InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The End is Only the Beginning ❯ Darkness Looms ( Chapter 14 )

* Spoiler Warning *

 

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters featured in this story.

 

“Little Miko,” a strange voice calls out. “Come to me little Miko.”

 

Within the darkness, Kagome scans her surrounding searching for the source of the voice. Each second that pass buy Kagome grows more frantic in her search. Without revealing her inner turmoil, Kagome calls out to the strange voice. “Who are you? Show yourself.”

 

Sinister laughter fills the empty space, seemingly coming from every direction. “I am who you shall belong to. Every part of you shall become mine. Mind, body, soul and even that pretty jewel of yours will belong to only me.”

 

Kagome spats back venomously at the strange voice, “I do not know who the hell you think you are, but you will never get me or the jewel. Other has tried and all of them have failed and died in result. You will be no different.”

 

“That is where you are wrong little miko,” the voice says mockingly, “unlike that fool Naraku, I will not fail.”

 

Sensing a presence behind her Kagome attempts to move away, but finds her body incapable of doing so. Immobile, Kagome can only stand helpless as a pair of shadowed hands wrap around her waist. Voice trembling with fear, Kagome shakily asks, “Who are you?”

 

“I am your past and your future. He brought me here to the present, but he is no longer is. He is I and I am him.” The shadow hand roams suggestively across Kagome's torso. The voice in the darkness drops to a husky low seductive tone laced with unbridle lust as one of the hands move to cup and fondle her left breast. “I am, in the past, Mouryoumaru (1). I am in the future Apocalypse. You, however, my dear shall know me as master.” A hot tongue makes a trail from her collarbone up along her neck to her earlobe.

 

Indescribable fear clenches Kagome's being, ripping the air out of her lungs. The other free shadowed hand roams upward to pinch her right nipple through her top while a mouth envelope around her earlobe, sucking gently. Whispering into her ear the poisonous voices breathily states, “Time for you to go now, but I will see you again soon.”

 

As suddenly as the darkness came, it leaves. Kagome's eyes shoot open, pupils dilated in fear. Taking in her surrounding, Kagome finds herself back in the conference room clutching on to Sesshoumaru so tightly her knuckles turn white.

 

Sesshoumaru eyes Kagome worriedly, “Kagome snap out of it this instant. What happened? I sense a strange youki in this room.”

 

Letting the warmth of Sesshoumaru's body warm her own, Kagome struggles to contain her fear. “I met him, and he touched me. He is after me and the jewel Sesshoumaru.”

 

Securely holding on to Kagome's shaking body, Sesshoumaru's eyes blaze in unsuppressed fury. “Who is he?”

 

“He told me his name is Mouryoumaru. He was brought to the present by Apocalypse. They have fused or rather Mouryoumaru absorbed Apocalypse. He knows about us, our past,” Kagome said fearfully.

 

Cradling Kagome in his arms, Sesshoumaru picks her up. “I shall take you to your room. I need to have a word with Xavier and the fox. I will check up on you a little later. Now sleep.”

 

***

Sitting at his desk, Xavier shuffles through various documents laying scatter across his desk. At about mid-morning a knock on his door disrupts his work. “Come in,” Xavier announces. The door opens to reveal a very serious Sesshoumaru at the door.

 

“I need to have a word with you Xavier,” Sesshoumaru says curtly.

 

“Have a seat Takaitaro. What is it you wish to speak about?” Xavier greets his friend.

 

Taking a seat Sesshoumaru demands sternly. “I want to take Kagome into my residence from now on. This institute is not safe for her.”

 

Upon hearing this, Xavier's expression turns to concern. “I am afraid I can not let her go now. It will be impossible to find a replacement teacher and you know that all staff is required to take residence here at the institute. The term starts in a few days. She has also taken up a role in the X-team; we cannot possibly let her leave. Besides the institute is quite save I can assure you. There is nothing to worry about.”

 

Sesshoumaru stand up threateningly. “You do not seem to comprehend the threat that is up us, Xavier. There are forces out there that will make your mutant team seem like children,” Sesshoumaru growls menacingly.

 

Sensing the threat Takaitaro is showing, Xavier tries to calm to intimidating man before him. “Please calm down Takaitaro and take a seat. We can talk this over. Perhaps there are thing that can be down to increase security to your liking.”

 

Suppressing his killing intent, Sesshoumaru settles down a little bit, but remains standing. “Fine, then from this day forward I shall take full command over your team and their training. I will not tolerate weak meddling fools protecting what is important to me.”

 

Xavier looks disbelievingly at Sesshoumaru after hearing his demands. Just as Xavier is about to retort, Sesshoumaru temporarily drops is disguise thus revealing his facial markings, fangs, pointed ears, and deadly claws. “I am more than you can even begin to imagine Xavier. There are things in this world that you humans cannot ever comprehend. Be grateful I consider you friend and ally or else I will not be so tolerant of this insolence.” Putting his human disguise back on, Sesshoumaru turns and exits the room with out another word. Xavier is left in shock sitting in his office wondering if what he just witnessed is in fact real. Questions run continuously through his mind. What is Sesshou Takaitaro? Is he a mutant? If not, what is he?

