InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Moonless Night ❯ Shichiyoumi ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter 9: Shichiyoumi

 

Inuyasha helped Kagome out of the well and onto his back. He then dashed through the forest. He stopped at Kaede's front door.

 

“Mama! Papa!” called Shippo, running toward them and hopping on Kagome's shoulder. “Did you bring me candy?”

 

“Of course!” said Kagome, smiling and handing the kit a bag of gummy bears.

 

“We'll be in the forest for a while” Inuyasha told his son.

 

“Okay” said Shippo with his mouth full of treats. He hopped down and went back inside.

 

Inuyasha set Kagome's bag down inside the hut before taking her hand and strolling back toward the forest.

 

“What are we doing in the forest?” Kagome asked.

 

“Sword practice” Inuyasha stated simply.

 

Inuyasha led her to an empty clearing and stood to the right of her.

 

“Draw your sword”

 

Kagome complied and pulled the glinting sword from its sheath. She still marveled at its beauty.

 

“Now, let's see your form…show me a couple of slashes”

 

Kagome slashed pathetically a few times. Inuyasha did his best to help her, but the sword did not show any signs of youkai power. Inuyasha took the sword and slashed sideways with it. A yellow stripe emerged from the tip of the sword and shot outwards about twenty feet.

 

“I guess I need more practice,” Kagome pouted, taking the sword back.

 

“Yeah, maybe Sango can help…I'm not much of a teacher” Inuyasha frowned, “I'll ask Totosai about it, though, I doubt the old geezer'll tell me anything!”

 

“When are you leaving?”

 

“As soon as I take you back to Kaede's”

 

Kagome sheathed her sword, “Can I have my goodbye kiss now?” she smiled and flicked her tail.

 

Inuyasha absolutely couldn't resist her when she used the tail. He gathered her into his arms and planted a passionate kiss on her lips that lasted several minutes and left her breathless. He finally broke off and hugged her tightly before throwing her gently on his back and taking off through the trees. He dropped her off at Kaede's hut.

 

“Shippo!” Kagome called, “come and say goodbye to your father…he's leaving!”

 

“Where are you going, Papa?” asked the kitsune.

 

“Just to Totosai's, I'll be back soon…your mother will be here with you” Inuyasha said as he picked up the kit and hugged him, “keep her outta trouble…you're the man of the house when I'm gone.”

 

Shippo smiled evilly and hopped onto Kagome's shoulder.

 

“Bye, love” Kagome said, kissing his cheek.

 

“I'll be back in about a week” he said and sped off. She could see the red blur of his robes hopping amongst the treetops.

 

 

When he was finally out of sight, she carried Shippo inside the hut for dinner. Sango and Miroku greeted them.

 

“Inuyasha is off again, I see,” said Miroku.

 

“Yeah, he went to Totosai's to ask about my sword and to try to find Myoga,” said Kagome.

 

“What's wrong with your sword?” Sango asked.

 

“I just can't make it work…Inuyasha did without a problem” Kagome frowned, “Sango…do you think you could help me a little? You're used to using a short sword.”

 

“Sure, no problem…we'll start in the morning”

 

“Thanks, I appreciate it…Inuyasha's not much of a teacher”

 

“That's because he just flings his sword around! He learned all his techniques purely by accident!” Miroku stated, earning a rousing laugh since it was too true.

 

Kagome didn't sleep that night. She sat awake, looking down at her sleeping son in her lap and stroking his hair. She hoped she could learn to use her sword. She may need it someday. Then, she recalled another memory and squinched up her nose.

 

`That baka!' she thought, `Myoga said the sword will protect me and my pups! Inuyasha was planning this all along!'

 

This made her smile, though. He had planned all along to make her his mate and entrust her with carrying his pups. She rubbed her belly unconsciously.

 

`Five months…' she thought, `I can live with that…I hope I have a little boy…with ears like Inuyasha's…and silver hair…now, what to name them.'

