his posture and sheathed Tetsusaiga. The rest of the Inu-gang hurried to join him, only to find an angry youkai guarding the entrance to the cave. It was small, probably about three feet tall at the shoulder, and fox-like, resembling a miniature version of the large youkai Tsubaki had produced from her eye. Inuyasha shuddered at the unpleasant memory; he would never be able to forget the way Kagome had looked as she aimed her arrow at him. The youkai paced the entrance to the cave, as if daring any of them to come closer. In fact, the most intimidating thing about it was its demeanor.
“Shut the fuck up, you sorry excuse for a youkai!”
Kagome sighed as the youkai’s growls intensified. Leave it to Inuyasha to get into a shouting match with an animal.
“What the hell is going on out here?!” came a deep, booming voice, the effect amplified by the echo of the cave.
All eyes raised as a large figure stepped into view. He was a youkai, humanoid in shape but not in size. He stood at least twenty feet tall, wearing a plain ensemble consisting of mostly furs. His skin was a tawny brown, his eyes a darker shade with pitch black pupils. Jagged markings adorned his cheeks, revealing him to be a youkai of some status. He stood for a moment examining them until his gaze fell upon Inuyasha. Recognition flared in his eyes and his lips quirked in a smile.
“You must be Inuyasha! I’d recognize that fire-rat haori anywhere! How is it after all these years? Still holding up well? That’s what I designed it for, you know. When your father commissioned me to make it…”
Inuyasha looked to Kagome for help, but she was just as confused as he was. Where had the deep, booming baritone gone? Why was this guy babbling on and on about Inuyasha’s haori in rich tenor? What the hell was going on?
“Oi! We’re here to see Daichi. Are you him?” Inuyasha spoke up irritably, finally silencing the loquacious man.
“Oh, forgive me! Where are my manners? Please come inside and make yourselves comfortable. We have much to discuss.” With that, he picked up the small fox youkai, comforting it with soothing strokes of his large hand, and went inside. The Inu-gang stared at each other in bewilderment for a moment, then shrugged and followed the mysterious youkai into the cave. They settled down on what seemed to be a designated sitting area, where the floor had been smoothed out and covered in lush furs. Their backsides certainly appreciated the amenity. They sat in a half-circle, with the large youkai at the open end. He held the fox in his lap, petting it. The animal seemed content, though it still glared daggers at all of the visitors in turn.
“Now,” said the tall youkai, “let’s get down to business. I am Daichi, a bear youkai in case you’re wondering. I believe you’ve already met Sakura.”
Kagome blanched. That thing was named Sakura?! That name was perfect for adorable little girls, or beautiful women, not vicious youkai who looked like they wanted to eat you! Talk about a misnomer…I was expecting something like ‘Bastard’ or ‘Shredder.’ (2)
Daichi chuckled warmly at their incredulity. “Yes, I always get that reaction the first time people meet Sakura. She’s very protective. But once you earn her trust, she’s actually very sweet.” The ‘sweet little youkai’ continued to send death glares their way regardless.
“I am Miroku,” the monk stated, taking his usual role as group spokesman. “And this is Sango, Shippou, Kirara, Inuyasha, and Kagome.”
Daichi nodded and smiled at each person in turn, but his gaze lingered on Kagome, who surprisingly did not feel uncomfortable under the scrutiny. Her instincts told her this Daichi could be trusted, and she considered herself a good judge of character.
“It’s nice to meet you all,” Daichi replied, shifting his gaze back to Inuyasha. “I hope you don’t take offense, but your little group is the single strangest collection of individuals I have ever seen. Humans, youkai, a—two hanyou…it’s nice to see humans and youkai who don’t have an inherent disdain for each other, or for hanyou. There are too few of us out there. And I assume you have that crazy old codger Myouga with you as well. Where is that flea, anyway? Ah, well, I’m sure he’ll turn up when he’s hungry.”
“Oi, jiji. Are you gonna give us what we came here for or are we just wasting our time?”
Far from being offended by Inuyasha’s rudeness, Daichi chuckled lightly. “As coarse as ever, eh Inuyasha?”
“Quit talking like you know me. I’ve never met you in my life!”
Daichi’s smile faded at that remark. “You don’t remember, do you?” At Inuyasha’s blank look, he continued. “I’m shouldn’t be surprised. It was a long time ago, and you were still young. As a matter of fact, you are still young. Kids these days…they think they’re all grown up, ready to take on the world when they’re barely off their mother’s teat. Running around, swinging huge swords without the maturity to wield them properly. My son was the same way. Oh, you should have seen some of the stupid, infantile things he di—”
Inuyasha’s fragile temper finally snapped, and his irritation boiled over. “Dammit, would you SHUT UP! You’re like a gabby wench! Now tell us whether you can help us change Kagome back or I’m gonna fuckin’—”
‘Osuwari.’
*Thud*
“What the fuck was that for, bitch?!”
“You were being rude. You shouldn’t threaten our host!”
Chuckling again, Daichi hurried to reassure her. “That’s quite alright, my dear. I have a bad habit of getting off track and rambling about something totally unrelated to what I’m supposed to be talking about. Like this one time, I—”
“AHEM!” Kagome interrupted, sensing that Inuyasha was about to blow a gasket.
“Oh, there I go again! Ok, back to business. Um…what were we talking about?”
“Why you—”
“I believe,” Kagome interjected, curtailing any further outburst from her hanyou, “that Inuyasha was wondering how you knew him.”
“Oh, that’s right. Let me start at the beginning,” he said, the unvarying amusement that seemed to constantly grace his features vanishing abruptly. “I was a close friend of the late Inu no Taisho, and one of the few he trusted with the knowledge of your existence, Inuyasha. He told me your mother was carrying you when he asked me to make the fire-rat armour you still wear to this day. Your father feared, rightly so, it would seem, that harm would come to you should he pass away before you were grown. He desired for you to live with your mother in her human village. In the event that something were to happen to him, he asked me to keep tabs on the two of you, and to take custody of you myself should something happen to her. And then, he died. Things were fine for several years, as you grew up in the human village. When I heard your mother was ill, I hurried over to the village, but by the time I arrived it was too late. She had passed on and you had run off. I searched for you, but even back then you were an expert in concealment. It was two years before I finally found you, and by then you didn’t want my help. When I told you who I was, I believe your exact words were, ‘Go to hell. And if you see my father there, tell him thanks for nothing.’”
