InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Metamorphosis ❯ ...And Conquer, Part 1 ( Chapter 34 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: King Baka 
Battle rages in the Feudal Era.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.10.2009 | Updated On: 01.30.2011 | Pages: 3 | Words: 8.3K | Visits: 3.4K | Status: Completed
Battle rages in the Feudal Era.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.10.2009 | Updated On: 01.30.2011 | Pages: 3 | Words: 8.3K | Visits: 3.4K | 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.
…And Conquer, Part 1
“Ah,” Inuyasha groaned as he emptied his bladder. The soft sound of urine splattering on the ground was music to his ears. Finished, he retied his hakama and squatted by the stream to scoop a few handfuls of cool water into his parched mouth. Feeling quite satisfied now, he flopped backward onto the bank and folded his hands behind his head, resolving not to rush Kagome as she did her business. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, basking in the simple tranquility of nature for a few peaceful moments.
Suddenly, his eyes shot open and a frown twisted his features. Why did it feel chilly all of a sudden? The weather was warm, and there was no wind to speak of. Then he realized that the sensation was not external in origin. What was this feeling of…wrongness? He tried to brush it off, to convince himself it was all in his imagination. But the conviction only intensified as the seconds ticked by, and eventually he could no longer dismiss it as illusory. Something was very wrong, of that he was certain. But what? He took stock of his surroundings and detected nothing out of the ordinary. And if the trouble or danger wasn’t here, then that left… Oh, shit! Kagome!
Quick as a flash, he bolted upright and dashed through the trees. This is crazy! I’ll burst in on her taking a piss, she’ll yell at me, and then we’ll make up! But those reassurances were hollow, and he was not surprised to find that his mate’s scent led off into the underbrush somewhere. The ominous feeling continued to escalate, becoming an insistent pounding on the inside of his skull. The shade of the canopy seemed to darken into night before his eyes, perfectly matching the uneasy shadows moving over his heart. Then he burst out into sunlight, and his heart dropped to his shaking knees.
“KAGOME!!!”
He was too late; she was already in Naraku’s clutches. His tentacles snaked around her body, writhing as they pinned her arms at her sides and her legs tightly together. Several bony spikes hovered around her head, the tips mere inches from her vulnerable neck. Only that kept him from charging to her rescue.
“Ah, Inuyasha, nice of you to drop by,” Naraku drolled with amused cordiality.
“Let her go, bastard!”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” the dark hanyou replied. “I have much grander plans in mind. But first…” Without warning he turned back to his captive, and Kagome gasped as his hands forcibly separated the folds of her kosode, revealing the top edges of her bra to the air. A wave of red surged through Inuyasha’s mind, and only his crushing grip on Tetsusaiga’s hilt kept him from losing himself. Even so, he breathed heavily, his control wavering as his eyes flashed from gold to scarlet and back again.
“Don’t you fucking touch her!” he rasped. Naraku merely favored him with a teasing smirk before reaching his hand down. With a sharp tug he withdrew his prize…the bottle of jewel shards from Kagome’s neck. Inuyasha was somewhat ashamed to realize his relief that it had been only the jewel shards he was after.
“Hey!” Kagome yelled, struggling against her captor’s hold. “Give those back!” Seeing her pure shards sparkle pink inspired her, and she summoned her miko powers. Her concentration evaporated when she felt a stabbing pain in the side of her neck.
“Don’t even think about it, my dear,” Naraku whispered warningly in her ear. “Unless you believe you can purify me before I slice your head off.”
Kagome stilled against the intrusion into her soft flesh. Already the blood was trickling down her collarbone and onto her breast. As much as she wanted to escape now, it simply wasn’t possible. Her miko powers weren’t instantaneous; they took at least a moment to build up, and she didn’t have a moment with Naraku’s attention focused on her. She would have to wait for a better opportunity. Evidently, Inuyasha reached the same conclusion.
“Don’t you fucking do it, wench! I’ll save you!” he cried, whipping Tetsusaiga out of its sheath. The sword seemed to roar with unbridled ferocity, feeding off the desperation of its master. It shimmered with a majestic light, rivulets of power flashing across its surface.
“Drop it,” Naraku ordered. When Inuyasha failed to comply, he drove his spike deeper into Kagome’s neck, wringing a pained hiss from the young woman. She gritted her teeth as her life flashed before her tightly closed eyes. Another inch and she would be done for. A metallic clattering rang in her ears, and the pressure immediately eased, although Naraku did not withdraw completely. As she gathered her bearings, she gazed in horror at her mate.
“No, Inuyasha! Pick it up! Don’t worry about m—mpphhh!!!” Yet another tentacle wound its way around her face, sealing her mouth. She was sorely tempted to bite it, but that would probably prove even more disgusting.
“Now, now, Kagome,” Naraku admonished paternalistically, as a parent might chastise a naughty child. “Don’t be rude. The men are talking.”
Inuyasha would have been proud of the string of curses which flowed from her lips, if only he could have understood them from behind her fleshy gag. Naraku cackled maliciously, and when he spoke again his tone was almost gleeful.
“The mighty Tetsusaiga lies rusting on the ground. How delicious is it that the sword you worked so hard to strengthen is beyond your use when you need it the most?” His sadistic chuckling resumed, the infuriating sound grating on Inuyasha’s already frayed nerves. They had yet again walked into one of Naraku’s traps, and he cursed himself for not keeping a closer eye on Kagome. One way or another, he had a feeling this would be the last evil plot the dark hanyou would ever spring upon them.
Then there was silence, and he looked up to see Naraku reach into his robes and pull out a small, black object. The Shikon no Tama! When brought in close proximity to the larger jewel, Kagome’s shards quickly surrendered to its pull. The poison of evil leaked into the shards, corrupting them, much to the delight of their new owner. He dumped the shards out of the bottle onto the hand holding the jewel, and squeezed his fist. The shockwave of a massive sinister aura reverberated from the spot, the aftershocks sending chills down Inuyasha’s spine. And when Naraku opened his fist, the nearly-complete Shikon no Tama sat on his palm, blacker than the darkest night. He examined it carefully, grinning widely at what he saw.
“It is nearly complete now,” he declared aloud. “Just the wolf’s and Kohaku’s shards left, and then the entire world will know and fear the name Nara—”
“So what happens now?” Inuyasha interjected, already sick of his enemy’s narcissistic raving. “You gonna actually get your hands dirty for a change and kill me?”
He sounded confident, but inside he was petrified. Naraku held all the cards, or at least the only one that mattered to him. He had to ask himself the question: would he give up his life to save Kagome? Of course he would, without a second thought, but it wasn’t that simple. If Naraku ordered him to, would he willingly give up his life to grant Kagome a few more seconds of existence, and perhaps a chance to escape? Again the answer was an affirmative. He couldn’t watch Kagome die, not when any action on his part could have prevented it. At least if he died first he wouldn’t be a total failure as a mate and protector. But apparently even Naraku wasn’t despicable enough to order someone to stand and accept death without resistance. Either that or he simply desired some additional entertainment.
“No, Inuyasha. I decided to grant my young minion another crack at you.”
“That’s right, half-breed,” Hakudoshi said as he advanced, twirling his long halberd menacingly in front of him. “You’re mine!”
Inuyasha was silent for several moments as he weighed his odds. They weren’t good. His opponent was swift, a small target, and quite strong. And he was armed, putting the hanyou at a distinct disadvantage without Tetsusaiga. But Inuyasha had to try; failure meant Kagome’s death, and that thought alone gave him strength and resolve he didn’t know he possessed. His youkai side stirred deep within, clamoring for release. His own life was not in mortal danger yet, but the plight of his mate was enough to rouse his animal instincts. He forced them back, gritting his teeth and holding the side of his head with the effort. He needed to keep his wits about him; Hakudoshi was too crafty a fighter to be defeated by his powerful but reckless youkai form. He wasn’t like Goshinki, who had really just been a big brute with mind powers. No, losing control of himself now would be a death sentence, for both himself and Kagome.
“What’s the matter, half-breed? You look nervous?” the foul child taunted.
“I’m going to tear you to pieces, kid,” Inuyasha replied, baring his fangs.
“Hah! We’ll see.” With that, Hakudoshi swung his weapon to the side and charged. The first swipe was a blur, and nearly cleaved Inuyasha in half. The next several missed as well, but were still close enough to tear tiny rips in his fire-rat haori. Grimacing, Inuyasha continued to dodge, searching for an opportunity to strike back.
“Naraku,” the slayer spat angrily.
“Probably,” he admitted, “but we must find out for sure. And we must also discover the purpose of that person in doing this.”
“So you wanna take a look around?” Sango asked, and Miroku was just about to give a positive response when a high-pitched voice spoke up from down around his feet.
“But what about Inuyasha and Kagome?!” Shippou exclaimed. “What if they’re in danger?!”
The two adults locked eyes for a moment, coming to a silent decision. “Let’s go, Houshi-sama. Kagome-chan has the jewel shards, and that’s probably what our enemy is after.”
“Yes, you’re right. I’d feel much better about this if they were with us.”
The trio once again climbed on Kirara, preparing to soar off back in the direction they had come. Sango took one more fortuitous glance over her shoulder at the seemingly peaceful village as they departed.
