InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Difference a Little Time Can Make ❯ Chapter 17 ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi does. I am not making any money from this story.

 

Author's note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. Please continue to review and let me know what you think. The changes from canon will continue to ripple out, though some things will remain the same. A lot of you wondered what would happen with Shippou and his father. Now you can find out. Enjoy.

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Despite being exhausted from the events of the previous day, Kagome found herself waking as the sky began to lighten. Yawning, she opened her eyes to be met with an expanse of red. Looking up she saw it was Inuyasha's leg. He was sitting cross-legged beside her with the Tessaiga propped against his shoulder. She couldn't help but to smile. As she shifted in her spot his eyes opened and locked onto hers. She gasped at the emotion visible in his eyes before a wall came down to shield them. “You alright wench?” She merely nodded at him, unable to voice a response. 'The depth of emotion visible for those few seconds, I couldn't have imagined it could I?' She could almost swear she had seen need and some other emotion that she couldn't quite identify in his eyes. Shaking her head to clear it, she stood and stretched before heading into the bushes to take care of a pressing need.

 

Upon returning to the camp she found that Inuyasha had caught a few fish from the stream and was cooking them over the fire, and that the others had also awoken. After everyone had eaten, she checked everyone's wounds. She was happy to note that Satoshi seemed to be healing well and she found that Inuyasha was right about his assertion the previous night, his wounds had already healed. She began to pack up her supplies while wondering what to do about their guests. She found that she needn't have bothered as Satoshi chose that moment to speak up.

 

“Inuyasha-san, Kagome-san, again I offer my thanks. My son and I are in your debt. If ever there is something we can do to help, you need only ask.” He bowed to them. “But for now it is time for my son and I to return to our home.”

“Oh, Satoshi-san, you are very welcome. No thanks are needed, I couldn't live with myself if I hadn't done something to help.” Kagome blushed at his thanks.

 

Satoshi inclined his head at her. “Nevertheless, the debt still stands. If ever we can be of assistance to you, you need only ask.”

 

“Keh. Enough of this. Come on wench, it's time to get moving. We're close to that temple the baba had on her list. I want to get moving already.” Inuyasha was impatient to get moving. Satoshi kept sending him these knowing looks that were putting him on edge.

 

With that they packed up their supplies and made to leave. Kagome and Shippou exchanged a tearful goodbye and then Inuyasha grabbed her arm to lead her out of the camp. He paused as he heard Myouga calling out to him.

 

“Inuyasha-sama! Wait! You weren't going to leave your loyal servant behind, were you?” He rolled his eyes but stopped. He was surprised to see the flea carrying a bundle that was at least twice his size.

 

“Oi Myouga-jiji, what's in that sack?” he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

 

“Here Inuyasha-sama. This wax is for the Tessaiga's sheath. You can't leave it in this condition. However, you must be careful as it is only a temporary solution. In order to fully repair the sheath, it needs to be immersed in wax from a hive of steel wasps.” Inuyasha followed the flea's directions and placed the wax on the damaged sheath. That done, they restarted their journey.

 

Once they were out of earshot Satoshi began to chuckle as he shook his head. “Poor fools, I don't know which one to pity more. The hanyou for being too stupid to realize what is going on or the miko for being stuck with him.” He finally decided on the hanyou. He wouldn't want to be in his position in a few days.

 

At his side Shippou began to bounce up and down. “What do you mean Pa? What's going on?”

 

“I'll tell you when you're older” Satoshi said with a smile. “But suffice it to say, those two are in for some amusing times.”

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They traveled along a river below a mountain, pausing to examine Kaede's directions. Evening was approaching but they were nearly there. Kagome wondered at all of the spider webs she had been seeing but put it out of her mind. She turned to look at Inuyasha. He had been in a bad mood all day. Shortly after they had left the campsite they had had his promised 'discussion'.

 

Flashback

 

After they had left the campsite far behind them Inuyasha stopped, halting Kagome in her tracks. “Inuyasha?” she asked, confused.

 

“I told you we were going to have a discussion wench. You need to learn to listen when I tell you something. I told you to stay in camp and you disobeyed me.” He glared at her.

 

She flushed, knowing that he was right. “I know. But Shippou was just a little kid and he needed help. I couldn't just leave him” she defended herself.

 

He sighed. “I know, you wouldn't be you if had. But you should have called for me or something. You can't just go wandering off whenever you feel like it. I don't know what your time is like but this one is too dangerous for someone like you to be wandering around alone.”

 

“I did think about calling for you but you felt too far away. What were you doing anyway?” she asked, curious.

 

He flushed and looked away. “N-never mind about that. And you're right, it was partly my fault for going so far. I promise from now on I won't go so far unless it's unavoidable. But you have to promise to listen when I tell you to do something. And don't think I've forgotten that you disobeyed me when I was fighting Hiten. I told you to run away and you didn't.”