Silence pervaded the cave after Daichi finished speaking. The wind wisping past the mountain, the slow trickle of water dripping at the back of the cave…all of these sounds could be heard, but not even the cheerful chirping of the birds outside could break the somber, oppressive atmosphere that had descended upon them. Kagome watched Inuyasha’s eyes as they filled with old pain. She watched as the emotion was buried, blinked away, as his eyes hardened in anger, then softened in understanding. He lowered his head, his hair forming a shimmering silver curtain around his face.
“Is that why you made us come out here? To tell me that?” he rasped, his voice blank, holding no discernable emotion.
“Yes,” Daichi replied solemnly, “and no. I also wanted…to apologize. I failed my duty, the promise I made to your father. I’m sorry for the life you’ve liv—”
“Don’t.”
Daichi gulped, looking absolutely crestfallen at this demand. “I truly am sorry, Inuy—”
“I said don’t!” Inuyasha yelled, raising his head. His eyes glowed with fiery passion, anger, regret. In that moment, they were a reflection of everything he ever was and ever would be. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for!”
Daichi could only stare in shock as his mouth worked uselessly. “But…but…”
“Kami, do you ever shut up? I said there’s nothing to forgive! For the longest time, I cursed my lot in life, but now… All that shit I went through made me stronger, strong enough to protect this gang of helpless humans and youkai that like to follow me around.”
None of the ‘helpless’ appreciated Inuyasha’s disparaging assessment of them, but no one dared interrupt his monologue. They all knew from experience that he didn’t really mean it; it was a defense mechanism, a way for him to hide what he was truly trying to say.
“So if you’re looking for me to cry, wail, or lament my fate, you can forget it. I wouldn’t change a single fucking thing!”
Silence reigned once again, but this time it was of the shocked variety, touched with a flavor of awe. Kagome beamed, for she heard what he didn’t say, what had been going through his mind as he spoke. If the past had been different, I wouldn’t have met the friends I have now. She felt the irrepressible need to touch him, to offer him comfort, to let him know that she loved him just as he was, past and all. She only hesitated briefly before placing her hand gently on his shoulder, unsure if he would allow such a display of affection in public. She was relieved when he merely turned toward her and smiled, placing his own hand upon hers. It wasn’t much, just a small upturn of the corner of his mouth, but it was enough. And I wouldn’t have met you, Kagome.
A low chuckle broke the moment, as Daichi’s laughter bled away the tension that had built up in the cave. “You are young of body, Inuyasha, but perhaps you are not so young of heart.”
“And just what the fuck is that supposed to mean, huh? If you’ve got something to say, just say it!”
Kagome sweatdropped. He was saying that you’re more mature than you look, baka. So much for that idea…
“Never mind, Inuyasha,” Daichi replied good naturedly. “Now, on to the real reason why you’re here.”
“Yeah!” Inuyasha exclaimed, irritation forgotten—for the moment. “Can you change Kagome back or not?”
“No, I cannot.”
A third deafening silence descended upon the gathering. Indeed, the only sound that could be heard was the grating of a certain hanyou’s teeth.
“But,” Daichi continued, “I know someone who can.”
Far from being mollified by this news, Inuyasha’s angst continued to rise. “You’d better not fuckin’ tell me that we have to go see this someone now.”
“Well, I suppose you don’t have to…” Daichi said thoughtfully.
“Damn fuckin’ son of a BITCH!!!! You’ve gotta be shitting me! First we have to wait for Myouga, then we have to come here, and now we have to go there! Are we getting anywhere at all? Why does it feel like we’re just chasing our tails?”
“Yes, yes, you’re in a hurry. I know the drill; my son was the same way. Everything always had to be done quickly, with no time wasted. I swear, some days I thought he was trying to rush past me into the grave! Like this one time…” (3)
“Where are you going, Inuyasha?” Kagome called after the swiftly departing hanyou, who was stomping toward the entrance to the cave.
“Getting the hell out of here before I end up throttling that bastard!”
Sighing, Kagome favored Daichi with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry for him, Daichi-sama. He’s just a little…”
“Don’t worry about it, my dear; I understand. He wants what he thinks is best for you.” He studied her for a moment, and Kagome wasn’t sure she liked the mischievous smirk that worked its way onto his expression. “You know, Kagome, you are very beautiful, and I’ve seen plenty of your good character this day. Perhaps you would permit me to introduce you to my son? He could accompany you on your quest.”
Kagome, who had been blushing at Daichi’s compliments, didn’t have a chance to reply before her vision was blocked out by red cloth.
“She ain’t fuckin’ interested, bastard!”
Daichi had the decency to look surprised, but Kagome could still see the smirk lurking just below the surface.
“No need to be jealous, Inuyasha.”
“I’m not!”
“Pardon me, then. I must have been mistaken,” he said slyly, his loaded tone revealing what he truly thought. And that smugness, along with what he had been proposing, was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“That’s it!” Inuyasha yelled, spinning and marching stiffly toward the outside world. “We’re leaving. NOW!”
“Calm down, Inuyasha,” Miroku called back, “we still have to get directions to…who did you say we had to see next, Daichi-sama?”
“I didn’t. Her name is Aoi, and she lives several mountains over. Her mountain is the one with the purple ring around it; you should be able to see it from here. I put in a good word for you, so you should have no problems.”
The monk nodded his thanks and stood to leave, as did most of his companions. The only one who remained was Kagome, who felt compelled to try to explain why she didn’t want his son to accompany them, and why nothing romantic could ever develop between them.
“Daichi-sama, I’m sure your son is great an all, but…um…”
The tall youkai just laughed, a genuine sound, not in the least bit forced. “Don’t worry about it, my dear!” Then, lowering his voice to a level that only she would hear, he continued. “Besides, my son is happily mated. But it is fun to tease Inuyasha, is it not?”
At his conspiratorial wink, Kagome found herself smiling as well, glad that he hadn’t been serious. She had recently dropped Hojo as a potential suitor, and didn’t need any more popping up.
“Well, I’d better be going before Inuyasha tosses me over his shoulder aga—” Kagome’s reply was cut short by an annoyed growl. Sakura, who had been contentedly dozing on her master’s lap, despite Inuyasha’s blustering, suddenly bolted upright and began scratching furiously at her flank with her hind leg. Daichi watched closely, hand poised expectantly, and then it shot out and closed it in mid-air. Kagome thought she heard a small cry of pain. Sure enough, when he opened his hand, there was Myouga lying flattened on his palm.