“What the— Stop, Kirara! Houshi-sama, look!”
All eyes turned to follow Sango’s outstretched arm, and each person glimpsed a familiar inu-youkai floating gracefully across the sky.
“Sesshoumaru!” all three of them yelled at once. As they watched, the silver-haired demon dropped rapidly, landing gently in the center of the village. Even from a good distance, their human ears could detect the screams and shouts of the frightened inhabitants. Then Sesshoumaru emerged with a great leap, landing well outside the settled area and striding quickly into a nearby valley that stretched for miles toward the eastern horizon, the plain broken only by a river that ran down its middle.
“Follow him, Kirara!” They caught up easily enough, and Miroku dismounted to walk tentatively beside him. He ignored them all, maintaining the kind of singular focus that alienated friends and gave everyone else the creeps.
“Uh, what are you doing, Sesshoumaru-sama?” Miroku queried hesitantly, deciding to be civil to the cold inu-youkai, who had hopefully decided he wasn’t their enemy this time around. Sesshoumaru stopped dead in his tracks, his only subsequent movement the shift of an eye. Miroku shivered under that icy glare; he felt like a fly which had dared to buzz around the inu-youkai’s ears.
But Sesshoumaru wasn’t as livid as he appeared to the nervous monk; he was, however, fairly annoyed. It seemed like whenever he got close to Naraku, Inuyasha and his friends would show up and allow the wretched worm to escape. At least the damn hanyou wasn’t with them this time, though he did absently wonder where the cretin was. It didn’t matter; he was on Naraku’s trail, and nothing would stop him this time. He had soared for an hour in the same direction, searching for whatever it was that Kagura wished him to find. When he spied the village directly in his path, he swooped down to investigate, recalling Naraku’s peculiar penchant for hiding himself within human settlements. It hadn’t been the dark hanyou’s scent which caught his attention, but that of the blank-eyed boy who had challenged him before. Tracking the boy to the outskirts of the village, he discovered Naraku’s scent leading into the valley, and was now fully intent on chasing him to the ends of the earth if need be.
“You, kitsune and neko,” Sesshoumaru said after a short period of heavy silence, raising his head to gaze across the plain. “Do you not detect the foul stench of Naraku in this area?”
Shippou and Kirara shared a glance, sniffing furiously, but all they could pick up was grass and flowers. “O-our noses aren’t as strong as yours,” Shippou replied, to which Sesshoumaru almost appeared to roll his eyes.
“I don’t sense any evil presence,” Miroku added, “but that could be because of the Fuyouheki.”
“Yes,” Sango agreed, “we would have just left here without ever realizing—hey! Where is he going now?”
Sesshoumaru was just a blur rapidly shrinking in the distance. Evidently he had seen something which had peaked his interest.
“Let’s go, Houshi-sama!” Sango cried, offering him a hand in swinging onto Kirara’s back. Together they charged off in pursuit of the inu-youkai.
Sesshoumaru stood silently, studying the scene before him. The flash of black he had seen was the boy, the young taijiya who smelled like he was related to the female from Inuyasha’s group. They stood facing each other as adversaries, reminding Sesshoumaru of their last encounter. Only this time, the boy’s eyes were not darkened by black magic or glazed over by lack of willpower. Instead, they were steely, full of resolve tinged with badly buried hints of remorse. They were aware. Idly, Sesshoumaru wondered if the boy had revealed his position on purpose.
“Where is Naraku?” he posed, peering into the large cave at the boy’s back. The young taijiya didn’t respond in words, but Sesshoumaru’s eyes widened fractionally upon seeing him remove the chain sickle from his obi. I see. So he is aware of himself, but still intends to fight for Naraku. The inu-youkai flexed his claws; there would be no mercy for the human child if that was the case.
“This Sesshoumaru will ask you one more time, human. Where is Naraku?”
“He is not here,” came a soft, emotionless voice from the darkness of the cave. A moment later, another child stepped out of the gloom, this one a youkai judging by the sheer whiteness of her appearance. She carried an eerie-looking infant in her arms, and Sesshoumaru was quite certain both of them were incarnations of Naraku.
“Kohaku!” the female slayer called as she and her companions arrived on the scene. The boy flinched slightly at the voice, but otherwise remained motionless, staring lifelessly ahead. Sesshoumaru was the only one who noticed the momentary discrepancy. Curious. He appears to want Inuyasha’s friends to believe he is still under Naraku’s control. Very well, I shall not reveal his secret. Satisfied that his prey was indeed not nearby, the taiyoukai turned to depart.
“Wait, Sesshoumaru-sama! Where are you going?!” the monk shouted after him.
“This Sesshoumaru has no interest in the spawn of Naraku,” he replied without breaking stride.
“B-but that infant is Naraku’s heart!”
Sesshoumaru paused mid-step, but did not turn around as he spoke. “His heart?”
“Yes! That’s his mortal heart. If we destroy it, Naraku will die!”
Instead of answering, Sesshoumaru resumed his pace, walking away from the cave and away from Naraku’s heart.
“Wh-why are you leav—”
“This Sesshoumaru will not sink so low as to destroy his enemy using cowardly or underhanded means,” the taiyoukai remarked dismissively.
Miroku gritted his teeth in sudden anger. Why that stupid son of a bitch!
“Don’t you get it, you pompous ass!” he yelled, abandoning all illusions of civility. “As long as his heart is unharmed, Naraku can’t be killed!”
Sesshoumaru halted again, his head shooting up. It made sense; how else could one explain the fact that Naraku was not yet dead by his hand? And it was definitely something the half-breed would do: lurk around in the shadows even though his body was indestructible. I see, so this infant is what Kagura wished for me to find. In an instant he launched himself back toward the cave, moving quicker than the male taijiya could react, heading for the infant that apparently held the key to Naraku’s existence. He would slice it in half, and test the truth of the monk’s story that way.
The shifting of shadows on the ground before him was his only warning, but it allowed him to dodge the spear of flesh that came lancing down from above. He leapt away, turning to regard the new threat. It was a youkai, humanoid in form but many times larger, and held aloft by great bat-like wings. Its body was grayish in color, with blue slashes and markings crisscrossing the torso and upper limbs. A similar patch covered the area around its right eye, and a full head of ashen hair topped its head. Its left arm had elongated into a writhing tentacle, its end tipped with a wickedly curved blade the length of the creature’s body. But perhaps the most striking thing about this youkai was its eyes; they were black, like bottomless pits dug into the earth. They were soulless, suggesting that inside the big head was just a void, a dearth of any trace of intelligence or willpower. Not even the taijiya boy had ever appeared so lifeless. (1)
Sesshoumaru glanced down at the rapidly expanding red stain on his leg with disdain. The wound was of no consequence, but it did provide an additional reason to slaughter this artificial youkai hovering between him and the infant. He drew Toukijin, the familiar malevolent youki rippling through the sword, eager for a fight. Sesshoumaru’s lips curled ever so slightly; he almost felt sorry for this poor creature.
“Sango,” Miroku murmured softly, “while Sesshoumaru is busy with that youkai, we can go after the infant. Sango?”
But the slayer wasn’t listening, having spent the entirety of the past several minutes staring at her brother. There was just something different about him that intrigued her. His eyes seemed brighter, though the change was so subtle that only a close friend or relative would notice it. He still wore a blank expression, but it wasn’t quite the same. This one appeared more forced than natural. But that wasn’t all; there was some other disparity which tantalized her. She gasped aloud when she realized what it was. He wasn’t looking at her. Before, he had never had a problem staring her down with those empty, uncomprehending eyes. Now he glared off to the side, refusing to make eye contact with her. The aggregate of these observations could only lead her to one conclusion, despite the small voice in her mind telling her not to get her hopes up. Did he regain his memories? Is he free from Naraku’s control?
“Sango!” Miroku’s call and his hand on her shoulder startled her out of her musings and turned her attention to the battle going on nearby. “We need to take out that baby!”
She nodded in agreement, understanding the necessity to put thoughts of Kohaku aside for now. She could never completely bury them, especially not with her brother so close, but a warrior must fight no matter what is in her head.
Sesshoumaru snarled, his stoic demeanor beginning to crack as a result of the frustration mounting inside him. This youkai was as resilient as its master, pulling itself back together every time he slashed a piece off. It was also fast; several more crimson stains on his white clothing could attest to that. The creature had a strange ability to harden or soften its body at will, which meant that most of Toukijin’s strikes impacted flabby, gelatinous skin and tore right through without doing much damage. Sesshoumaru was cautious not to allow any of the severed flesh to cling to him, lest he wind up enveloped in the stuff. He had experienced enough of that unpleasant sensation just before Naraku vanished and retreated to Mount Hakurei.