She interrupted him. “And if I hadn't ignored you then, you might have been killed. I was able to help by damaging his wheel.”

“Damn it bitch! Do you have any idea how I felt when I thought you had died?! What am I going to do if you get yourself killed?!”

 

Kagome was taken aback by the raw emotion in his voice and eyes. He was staring at her so intently. 'Since when is he this emotional?' she wondered. She gulped. “Alright Inuyasha. I promise to listen and obey you when you tell me something important, unless circumstances don't allow it.” She added that last part, knowing that if another situation came up where she could save his life by ignoring his orders, she would.

 

Inuyasha accepted her compromise. “Keh. Come on wench, let's get moving.” He pulled her onto his back and they restarted their journey.

 

End Flashback

 

But since then she noticed that he had become more irritable. 'Is he still angry at me for disobeying him?' she wondered. She noticed him looking around for a place to set up camp and called out “Inuyasha, why don't we keep going? We're nearly there. I'm sure we can make it to the temple before dark.”

 

'Damn it' Inuyasha cursed in his head not knowing how to explain to her why he didn't want to go to the temple tonight. He knew he needed to tell her, there was no way to hide what would happen tonight. It didn't stop him from wanting to avoid it somehow. He didn't want her to see him at his weakest. His senses were already fading. 'Why did tonight have to be the fucking new moon?'

 

As he opened his mouth to say something a scream from above stopped him. They looked up and saw a girl being chased by some type of spider youkai. Inuyasha leaped up with Kagome on his back, unsheathing Tessaiga as he did so. He swung, easily dispatching the youkai.

 

The girl collapsed to knees in front of them, panting for breath. “Thank you” she started to say as she raised her head to look at her rescuer. “AAH!” she screamed upon spotting Inuyasha. She shot to a feet and took Inuyasha by surprise, managing to land a punch to his face. “Get out of here, youkai!” She glared at him.

 

Inuyasha returned her glare. “Keh! Why do I even bother?” he muttered angrily as he turned his back on the girl. “Some thanks for saving your life.” He was surprised when Kagome slipped past him to slap the girl's face.

 

“W-what?” the girl asked, holding her face.

 

“How dare you?! Inuyasha just saved your life. You had no right to treat him like that! You owe him an apology!” Kagome demanded.

 

Inuyasha stared at her in shocked awe. “K-Kagome.”

 

The girl raised her face to Kagome. “Why should I apologize? I gave him exactly what he deserved. I know a youkai when I see one. And all I can feel for a youkai is hatred.” She glared. “They are all evil and deserve to die. You're human. Why are you defending him?”

 

“I don't know what experience you have had with youkai” Kagome began. “But not all youkai are bad just like not all humans are good. You have to judge them by their actions not their race. Inuyasha is a good person and he saved your life.”

 

The girl only glared harder. “My father was killed by youkai, and now they infest this mountain. They have killed so many already. So don't try to tell me youkai aren't evil. I don't have to stand here and listen to a youkai and youkai lover try to tell me different. Don't follow me or the master of the temple will purify you” she threatened as she made to walk away. She only made it a step before her injured leg gave out on her and she collapsed.

 

Kagome hurried to her side and checked her injury. “This isn't too bad” she told her “but you shouldn't be walking on it. I'm Kagome” she told the girl, feeling bad after hearing about her father.

 

“Nazuna” the girl replied sullenly.

 

Kagome turned to look at Inuyasha. “What?” he asked. Upon seeing her look he started shaking his head. “No, no way wench. Forget about it.”

“Please Inuyasha” Kagome asked with her hands clasped in front of her. “She really shouldn't be walking on that leg right now. Besides we were going to the temple anyway.”

He sighed, somehow unable to deny her anything when she looked at him like that. Grumbling he approached the two and pulled Nazuna onto his back despite her protests. “Alright, let's go. If we hurry we can get there before sunset.”

 

As they made there way to the temple Nazuna asked “Why are you going to the temple?”

 

Kagome answered her. “An acquaintance of ours, a miko named Kaede told us that the master of this temple might be able to help us with a problem we have.” She decided to be vague, after all you can't go around telling everyone you meet that you're from the future.

 

They made good time and managed to make it to the temple a short time before sunset. Kagome noticed that Inuyasha's mood had only grown worse. An old monk was standing on the steps of the temple when they arrived and Kagome decided that this must be the master of the temple.

 

He raised his head and spotted them. “Oh, Nazuna” he said. “I was worried that a spider-head had attacked you. Are you injured?”