“Hey, Inuyasha!” he called. “Do you mind if I feed your vassal to Sakura?”
“Keh. Go for it.”
“WHAAAA!!! Inuyasha-sama, how could you?!” Myouga cried as he leapt away from the jaws of death. “Your ever faithful servant! What ingratitude! All my years of service…” The flea’s lamentations faded out as he bounced along the floor of the cave, Sakura following close behind. She returned several minutes later, still looking around for the small morsel that had escaped her grasp.
They determined, over Inuyasha’s objections, to have lunch before departing. Miffed, the hanyou went off by himself because he ‘wasn’t hungry,’ though everyone knew he was just pouting. With the amount of time he had already spent pissed off today, few would dare to approach him, but Daichi did just that. He sat down right next to the brooding youngster, who pointedly ignored him. He apparently hadn’t yet been forgiven for trying to set his son up with Kagome. Inuyasha clearly didn’t know it had been a joke, and Daichi wasn’t about to tell him either. He had known Kagome for less than a quarter of a day, and already he could see that she only had eyes for Inuyasha. He figured a little jealousy on the hanyou’s part was a good thing, especially since he suspected that deep down he felt the same way.
“Well, now that I come out here, I think it’s going to rain tonight,” he said thoughtfully.
Inuyasha looked at the sky, sniffed the air, but could pick up nothing that would tell him as much. He sent a dubious glance Daichi’s way.
“Yep. Definitely going to rain,” the bear youkai repeated. “When you’ve lived out here as long as I have, you can just tell these things. Are you sure you don’t want to stay here for the night?”
“We’ll manage.”
“But you have humans in your group! If they get wet, they’ll get sick, and—”
“I said we’ll manage.”
Daichi sighed heavily. “You know, Inuyasha,” he said, catching the hanyou off guard with his sincerity, “I still made a promise to your father that I can never fulfill. If you ever need anything—and I mean anything—I want you to come to me first.”
Inuyasha didn’t reply for the longest time, but sat and stared at the ground, weighing Daichi’s words in his mind. Finally, he raised his head, met the other’s eyes, and nodded.
“Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” Daichi pressed. “The cave is very warm and cozy once you get a fire going. And I’ll even cook you dinner!”
“Think you can stop being a jackass?”
Daichi took that as the grudging acceptance that it was, and brightened immediately. He waltzed over to the rest of the Inu-gang, quite gracefully for a big man, to inform them of the news. Inuyasha sighed, flopping down on the grass and putting his hands behind his head. I’d better enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts. He scowled, not believing for a second that Daichi would stop getting on his nerves. It’s gonna be a long evening.
“Onii-chan! Get me some water!”
“You’re not dying, Sora. Get it yourself.”
“But Oniiii-chaaaan, I’m wounded!”
Takehiko groaned, banging his head against a nearby tree. His sister was in fact almost fully recovered, but you wouldn’t know it by the way she whined constantly. He knew most of it was just to get under his skin, but that didn’t make him feel any better. He decided to try counting to ten, even though that usually didn’t work.
“Oniiii-chaaaan…” One, two, three, fo—
“Oniiii-chaaaan…” One, two, thr—
“Oniiii-chaaaan…” One—oh, I’m gonna fuckin’ kill her! Wait…
“Onii—”
“Shut up, Sora,” he said quietly but commandingly, and his sister instinctively knew there was trouble. Indeed, Takehiko’s sharp inu nose had picked up something, a strange, foreign scent. Dark and malicious, it made him sick just to breathe it. And it was getting stronger. Sora rose effortlessly to her feet and stood beside him. He glared at her, and perhaps would have made a remark about her supposed infirmity if a figure had not emerged from the trees just ahead. It was a man, wearing the most elaborate kimono and armour they had ever seen. An enormous eye sat in the center of his chest, peeking out through a crack in his armour. But that wasn’t even his most striking feature; no, that distinction belonged to the eyes on his head. They glowed red, as if the fires of hell burned in this man’s soul, a walking embodiment of hatred, malice, and suffering.
“Who are you and what do you want?” Takehiko asked, hand drifting up toward the sword strapped over his shoulder.
“Kukuku,” the figure chuckled, “there is no need to draw your swords. I did not come here to fight; I came to offer my assistance.”
“What makes you think we need your help?” Sora asked, a challenge in her voice.
“The charred tips of your feathers, for one thing.”
Sora fumed, but the stranger continued before she could respond. “It matters not whether you admit you need my help, for I would still offer it. We have a common enemy, you see. You seem to hate Inuyasha and his friends as much as I.”
“How would you know such a thing?” Takehiko growled.
“I have my ways.”
“If you hate Inuyasha so much, then why haven’t you gotten rid of him yourself?”
“I have tried, many times, in fact. But the filthy hanyou has proven most resilient.”
“Then why should we accept help from a weakling who cannot even do his own dirty work?”
The stranger’s face twisted in a snarl, but it was gone in the blink of an eye, as if it had never been there in the first place.
“Because I can offer you these,” he said, holding out his hand.
“Shards of the Shikon no Tama!” Sora exclaimed. “Where did you get them?”
“It matters not. I shall allow you to borrow these shards to help you kill Inuyasha and his friends. If you succeed, they are yours to keep. Do we have an accord?”
The siblings looked at each other, suspicion present in each gaze, but they could think of no legitimate reason not to accept other than it seemed too good to be true.
“Very well,” Takehiko agreed hesitantly. “You still have not given us your name.”
“Oh, forgive me. You may call me Naraku.”
“Alright, Naraku, you have a deal.”
“Excellent!” Naraku said as he tossed Takehiko the shards. “I also have one other thing that may be of use to you. If you have not already seen it, the monk has a very powerful weapon in his right han—”
“Trust me,” Sora interrupted, “I’ve already dealt with that.”
“Fair enough. The next time he moves to unleash it, use this,” Naraku told her, tossing her some kind of rounded object that almost looked like a hive. Shrugging, she attached it to her obi. “One more thing. I have more enemies besides Inuyasha. If you eliminate an ookami called Kouga and an inu-youkai by the name of Sesshoumaru, there are more jewel shards in store for you.”
“Did you say…Sesshoumaru?” Takehiko ground out between gritted teeth, his anger flaring at just the mention of that name. Naraku seemed not to notice.