Leaping upward, he swung Toukijin, waves of brilliant blue energy emanating from the blade and racing across the short distance to the enemy. Mouryoumaru blocked the attack by transforming his left arm into a shield, but Sesshoumaru was already moving again, sending more waves of Toukijin’s power surging from a new direction. His quarry soared higher with a great beat of its wings, allowing the attack to pass harmlessly beneath him. The fleshy spear descended again, but the move was predictable by now and Sesshoumaru easily dodged. In a flash he closed to within a few feet of the creature, prepared to sever its head from its body. But Mouryoumaru’s reaction proved too quick, and he sent the inu youkai flying with a vicious smack from his right fist. Sesshoumaru landed on his feet, his knees bending to take the impact of the fall. Now his face was a truly frightening sight, the fangs clearly visible as a low growl vibrated in his throat. Mouryoumaru gazed unblinkingly down at the taiyoukai, his complete lack of fear spiking Sesshoumaru’s ire. And then Naraku’s minion did the unthinkable; he spun in mid-air and took off in the opposite direction.
“Don’t turn your back on me!” Sesshoumaru snarled angrily, his voice feral. Charging forward, he closed rapidly on the fleeing youkai and let loose a truly thunderous burst from Tokijin. The blast obliterated the creature’s left arm and took a large chunk out of its shoulder and side, but Mouryoumaru’s pace barely slowed as he continued to soar across the field. Now Sesshoumaru could see why; Inuyasha’s humans were racing toward the infant on the back of their neko-youkai. But it became apparent that Mouryoumaru was going to get there first, so the humans veered off and all parties came to a halt. Now Mouryoumaru hovered above the white girl and the infant, enemies on either side and the taijiya boy hanging back near the cave entrance.
“Do not interfere,” Sesshoumaru ordered. “This Sesshoumaru will not tolera—” He was cut off, choking as several dozen shards of flesh pierced straight through his body. He fell to one knee, glaring up at Mouryoumaru even as the creature’s left arm reformed, some of the returning pieces dyed red with his blood. Now his torso bled freely from the front and rear; the devious bastard had quite literally stabbed him in the back. Sesshoumaru tried to rise but failed, gritting his teeth against the additional agony brought on by the effort. Seeing this, the humans across the field leapt into action.
“Hiraikotsu!” Sango cried as she flung her weapon, allowing Miroku to slide off onto the ground before flying to retrieve it. Both of them would be more effective if he wasn’t on Kirara with her. Another powerful flap of Mouryoumaru’s wings destabilized the giant boomerang as it spun along its course, allowing him to bat it out of the air before it severed his neck. The weapon tumbled off to the side, landing in the grass fifty feet away with a muffled clunk. Sango urged Kirara forward, but Mouryoumaru seemed intent on preventing her from rearming herself. He lashed out with his distended left arm, forcing some evasive action from the fire cat. But the jolting and twisting dislodged her passenger, who found herself falling toward the earth. Fortunately, it wasn’t a long drop, and she broke her fall with a roll that ended in a sprint as she retreated out of danger, Kirara withdrawing overhead. Now the situation had changed drastically. Sesshoumaru was wounded, the slayer was temporarily disarmed, and it would take her at least a few precious seconds to mount the neko and reclaim her weapon. For the infant pulling the strings, it was the perfect opportunity to escape.
Or so he thought. Upon seeing Mouryoumaru pick up Kanna and the baby, Miroku realized what they were planning and was having none of it. There was no reason to suspect any of them possessed jewel shards, and therefore no reason to hold back his kazaana. Mouryoumaru was quick to supply such a reason, even as he was sucked inexorably closer to the void. The hive of saimyosho pulled from his body released dozens of the insects, many of which were immediately drawn into the hole in Miroku’s right hand. The monk gritted his teeth, steeling himself against the pain as the poison began to spread throughout his body. Dimly he heard Sango calling his name, but he wasn’t stopping this time. He refused to allow Naraku’s heart to escape. Inuyasha and Kagome were probably battling with the dark hanyou at this very moment, and he would gladly sacrifice his own life to save theirs.
Intervention came from an unlikely source. Miroku felt a strong, masculine hand grip his shoulder none-too-gently, and was understandably shocked to glance back and see Sesshoumaru glowering at him.
“Close your hand, monk,” he ordered calmly. Miroku shrank back slightly from the authoritative demand in his tone, as well as the fierceness burning in his eyes. Quickly he obeyed, resealing his kazaana. All it took was one look at the inu-youkai lord to know that he was not going to let Mouryoumaru get away. Satisfied, Sesshoumaru took a few steps forward before suddenly turning and punching the monk square in the face. Miroku careened backwards, stumbling over his own feet and winding up flat on his back in the grass. Multiple suns spun around his head, and it was several minutes before the dizziness wore off and his vision returned to normal. He mentally cursed the jackass for hitting him so hard. The whole side of his face would be swollen for about a week, and he was lucky his cheekbone was intact! Still, Sesshoumaru could have struck him a lot harder, though he idly wondered why the dog had seen fit to punch him at all. Eh, he must have wanted me out of the way. And probably some payback for my “pompous ass” remark. At this point, it didn’t really matter. The poison in his body ensured that he would remain lying prone until the effects wore off or someone helped him up. How much did I take in, anyway? Enough to kill me? I guess I’ll find out soon, he thought as his head swam. Gray fuzziness clouded his mind, and then everything went black.
“Houshi-sama!” Sango called from above, but it was clear he was unconscious or worse. She had initially been incensed at Sesshoumaru, but quickly realized that he had saved Miroku from his own suicidal attempt to suck Naraku’s heart into his kazaana. She would have a little talk with her husband-to-be later about that. For now she focused her attention on the ongoing battle. She once more wielded hiraikotsu from Kirara’s back, watching Sesshoumaru and Mouryoumaru duke it out. She was ready to step in if the inu-youkai fell, though it was increasingly looking like a ‘when’ rather than an ‘if.’ Even Sesshoumaru could be weakened by simple blood loss, and Mouryoumaru’s sneaky attack had really done some heavy damage. Even with his right hand occupied by Kanna and the infant, Naraku’s incarnation easily fended off his enemy’s attacks with his shape-shifting left arm.
Sure enough, it was only another few moments before Sesshoumaru took a blow from said arm, hurtling toward the earth and landing with a loud crash. Mouryoumaru followed, poised to deal the finishing blow, but a great hurl of hiraikotsu forced him to divert course. He landed about sixty feet to the left of the dust cloud that marked Sesshoumaru’s location. And before any party could make another move, the silent watcher struck.
Kohaku had spent weeks waiting for this opportunity. Ever since regaining his memory at the village during Abi-hime’s attack, he had sought a chance to slay Naraku’s human heart. But the baby didn’t trust him, and Mouryoumaru was always nearby. He would only get one shot at this; he could not afford to act unless he was sure he could take them by surprise. So he bided his time until the perfect opportunity arose. But, alas, it was not to be. His chain sickle hit the mark exactly, and would have cleaved the infant’s head clean off had it not erected its barrier at the last possible moment. The blade bounced off the shimmering surface, and Kohaku hurriedly pulled it back even though he knew it was too late. As close as he was to Mouryoumaru, there was no hope of avoiding the open-handed slap that sent him sprawling do the dirt. Stunned, he was utterly defenseless as one of the remaining saimyosho deftly plucked the jewel shard from his back. Strangely, he only felt peace in this moment, despite his failure. Perhaps it was because he was finally receiving punishment for his horrid crimes—an early death. Ane-ue…I tried. (2) His sister’s voice was the last thing he heard before blessed darkness overcame him.
“KOHAKU!!!”
It had all happened so fast. Before Sango’s brain could fully comprehend the fact that her brother was betraying Naraku, he was dead. Part of her wanted to take him into her arms and weep, but she held herself together. She would mourn as a sister later. She would fight as a warrior now. With a fierce cry she flung hiraikotsu with all her might. The weapon burned a path across the sky, impacting the barrier with the force of a million anguished fists, the sound like the crack of a thousand breaking hearts. The translucent orb flickered dangerously but held firm, and hiraikotsu was driven back. Kirara closed rapidly now, and Sango snatched the boomerang out of the air and hurled it again in one smooth motion. Mouryoumaru shielded his precious charge with his left arm, but hiraikotsu tore through it like a hot knife through butter. The interference barely deflected the weapon enough so it missed the infant by a few feet. Spying an opening, Sango urged Kirara forward, drawing her katana as the pair charged together. The infant was squarely in her sights, and she would take down that barrier and run him through even if it killed her. But even that level of determination wasn’t enough, as Mouryoumaru’s large head came down into her line of vision at the last moment, obscuring her view. She slashed straight through one of the unseeing eyes, slicing the head in two, but her blade missed its true target.
“Dammit!” she swore aloud, cursing the gray creature’s incredible devotion to protecting Naraku’s heart as much as its ability to do so. Sango caught hiraikotsu on its return flight as Kirara turned for another pass. This time Mouryoumaru executed a quick turn, presenting his back to the slayer as she closed in. Another inconsequential wound inflicted, though there was little left of the creature now. Too late Sango realized that the body was not reforming. A surprised yowl from Kirara preceded a mid-air tumble, then a rapid descent as Sango lost her grip on her feline companion. She landed hard on her left side, the jarring impact knocking the breath from her. Sharp pain erupted in her shoulder and torso, signaling more damage than simple bumps and bruises. She had several cracked ribs and quite possibly a dislocated shoulder, but still considered herself lucky it wasn’t worse than that. Opening her eyes, she saw Kirara lying nearby in her kitten form, an oozing red line stretching from neck to flank. Above her, Mouryoumaru had almost completely reformed, and was steadily rising into the air. Damn, he got us with the same trick he used on Sesshoumaru. Staggering to her feet, Sango stumbled toward where hiraikotsu lay in the grass. It was futile, she knew; the infant would be out of range by the time she reclaimed her weapon, and with Kirara down she had no way to pursue. But giving up was repugnant to her very nature, so she continued to move as quickly as she could, silently praying for a miracle.
