InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Free Wind ❯ Chapter 8

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

“Who the hell are you?” The hanyou yelled.

Kagura rolled her eyes. It hadn’t taken long to find the loud group of humans and demons. If she admitted it to herself, she had pushed her friends a bit knowing that the brash younger brother would take her mind off the cold older one.

Well, here we are. I better intervene before he starts waving that shiny stick around. With a sigh, she pulled the wind to her and allowed her body to form.

Inuyasha’s eyes widened, “Kagura? But how?” he took a step back.

Kagura smirked. This might turn out to be a good diversion after all. How she could forget so soon how much fun it was to bait this mutt was beyond her.

“How sweet, you remember me,” she said.

“Kagura! You’re alive!” a voice squealed.

Kagura begged to all the higher gods not to allow this girl to hug her. One must have been listening because Kagome stopped short.

“I knew you weren’t dead!” she said, clapping her hands together in glee.

Inuyasha snorted, “Probably just one of Naraku’s tricks.” He pulled the transformed Tessaiga from its sheath.

“Sit!”

Inuyasha crashed to the ground. A loud guffaw burst out over Kagura’s shoulder. Snickering, she stepped aside.

“That, my dear, was the funniest thing I have seen in several centuries!” Inuwarai laughed. He walked over to the still prone Inuyasha, poking him experimentally with the toe of one foot.

With great effort, the hanyou peeled himself off the ground. “Who the hell are you?”

“Ah, so we’re back to that then, are we pup?” Inuwarai grinned, “I’m your grandfather, so how about a hug?”

“What the? Get off me old man!” Inuyasha struggled to free himself.

Kagura glanced toward Midoriko, who had somehow been unnoticed in all the drama. Kagome’s eyes followed and she gasped. She must have decided that the half demon could take care of himself because she rushed toward Midoriko.

“Hi, I’m Kagome. Are you a friend of Kagura?”

Midoriko smiled at the young woman. “Greetings Kagome. I am Midoriko of the Taijiya,” she paused at the hock that washed over the strangely dressed girls face, “I am sorry, did I say something wrong?”

Kagome shook her head, “The taijiya? Are you here to see Sango? She’ll be back soon, her and Miroku just went for food.”
Midoriko looked overwhelmed, “I am sorry, I do not know Sango.” She shot a pleading look at Kagura.

Kagura had been busy watching Inuyasha struggling to free himself from the old dog’s bear hug. Deciding that they would be fine, she turned toward Midoriko and the girl.

“Sango is one of your descendants, ‘Riko. She is Kirara’s current companion.” Kagura informed her.

Kagome smacked her palm against her head. “Midoriko! I knew I’d heard that name before. But aren’t you supposed to be sealed inside the Shikon no tama?”

Kagura interrupted, “We can discuss that as soon as your friends know we aren’t enemies,’ she nodded toward the sky where a huge nekomata was making its way down.

“Oh!” Kagome started waving her arms, “It’s ok, guys! ” she yelled.

Midoriko rushed forward, “Kirara!”

The firecat roared as it landed by the taijiya. Two figures climbed off. Kirara instantly transformed into her cat form and began purring under Midoriko’s attentions.

The monk cleared his throat. Kagome grinned at him. “It’s Midoriko! Also Kagura is still alive, and…” She glanced at Inuwarai, who had finally released Inuyasha. “And I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are.”

“I’m Inuwarai, my dear! Though a lovely thing like you may call me anything you like, and you “ He turned toward Inuyasha, “May call me grandfather!”

“Midoriko…”Sango said. She looked upset. Kagura wondered why.

Midoriko stood. She smiled at the fellow demon hunter. “You must be a descendant of my brother. I am pleased to meet you.”

Sango smiled. “It is an honor to meet you, Midoriko-san.”

Midoriko laughed, Oh, none of that, we are family!”

Sango smiled, sadness in her eyes. Again, Kagura wondered why. Maybe it had something to do with Kohaku. Yes, that must be it.

The monk smiled. “I am Miroku. I also am pleased to meet you, Midoriko. You are as lovely as one of your standing and spiritual purity would be expected.” His hand shot out toward her rear. The corner of a demon bone boomerang made contact with his head at the same instant as Midoriko’s elbow slammed into his stomach. The two inu youkai’s burst into laughter.

Kagura rolled her eyes. “We should talk. I am sure you all have questions…”

“FOX FIRE!”

Kagura stared at the blue flames licking at her feet. Impatiently she dissolved her feet to the breeze until the fire burned itself out.

“No Shippou!” Kagome yelled.

Inuyasha snorted, “Stupid brat. Been hiding all this time?”

A small fox demon jumped out of the branches behind Kagura. “You shut up, Inuyasha! I wasn’t scared!” He jumped into Kagome’s arms, “What’s going on Kagome?”

“Yeah right, brat,” Inuyasha sniffed.

“It is getting dark,” Miroku interrupted before an argument could get started, “Perhaps we should discuss things over a meal?”

Kagura agreed. Even Gods got hungry when forced to hold a body for so long.

“I think I understand,” The monk said, “Your spirit essence is trapped in the Shikon no tama. Not all of it though.”

“I am not sure I understand that,” Midoriko interjected.

Miroku smiled, “Yes, it is a bit confusing. I mean, only the parts of your spirit that is needed to purify the demon is in the jewel. There is your awakened soul, which is the part of your soul that reincarnates and carries with it the lessons from each of your lives. This is the part of your soul that is currently inhabiting the shikon no tama. The part of your soul that is unique to the person you are in this lifetime is still intact,” He shrugged, “Though it is not impossible that I am completely mistaken.”