“Yes. Why, do you know him?”
“How is he involved in this?” Takehiko demanded hurriedly, completely ignoring Naraku’s question.
“Why, he is Inuyasha’s older half-brother, and a vindictive pest. Kill him and your rewards will be great, indeed.”
Then he was gone, vanishing into the wind. Takehiko’s eyes were still riveted to the spot, his clenched fists shaking with rage. The scent of his blood, from where his claws punctured the skin of his palms, wafted to his nose, but he was too lost in wrath to care. Yes, he knew who Sesshoumaru was. He was the son of the bastard who murdered his father and kicked him out of the Western Lands to die, starving and alone in the wilderness. He had desired revenge on Sesshoumaru from the beginning, but his father had taught him many things in their short time together, and one of them was never to fight a battle you couldn’t win. This was the reason he had not approached Sesshoumaru yet, even though every fiber of his being screamed at him to do so. But now, with jewel shards in his possession…perhaps he would finally be strong enough to defeat his nemesis.
And Inuyasha… A wicked smile formed on his lips. So, the Inu no Taisho had a whelp with a human bitch, did he? All the better! Yes, now he would have the pleasure of exacting his vengeance not once, but twice.
“Takehiko,” Sora said, breaking his train of thought, “do you trust this Naraku person?”
“Not for an instant. No one surrenders shards of the Shikon no Tama that freely. I have no doubt that Naraku plans to reclaim these shards the instant we are no longer useful to him.”
Sora smirked. “Then we’ll just have to waste him, too.”
“Exactly. And Sora,” he said seriously, “Inuyasha is mine.”
“You don’t have to tell me that, Takehiko. I know your history, remember? He’s yours as long as you agree that Kagome is mine.”
“Deal.”
Yes, they would worry about Naraku later. For now, they would focus on the task at hand—getting their brother back. And then, with jewel shards in their possession, he would seek his own personal revenge. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru would pay, dearly.
Name Translations
Sakura = cherry blossoms. Those pink flowers everyone thinks are so beautiful.
Aoi = hollyhock, althea (types of flowers)
(1) I don’t know much Japanese, but I read that “Onii-chan” is a cutesy form of “Onii-san,” which means older brother. This is intentional. If I’m wrong, I’d appreciate someone correcting me. Thanks.
(2) Here, Bastard! Come here, boy! Who’s a good Bastard? That tickles me. I’d feel bad for the dog (or fox youkai) though. And I grew up loving the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, so that’s where Shredder came from.
(3) I will now forever associate Daichi with American Pie. Like this one time, at band camp…
A/N – So there’s Daichi. I hope he wasn’t what you expected. I’ve received several questions from readers regarding the mysterious dagger, so here’s a brief answer. Takehiko did pick up the dagger, right before he carried Sora away. Sora didn’t let go of it until after Kagome blasted her, so that’s how it ended up on the ground next to her. I can see why some of you missed that, since the part explaining this was just a little blurb. Also, I purposefully left out a description of the dagger because nobody really got a good look at it. Kagome saw it had a silver hilt, but that’s it. More will be revealed later, I promise.
Converting /tmp/php6dhlJZ to /dev/stdout
Fanfiction of the Week: Memento Mori, by LuxKen27
Great story; you’d be hard pressed to find many short AUs that could top it. It definitely deserves the awards it has won.
youkaineko – wow, thanks for the great review! I’m never sure how many people are actually paying attention to the fanfiction of the week segment, so it’s great to hear from you. And yes, I do admit that the whole Kagome turning into a hanyou idea is pretty cliché. Your thoughts and sentiments pretty much echo my own; I wanted to make my story different from all the other ones I’ve read by keeping Inuyasha, Kagome, and the rest in-character. It’s nice to hear that readers are seeing exactly what I want them to see, so thanks again.
Chasing Our Tails
“OW!!! Dammit, Takebaka! Be more careful!”
“If you would just sit still and grit your teeth we would be done already,” Takehiko replied, resisting the urge to fling the bandages at his sister and tell her to dress her own wounds. The seriousness of her burns forced him to put up with her whining, as she wouldn’t be doing much of anything for a few days. Bitching was really all she was capable of, and boy had she been doing a lot of that lately. There was something, however, which he would not tolerate.
“How many times must I tell you not to call me that?!”
“Call you what?” Sora asked innocently.
“Takeb—I won’t say it.”
“Well how am I supposed to know what you don’t want me to call you if you don’t tell me, Takebaka?”
Grrrrrrr. “There, you’re done!” he growled irritably tying the last bandage into place. Rising, he stomped off to calm down, and hopefully to keep himself from strangling his sister, whom he had just spent the whole of the afternoon and evening patching up. Her genuine, if not somewhat strained, laughter rang out behind him.
“Come on, Onii-chan! (1) Lighten up! I’m burned to a crisp here and in excruciating pain and I still have a sense of humor. Where the hell did you leave yours?”
“Oh, let’s see…I probably lost it when you almost got yourself killed today!” he yelled, rounding on her. “What the fuck were you thinking?!”
“It’s not my fault! How was I supposed to know she had miko powers?”
“She told us, that’s how! You stupidly assumed that she lost them after assimilating Minoru’s youki.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit! Tell me you didn’t make the exact same assumption.”
“…”
“That̵ 7;s what I thought.”
“Yeah, well at least I didn’t nearly get myself purified.”
“That bitch is gonna pay for that, believe me,” Sora sneered. “Just look at my beautiful wings! I look like somebody roasted me over a fire!”
“I noticed.”
“You’re a real asshole, you know that, right?”
“Would an asshole have bandaged you up so nicely? And while listening to your non-stop bitching?”
“Bitching, huh?” she asked, a playful glint in her eye. “Well at least I’m not a stinky ass-sniffing little puppy.”
Takehiko shook his head, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest. He could never hope to win a verbal insult contest against Sora. She was the youngest of the three of them, and though they had all grown up quickly, she was the only one who allowed her youthful side to show often. Plus, she was certainly the most talkative of their trio. Duo, he mentally corrected, at least for now.
“Sora,” he said, the light bantering replaced by deadly seriousness. The hawk looked at him quizzically, but did not interrupt. “When we go back into battle, just…be careful.”
Nodding, she cracked a solemn smile. “You too, Onii-chan. Neither one of us wants to end up alone again.”