Blue light flashed behind her, and she turned to see that her prayers had been answered. Half of Mouryoumaru’s body was in tatters again, thanks to Toukijin, but the other half was more than capable of violence. With its good leg, the creature lashed out in a kick that sent the already weakened Sesshoumaru reeling.
“Now, taijiya!” the inu-youkai cried out as he fell, and instantly Sango understood. Sesshoumaru had sacrificed his body to get her an opening, and she couldn’t waste it. Lurching the last few feet to hiraikotsu, she grabbed the handle and fired, crumpling into a heap as fresh agony lanced through her side. Only as she lay on the ground watching her boomerang speed upwards did she realize how difficult a shot this was. The distance was great, at the very edge of her range and possibly beyond. The target was tiny, a speck of hope in a vast sea of failure. Seconds seemed to stretch for hours; she swore she could almost make out hiraikotsu’s individual revolutions. She felt that at any moment the weapon would wobble, stall, and plummet back down to earth. But it never did, and as it closed steadily on the infant, almost as if guided by the hands of a Kami, her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. Then target and projectile converged and passed, and time returned to normal.
For a long moment, Sango thought she had missed by inches. A tortured, ear-splitting scream put that fear to rest. Wicked red light emanated from the spot, shining like a second sun and bathing the valley in its eerie glow. Then it was gone, the cry fading as the source of the scarlet glow zoomed off toward the southwest. In the blink of an eye it had vanished over the horizon. (3)
“Mew,” Kirara whined plaintively. Sango smiled, both relieved that her feline companion was alive and thrilled at her accomplishment. Whether she had slain the infant or merely wounded it, its incredible flight could only mean one thing: Naraku had been forced to take it back into his body. And that meant he could be killed. Determined to rise, she rolled her shoulder experimentally and was glad to find that it was not dislocated. It was quite sore, however, and her ribs were at least heavily bruised if not cracked. She was in no shape to pursue the heart or fight Naraku, and that was just as well; there were several people here who needed her urgent attention. Holding her breath against the pain, she rolled onto her hands and knees, and was about to climb to her feet when a clawed hand appeared in front of her nose. Following the arm up to its owner with her eyes, she was understandably shocked to see that it was none other than Sesshoumaru who was offering her a hand up. He had always been regal, carrying himself with an imperial air, but she never would have described him as a gentleman before. Evidently she had done something right. Despite her amazement, she took the offered appendage and was quickly pulled to her feet. Just as quickly, the taiyoukai released her hand and turned his back.
“You fight well for a mortal, taijiya,” he observed quietly.
“T-thank you,” she stuttered, truly grateful. It wasn’t much of a compliment, but it was the first she had ever heard Sesshoumaru utter. He was much like his brother in this regard; one had to learn to appreciate the small gestures of kindness from both of them. She wisely kept that notion to herself. She also knew better than to ask the inu-youkai if he was alright. His clothes were bloodstained and covered in dirt and mud, and there were dried leaves in his hair. But it was not her place to wonder about his wounds. Besides, if he were injured badly enough to endanger his life, she doubted he would be standing right now. That thought caused her to remember something important which had been temporarily been driven from her thoughts by the recent odd turn of events.
“Houshi-sama!” she called as she dashed over to him, collapsing on her knees by his side. He didn’t stir, nor did he show any other sign of life. His skin was pallid and cool to the touch, as she discovered when she tenderly cupped his unblemished cheek in her palm. Hot tears pooled behind her lowered lids and ran down her cheeks. She didn’t even attempt to hold them back. Then, she felt it. That special sensation that had become part of her daily life. Funny how it had never brought a smile to her face before. Never had she been so happy to have Miroku’s hand on her ass. She opened her eyes and was greeted by that endearing, heart-stopping grin of his. Overcome with relief, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, not even caring that his palm was still on her rear. She was glad, however, when he removed it and instead used it to return her embrace.
“How are you feeling?” Sango asked after gathering her composure, pulling back and drying her eyes. Evidently not well enough, because Miroku’s hand came up and gently wiped some extra moisture from her cheek, lingering a little longer than necessary.
“I’m sorry to worry you, my dear Sango. I really was unconscious just now.”
Blushing despite herself, the slayer lightly pushed his hand away and waved off his concerns. “It’s okay, but if you really want me to stop worrying you’ll answer my question.”
Miroku chuckled. “Well, I don’t feel great, but I’ll live.”
“Good,” Sango replied cheerfully, before her mood sobered. “At least I still have you,” she said, hanging her head despondently. Sensing her implication, Miroku raised his head and scanned the surrounding area, praying that Sango was wrong about her brother but knowing that such hope was probably futile. His jaw dropped when he finally laid eyes on the boy.
“Kami…Sango, look!”
The taijiya turned around just in time to see Sesshoumaru replace his sword in his obi. The long, slightly curved one; not Toukijin, but Tenseiga. Motion from her brother’s body drew her gaze, the gentle rise and fall of his chest too unbelievable for words. He did not stir, but he was breathing, as if he had simply decided to take a mid-afternoon nap. He was alive. Mahogany eyes once again raised to gawk at the taiyoukai, and in that moment Sango nearly confused him with a Kami.
“Why?” was all she could manage.
“Hmph,” the inu youkai snorted. “The same reason this Sesshoumaru spared his life the last time we met. It was Naraku’s will that he die.”
For her part, Sango didn’t particularly care about his reasons; she was forever in his debt regardless.
“Thank you,” she said, bowing so low that her nose nearly touched the earth. The taiyoukai barely inclined his head in response, but it was enough. Then, without preamble, he once again drew his sword—Toukijin this time—and hardened his visage. Miroku was the first to question the sudden change in demeanor as his eyes followed Sesshoumaru’s gaze.
“Uh, Sesshoumaru-sama, what are you—whoa! Holy shit!”
“Houshi-sama? What’s wro—yah!” Sango cried, falling back on her butt in shock. There, sitting on the ground not twenty feet away, was Mouryoumaru. “What the hell is he doing there?!” she yelled, already reaching for hiraikotsu.
“Did you not notice, taijiya?” Sesshoumaru asked with more than a hint of condescension. “He has been sitting there doing nothing ever since Naraku’s heart fled the area.” Sure enough, the bizarre creature just stared blankly ahead, entirely unmoving. The humans were more than a little creeped out. Sesshoumaru had no such qualms, as he proceeded to literally blow the poor incarnation away with a tremendous blast from Toukijin. There would be no recovery from that attack; the pieces had dissolved rather than scattered this time.
“Well, that’s the end of him,” Miroku commented.
“But what about Kanna?” wondered Sango.
“The small girl fell into the river and did not surface,” Sesshoumaru answered. Then, without further comment, he took to the air, soaring off along the approximate path the red glow had taken.
“I guess he’s going after Naraku,” Miroku remarked.
“We’re not going to follow him, are we?” Shippou asked, having finally come out of hiding. Both humans turned to see him sitting and stroking Kirara in his lap, and from her purrs they could tell the feline was enjoying the attention.
“No, Shippou,” Sango replied, grinning despite how much she wished she could go with Sesshoumaru. But with Kirara injured, she had no way to transport three humans and a youkai. Never mind the fact that Miroku was hampered by the poison and Kohaku was still out cold. Kohaku… She crawled over to him and studied his face. She hadn’t seen him look so peaceful in almost a year and a half, and the sight brought fresh moisture to her eyes. She wondered if she would ever again see him appear so tranquil. Would guilt and remorse dominate his existence? Would the nightmares be solely confined to sleep?
“Don’t worry, Sango,” Miroku assured, looping his arm around her. “We’ll help him heal. He was brought back for a reason, to live the life he might otherwise have missed. I’m confident our friends will make sure Naraku never troubles him again. I’m simply waiting for my kazaana to disappear.”
Sango nodded, her anxiety shifting toward their two hanyou companions. “I hope Inuyasha and Kagome are alright.”
(1) **Important Note – this story takes place before manga chapter 340, so this is the first time either the Inu-gang or Sesshoumaru have encountered Mouryoumaru. At this point he is still basically a puppet following Naraku’s orders. It might also be worth mentioning that nobody knows his name, either; I just didn’t feel like constantly referring to him as “the creature” or “the youkai.”
(2) Ane-ue is a very old, very respectful way of saying “big sister” in Japanese. This is what Kohaku calls Sango in the scanlated version of the manga I read.
(3) Yes, Sango is able to break through the infant’s barrier here. The baby “Akago” was able to create a strong barrier during the episode/chapter about the darkness in Kagome’s heart. But that was before he was split in two and half of him became Hakudoshi. It seems reasonable to me that the half that remained the infant wouldn’t be as strong. Confusing, ain’t it? Anyway, that’s the rationale I was using in this part.