Nazuna leaped down from Inuyasha's back to kneel before the monk. “Oh master, it was terrible. The spider-head attacked while I was tending the graves. I had no choice but to rely on this youkai. I'm sorry for leading him to this sacred temple. I'm sorry master.”

 

“It's alright child.” The old man patted her on the arm. “I am sure that everything will be alright. They helped you, didn't they?” he asked as he glanced at Kagome and Inuyasha. “Now go inside and prepare some food for our guests.” Nazuna did as she was told. Once she was inside the old man faced them. “I'm sorry for any trouble that she may have given you. Please forgive her attitude. She has been having a hard time since her father was killed in an attack by the spider-heads and has developed an understandable fear of youkai. I took her in but fear that I can not replace what she has lost.” He sighed. “But you are welcome here my friends. Come, come.”

 

Kagome didn't like the way the old man glanced at her and Inuyasha. There was something about him that was putting her on edge. But something he said caught her attention. “Excuse me but you mentioned spider-heads? What are they?”

 

“The spider-heads are a type of youkai that have been attacking the people living on this mountain since last spring. They trap their victims and paralyze them with poison before devouring them alive. Then they take the heads of their victims and weave their webs through the corpses.” He sighed again. Kagome was thoroughly creeped out by his description of the youkai. “Please friends, will you stay the night in the temple? It is dangerous to be out on the mountain at night. That is when the spider-heads are most active. The temple is safe, I have warded it with sutra to keep youkai from attacking. No youkai can enter.” He stopped and stared at Inuyasha. “And yet here you are. Could it be that despite appearances, you are a mere mortal?”

 

Inuyasha began to growl. “Do you need your eyes checked old man?! You must be blind if you think I'm a 'mere mortal'!”

 

The old man shook his head. “No, your form is that of a youkai but from your soul I sense not a trace of demonic power.”

 

Inuyasha glared at him and opened his mouth to say something but Kagome stopped him by placing her hand on his arm and giving him a pleading look. “Please Inuyasha?” He huffed and crossed his arms in his sleeves but subsided. She turned and bowed to the monk. “We would be most grateful for the accommodations. Actually, we had been coming to this temple when we came across Nazuna. A miko named Kaede said you might have knowledge that could help us with a problem.”

The old man waved them to the temple. “Enter, enter. We can discuss your problem after we have eaten.”

 

Again Kagome felt on edge. Something about the way he had said that unnerved her. 'And what did he mean when he said he couldn't sense anything demonic from Inuyasha's soul?' But she shrugged and entered the temple, Inuyasha following.

 

After they had settled into a room to wait for a meal, Kagome turned to Inuyasha. He was sitting with his back to the wall, arms crossed and Tessaiga resting against his shoulder. “Inuyasha? Is something wrong? You've been on edge all day. And you were ready to go off on something so minor. That's not like you. Please tell me what's wrong.”

 

He huffed and ignored her.

 

“Yes Inuyasha-sama. Kagome-sama is right. You shouldn't be upset by something so minor.” Myouga spoke up, startling them. He had been so quiet that they had forgotten he was there. “You should be proud of what you are Inuyasha-sama. Your father was a great youkai lord and your mother was a great mortal. You are a noble mix of both.”

“Keh! What's so noble about being a hanyou?” Inuyasha cut him off. 'How did that old monk know?' he wondered. He noticed Kagome staring at him. “What?” he asked her more harshly than he had intended. His ears drooped as he took in her fallen expression. 'I can't seem to do anything right today' he thought. He stood up suddenly. “Forget this. I'll sleep outside tonight.” He tried to ignore the hurt look on Kagome's face as he approached the shoji and slid it open. He paused as he noticed movement in the forest outside the temple. 'Shit! The temple is surrounded. How did I not smell them?' He noticed that the sun had almost completely set. 'Fucking new moon.' He closed the shoji and turned around when a sound near the ceiling drew his attention. He looked up only to see a mass of what could only be the spider-heads swarming on the ceiling.

 

Kagome followed his gaze and screamed when she saw them. They were huge for spiders. They had the body of a spider with a human head attached to it. And there were so many. She grasped her bow as Inuyasha stepped in front of her and grabbed her hand. “Let's go wench, this place isn't safe.” He was prepared to grab her and run as far as he could when a scream drew their attention to another room.

 

“That was Nazuna!” Kagome cried and shaking off Inuyasha's grip, she ran toward where the scream had come from. Inuyasha cursed and followed her. The sun was nearly set and he could already feel the change starting.

 

They reached the other room and saw Nazuna swinging a broom at the spider-heads surrounding her while the old monk lay in the center of the room. His body was covered with spider-heads and Inuyasha knew it was already too late for him. Cursing he grabbed Nazuna and shoved her toward Kagome. He unsheathed Tessaiga and told them “Run, get out of here.”

