InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Evil Eye, The Serpent's Tongue ❯ When a Stone Heart Bleeds ( Chapter 27 )

When a Stone Heart Bleeds

 

 

 

“RYU!” Shippo screamed, hiding behind Kagome, or trying to. At his size, it was more like he was trying to hide his head, while the rest of him stuck out.

 

Had they not been facing down a 10 foot dragon that was as wide as a house thanks to his muscles, she would have laughed. Shippo, now a full grown demon, hiding behind a 16 year old girl…it was too funny in a sad sort of way. He tried to scramble up her shoulder, making her nearly buckle and fall.

 

“Shippo, it's ok! You are a demon, remember! Attack him!” She stepped to the side, and pushing him forward.

 

“I can't, I have weak attacks Kagome! Get Inuyasha, let him fight!” The teenaged Shippo wailed. “Can you wait just a few minutes while I go get Inuyasha, ok Ryu?”

 

Ryu sighed and leaned against a tree. “Attack me Shippo. I swear I will not fight back…yet.”

 

Shippo looked at him, nervous, and after Kagome nodded at him encouragingly. “Fox…fire?….WHOA!” Shippo said as the fire suddenly began to danced on his palms.

 

“Shippo….attack!” Kagome said softly, nudging him.

 

He focused, and the balls of fire rocketed at Ryu, who took them in the chest with a chuckle. “See! It's weak!” Shippo moaned.

 

“It's not that, little kitsune…Dragon's Fury!”

 

Shippo let out a yelp as Ryu sent his one wave of fire at him. But before he could move, an aura of magic popped up and absorbed the flames.

 

“Huh?” Shippo said, looking over his skin, not believing he was still alive.

 

“We are both born of the fire Shippo…flames don't hurt us.” Ryu smirked. “Other things do though...I can show you, if you like.”

 

“NO!” Shippo shouted, running behind Kagome once more. She sighed, rolling her eyes at the childish demon.

 

He is still a child though. She reminded herself. Unlike Rin, who has aged mentally…Shippo is still a kid, just now in a really big body. She frowned inwardly. It must have to do with how they came to be. Shippo became this way do to Neko's lies…Rin to save Sesshomaru…can it be that the jewels…

 

“Now, I have business to attend to, so I will make this short.” Ryu looked down at Kagome. “Until now, I have only attacked you with an ounce of my power.” He lowered to one knee, so they made eye contact. “Not anymore. I offer you one final time to join me.”

 

“I..”

 

“Don't answer now…think about it. The offer goes to you, Shippo, Inuyasha and the Monk. Shed your humanity, and I will allow you to live, and join my clan as we wage war on all mankind.”

 

Kagome frowned at this comment.. “I will never join you!”

 

Ryu shrugged. “I leave the offer open. Now, I must be…” he paused as he felt a blade touch his chin. He glanced at Shippo, who had figured out how to create a replica of Tetsusaiga, this one which he could use. “So, you have figured out how to wield your illusion powers…and grown a backbone?”

 

“You will not hurt Kagome.” He said, his voice returning to the dark, cold tone it had been when he was still under Neko's spell. “I won't let you.” He pressed the blade into the scaly throat.

“Won't let me?” Ryu smirked.

 

“I have the power to stand up to you” Shippo said, trying hard to keep his voice at it's eerie level. “…now, I want you to release Sango, and leave this place!”

 

Ryu shrugged. “Very well…but first…” He grabbed shippo's sword and broke it, and tossed the kitsune in the air. Shippo tried to summon another item, but fell, hard. “You were so much better before Shippo.” He walked over and grabbed him by the throat. “You are weak now…”

 

“DON'T!” Kagome shouted, grabbing Ryu's arm. He glared at her…but she refused to let go, even in the face of this monster. “If you truly want me to even think about your offer…you have to let him go…please…I love him as if he were my son…show some compassion.”

 

Ryu froze, Kagome unwittingly striking a nerve. Kagome could tell, though, that something had struck a cord in the beast, as he slowly let go of the frightened Shippo just enough o let him breath easy. “I show you compassion, as I was never shown it.”

 

“What do you mean?” Kagome asked, both forgetting their feud for the moment. She wanted to know what had caused him to suddenly give up the fight all of a sudden.

 

Ryu watched her as she stroked Shippo's neck, soothing the kitsune as he sniffed, scared witless. “You wonder how I can do what I do…why I try and kill you humans yet offer you a chance to join me? How I can claim to be a being of honor yet tear humans into shreds with my bare claws?” kagome nodded gently. Ryu growled, but Kagome held firm. “Because I know that there is no honor in man…I know this to be true…after what they did to me…to my Neko…” His body grew rigid.

 

Kagome watched as the dragon demon tensed, his body tight. “What…what happened?” She asked quietly.

 

Ryu laughed softly, a bitter laugh of someone who was trying to keep from breaking down. “This is the part of our sad tale where the `villian' tells the `hero' their twisted past, which we all know is caused by their own greed, right?” He glared at her for a moment. “Sorry to disappoint, but my story isn't like that.

 

“It was two months ago…Neko was alone as I hunted down dinner for us…she had been in a clearing when farmers from a village stumbled upon her. They only saw a demon, and attacked…because she was there.

 

“Neko fought well, defending herself as best should could…but they outnumbered her..” His voice grew heavy with emotion. “I found her…laying there…her stomach ripped open from a sword. I managed to heal her…but that's when I discovered…” He closed his eyes. “I slaughtered that village for what they did…and then wrecked havoc on the survivors…the village where you first laid eyes upon me.”

 

Kagome looked at the demon, shocked that the mons…being…was this upset. “What was it?” She finally asked. “What did you find with neko that made you…”

 

“Neko…had been with child. HAD.” He growled, allowing the word to soak in. Kagome tried to hold in her gasp, but failed. “My unborn daughter lies cold in her grave because you humans feel the need to kill my kind!” He let out a roar of frustration, the clearing rattling form it's force. “We can't even mark it, because you humans would tear it down and desecrate her body to search it for your damn jewel shards!”

 

His eyes opened, the red light faint and distant. “Now…I will wipe the land clear of your kind…and allow mine to live in peace. I will kill those demons that hunger for power, and leave only those that want to live. And any human that wants to avoid my blades…” His voice caught for a moment. “…will realize that humanity is a doomed group…fated to die.”

 

Kagome looked at him as he stood up. She wanted to scream, to yell, to cry out, “We want that too! We could work together…” But her voice wouldn't work. Instead, all she could do is look at the demon…who was nothing more then a mourning father, dealing with the lost of their child.”

 

“I am sorry.” She managed to say.

 

Ryu looked at her again, but didn't acknowledge the comment. “I will not kill your Shippo…your son, if you will.” He looked at her, and his voice grew quiet. “No parent, be they human, demon or hanyou….” He stared at her, as if it were the only way to keep his composure as if the next thing he said would break him. “…should have to bury their child.”

 

With that, he turned, and walked off into the forest.

 

Kagome stood up, Shippo looking at her. “Wow….we made it! We served a meeting with Ryu! Man, wait till inyuasha hears about…Kagome? Kagome?”

 

Shippo looked over at Kagome, who stood, watching the fading shadow of Ryu. She would never forget what she had just saw, as he had turned away from them.

 

A tear running down Ryu's cheek.