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…And Conquer, Part 1
“Ah,” Inuyasha groaned as he emptied his bladder. The soft sound of urine splattering on the ground was music to his ears. Finished, he retied his hakama and squatted by the stream to scoop a few handfuls of cool water into his parched mouth. Feeling quite satisfied now, he flopped backward onto the bank and folded his hands behind his head, resolving not to rush Kagome as she did her business. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, basking in the simple tranquility of nature for a few peaceful moments.
Suddenly, his eyes shot open and a frown twisted his features. Why did it feel chilly all of a sudden? The weather was warm, and there was no wind to speak of. Then he realized that the sensation was not external in origin. What was this feeling of…wrongness? He tried to brush it off, to convince himself it was all in his imagination. But the conviction only intensified as the seconds ticked by, and eventually he could no longer dismiss it as illusory. Something was very wrong, of that he was certain. But what? He took stock of his surroundings and detected nothing out of the ordinary. And if the trouble or danger wasn’t here, then that left… Oh, shit! Kagome!
Quick as a flash, he bolted upright and dashed through the trees. This is crazy! I’ll burst in on her taking a piss, she’ll yell at me, and then we’ll make up! But those reassurances were hollow, and he was not surprised to find that his mate’s scent led off into the underbrush somewhere. The ominous feeling continued to escalate, becoming an insistent pounding on the inside of his skull. The shade of the canopy seemed to darken into night before his eyes, perfectly matching the uneasy shadows moving over his heart. Then he burst out into sunlight, and his heart dropped to his shaking knees.
“KAGOME!!!”
He was too late; she was already in Naraku’s clutches. His tentacles snaked around her body, writhing as they pinned her arms at her sides and her legs tightly together. Several bony spikes hovered around her head, the tips mere inches from her vulnerable neck. Only that kept him from charging to her rescue.
“Ah, Inuyasha, nice of you to drop by,” Naraku drolled with amused cordiality.
“Let her go, bastard!”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” the dark hanyou replied. “I have much grander plans in mind. But first…” Without warning he turned back to his captive, and Kagome gasped as his hands forcibly separated the folds of her kosode, revealing the top edges of her bra to the air. A wave of red surged through Inuyasha’s mind, and only his crushing grip on Tetsusaiga’s hilt kept him from losing himself. Even so, he breathed heavily, his control wavering as his eyes flashed from gold to scarlet and back again.
“Don’t you fucking touch her!” he rasped. Naraku merely favored him with a teasing smirk before reaching his hand down. With a sharp tug he withdrew his prize…the bottle of jewel shards from Kagome’s neck. Inuyasha was somewhat ashamed to realize his relief that it had been only the jewel shards he was after.
“Hey!” Kagome yelled, struggling against her captor’s hold. “Give those back!” Seeing her pure shards sparkle pink inspired her, and she summoned her miko powers. Her concentration evaporated when she felt a stabbing pain in the side of her neck.
“Don’t even think about it, my dear,” Naraku whispered warningly in her ear. “Unless you believe you can purify me before I slice your head off.”
Kagome stilled against the intrusion into her soft flesh. Already the blood was trickling down her collarbone and onto her breast. As much as she wanted to escape now, it simply wasn’t possible. Her miko powers weren’t instantaneous; they took at least a moment to build up, and she didn’t have a moment with Naraku’s attention focused on her. She would have to wait for a better opportunity. Evidently, Inuyasha reached the same conclusion.
“Don’t you fucking do it, wench! I’ll save you!” he cried, whipping Tetsusaiga out of its sheath. The sword seemed to roar with unbridled ferocity, feeding off the desperation of its master. It shimmered with a majestic light, rivulets of power flashing across its surface.
“Drop it,” Naraku ordered. When Inuyasha failed to comply, he drove his spike deeper into Kagome’s neck, wringing a pained hiss from the young woman. She gritted her teeth as her life flashed before her tightly closed eyes. Another inch and she would be done for. A metallic clattering rang in her ears, and the pressure immediately eased, although Naraku did not withdraw completely. As she gathered her bearings, she gazed in horror at her mate.
“No, Inuyasha! Pick it up! Don’t worry about m—mpphhh!!!” Yet another tentacle wound its way around her face, sealing her mouth. She was sorely tempted to bite it, but that would probably prove even more disgusting.
“Now, now, Kagome,” Naraku admonished paternalistically, as a parent might chastise a naughty child. “Don’t be rude. The men are talking.”
Inuyasha would have been proud of the string of curses which flowed from her lips, if only he could have understood them from behind her fleshy gag. Naraku cackled maliciously, and when he spoke again his tone was almost gleeful.
“The mighty Tetsusaiga lies rusting on the ground. How delicious is it that the sword you worked so hard to strengthen is beyond your use when you need it the most?” His sadistic chuckling resumed, the infuriating sound grating on Inuyasha’s already frayed nerves. They had yet again walked into one of Naraku’s traps, and he cursed himself for not keeping a closer eye on Kagome. One way or another, he had a feeling this would be the last evil plot the dark hanyou would ever spring upon them.
Then there was silence, and he looked up to see Naraku reach into his robes and pull out a small, black object. The Shikon no Tama! When brought in close proximity to the larger jewel, Kagome’s shards quickly surrendered to its pull. The poison of evil leaked into the shards, corrupting them, much to the delight of their new owner. He dumped the shards out of the bottle onto the hand holding the jewel, and squeezed his fist. The shockwave of a massive sinister aura reverberated from the spot, the aftershocks sending chills down Inuyasha’s spine. And when Naraku opened his fist, the nearly-complete Shikon no Tama sat on his palm, blacker than the darkest night. He examined it carefully, grinning widely at what he saw.
“It is nearly complete now,” he declared aloud. “Just the wolf’s and Kohaku’s shards left, and then the entire world will know and fear the name Nara—”
“So what happens now?” Inuyasha interjected, already sick of his enemy’s narcissistic raving. “You gonna actually get your hands dirty for a change and kill me?”
He sounded confident, but inside he was petrified. Naraku held all the cards, or at least the only one that mattered to him. He had to ask himself the question: would he give up his life to save Kagome? Of course he would, without a second thought, but it wasn’t that simple. If Naraku ordered him to, would he willingly give up his life to grant Kagome a few more seconds of existence, and perhaps a chance to escape? Again the answer was an affirmative. He couldn’t watch Kagome die, not when any action on his part could have prevented it. At least if he died first he wouldn’t be a total failure as a mate and protector. But apparently even Naraku wasn’t despicable enough to order someone to stand and accept death without resistance. Either that or he simply desired some additional entertainment.
“No, Inuyasha. I decided to grant my young minion another crack at you.”
“That’s right, half-breed,” Hakudoshi said as he advanced, twirling his long halberd menacingly in front of him. “You’re mine!”
Inuyasha was silent for several moments as he weighed his odds. They weren’t good. His opponent was swift, a small target, and quite strong. And he was armed, putting the hanyou at a distinct disadvantage without Tetsusaiga. But Inuyasha had to try; failure meant Kagome’s death, and that thought alone gave him strength and resolve he didn’t know he possessed. His youkai side stirred deep within, clamoring for release. His own life was not in mortal danger yet, but the plight of his mate was enough to rouse his animal instincts. He forced them back, gritting his teeth and holding the side of his head with the effort. He needed to keep his wits about him; Hakudoshi was too crafty a fighter to be defeated by his powerful but reckless youkai form. He wasn’t like Goshinki, who had really just been a big brute with mind powers. No, losing control of himself now would be a death sentence, for both himself and Kagome.
“What’s the matter, half-breed? You look nervous?” the foul child taunted.
“I’m going to tear you to pieces, kid,” Inuyasha replied, baring his fangs.
“Hah! We’ll see.” With that, Hakudoshi swung his weapon to the side and charged. The first swipe was a blur, and nearly cleaved Inuyasha in half. The next several missed as well, but were still close enough to tear tiny rips in his fire-rat haori. Grimacing, Inuyasha continued to dodge, searching for an opportunity to strike back.
* * *
“I have a bad feeling about this, Houshi-sama,” Sango stated. Miroku nodded grimly, in complete agreement. They had decided to hasten to the northern village, and the journey didn’t take very long on neko-back. They expected the villagers to welcome them warmly and tell them more about the youkai troubling them, but it turned out there were no youkai at all. And nobody knew anyone by the names Nobu or Jirou. The whole thing reeked of a setup, and the list of individuals who would go out of their way to trick them was exceedingly short, perhaps even singular. “Naraku,” the slayer spat angrily.
“Probably,” he admitted, “but we must find out for sure. And we must also discover the purpose of that person in doing this.”
“So you wanna take a look around?” Sango asked, and Miroku was just about to give a positive response when a high-pitched voice spoke up from down around his feet.
“But what about Inuyasha and Kagome?!” Shippou exclaimed. “What if they’re in danger?!”
The two adults locked eyes for a moment, coming to a silent decision. “Let’s go, Houshi-sama. Kagome-chan has the jewel shards, and that’s probably what our enemy is after.”
“Yes, you’re right. I’d feel much better about this if they were with us.”
The trio once again climbed on Kirara, preparing to soar off back in the direction they had come. Sango took one more fortuitous glance over her shoulder at the seemingly peaceful village as they departed.