A somber, oppressive atmosphere descended on the siblings, and neither dared break the silence. Lost in thought, they didn’t notice as night fell and the rest of the world went to sleep. They could only hope the sun would rise on their trio once more, someday.
“There it is—Daichi-sama’s cave.”
“About time,” Inuyasha grumped. It was mid-morning, the day after Takehiko and Sora’s latest attack, and the hanyou’s already short supply of patience was wearing thin. He was really the only one of the group with any sense of urgency, for good reason. He didn’t want Kagome’s return to being human to be a decision, but a foregone conclusion. And yet, he could see it shifting towards the former as Kagome became more comfortable with her hanyou senses and abilities every day. Now that they were finally here, he hoped he could nip that problem in the bud and reverse her metamorphosis today.
The cave entrance was large, at least fifty feet in diameter, and carved into the side of a small mountain. The area around the base was clear of trees for at least a hundred yards in every direction, and covered in lush grass and wildflowers. Larger beds of flowers were dispersed throughout the clearing, expertly maintained by loving hands. Kagome was overwhelmed by the beauty of it all, stopping to sniff at the brilliantly colored blossoms as they wove their way through the maze. In hindsight, that probably wasn’t the best idea.
“ACHOO!” she sneezed, a full body motion that nearly knocked her off balance. It happened again. And again. Inuyasha laughed at her, staying well away from the aromatic blooms. She might have osuwari’d him had she been able to draw in the necessary breath. Finally he took pity on her, walking back and tossing her over his shoulder, backpack and all, before resuming the trek. It was a good two minutes before Kagome was able to calm down, and she grimaced in disgust at the slimy mucus on her hands. She wiped them off on the only thing handy.
“Oi, wench! What did you just put on me?”
“Nothing.”
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. Her voice was just too innocent… Setting her down at the edge of the field, he quickly removed his haori, glaring daggers at her the whole time.
“Ah, gross! I don’t want your fuckin’ sticky nose shit on my back!”
“Here, Inuyasha,” Kagome offered, handing him a baby wipe she had produced from her bag. “And that’s what you get for throwing me over your shoulder.”
“Ungrateful bitch. So much for ‘thank you Inuyasha for saving me from the smelly flowers,’” he declared in a high-pitched voice, which Kagome belatedly realized was supposed to be mimicking her own. It was an extremely bad imitation, and it had the added effect of making him seem about twelve years old. Sometimes I think Souta’s more mature than he is.
“I do not sound like that, baka. And I am grateful! You didn’t have to carry me like that, though. We all know how much you like it,” she added sarcastically.
“Keh!”
Kagome was satisfied with that answer, knowing it constituted an admission that she was right. But Inuyasha barely missed a beat.
“Now, if the wench is done sticking her nose where she shouldn’t, we can go.”
Kagome had to literally bite her tongue to keep from uttering ‘the word.’ No, bad Kagome! Remember what you promised yourself. I will only use it when he really deserves it. I will only use it when he really deserves it. I will only…
A low growling from up ahead stopped them in their tracks. Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga and motioned for everyone to stay back. He carefully picked his way along the path, the snarling increasing as he neared the entrance to the cave. Kagome was gripped by trepidation, but it subsided when Inuyasha relaxed his posture and sheathed Tetsusaiga. The rest of the Inu-gang hurried to join him, only to find an angry youkai guarding the entrance to the cave. It was small, probably about three feet tall at the shoulder, and fox-like, resembling a miniature version of the large youkai Tsubaki had produced from her eye. Inuyasha shuddered at the unpleasant memory; he would never be able to forget the way Kagome had looked as she aimed her arrow at him. The youkai paced the entrance to the cave, as if daring any of them to come closer. In fact, the most intimidating thing about it was its demeanor.
“Shut the fuck up, you sorry excuse for a youkai!”
Kagome sighed as the youkai’s growls intensified. Leave it to Inuyasha to get into a shouting match with an animal.
“What the hell is going on out here?!” came a deep, booming voice, the effect amplified by the echo of the cave.
All eyes raised as a large figure stepped into view. He was a youkai, humanoid in shape but not in size. He stood at least twenty feet tall, wearing a plain ensemble consisting of mostly furs. His skin was a tawny brown, his eyes a darker shade with pitch black pupils. Jagged markings adorned his cheeks, revealing him to be a youkai of some status. He stood for a moment examining them until his gaze fell upon Inuyasha. Recognition flared in his eyes and his lips quirked in a smile.
“You must be Inuyasha! I’d recognize that fire-rat haori anywhere! How is it after all these years? Still holding up well? That’s what I designed it for, you know. When your father commissioned me to make it…”
Inuyasha looked to Kagome for help, but she was just as confused as he was. Where had the deep, booming baritone gone? Why was this guy babbling on and on about Inuyasha’s haori in rich tenor? What the hell was going on?
“Oi! We’re here to see Daichi. Are you him?” Inuyasha spoke up irritably, finally silencing the loquacious man.
“Oh, forgive me! Where are my manners? Please come inside and make yourselves comfortable. We have much to discuss.” With that, he picked up the small fox youkai, comforting it with soothing strokes of his large hand, and went inside. The Inu-gang stared at each other in bewilderment for a moment, then shrugged and followed the mysterious youkai into the cave. They settled down on what seemed to be a designated sitting area, where the floor had been smoothed out and covered in lush furs. Their backsides certainly appreciated the amenity. They sat in a half-circle, with the large youkai at the open end. He held the fox in his lap, petting it. The animal seemed content, though it still glared daggers at all of the visitors in turn.
“Now,” said the tall youkai, “let’s get down to business. I am Daichi, a bear youkai in case you’re wondering. I believe you’ve already met Sakura.”
Kagome blanched. That thing was named Sakura?! That name was perfect for adorable little girls, or beautiful women, not vicious youkai who looked like they wanted to eat you! Talk about a misnomer…I was expecting something like ‘Bastard’ or ‘Shredder.’ (2)
Daichi chuckled warmly at their incredulity. “Yes, I always get that reaction the first time people meet Sakura. She’s very protective. But once you earn her trust, she’s actually very sweet.” The ‘sweet little youkai’ continued to send death glares their way regardless.
“I am Miroku,” the monk stated, taking his usual role as group spokesman. “And this is Sango, Shippou, Kirara, Inuyasha, and Kagome.”