Kagome made to run as he swung the Tessaiga but stopped as she realized something. 'The Tessaiga, it's not transforming?!' She hesitated and Inuyasha noticed.

 

“What the hell are you standing around for?! GO!”

 

“But...Inuyasha...” She took a step towards him.

 

He cursed and swung the untransformed Tessaiga again. 'Damn, it won't transform. Is it because of the new moon?' He saw a spider-head move to attack Kagome and he leaped forward only to have the spider-heads swarm and cover him.

“No! Inuyasha!” Kagome cried as she saw him go down. She grabbed a torch from the wall and swung it, burning the web and spider-heads alike, forcing them back. She grabbed Inuyasha's arm and tugged him free. “Come on Inuyasha, we have to get out of here.” His head was covered in webbing and she helped him pull it off with one hand while swinging the torch with the other. Nazuna had grabbed another torch and was also swinging it from the other side. Kagome gasped when the webbing finally came off and she took in Inuyasha's changed appearance. “Inuyasha, what?” His silver hair was now black and his dog ears were gone, with human shaped ones instead located on the sides of his head. He opened his eyes and instead of the usual gold, deep violet stared back at her. He looked human. What had happened to her hanyou? “Inuyasha?” she asked again.

 

“Keh. No time to explain. We have to get out of here.” He gripped Tessaiga and prepared to force their way out when Nazuna screamed.

 

“M-master!”

 

They turned and saw the old man. He was hanging in a giant web in the middle of the room. His eyes were open. “Run Nazuna, run away from here.”

Inuyasha cursed as he grabbed Nazuna to keep her from rushing forward. “No let me go! I have to save him!” She struggled against his grip.

 

“If you go in there you'll be killed, you foolish girl.” He sighed as the tears streamed down her face. “Wait here, I'll get him.” He took the torch from her hand and re-sheathed the Tessaiga before handing it to Kagome. At her surprised look he said “It's useless to me if it won't transform but you can still use it to cut the spiders. And the barrier should protect you.” With that he ran forward, swinging the torch to clear the way.

 

Kagome and Nazuna watched his progress with worry, the former for his sake and the latter for the sake of the monk. They continued to bat away any spider-heads that came near them but most seemed more concerned with the transformed hanyou.

 

Upon reaching the web, Inuyasha tore apart some of the strands while swinging the torch at any spider-heads that came within reach. The monk opened his eyes to stare at him. “You came...for me?” he asked.

 

“Keh. The girls wouldn't leave without you” he told him. “Hold on and I'll have you free in a minute.” He grasped the old man's arm and pulled, only to be shocked when it stretched. “What the fuck?!”

 

The monk began to laugh. “Hehehe. You fools fell right into my trap.” His stretched out arm shot out, lifting Inuyasha and pinning him to the wall near the ceiling. He laughed harder as he heard the girls' gasps and screams. The spider-heads that had covered his body left, revealing that his body was that of a large spider. He appeared to be a larger version of the spider-heads.

 

“M-master?” Nazuna stammered out.

 

But Inuyasha had figured out the truth. “You. You're the leader of these spider-heads, aren't you?”

 

The now apparent youkai laughed again. “These mountains make excellent feeding grounds. And who would ever suspect the old monk in the temple of being behind the youkai attacks. It has led many a meal to me. But who would have thought it would bring me a miko and a hanyou, and at your time of weakness. Hehehe. My children and I will feast well this night.”

 

Kagome looked around frantically. 'How are we going to get out of the mess we're in this time?' she wondered. Things didn't look good for them. 'Inuyasha, please hang on. We'll get out of this somehow. I just wish I knew how.'

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And it's another cliffhanger. Sorry. It seems like that is all I have been writing lately. Sorry. But I seem to be on a roll with the chapters so I'll have the next one out soon, I promise. Please review and let me know what you think. And I guarantee that you won't want to miss what happens in the next chapter. It's something that a lot of people have been waiting for.

 

Also I have a question I need help with. As you might be able to tell, I am following canon to a certain extent and twisting it to my own purposes. This question deals with further in the story so if you're worried about being spoiled stop reading now.

 

As some of you may have guessed they will eventually come across Naraku. But there is no Shikon no Tama, it has already been purified. So that means that Naraku doesn't have shards, which means no incarnations. Sorry if that disappoints anyone. But that leads me to my problem. Goshinki. He was one of Naraku's incarnations. Because he broke Tessaiga, Inuyasha's youkai blood was unsealed and he transformed. I need that to happen. But without the jewel there are no incarnations. Any suggestions? Or would it be too unbelievable if I turn Goshinki into an oni that Naraku has made a deal with/tricked into attacking Inuyasha and the others? Please let me know, I'm really stuck on this point. Thanks everybody.