“What the— Stop, Kirara! Houshi-sama, look!”
All eyes turned to follow Sango’s outstretched arm, and each person glimpsed a familiar inu-youkai floating gracefully across the sky.
“Sesshoumaru!” all three of them yelled at once. As they watched, the silver-haired demon dropped rapidly, landing gently in the center of the village. Even from a good distance, their human ears could detect the screams and shouts of the frightened inhabitants. Then Sesshoumaru emerged with a great leap, landing well outside the settled area and striding quickly into a nearby valley that stretched for miles toward the eastern horizon, the plain broken only by a river that ran down its middle.
“Follow him, Kirara!” They caught up easily enough, and Miroku dismounted to walk tentatively beside him. He ignored them all, maintaining the kind of singular focus that alienated friends and gave everyone else the creeps.
“Uh, what are you doing, Sesshoumaru-sama?” Miroku queried hesitantly, deciding to be civil to the cold inu-youkai, who had hopefully decided he wasn’t their enemy this time around. Sesshoumaru stopped dead in his tracks, his only subsequent movement the shift of an eye. Miroku shivered under that icy glare; he felt like a fly which had dared to buzz around the inu-youkai’s ears.
But Sesshoumaru wasn’t as livid as he appeared to the nervous monk; he was, however, fairly annoyed. It seemed like whenever he got close to Naraku, Inuyasha and his friends would show up and allow the wretched worm to escape. At least the damn hanyou wasn’t with them this time, though he did absently wonder where the cretin was. It didn’t matter; he was on Naraku’s trail, and nothing would stop him this time. He had soared for an hour in the same direction, searching for whatever it was that Kagura wished him to find. When he spied the village directly in his path, he swooped down to investigate, recalling Naraku’s peculiar penchant for hiding himself within human settlements. It hadn’t been the dark hanyou’s scent which caught his attention, but that of the blank-eyed boy who had challenged him before. Tracking the boy to the outskirts of the village, he discovered Naraku’s scent leading into the valley, and was now fully intent on chasing him to the ends of the earth if need be.
“You, kitsune and neko,” Sesshoumaru said after a short period of heavy silence, raising his head to gaze across the plain. “Do you not detect the foul stench of Naraku in this area?”
Shippou and Kirara shared a glance, sniffing furiously, but all they could pick up was grass and flowers. “O-our noses aren’t as strong as yours,” Shippou replied, to which Sesshoumaru almost appeared to roll his eyes.
“I don’t sense any evil presence,” Miroku added, “but that could be because of the Fuyouheki.”
“Yes,” Sango agreed, “we would have just left here without ever realizing—hey! Where is he going now?”
Sesshoumaru was just a blur rapidly shrinking in the distance. Evidently he had seen something which had peaked his interest.
“Let’s go, Houshi-sama!” Sango cried, offering him a hand in swinging onto Kirara’s back. Together they charged off in pursuit of the inu-youkai.
Sesshoumaru stood silently, studying the scene before him. The flash of black he had seen was the boy, the young taijiya who smelled like he was related to the female from Inuyasha’s group. They stood facing each other as adversaries, reminding Sesshoumaru of their last encounter. Only this time, the boy’s eyes were not darkened by black magic or glazed over by lack of willpower. Instead, they were steely, full of resolve tinged with badly buried hints of remorse. They were aware. Idly, Sesshoumaru wondered if the boy had revealed his position on purpose.
“Where is Naraku?” he posed, peering into the large cave at the boy’s back. The young taijiya didn’t respond in words, but Sesshoumaru’s eyes widened fractionally upon seeing him remove the chain sickle from his obi. I see. So he is aware of himself, but still intends to fight for Naraku. The inu-youkai flexed his claws; there would be no mercy for the human child if that was the case.
“This Sesshoumaru will ask you one more time, human. Where is Naraku?”
“He is not here,” came a soft, emotionless voice from the darkness of the cave. A moment later, another child stepped out of the gloom, this one a youkai judging by the sheer whiteness of her appearance. She carried an eerie-looking infant in her arms, and Sesshoumaru was quite certain both of them were incarnations of Naraku.
“Kohaku!” the female slayer called as she and her companions arrived on the scene. The boy flinched slightly at the voice, but otherwise remained motionless, staring lifelessly ahead. Sesshoumaru was the only one who noticed the momentary discrepancy. Curious. He appears to want Inuyasha’s friends to believe he is still under Naraku’s control. Very well, I shall not reveal his secret. Satisfied that his prey was indeed not nearby, the taiyoukai turned to depart.
“Wait, Sesshoumaru-sama! Where are you going?!” the monk shouted after him.
“This Sesshoumaru has no interest in the spawn of Naraku,” he replied without breaking stride.
“B-but that infant is Naraku’s heart!”
Sesshoumaru paused mid-step, but did not turn around as he spoke. “His heart?”
“Yes! That’s his mortal heart. If we destroy it, Naraku will die!”
Instead of answering, Sesshoumaru resumed his pace, walking away from the cave and away from Naraku’s heart.
“Wh-why are you leav—”
“This Sesshoumaru will not sink so low as to destroy his enemy using cowardly or underhanded means,” the taiyoukai remarked dismissively.
Miroku gritted his teeth in sudden anger. Why that stupid son of a bitch!
“Don’t you get it, you pompous ass!” he yelled, abandoning all illusions of civility. “As long as his heart is unharmed, Naraku can’t be killed!”
Sesshoumaru halted again, his head shooting up. It made sense; how else could one explain the fact that Naraku was not yet dead by his hand? And it was definitely something the half-breed would do: lurk around in the shadows even though his body was indestructible. I see, so this infant is what Kagura wished for me to find. In an instant he launched himself back toward the cave, moving quicker than the male taijiya could react, heading for the infant that apparently held the key to Naraku’s existence. He would slice it in half, and test the truth of the monk’s story that way.
The shifting of shadows on the ground before him was his only warning, but it allowed him to dodge the spear of flesh that came lancing down from above. He leapt away, turning to regard the new threat. It was a youkai, humanoid in form but many times larger, and held aloft by great bat-like wings. Its body was grayish in color, with blue slashes and markings crisscrossing the torso and upper limbs. A similar patch covered the area around its right eye, and a full head of ashen hair topped its head. Its left arm had elongated into a writhing tentacle, its end tipped with a wickedly curved blade the length of the creature’s body. But perhaps the most striking thing about this youkai was its eyes; they were black, like bottomless pits dug into the earth. They were soulless, suggesting that inside the big head was just a void, a dearth of any trace of intelligence or willpower. Not even the taijiya boy had ever appeared so lifeless. (1)
Sesshoumaru glanced down at the rapidly expanding red stain on his leg with disdain. The wound was of no consequence, but it did provide an additional reason to slaughter this artificial youkai hovering between him and the infant. He drew Toukijin, the familiar malevolent youki rippling through the sword, eager for a fight. Sesshoumaru’s lips curled ever so slightly; he almost felt sorry for this poor creature.
“Sango,” Miroku murmured softly, “while Sesshoumaru is busy with that youkai, we can go after the infant. Sango?”
But the slayer wasn’t listening, having spent the entirety of the past several minutes staring at her brother. There was just something different about him that intrigued her. His eyes seemed brighter, though the change was so subtle that only a close friend or relative would notice it. He still wore a blank expression, but it wasn’t quite the same. This one appeared more forced than natural. But that wasn’t all; there was some other disparity which tantalized her. She gasped aloud when she realized what it was. He wasn’t looking at her. Before, he had never had a problem staring her down with those empty, uncomprehending eyes. Now he glared off to the side, refusing to make eye contact with her. The aggregate of these observations could only lead her to one conclusion, despite the small voice in her mind telling her not to get her hopes up. Did he regain his memories? Is he free from Naraku’s control?
“Sango!” Miroku’s call and his hand on her shoulder startled her out of her musings and turned her attention to the battle going on nearby. “We need to take out that baby!”
She nodded in agreement, understanding the necessity to put thoughts of Kohaku aside for now. She could never completely bury them, especially not with her brother so close, but a warrior must fight no matter what is in her head.
Sesshoumaru snarled, his stoic demeanor beginning to crack as a result of the frustration mounting inside him. This youkai was as resilient as its master, pulling itself back together every time he slashed a piece off. It was also fast; several more crimson stains on his white clothing could attest to that. The creature had a strange ability to harden or soften its body at will, which meant that most of Toukijin’s strikes impacted flabby, gelatinous skin and tore right through without doing much damage. Sesshoumaru was cautious not to allow any of the severed flesh to cling to him, lest he wind up enveloped in the stuff. He had experienced enough of that unpleasant sensation just before Naraku vanished and retreated to Mount Hakurei.