 

***

After leaving Xavier's office, Sesshoumaru wastes no time in going to the training room to “greet” his new subordinates. Making his entrance to the room all eyes fix on him self. Unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt and rolling up his shirtsleeves a bit, Sesshoumaru announces in a commanding tone. “You all are under my command now. We shall start your new training regimen. First, I shall access what you can do. Fox you are up first.”

 

The group looks at Sesshoumaru blankly, dumbstruck at Takaitaro's announcement. Shippo, smelling the tenseness surrounding Sesshoumaru immediately realize something important has happened to cause this new arrangement. Slightly worried, Shippo wisely follows the given order and move to approach Sesshoumaru for his assessment.

 

The rest of the group however, is not as accepting of this bold claim and demand. Peeved, Scott and Logan stand to state their objection. Logan, being the less tactical speaker of the pair bluntly states, “Who the fuck do you think you are asshole? You cannot just waltz in here and proclaim yourself leader and commander. We follow Xavier's orders and no one else's. So get your face suit wearing ass back on your yacht in the Keys before I scratch up your face.” Ignoring Logan's outburst, Sesshoumaru merely continues to approach Shippo on the mat.

 

Scott being more wary of Takaitaro states his concerns more tactically. “Takaitaro Sir, may I inquire why this arrangement have been made?” Sesshoumaru spares Scott a glance and authoritatively states, “Do as you are told, explanations will come later,” leaving no room for arguments. Regardless of Takaitaro's status and relations with the Professor, the X-Team skeptically and/or angrily ponders what a clean cut rich boy would know about combat, even more so the combat between mutants.

 

Sesshoumaru steps upon the mats to meet Shippo, flexing and cracking the joints of his claws threateningly. Green poison seeps from the sharp talons dripping on the mats and burning holes through them. At the sight Shippo, visibly cringes knowing he is in for a world of pain while the X-Team eyes slightly bulge at the sight.

 

Blankly, Sesshoumaru taunts Shippo, “Come Fox, let's see how much you have degraded.” Shippo, without any warning, throws his foxfire. Sesshoumaru easily evades the attack and rushes towards Shippo at amazing speeds only leaving behind a blurry after image. “Pathetic Fox, your childish tricks will not last long against me. Now fight like your age and not like a kit still nursing on its mother's breast.”

 

Grabbing a katana, Shippo channels his youki into the blade and engulfs it in his blue foxfire. Dashing forward to attack Sesshoumaru, Shippo is push back into defense by Sesshoumaru's whip. Lashing out, the green whip grazes Shippo's forearm leaving a painful burn.

 

Fishing out a toy top from his many hidden pockets, Shippo sends the giant spinning top at Sesshoumaru in order to buy a few seconds to perform his next illusion. Placing a small leaf upon his forehead, Shippo transforms himself into a very large feline.

 

Sesshoumaru evades the spinning top expertly and moves to attack a transformed Shippo. “You disgust me Fox. The half whelp was able to put up a better fight than you and you are a pure breed too, pathetic.”

 

Leaping to attack Sesshoumaru in his feline form, Shippo is brutally swipe away by Sesshoumaru's poison claws. Sizzling claw wounds appear across Shippo's shoulder, blood seeping from the wounds runs down his arm and onto the mat. Shippo sluggishly, from the poison coursing through his veins (2), to attack Sesshoumaru feverishly.

 

Every attempt proves to be futile. Try after try, more cuts and whip burns appear all over Shippo's person. Faltering from the effects of the poison and the other various wounds, Shippo is immobile by Sesshoumaru's whip wrapped around him. With a jerk of his hand, Sesshoumaru sends Shippo flying into the concrete wall creating a much larger dent in it than the one made during the earlier practice.

 

Shippo collapses from pain and exhaustion. Grapping Shippo's hair, Sesshoumaru lifts him up enough to whisper something, inaudible to the X-Team, in Shippo's ear. “You need to shape up Fox. Kagome is in a lot of danger; the past has come to haunt us. The condition you are in and your level of skill will do nothing to protect Kagome. Do you understand what you must do Fox?” Shippo can only give an affirmative grunt in response.

 

Satisfied by the response, Sesshoumaru continues to speak quietly. “Good, now pick your self up and go check on Kagome. Something happened earlier. I shall join you both soon, after I am through with this pitiable bunch.” Dropping Shippo, Sesshoumaru strides back to the mat for his next victim.

 

Shippo wordlessly picks himself up and weakly makes his way out of the training room leaning against the wall for support.

 

The X-Team can only stare unsettled at the brutal display. What they just witnessed was not training it was torture. For the majority, fear creeps up their spine not wanting to be Takaitaro's next victim. Logan however silently fumes in anger at Takaitaro. He may not personally like the fox mutant but Shippo did not deserve to be beaten to the brink of death. One common thought crossed all their minds at one point. “What exactly is Sesshou Takaitaro, certainly he cannot be human?”

 

***

(1) *Manga Spoiler* For those who only watch the anime, Mouryoumaru may not be familiar to you. This character shows up in the latest chapters of the Inuyasha manga. He is a detachment to guard Naraku's heart and is the most current foe the Inu-tachi is up against. If this is not enough information you can visit Ear-tweak . com for more info.

(2) Most of the time Sesshoumaru can secrete poison from his claws that are fatal. The poison used on Shippo is more of a paralysis poison than a lethal one. Sesshoumaru is not trying to kill Shippo. Because Shippo is a demon, their fight is a bit more brutal than the others will be.

 

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