“Regardless of where our souls are, we still have to get rid of this Naraku,” said Inuwarai.

“Heh, like we aren’t trying old man,” snorted Inuyasha.

Midoriko glanced at the brash young man. She was relieved to see he didn’t hold the same hatred in his eyes Sesshoumaru had.

The monk spoke up, “I wonder if there is a way for you both to control the parts of your spirit that are trapped inside the jewel?”

Inuwarai snorted, “I know nothing about souls. I know how to run a man through, pour a drink, and hold a woman. Is there anything else?”

“I’m with you old man. The only way to handle a bastard like Naraku is to cut him up into as many pieces as possible,” Inuyasha agreed.

Kagura smiled, yes these two were very much alike. Yet…”Isn’t that what you have been trying to do? It has done no good so far.”

“Heh, only because he is to chicken to show himself. You can’t kill a puppet.”

Midoriko cleared her throat. All eyes turned to the quiet woman. “Perhaps we could control our souls, but it would take time, and practice. My fear is, if we try, and fail, Naraku will be aware of our existence, and that may hurt more than help.”

Inuwarai nodded, “You are right, love. It may be best if we remain a secret, for now.” He slammed his fist into the ground, “for every step forward, we take a leap back! Kagura! Why can you not take out this creature?”

She sighed. Why indeed. “I can not touch him. I can destroy his body a thousand times to no avail. He has hidden his heart where even the wind can not reach it.”
“Aren’t you a kami?” Kagome asked.

Kagura shrugged, “Even gods are not infallible. We each have abilities and limitations. I am eternal, and will ride out any storm, but I can not always assure you that you mortals will as well.”

“Oh,” Kagome said.

“Heh, all this talk is doing nothing. We should continue our search for the pest,” Inuyasha said.

Inuwarai placed a hand on his grandson’s shoulder, “ I agree with your sentiment, pup. Yet, we still need a plan. If we fail, to many lives will be endangered. There is enough death in the world for us to cause more no matter how noble our cause.”

Midoriko glanced at Sango, The woman was so quiet, and the sadness in her eyes pulled at Midoriko’s heart, softly she asked, “What do you think, Sango?”

The Taiiya sighed, “I only wish to destroy Naraku for all that he has done, and…” her voice trailed off. She looked at her hands.

“And what?” Midoriko asked.

“And….and get my brother back, though I believe it is more likely that I will die in the trying and lose him as well.”

Kagome leaned forward, “Don’t say that! There is hope still!”

Inuwarai stood up, “Enough of this talk. I want a drink, then some sleep. Didn’t you mention food, monk?”

Miroku nodded. “Hai, perhaps it is best that we sleep on this. It is a lot to absorb at once, in the morning a plan will present itself.” He smiled at the three unlikely comrades, “ I must admit, you have brought hope to my heart again.”

Inuwarai jumped onto the branch next to his grandson. Neither said anything, only looked down upon their sleeping friends. Finally, Inuyasha broke the silence.

“ I can’t understand how they sleep so deeply.”

Inuwarai chuckled. “I used to wonder the same thing when I would observe the humans. So weak and frail, yet not capable of understanding the evil that is intrinsic to the world. They are not the same as you and I, pup, we are closer to the gods and are eyes are not as clouded.”

“Heh, so we’re not as stupid.”

He grinned at Inuyasha, “I wouldn’t go that far! We are not so different from them. It took your father a long time to learn that.”

Inuyasha laughed bitterly, “I never knew my old man. He died, leaving my mother alone and me, his half breed son.”

They sat again in silence. Inuyasha gazed into the night, the gentle trill of the crickets providing a soothing distraction from the man sitting next to him. Family was not something Inuyasha understood anymore.

Inuwarai cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, pup.”

“Che, what for?” Inuyasha was taken aback, no one apologized to him. Well, except Kagome, and even that was rare.

“That I have not been around, didn’t get to see you grow up,” Inuwarai sighed, “perhaps Sesshoumaru is right.”

Inuyasha laughed bitterly, “As though that bastard could be right about anything.”

The old dog demon shook his head, “Life hasn’t been kind to you, has it?”

Inuyasha shrugged, “Could’ve been worse. I got friends, the old man left me his fang, hell, and I’m still alive.”

Inuwarai smiled. This one would be okay, he was sure. He saw his own passion for life in Inuyasha. “So, Kagura told us of another that survived with only a partial soul, said you knew her?” he changed the subject.

Inuyasha’s eyebrows knitted in pain, “Hai. Her name is Kikyo. But, she is different than you, she did die.”

“She meant something to you, didn’t she?” Inuwarai said astutely.

Inuyasha stared at the space between him and infinity. He finally spoke, “yeah, she did. Naraku killed her. Made her almost kill me. I’d still be sealed to a tree if Kagome hadn’t come along.” he shrugged, “doesn’t really matter now.”

“We all lose sometimes. Doesn’t make it any easier.”

Inuyasha looked up, “You were sealed before the old man met my mother, weren’t you?”

Inuwarai nodded. “Last I saw my son he held no regard for humans. No hatred, he just didn’t care.”

“He died because he was protecting me and mom. He got wounded, Myoga said, ad it did him in when he had to fight another demon. Don’t know if you wanted to know, but that’s how it happened.”

Inuwarai wiped his hands across his eyes, “Good, he died nobly then, complete. Thank you.” He turned and grinned at Inuyasha, “get some sleep pup, I’ll watch.”

Inuyasha crossed his arms, “Nuh-uh, old man, I can stay up.”

“I’ve been sleeping for threes centuries, pup, now sleep!” he leant against the trunk of the tree, grinning as a grumbling Inuyasha leapt to the ground.