Leaping upward, he swung Toukijin, waves of brilliant blue energy emanating from the blade and racing across the short distance to the enemy. Mouryoumaru blocked the attack by transforming his left arm into a shield, but Sesshoumaru was already moving again, sending more waves of Toukijin’s power surging from a new direction. His quarry soared higher with a great beat of its wings, allowing the attack to pass harmlessly beneath him. The fleshy spear descended again, but the move was predictable by now and Sesshoumaru easily dodged. In a flash he closed to within a few feet of the creature, prepared to sever its head from its body. But Mouryoumaru’s reaction proved too quick, and he sent the inu youkai flying with a vicious smack from his right fist. Sesshoumaru landed on his feet, his knees bending to take the impact of the fall. Now his face was a truly frightening sight, the fangs clearly visible as a low growl vibrated in his throat. Mouryoumaru gazed unblinkingly down at the taiyoukai, his complete lack of fear spiking Sesshoumaru’s ire. And then Naraku’s minion did the unthinkable; he spun in mid-air and took off in the opposite direction.
“Don’t turn your back on me!” Sesshoumaru snarled angrily, his voice feral. Charging forward, he closed rapidly on the fleeing youkai and let loose a truly thunderous burst from Tokijin. The blast obliterated the creature’s left arm and took a large chunk out of its shoulder and side, but Mouryoumaru’s pace barely slowed as he continued to soar across the field. Now Sesshoumaru could see why; Inuyasha’s humans were racing toward the infant on the back of their neko-youkai. But it became apparent that Mouryoumaru was going to get there first, so the humans veered off and all parties came to a halt. Now Mouryoumaru hovered above the white girl and the infant, enemies on either side and the taijiya boy hanging back near the cave entrance.
“Do not interfere,” Sesshoumaru ordered. “This Sesshoumaru will not tolera—” He was cut off, choking as several dozen shards of flesh pierced straight through his body. He fell to one knee, glaring up at Mouryoumaru even as the creature’s left arm reformed, some of the returning pieces dyed red with his blood. Now his torso bled freely from the front and rear; the devious bastard had quite literally stabbed him in the back. Sesshoumaru tried to rise but failed, gritting his teeth against the additional agony brought on by the effort. Seeing this, the humans across the field leapt into action.
“Hiraikotsu!” Sango cried as she flung her weapon, allowing Miroku to slide off onto the ground before flying to retrieve it. Both of them would be more effective if he wasn’t on Kirara with her. Another powerful flap of Mouryoumaru’s wings destabilized the giant boomerang as it spun along its course, allowing him to bat it out of the air before it severed his neck. The weapon tumbled off to the side, landing in the grass fifty feet away with a muffled clunk. Sango urged Kirara forward, but Mouryoumaru seemed intent on preventing her from rearming herself. He lashed out with his distended left arm, forcing some evasive action from the fire cat. But the jolting and twisting dislodged her passenger, who found herself falling toward the earth. Fortunately, it wasn’t a long drop, and she broke her fall with a roll that ended in a sprint as she retreated out of danger, Kirara withdrawing overhead. Now the situation had changed drastically. Sesshoumaru was wounded, the slayer was temporarily disarmed, and it would take her at least a few precious seconds to mount the neko and reclaim her weapon. For the infant pulling the strings, it was the perfect opportunity to escape.
Or so he thought. Upon seeing Mouryoumaru pick up Kanna and the baby, Miroku realized what they were planning and was having none of it. There was no reason to suspect any of them possessed jewel shards, and therefore no reason to hold back his kazaana. Mouryoumaru was quick to supply such a reason, even as he was sucked inexorably closer to the void. The hive of saimyosho pulled from his body released dozens of the insects, many of which were immediately drawn into the hole in Miroku’s right hand. The monk gritted his teeth, steeling himself against the pain as the poison began to spread throughout his body. Dimly he heard Sango calling his name, but he wasn’t stopping this time. He refused to allow Naraku’s heart to escape. Inuyasha and Kagome were probably battling with the dark hanyou at this very moment, and he would gladly sacrifice his own life to save theirs.
Intervention came from an unlikely source. Miroku felt a strong, masculine hand grip his shoulder none-too-gently, and was understandably shocked to glance back and see Sesshoumaru glowering at him.
“Close your hand, monk,” he ordered calmly. Miroku shrank back slightly from the authoritative demand in his tone, as well as the fierceness burning in his eyes. Quickly he obeyed, resealing his kazaana. All it took was one look at the inu-youkai lord to know that he was not going to let Mouryoumaru get away. Satisfied, Sesshoumaru took a few steps forward before suddenly turning and punching the monk square in the face. Miroku careened backwards, stumbling over his own feet and winding up flat on his back in the grass. Multiple suns spun around his head, and it was several minutes before the dizziness wore off and his vision returned to normal. He mentally cursed the jackass for hitting him so hard. The whole side of his face would be swollen for about a week, and he was lucky his cheekbone was intact! Still, Sesshoumaru could have struck him a lot harder, though he idly wondered why the dog had seen fit to punch him at all. Eh, he must have wanted me out of the way. And probably some payback for my “pompous ass” remark. At this point, it didn’t really matter. The poison in his body ensured that he would remain lying prone until the effects wore off or someone helped him up. How much did I take in, anyway? Enough to kill me? I guess I’ll find out soon, he thought as his head swam. Gray fuzziness clouded his mind, and then everything went black.
“Houshi-sama!” Sango called from above, but it was clear he was unconscious or worse. She had initially been incensed at Sesshoumaru, but quickly realized that he had saved Miroku from his own suicidal attempt to suck Naraku’s heart into his kazaana. She would have a little talk with her husband-to-be later about that. For now she focused her attention on the ongoing battle. She once more wielded hiraikotsu from Kirara’s back, watching Sesshoumaru and Mouryoumaru duke it out. She was ready to step in if the inu-youkai fell, though it was increasingly looking like a ‘when’ rather than an ‘if.’ Even Sesshoumaru could be weakened by simple blood loss, and Mouryoumaru’s sneaky attack had really done some heavy damage. Even with his right hand occupied by Kanna and the infant, Naraku’s incarnation easily fended off his enemy’s attacks with his shape-shifting left arm.
Sure enough, it was only another few moments before Sesshoumaru took a blow from said arm, hurtling toward the earth and landing with a loud crash. Mouryoumaru followed, poised to deal the finishing blow, but a great hurl of hiraikotsu forced him to divert course. He landed about sixty feet to the left of the dust cloud that marked Sesshoumaru’s location. And before any party could make another move, the silent watcher struck.
Kohaku had spent weeks waiting for this opportunity. Ever since regaining his memory at the village during Abi-hime’s attack, he had sought a chance to slay Naraku’s human heart. But the baby didn’t trust him, and Mouryoumaru was always nearby. He would only get one shot at this; he could not afford to act unless he was sure he could take them by surprise. So he bided his time until the perfect opportunity arose. But, alas, it was not to be. His chain sickle hit the mark exactly, and would have cleaved the infant’s head clean off had it not erected its barrier at the last possible moment. The blade bounced off the shimmering surface, and Kohaku hurriedly pulled it back even though he knew it was too late. As close as he was to Mouryoumaru, there was no hope of avoiding the open-handed slap that sent him sprawling do the dirt. Stunned, he was utterly defenseless as one of the remaining saimyosho deftly plucked the jewel shard from his back. Strangely, he only felt peace in this moment, despite his failure. Perhaps it was because he was finally receiving punishment for his horrid crimes—an early death. Ane-ue…I tried. (2) His sister’s voice was the last thing he heard before blessed darkness overcame him.
“KOHAKU!!!”
It had all happened so fast. Before Sango’s brain could fully comprehend the fact that her brother was betraying Naraku, he was dead. Part of her wanted to take him into her arms and weep, but she held herself together. She would mourn as a sister later. She would fight as a warrior now. With a fierce cry she flung hiraikotsu with all her might. The weapon burned a path across the sky, impacting the barrier with the force of a million anguished fists, the sound like the crack of a thousand breaking hearts. The translucent orb flickered dangerously but held firm, and hiraikotsu was driven back. Kirara closed rapidly now, and Sango snatched the boomerang out of the air and hurled it again in one smooth motion. Mouryoumaru shielded his precious charge with his left arm, but hiraikotsu tore through it like a hot knife through butter. The interference barely deflected the weapon enough so it missed the infant by a few feet. Spying an opening, Sango urged Kirara forward, drawing her katana as the pair charged together. The infant was squarely in her sights, and she would take down that barrier and run him through even if it killed her. But even that level of determination wasn’t enough, as Mouryoumaru’s large head came down into her line of vision at the last moment, obscuring her view. She slashed straight through one of the unseeing eyes, slicing the head in two, but her blade missed its true target.
“Dammit!” she swore aloud, cursing the gray creature’s incredible devotion to protecting Naraku’s heart as much as its ability to do so. Sango caught hiraikotsu on its return flight as Kirara turned for another pass. This time Mouryoumaru executed a quick turn, presenting his back to the slayer as she closed in. Another inconsequential wound inflicted, though there was little left of the creature now. Too late Sango realized that the body was not reforming. A surprised yowl from Kirara preceded a mid-air tumble, then a rapid descent as Sango lost her grip on her feline companion. She landed hard on her left side, the jarring impact knocking the breath from her. Sharp pain erupted in her shoulder and torso, signaling more damage than simple bumps and bruises. She had several cracked ribs and quite possibly a dislocated shoulder, but still considered herself lucky it wasn’t worse than that. Opening her eyes, she saw Kirara lying nearby in her kitten form, an oozing red line stretching from neck to flank. Above her, Mouryoumaru had almost completely reformed, and was steadily rising into the air. Damn, he got us with the same trick he used on Sesshoumaru. Staggering to her feet, Sango stumbled toward where hiraikotsu lay in the grass. It was futile, she knew; the infant would be out of range by the time she reclaimed her weapon, and with Kirara down she had no way to pursue. But giving up was repugnant to her very nature, so she continued to move as quickly as she could, silently praying for a miracle.
