InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ robes of a different color ❯ now you see them, now you don't ( Chapter 1 )

Robes of a Different Color

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Prologue

Disclaimer: Despite what the voices in my head tell me, apparently, I do not own Inuyasha and the associated characters from the Manga and/or anime, at least not after the medication kicks in.

Above; stillness. The long grass did not stir under the soft breeze, the trees motionless, and the small pond's surface unmarred by ripples, placid despite the gentle zephyrs that moved the clouds above. The glade was peaceful despite the eerie calm. The air was sweet; the sky was blue, and the sun shown gently over the quiet glade.

Below; darkness. As he slept his power grew, and with his power so grew his ambition. Dark centuries, alone, beneath, had honed his body, hardened his determination. He would be free, and the world would tremble before him once again. All he needed to break his curse was for someone to inadvertently …

Above the calm was broken by two figures making their way towards the silent lake.

Below, he stirred.

Closer, just a little closer you fools.

Chapter 1 Now you see them, now you don't

"KAGOME, NO!"

Inuyasha charged towards the girl who was standing at the edge of a clearing, preparing to take aim at the beast before them.

"Hmmmn...Inu..?" She cut off turning just in time to see a black shape streaking towards her just as Inuyasha clasped her wrist, swinging her behind him and out of harms way. Inuyasha turned towards the thing making a swipe with his claws, the creature easily dodged and rushed back to rejoin the bulk of its body centered in the clearing.

"Thanks, Inuyasha, I…" Kagome shakily started her eyes somewhat wide with shock; the bow and quiver strewn on the forest floor forgotten beside her.

"Feh…I told you to stay back didn't I!!" Inuyasha gruffly hissed grasping both her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. Kagome's eyes glazed, as she stared off towards the creature that Sango and Miroku were battling in the center of the clearing.

Somewhat softer. "You could have been hurt." Kagome her senses returning shifted her attention back to Inuyasha, here eyes clearing and becoming more focused, as the Silver-haired boy locked his golden eyes with hers. "Now stay back," he commanded

"Uh huh." She nodded her agreement as Inuyasha turned and racing back towards the fray.

'Inuyasha, this is no time to be making eyes at Kagome, he is so easily distra…' Miroku cut off his inner monologue as he caught a glance at the lithe beauty fighting at the other side of the Kuro youkai, a smile momentarily tugging at the corners of his mouth brightening is handsome face, as she skillfully dodged the youkai's attacks. Smoothing his face again into that of casual calm, he turned his eyes back towards the girl in the scandalously short skirt, eyes glinting mischievously for a second before returning to an innocent placidity.

" Kagome-sama where is the jewel shard?!" Miroku called while easily dodging another small black creature that has detached itself from the oozing blob the size of a small house.

"Its in the center, it looks like he swallowed it." She called making her voice carry over the distance. Bending to retrieve her bow and arrows, she started back towards the fighting, instantly forgetting Inuyahsa's appeal to stay back.

"kukukukuk…is that all you want, Monk ? I will give you a closer look at my shard!" Deftly moving between his attackers, the creature launched towards the monk with speed that seemed hardly possible given the creature's size and shape. Catching the annoying monk at chest level he plucked the human easily off the ground.

" Hurnph…" Miroku gasped as the creature pinned his arms to his sides with a constricting grip forcing him to fight to remain conscious.

'This isn't good' the monk thought to as the creatures gaping maw loomed closer. He struggles futilely to free himself.

"Houshi-sama!!!" Sango gasped turning her attention to her friend suspended inches from the gigantic mouth of the creature before them. He was struggling vainly to free himself form the creature's slithering appendage.

I have to help him. She steeled herself for another attack, lifting her weapon before her; she caught a red streak from the corner of her eye.

Inuyasha…But she had already committed herself, and let the weapon fly.

" HIRAIKO…"

<Sigh> Stupid humans, here I go again. Inuyasha sped from where he had left Kagome towards the now imperiled monk.

Drawing Tetsusaiga midair, he cleaved the appendage gripping the struggling monk, the forward momentum bringing them both safely away.

"…TSU!!!" Sago's boomerang hit the back of the creature just as the two had safely landed, rending the creature into tiny pieces that began raining down with sickening thuds.

"Sthuuuuu…" The breath Kagome had unconsciously been holding escaped from her now burning lungs.

"Great shot, Sango-chan!" Kagome called closing the distance between her and the black clad taijiya from where she had frozen at the sight of her friend's simultaneous strikes.

"That was amazing!" A barely contained bundle of enthusiasm shouted as he bounded from the tree he had been hiding in, bringing a diminutive two-tailed cat with him.

"Thanks Shippou, Kagome-chan." The young taijiya replied, easily hefting the oversized boomerang that had inflicted such a devastating blow.

Kagome stooped to pick up a jewel shard that was glowing faintly in a still moving clump of dark flesh.

"Ahee…yuck, this stuff is disgusting." She said bunching her face up with a faint look of nausea as she brought her hand closer to her face so that she could more easily examine the viscous fluid that had clung to her. Sighing she wiped her hand on a nearby clump of grass in an attempt to rid herself of the goop. Kagome stood and began to survey the damage.

A hodgepodge of different sized chunks of the creature littered the entire width of the clearing, several trees nearby had been felled in the attempt to secure the jewel. Kagome's mind raced to uncover the root of her growing fear.

'Something isn't right, something is miss…' Her eyes grew wide with the realization, she spun to find Shippou still rambling with uncurbed fervor.

"What type of youkai was that Sango? " He gushed hoping to catch the full flavor of the battle, despite having just witnessed it. "I never saw noth'n like it before," the young kitsune continued as he took up station on Sango's shoulder.

"Well, I…" Sango begun, as a wide eyed Kagome suddenly spun, interrupting her train of thought.

"WHERE ARE MIROKU AND INUYASHA !!!???."

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Next time: What has happened to Inuyasha and Miroku…Chapter 2: Strange Bedfellows

A/N Fun with words:

Taijiya- demon exterminator, Houshi- traveling Buddhist monk Kuro- black

Youkai- creature with magical ability generally evil- demon

Tetsusaiga- literally Iron pulverizing fang

My other fics can be viewed @ fanfic.com under the name Kohmaru, if anyones interested

Please read and review: Constructive criticism is more appreciated then mindless flattery or flaming, but I'll take what I can get.