Daichi nodded and smiled at each person in turn, but his gaze lingered on Kagome, who surprisingly did not feel uncomfortable under the scrutiny. Her instincts told her this Daichi could be trusted, and she considered herself a good judge of character.
“It’s nice to meet you all,” Daichi replied, shifting his gaze back to Inuyasha. “I hope you don’t take offense, but your little group is the single strangest collection of individuals I have ever seen. Humans, youkai, a—two hanyou…it’s nice to see humans and youkai who don’t have an inherent disdain for each other, or for hanyou. There are too few of us out there. And I assume you have that crazy old codger Myouga with you as well. Where is that flea, anyway? Ah, well, I’m sure he’ll turn up when he’s hungry.”
“Oi, jiji. Are you gonna give us what we came here for or are we just wasting our time?”
Far from being offended by Inuyasha’s rudeness, Daichi chuckled lightly. “As coarse as ever, eh Inuyasha?”
“Quit talking like you know me. I’ve never met you in my life!”
Daichi’s smile faded at that remark. “You don’t remember, do you?” At Inuyasha’s blank look, he continued. “I’m shouldn’t be surprised. It was a long time ago, and you were still young. As a matter of fact, you are still young. Kids these days…they think they’re all grown up, ready to take on the world when they’re barely off their mother’s teat. Running around, swinging huge swords without the maturity to wield them properly. My son was the same way. Oh, you should have seen some of the stupid, infantile things he di—”
Inuyasha’s fragile temper finally snapped, and his irritation boiled over. “Dammit, would you SHUT UP! You’re like a gabby wench! Now tell us whether you can help us change Kagome back or I’m gonna fuckin’—”
‘Osuwari.’
*Thud*
“What the fuck was that for, bitch?!”
“You were being rude. You shouldn’t threaten our host!”
Chuckling again, Daichi hurried to reassure her. “That’s quite alright, my dear. I have a bad habit of getting off track and rambling about something totally unrelated to what I’m supposed to be talking about. Like this one time, I—”
“AHEM!” Kagome interrupted, sensing that Inuyasha was about to blow a gasket.
“Oh, there I go again! Ok, back to business. Um…what were we talking about?”
“Why you—”
“I believe,” Kagome interjected, curtailing any further outburst from her hanyou, “that Inuyasha was wondering how you knew him.”
“Oh, that’s right. Let me start at the beginning,” he said, the unvarying amusement that seemed to constantly grace his features vanishing abruptly. “I was a close friend of the late Inu no Taisho, and one of the few he trusted with the knowledge of your existence, Inuyasha. He told me your mother was carrying you when he asked me to make the fire-rat armour you still wear to this day. Your father feared, rightly so, it would seem, that harm would come to you should he pass away before you were grown. He desired for you to live with your mother in her human village. In the event that something were to happen to him, he asked me to keep tabs on the two of you, and to take custody of you myself should something happen to her. And then, he died. Things were fine for several years, as you grew up in the human village. When I heard your mother was ill, I hurried over to the village, but by the time I arrived it was too late. She had passed on and you had run off. I searched for you, but even back then you were an expert in concealment. It was two years before I finally found you, and by then you didn’t want my help. When I told you who I was, I believe your exact words were, ‘Go to hell. And if you see my father there, tell him thanks for nothing.’”
Silence pervaded the cave after Daichi finished speaking. The wind wisping past the mountain, the slow trickle of water dripping at the back of the cave…all of these sounds could be heard, but not even the cheerful chirping of the birds outside could break the somber, oppressive atmosphere that had descended upon them. Kagome watched Inuyasha’s eyes as they filled with old pain. She watched as the emotion was buried, blinked away, as his eyes hardened in anger, then softened in understanding. He lowered his head, his hair forming a shimmering silver curtain around his face.
“Is that why you made us come out here? To tell me that?” he rasped, his voice blank, holding no discernable emotion.
“Yes,” Daichi replied solemnly, “and no. I also wanted…to apologize. I failed my duty, the promise I made to your father. I’m sorry for the life you’ve liv—”
“Don’t.”
Daichi gulped, looking absolutely crestfallen at this demand. “I truly am sorry, Inuy—”
“I said don’t!” Inuyasha yelled, raising his head. His eyes glowed with fiery passion, anger, regret. In that moment, they were a reflection of everything he ever was and ever would be. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for!”
Daichi could only stare in shock as his mouth worked uselessly. “But…but…”
“Kami, do you ever shut up? I said there’s nothing to forgive! For the longest time, I cursed my lot in life, but now… All that shit I went through made me stronger, strong enough to protect this gang of helpless humans and youkai that like to follow me around.”
None of the ‘helpless’ appreciated Inuyasha’s disparaging assessment of them, but no one dared interrupt his monologue. They all knew from experience that he didn’t really mean it; it was a defense mechanism, a way for him to hide what he was truly trying to say.
“So if you’re looking for me to cry, wail, or lament my fate, you can forget it. I wouldn’t change a single fucking thing!”
Silence reigned once again, but this time it was of the shocked variety, touched with a flavor of awe. Kagome beamed, for she heard what he didn’t say, what had been going through his mind as he spoke. If the past had been different, I wouldn’t have met the friends I have now. She felt the irrepressible need to touch him, to offer him comfort, to let him know that she loved him just as he was, past and all. She only hesitated briefly before placing her hand gently on his shoulder, unsure if he would allow such a display of affection in public. She was relieved when he merely turned toward her and smiled, placing his own hand upon hers. It wasn’t much, just a small upturn of the corner of his mouth, but it was enough. And I wouldn’t have met you, Kagome.
A low chuckle broke the moment, as Daichi’s laughter bled away the tension that had built up in the cave. “You are young of body, Inuyasha, but perhaps you are not so young of heart.”
“And just what the fuck is that supposed to mean, huh? If you’ve got something to say, just say it!”
Kagome sweatdropped. He was saying that you’re more mature than you look, baka. So much for that idea…
“Never mind, Inuyasha,” Daichi replied good naturedly. “Now, on to the real reason why you’re here.”
“Yeah!” Inuyasha exclaimed, irritation forgotten—for the moment. “Can you change Kagome back or not?”
“No, I cannot.”
A third deafening silence descended upon the gathering. Indeed, the only sound that could be heard was the grating of a certain hanyou’s teeth.
“But,” Daichi continued, “I know someone who can.”