Blue light flashed behind her, and she turned to see that her prayers had been answered. Half of Mouryoumaru’s body was in tatters again, thanks to Toukijin, but the other half was more than capable of violence. With its good leg, the creature lashed out in a kick that sent the already weakened Sesshoumaru reeling.
“Now, taijiya!” the inu-youkai cried out as he fell, and instantly Sango understood. Sesshoumaru had sacrificed his body to get her an opening, and she couldn’t waste it. Lurching the last few feet to hiraikotsu, she grabbed the handle and fired, crumpling into a heap as fresh agony lanced through her side. Only as she lay on the ground watching her boomerang speed upwards did she realize how difficult a shot this was. The distance was great, at the very edge of her range and possibly beyond. The target was tiny, a speck of hope in a vast sea of failure. Seconds seemed to stretch for hours; she swore she could almost make out hiraikotsu’s individual revolutions. She felt that at any moment the weapon would wobble, stall, and plummet back down to earth. But it never did, and as it closed steadily on the infant, almost as if guided by the hands of a Kami, her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. Then target and projectile converged and passed, and time returned to normal.
For a long moment, Sango thought she had missed by inches. A tortured, ear-splitting scream put that fear to rest. Wicked red light emanated from the spot, shining like a second sun and bathing the valley in its eerie glow. Then it was gone, the cry fading as the source of the scarlet glow zoomed off toward the southwest. In the blink of an eye it had vanished over the horizon. (3)
“Mew,” Kirara whined plaintively. Sango smiled, both relieved that her feline companion was alive and thrilled at her accomplishment. Whether she had slain the infant or merely wounded it, its incredible flight could only mean one thing: Naraku had been forced to take it back into his body. And that meant he could be killed. Determined to rise, she rolled her shoulder experimentally and was glad to find that it was not dislocated. It was quite sore, however, and her ribs were at least heavily bruised if not cracked. She was in no shape to pursue the heart or fight Naraku, and that was just as well; there were several people here who needed her urgent attention. Holding her breath against the pain, she rolled onto her hands and knees, and was about to climb to her feet when a clawed hand appeared in front of her nose. Following the arm up to its owner with her eyes, she was understandably shocked to see that it was none other than Sesshoumaru who was offering her a hand up. He had always been regal, carrying himself with an imperial air, but she never would have described him as a gentleman before. Evidently she had done something right. Despite her amazement, she took the offered appendage and was quickly pulled to her feet. Just as quickly, the taiyoukai released her hand and turned his back.
“You fight well for a mortal, taijiya,” he observed quietly.
“T-thank you,” she stuttered, truly grateful. It wasn’t much of a compliment, but it was the first she had ever heard Sesshoumaru utter. He was much like his brother in this regard; one had to learn to appreciate the small gestures of kindness from both of them. She wisely kept that notion to herself. She also knew better than to ask the inu-youkai if he was alright. His clothes were bloodstained and covered in dirt and mud, and there were dried leaves in his hair. But it was not her place to wonder about his wounds. Besides, if he were injured badly enough to endanger his life, she doubted he would be standing right now. That thought caused her to remember something important which had been temporarily been driven from her thoughts by the recent odd turn of events.
“Houshi-sama!” she called as she dashed over to him, collapsing on her knees by his side. He didn’t stir, nor did he show any other sign of life. His skin was pallid and cool to the touch, as she discovered when she tenderly cupped his unblemished cheek in her palm. Hot tears pooled behind her lowered lids and ran down her cheeks. She didn’t even attempt to hold them back. Then, she felt it. That special sensation that had become part of her daily life. Funny how it had never brought a smile to her face before. Never had she been so happy to have Miroku’s hand on her ass. She opened her eyes and was greeted by that endearing, heart-stopping grin of his. Overcome with relief, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, not even caring that his palm was still on her rear. She was glad, however, when he removed it and instead used it to return her embrace.
“How are you feeling?” Sango asked after gathering her composure, pulling back and drying her eyes. Evidently not well enough, because Miroku’s hand came up and gently wiped some extra moisture from her cheek, lingering a little longer than necessary.
“I’m sorry to worry you, my dear Sango. I really was unconscious just now.”
Blushing despite herself, the slayer lightly pushed his hand away and waved off his concerns. “It’s okay, but if you really want me to stop worrying you’ll answer my question.”
Miroku chuckled. “Well, I don’t feel great, but I’ll live.”
“Good,” Sango replied cheerfully, before her mood sobered. “At least I still have you,” she said, hanging her head despondently. Sensing her implication, Miroku raised his head and scanned the surrounding area, praying that Sango was wrong about her brother but knowing that such hope was probably futile. His jaw dropped when he finally laid eyes on the boy.
“Kami…Sango, look!”
The taijiya turned around just in time to see Sesshoumaru replace his sword in his obi. The long, slightly curved one; not Toukijin, but Tenseiga. Motion from her brother’s body drew her gaze, the gentle rise and fall of his chest too unbelievable for words. He did not stir, but he was breathing, as if he had simply decided to take a mid-afternoon nap. He was alive. Mahogany eyes once again raised to gawk at the taiyoukai, and in that moment Sango nearly confused him with a Kami.
“Why?” was all she could manage.
“Hmph,” the inu youkai snorted. “The same reason this Sesshoumaru spared his life the last time we met. It was Naraku’s will that he die.”
For her part, Sango didn’t particularly care about his reasons; she was forever in his debt regardless.
“Thank you,” she said, bowing so low that her nose nearly touched the earth. The taiyoukai barely inclined his head in response, but it was enough. Then, without preamble, he once again drew his sword—Toukijin this time—and hardened his visage. Miroku was the first to question the sudden change in demeanor as his eyes followed Sesshoumaru’s gaze.
“Uh, Sesshoumaru-sama, what are you—whoa! Holy shit!”
“Houshi-sama? What’s wro—yah!” Sango cried, falling back on her butt in shock. There, sitting on the ground not twenty feet away, was Mouryoumaru. “What the hell is he doing there?!” she yelled, already reaching for hiraikotsu.
“Did you not notice, taijiya?” Sesshoumaru asked with more than a hint of condescension. “He has been sitting there doing nothing ever since Naraku’s heart fled the area.” Sure enough, the bizarre creature just stared blankly ahead, entirely unmoving. The humans were more than a little creeped out. Sesshoumaru had no such qualms, as he proceeded to literally blow the poor incarnation away with a tremendous blast from Toukijin. There would be no recovery from that attack; the pieces had dissolved rather than scattered this time.
“Well, that’s the end of him,” Miroku commented.
“But what about Kanna?” wondered Sango.
“The small girl fell into the river and did not surface,” Sesshoumaru answered. Then, without further comment, he took to the air, soaring off along the approximate path the red glow had taken.
“I guess he’s going after Naraku,” Miroku remarked.
“We’re not going to follow him, are we?” Shippou asked, having finally come out of hiding. Both humans turned to see him sitting and stroking Kirara in his lap, and from her purrs they could tell the feline was enjoying the attention.
“No, Shippou,” Sango replied, grinning despite how much she wished she could go with Sesshoumaru. But with Kirara injured, she had no way to transport three humans and a youkai. Never mind the fact that Miroku was hampered by the poison and Kohaku was still out cold. Kohaku… She crawled over to him and studied his face. She hadn’t seen him look so peaceful in almost a year and a half, and the sight brought fresh moisture to her eyes. She wondered if she would ever again see him appear so tranquil. Would guilt and remorse dominate his existence? Would the nightmares be solely confined to sleep?
“Don’t worry, Sango,” Miroku assured, looping his arm around her. “We’ll help him heal. He was brought back for a reason, to live the life he might otherwise have missed. I’m confident our friends will make sure Naraku never troubles him again. I’m simply waiting for my kazaana to disappear.”
Sango nodded, her anxiety shifting toward their two hanyou companions. “I hope Inuyasha and Kagome are alright.”
(1) **Important Note – this story takes place before manga chapter 340, so this is the first time either the Inu-gang or Sesshoumaru have encountered Mouryoumaru. At this point he is still basically a puppet following Naraku’s orders. It might also be worth mentioning that nobody knows his name, either; I just didn’t feel like constantly referring to him as “the creature” or “the youkai.”
(2) Ane-ue is a very old, very respectful way of saying “big sister” in Japanese. This is what Kohaku calls Sango in the scanlated version of the manga I read.
(3) Yes, Sango is able to break through the infant’s barrier here. The baby “Akago” was able to create a strong barrier during the episode/chapter about the darkness in Kagome’s heart. But that was before he was split in two and half of him became Hakudoshi. It seems reasonable to me that the half that remained the infant wouldn’t be as strong. Confusing, ain’t it? Anyway, that’s the rationale I was using in this part.
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