 

She contented herself with tossing around names in her head for the rest of the night. The next morning, after breakfast, she and Sango headed out to the clearing in the forest. Shippo also tailed along to watch. As expected, Sango was a much better teacher.

 

“Now…” said Sango, stepping back, “Look at that tree and pretend it is a big youkai running at you…Inuyasha isn't here to help.”

 

Kagome put her creative mind at work and imagined Naraku in his spider form and shouted, “KAZE NO KIZU!” slashing her sword downwards. Three yellow streaks erupted from the sword and splintered several trees. Sango and Shippo hopped up and down, clapping gleefully.

 

“I did it!” Kagome beamed.

 

“That was awesome, Mama!” shouted Shippo, jumping on her shoulder.

 

“Well, I guess we're done for the day!” said Sango, “Let's head back for tea!”

 

 

“Oi! Totosai!” called Inuyasha.

 

“Oh, hello there, Inuyasha” said Totosai, scratching his butt.

 

“Is Myoga here?”

 

“No, no, he left several days ago”

 

“Any idea where he went?”

 

“Nope, can't say that I do…how's Shichiyoumi?”

 

“That's the other reason I came…Kagome can't get it to work, but I used it fine!”

 

“'Course you did, it's your fang!” Totosai scoffed, “were you with her?”

 

“Of course, I don't just send my mate off into the woods with a sword she's never used!”

 

“Well, there's your problem…the sword only works when you're not there or she or your pups are in danger!”

 

“Well, what does it do, then?”

 

“Same things yours can do…you seem to favor the kaze no kizu, so that's probably what it does”

 

“You mean you don't know?” Inuyasha said angrily, through gritted teeth.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Keh! Whatever old man, I'm outta here!” and he stormed off through the front of the cave.

 

“Huh…that was odd…wonder what Inuyasha wanted?” Totosai asked himself out loud.

 

“Damn old geezer…” Inuyasha muttered, speeding off to Kaede's village. He growled low, `guess that means we gotta go see that bastard brother of mine!'

 

Inuyasha didn't stop to rest that night. He was too eager to return and see his mate and kit. He returned early, before dawn, only to find Kagome sitting awake with Shippo in her lap and one hand across her belly.

 

“You okay?” he asked softly.

 

“Inuyasha, you're back!” she said quietly, careful not to wake the others, “I'm fine!”

 

“…And the pups?” he asked worriedly.

 

“Perfectly fine” she said smiling.

 

“Good” he said as he sat down and put his arm around her.

 

“Inuyasha…guess what?” Kagome beamed.

 

“What?” Inuyasha said casually.

 

“I used kaze no kizu”

 

“You did? Totosai said it'd do that.”

 

“Did he say anything else?”

 

“Yeah…it only works when I'm not around or you or the pups are in danger.”

 

“How come you could do it?”

 

“It's my fang”

 

“Oh, that makes sense.”

 

“Keh! Did you sleep at all while I was gone?” he asked as she yawned.

 

“No” she replied, laying her head on his shoulder and falling immediately to sleep.

 

 

The group awoke the next morning, surprised to see Inuyasha back early.

 

“So did you find out anything from Myoga?” Miroku asked.

 

“Nope, damn good for nothin' flea wasn't there!” Inuyasha scoffed in reply.

 

“Did Totosai tell you anything about the sword?” asked Sango.

 

Inuyasha explained how the sword worked again.

 

“Guess we gotta go see my bastard brother” Inuyasha snarled.

 

“You think he'll tell us anything?” asked Miroku.

 

“Keh! Who knows, but we ain't got any other leads!” snorted Inuyasha.

 

The group departed after Kagome made a relatively short trip home for supplies. Inuyasha still managed to grumble about her taking her time, though. He continued complaining as they headed west.

 

“You would think being a hanyou would help you speed things up!”

 

“Well, I don't feel like a hanyou…I don't feel that much different” Kagome scowled back.