Far from being mollified by this news, Inuyasha’s angst continued to rise. “You’d better not fuckin’ tell me that we have to go see this someone now.”
“Well, I suppose you don’t have to…” Daichi said thoughtfully.
“Damn fuckin’ son of a BITCH!!!! You’ve gotta be shitting me! First we have to wait for Myouga, then we have to come here, and now we have to go there! Are we getting anywhere at all? Why does it feel like we’re just chasing our tails?”
“Yes, yes, you’re in a hurry. I know the drill; my son was the same way. Everything always had to be done quickly, with no time wasted. I swear, some days I thought he was trying to rush past me into the grave! Like this one time…” (3)
“Where are you going, Inuyasha?” Kagome called after the swiftly departing hanyou, who was stomping toward the entrance to the cave.
“Getting the hell out of here before I end up throttling that bastard!”
Sighing, Kagome favored Daichi with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry for him, Daichi-sama. He’s just a little…”
“Don’t worry about it, my dear; I understand. He wants what he thinks is best for you.” He studied her for a moment, and Kagome wasn’t sure she liked the mischievous smirk that worked its way onto his expression. “You know, Kagome, you are very beautiful, and I’ve seen plenty of your good character this day. Perhaps you would permit me to introduce you to my son? He could accompany you on your quest.”
Kagome, who had been blushing at Daichi’s compliments, didn’t have a chance to reply before her vision was blocked out by red cloth.
“She ain’t fuckin’ interested, bastard!”
Daichi had the decency to look surprised, but Kagome could still see the smirk lurking just below the surface.
“No need to be jealous, Inuyasha.”
“I’m not!”
“Pardon me, then. I must have been mistaken,” he said slyly, his loaded tone revealing what he truly thought. And that smugness, along with what he had been proposing, was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“That’s it!” Inuyasha yelled, spinning and marching stiffly toward the outside world. “We’re leaving. NOW!”
“Calm down, Inuyasha,” Miroku called back, “we still have to get directions to…who did you say we had to see next, Daichi-sama?”
“I didn’t. Her name is Aoi, and she lives several mountains over. Her mountain is the one with the purple ring around it; you should be able to see it from here. I put in a good word for you, so you should have no problems.”
The monk nodded his thanks and stood to leave, as did most of his companions. The only one who remained was Kagome, who felt compelled to try to explain why she didn’t want his son to accompany them, and why nothing romantic could ever develop between them.
“Daichi-sama, I’m sure your son is great an all, but…um…”
The tall youkai just laughed, a genuine sound, not in the least bit forced. “Don’t worry about it, my dear!” Then, lowering his voice to a level that only she would hear, he continued. “Besides, my son is happily mated. But it is fun to tease Inuyasha, is it not?”
At his conspiratorial wink, Kagome found herself smiling as well, glad that he hadn’t been serious. She had recently dropped Hojo as a potential suitor, and didn’t need any more popping up.
“Well, I’d better be going before Inuyasha tosses me over his shoulder aga—” Kagome’s reply was cut short by an annoyed growl. Sakura, who had been contentedly dozing on her master’s lap, despite Inuyasha’s blustering, suddenly bolted upright and began scratching furiously at her flank with her hind leg. Daichi watched closely, hand poised expectantly, and then it shot out and closed it in mid-air. Kagome thought she heard a small cry of pain. Sure enough, when he opened his hand, there was Myouga lying flattened on his palm.
“Hey, Inuyasha!” he called. “Do you mind if I feed your vassal to Sakura?”
“Keh. Go for it.”
“WHAAAA!!! Inuyasha-sama, how could you?!” Myouga cried as he leapt away from the jaws of death. “Your ever faithful servant! What ingratitude! All my years of service…” The flea’s lamentations faded out as he bounced along the floor of the cave, Sakura following close behind. She returned several minutes later, still looking around for the small morsel that had escaped her grasp.
They determined, over Inuyasha’s objections, to have lunch before departing. Miffed, the hanyou went off by himself because he ‘wasn’t hungry,’ though everyone knew he was just pouting. With the amount of time he had already spent pissed off today, few would dare to approach him, but Daichi did just that. He sat down right next to the brooding youngster, who pointedly ignored him. He apparently hadn’t yet been forgiven for trying to set his son up with Kagome. Inuyasha clearly didn’t know it had been a joke, and Daichi wasn’t about to tell him either. He had known Kagome for less than a quarter of a day, and already he could see that she only had eyes for Inuyasha. He figured a little jealousy on the hanyou’s part was a good thing, especially since he suspected that deep down he felt the same way.
“Well, now that I come out here, I think it’s going to rain tonight,” he said thoughtfully.
Inuyasha looked at the sky, sniffed the air, but could pick up nothing that would tell him as much. He sent a dubious glance Daichi’s way.
“Yep. Definitely going to rain,” the bear youkai repeated. “When you’ve lived out here as long as I have, you can just tell these things. Are you sure you don’t want to stay here for the night?”
“We’ll manage.”
“But you have humans in your group! If they get wet, they’ll get sick, and—”
“I said we’ll manage.”
Daichi sighed heavily. “You know, Inuyasha,” he said, catching the hanyou off guard with his sincerity, “I still made a promise to your father that I can never fulfill. If you ever need anything—and I mean anything—I want you to come to me first.”
Inuyasha didn’t reply for the longest time, but sat and stared at the ground, weighing Daichi’s words in his mind. Finally, he raised his head, met the other’s eyes, and nodded.
“Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” Daichi pressed. “The cave is very warm and cozy once you get a fire going. And I’ll even cook you dinner!”
“Think you can stop being a jackass?”
Daichi took that as the grudging acceptance that it was, and brightened immediately. He waltzed over to the rest of the Inu-gang, quite gracefully for a big man, to inform them of the news. Inuyasha sighed, flopping down on the grass and putting his hands behind his head. I’d better enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts. He scowled, not believing for a second that Daichi would stop getting on his nerves. It’s gonna be a long evening.
“Onii-chan! Get me some water!”
“You’re not dying, Sora. Get it yourself.”
“But Oniiii-chaaaan, I’m wounded!”
Takehiko groaned, banging his head against a nearby tree. His sister was in fact almost fully recovered, but you wouldn’t know it by the way she whined constantly. He knew most of it was just to get under his skin, but that didn’t make him feel any better. He decided to try counting to ten, even though that usually didn’t work.
“Oniiii-chaaaan…” One, two, three, fo—
“Oniiii-chaaaan…” One, two, thr—
“Oniiii-chaaaan…” One—oh, I’m gonna fuckin’ kill her! Wait…
“Onii—”
“Shut up, Sora,” he said quietly but commandingly, and his sister instinctively knew there was trouble. Indeed, Takehiko’s sharp inu nose had picked up something, a strange, foreign scent. Dark and malicious, it made him sick just to breathe it. And it was getting stronger. Sora rose effortlessly to her feet and stood beside him. He glared at her, and perhaps would have made a remark about her supposed infirmity if a figure had not emerged from the trees just ahead. It was a man, wearing the most elaborate kimono and armour they had ever seen. An enormous eye sat in the center of his chest, peeking out through a crack in his armour. But that wasn’t even his most striking feature; no, that distinction belonged to the eyes on his head. They glowed red, as if the fires of hell burned in this man’s soul, a walking embodiment of hatred, malice, and suffering.
“Who are you and what do you want?” Takehiko asked, hand drifting up toward the sword strapped over his shoulder.
“Kukuku,” the figure chuckled, “there is no need to draw your swords. I did not come here to fight; I came to offer my assistance.”
“What makes you think we need your help?” Sora asked, a challenge in her voice.
“The charred tips of your feathers, for one thing.”
Sora fumed, but the stranger continued before she could respond. “It matters not whether you admit you need my help, for I would still offer it. We have a common enemy, you see. You seem to hate Inuyasha and his friends as much as I.”
“How would you know such a thing?” Takehiko growled.
“I have my ways.”
“If you hate Inuyasha so much, then why haven’t you gotten rid of him yourself?”
“I have tried, many times, in fact. But the filthy hanyou has proven most resilient.”
“Then why should we accept help from a weakling who cannot even do his own dirty work?”
The stranger’s face twisted in a snarl, but it was gone in the blink of an eye, as if it had never been there in the first place.
“Because I can offer you these,” he said, holding out his hand.
“Shards of the Shikon no Tama!” Sora exclaimed. “Where did you get them?”
“It matters not. I shall allow you to borrow these shards to help you kill Inuyasha and his friends. If you succeed, they are yours to keep. Do we have an accord?”
The siblings looked at each other, suspicion present in each gaze, but they could think of no legitimate reason not to accept other than it seemed too good to be true.
“Very well,” Takehiko agreed hesitantly. “You still have not given us your name.”
“Oh, forgive me. You may call me Naraku.”
“Alright, Naraku, you have a deal.”
“Excellent!” Naraku said as he tossed Takehiko the shards. “I also have one other thing that may be of use to you. If you have not already seen it, the monk has a very powerful weapon in his right han—”
“Trust me,” Sora interrupted, “I’ve already dealt with that.”
“Fair enough. The next time he moves to unleash it, use this,” Naraku told her, tossing her some kind of rounded object that almost looked like a hive. Shrugging, she attached it to her obi. “One more thing. I have more enemies besides Inuyasha. If you eliminate an ookami called Kouga and an inu-youkai by the name of Sesshoumaru, there are more jewel shards in store for you.”
“Did you say…Sesshoumaru?” Takehiko ground out between gritted teeth, his anger flaring at just the mention of that name. Naraku seemed not to notice.
“Yes. Why, do you know him?”
“How is he involved in this?” Takehiko demanded hurriedly, completely ignoring Naraku’s question.
“Why, he is Inuyasha’s older half-brother, and a vindictive pest. Kill him and your rewards will be great, indeed.”
Then he was gone, vanishing into the wind. Takehiko’s eyes were still riveted to the spot, his clenched fists shaking with rage. The scent of his blood, from where his claws punctured the skin of his palms, wafted to his nose, but he was too lost in wrath to care. Yes, he knew who Sesshoumaru was. He was the son of the bastard who murdered his father and kicked him out of the Western Lands to die, starving and alone in the wilderness. He had desired revenge on Sesshoumaru from the beginning, but his father had taught him many things in their short time together, and one of them was never to fight a battle you couldn’t win. This was the reason he had not approached Sesshoumaru yet, even though every fiber of his being screamed at him to do so. But now, with jewel shards in his possession…perhaps he would finally be strong enough to defeat his nemesis.
And Inuyasha… A wicked smile formed on his lips. So, the Inu no Taisho had a whelp with a human bitch, did he? All the better! Yes, now he would have the pleasure of exacting his vengeance not once, but twice.
“Takehiko,” Sora said, breaking his train of thought, “do you trust this Naraku person?”
“Not for an instant. No one surrenders shards of the Shikon no Tama that freely. I have no doubt that Naraku plans to reclaim these shards the instant we are no longer useful to him.”
Sora smirked. “Then we’ll just have to waste him, too.”
“Exactly. And Sora,” he said seriously, “Inuyasha is mine.”
“You don’t have to tell me that, Takehiko. I know your history, remember? He’s yours as long as you agree that Kagome is mine.”
“Deal.”
Yes, they would worry about Naraku later. For now, they would focus on the task at hand—getting their brother back. And then, with jewel shards in their possession, he would seek his own personal revenge. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru would pay, dearly.
Name Translations
Sakura = cherry blossoms. Those pink flowers everyone thinks are so beautiful.
Aoi = hollyhock, althea (types of flowers)
(1) I don’t know much Japanese, but I read that “Onii-chan” is a cutesy form of “Onii-san,” which means older brother. This is intentional. If I’m wrong, I’d appreciate someone correcting me. Thanks.
(2) Here, Bastard! Come here, boy! Who’s a good Bastard? That tickles me. I’d feel bad for the dog (or fox youkai) though. And I grew up loving the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, so that’s where Shredder came from.
(3) I will now forever associate Daichi with American Pie. Like this one time, at band camp…
A/N – So there’s Daichi. I hope he wasn’t what you expected. I’ve received several questions from readers regarding the mysterious dagger, so here’s a brief answer. Takehiko did pick up the dagger, right before he carried Sora away. Sora didn’t let go of it until after Kagome blasted her, so that’s how it ended up on the ground next to her. I can see why some of you missed that, since the part explaining this was just a little blurb. Also, I purposefully left out a description of the dagger because nobody really got a good look at it. Kagome saw it had a silver hilt, but that’s it. More will be revealed later, I promise.
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