 

“Well, you shouldn't be so damn pathetic anymore!”

 

“I'm not pathetic…I have claws…I could defend myself if you'd let me!”

 

A few days later it seemed as though she would get her chance. They were two days from the border to Sesshoumaru's land. As they walked through the forest, they ran into a trio of lizard youkai.

 

“Look, brothers…trespassers!” a large grey one said.

 

“More like dinner!” said another.

 

“Wait, I smell shards of the sacred jewel on that one” a yellow one, who seemed to be the leader, said, pointing to Kagome.

 

“I don't think so!” yelled Inuyasha, leaping into the air, “SANKONTESSOU!”

 

He sliced right through the eldest brother, but, before he could react, the large grey youkai shot off toward Kagome.

 

“Kago…” he screamed, but was drowned out by the rumble of her kaze no kizu.

 

Kagome had reacted quickly, pulling Shichiyoumi from its sheath and blasting the remaining two youkai.

 

Inuyasha sighed with relief and threw his arm around her shoulders, “Quick thinking, woman!”

 

“Yeah, well, I told you I could handle myself!”

 

“Well, no more…you shouldn't be fighting!” he scowled, making Kagome pout.

 

A couple of days later they reached Sesshoumaru's territory.

 

“How will we find him?” Sango asked.

 

“I can smell the bastard…” Inuyasha growled, “He's at the castle…someone else is there with him!”

 

“What is it?” asked Miroku, catching on to the hanyou's irritation.

 

“Something that reeks of Naraku!” Inuyasha replied.

 

 

Sesshoumaru led Kagura and Rin through the forest toward his castle.

 

“Where are we going, Father? And where is Jaken?” Rin asked eagerly from her perch atop Aun's back.

 

“To my castle…Jaken is there”

 

“You have a castle, my love?” Kagura asked, looking surprised.

 

“It is the fortress of my father…I have inherited it as the tai-youkai”

 

“I see…impressive…” smirked Kagura.

 

They reached the dimly lit castle that evening.

 

“Kagura, show Rin the gardens over there” he pointed and turned to Rin, “I put them under your care…I must see that Jaken has made our rooms ready.”

 

He had just walked into the foyer when he heard two screams. In a flash he was outside the garden gate. Naraku floated above him, holding his mate and daughter, who were apparently unconscious.

 

“It is surprising, Sesshoumaru…” smiled Naraku evilly.

 

“Return them at once!” growled Sesshoumaru.

 

“You have taken a woman of my flesh as your mate and adopted a human child as your daughter” Naraku goaded, “What use do you have for this pup?”

 

“What do you desire, Naraku?”

 

“I desire my servant back…your pup will also make an excellent addition…I am merciful, though, you may have your pathetic human daughter back, I have no use for her!”

 

Sesshoumaru caught Rin as Naraku tossed her carelessly towards him.

 

“Oh, and do not bother trying to recklessly rescue her. I have taken back her heart…one wrong move and both she and your pup will die!” Naraku laughed and disappeared in a swirl of miasma.

 

Sesshoumaru cursed him and then hurried inside to tend to Rin, who remained unconscious. Jaken had prepared her a beautiful room, decorated in lavender. Sesshoumaru sat her own on her massive, queen-size down bed. He covered her in lavender blankets and sent Jaken for warm water. When he returned, Sesshoumaru set to work dabbing her forehead. She awoke and jolted upright.

 

“Mama! Mama!” She screamed before seeing Sesshoumaru and Jaken looking at her. “Father, Where is Mama? The evil man came to take her!”

 

“Do not worry, this Sesshoumaru will get her back” Sesshoumaru said a little more coldly than he had intended.

 

Rin broke into tears. Sesshoumaru left Jaken with her and headed to his room. He strode through he royal blue master bedroom and out onto the balcony. He stared up at the star-filled sky before catching a whiff of something and scowling.

 

“Baka…what are you doing on my lands?” he said to himself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kaze no kizu - wind scar