InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse ❯ Stung ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimer: I don't own anything…just some vaguely lascivious thoughts directed towards a certain hanyou… no, not Naraku…eeeek! Tentacles…! ::shudders::

 

A/N: `Doushi', according to my handy-dandy online dictionary, means `comrade'…I loved the rhyming potential of that…

 

The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse

Chapter Seventeen: Stung

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Sengoku Jidai

 

“Isogi! Isogi! C'mon Arashi! Go! Go! Let's go, girl!” A flurry of hoofbeats pounded through the dry grass of the meadow, as Kagome pushed the grey mare to a full-tilt gallop. At the end of the space, the mare pulled up hard to spin on her hindquarters and race back again, Kagome leaning over her neck, aiming the spear she was holding at a cloth target on the ground. With a whoop, she let go the slender shaft, and urged the mare into another thundering pass, finally pulling up in front of their audience. She swung down from Arashi's back, wiping the sweat out of her eyes, and stooped to grab her canteen. “Whew! Arashi's coming along well, don't you think?”

 

Miroku looked thoughtful, holding his cards against his chest. “It was very impressive to watch, Kagome-sama…but I am not sure what the point of the exercise is? Poking holes in the ground certainly provides entertainment, as well as improving drainage, but what does it have to do with finding Jewel shards, unless they are located underground and moving rapidly…”

 

Kagome shook away images of demonic gophers scuttling under the landscape. “I'm trying to train Arashi to follow through on a charge…she objected seriously the last time we faced a snake youkai, and I can't afford to be thrown right at the start of a battle…the spear-chucking is just practise for me.”

 

“It would help if Inuyasha could capture a live youkai for her to practise on…it would give him something to do besides glower formidably at gentlefolk…Shippo, I do believe that you are trying to cheat this simple monk…Buddha does not smile upon those who play false with their fellow man…”

 

The kitsune grinned cheekily. “Maybe he doesn't, houshi, but I'm a demon, not a man…Read `em and weep…fork `em over!”

 

Sighing, Miroku pushed a small stack of biscuits over to the kit, who bowed mockingly before adding them to the growing pile beside his crossed legs. “Up for another round, Miroku-sama? Kagome might lend you a stake if you ask her nicely…”

 

“I do not wish to have my head bitten off by a very irate inu-youkai simply for engaging our young lady in conversation, my friend…which, by the way, is becoming very upsetting to my serenity, Kagome-sama. Could you not have a word with him on my behalf?”

 

Kagome paused, one foot in a stirrup. “I think it was the way it appeared you were trying to back me into the bushes at the time that raised his hackles, houshi. Try not to look like a threat, and you'll be able to meditate serenely...”

 

“Threat? How could I, a simple monk, be a romantic threat to such a dashing hanyou? Unless, Kagome-sama, you are reconsidering my offer…”

 

Kagome snorted, and swung onto the mare's back. “Not this reincarnation, houshi…I'll talk to him about it…” Arashi wheeled, and they charged across the meadow, Kagome grabbing the spear out of the ground on the way by.

 

Miroku turned to Shippo. “I believe it is my turn to deal, my fine young kitsune…”

 

“Let's see the colour of your stake, first, monk.”

 

Miroku sighed theatrically, and reached inside his robe for his last couple of biscuits. He laid them down gently, then took up the stack of cards. “Kagome-sama must have been possessed by a very rare spirit when she taught you how to play this game, Shippo-kun…”

 

“She won't play it with me anymore…all I did was ask her what `strip poker' was, after I heard her telling dog-breath about it, and she tried to `sit' me!”

 

“What strange and wonderful pastimes they have on her side of the well…”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Inuyasha? Please come down…I need to talk to you.” Kagome peered up into the Goshinboku, straining to see any red amongst the foliage. The meadow had dried up in the late summer heat, but this glade was still damp-scented in the evening coolness.

 

The hanyou had appeared for dinner, and then disappeared on a “perimeter check”; he was starting to steal her best lines. She wanted to talk to him about Miroku's complaint, but he'd made himself extremely scarce. “Inuyasha?” She walked around the other side of the tree, looking intently up into the shadows. No hanyou. The sun had set; the deepening shadows were cold. She'd left her cloak at Kaede's hut, not expecting to have to search the forest for the half-demon. Well, she wasn't going to hang around waiting; he's show up eventually.

 

Gripping her sword firmly so it didn't jounce against her hip, Kagome began double-timing it back to the stair head, to return to the village. A sudden sensation of Jewel shards struck her; she stopped in her tracks and pivoted slowly in a circle, seeking the direction of her quarry, her naked blade in her hand. Just when she thought she had it, the sensation abruptly disappeared as if it had never been. Thoroughly discomfited, Kagome sensed something else closing in…youkai! Not as intense as Sesshomaru's had been, but strong. And somehow familiar…

 

Stuffing her sword back into its sheath, she notched an arrow, and flaming it, swung in the direction of the sensation. “Show yourself!” She was dumbfounded when the missing hanyou dropped in front of her…and immediately shot back up into the foliage.

 

“Dammit, wench…what the hell?!”

 

She lowered the bow and arrow and did a little skipping dance. “Inuyasha! I could sense you! This is great!...”

 

“Keh! Then why is there an arrow pointed at my chest, if you knew it was me all along?”

 

“Well, I didn't know it was you, exactly…I just detected a youkai…and it turned out to be you. Hey, hop off again and do a circuit…I want to see if I can pick you up again…” He grumbled, but she heard the rustle of his passage away from her. There…no doubt about it. She could tell where he was, like a Jewel shard…oh, shit. Jewel shards!

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome knew he was behind her; she was still turning to face him when she was grabbed firmly around the waist, tucked against his chest, and then she had to protect her face from leaves and small branches until he landed on a broad limb of the Goshinboku. Inuyasha turned her around, then brought both of them down to sitting. He pulled her into his lap, orienting her so that her quiver didn't dig into her back when he put his arm around her, and then kissed her rather firmly, as if re-staking a claim.

 

“When are we moving out from the village, wench…it's hard getting you alone with all these people around…”

 

“Tomorrow…Inuyasha, just before you found me, I sensed Jewel shards…lots of them…and then they simply disappeared.”

 

“Keh! Sure you didn't just eat too much of that spicy stew Kaede-baba came up with? Had me smelling things that weren't there…”

 

“I'm sure it was several shards, Inuyasha, but how did it disappear so quickly? It was kind of spooky…”

 

He hugged her tight and kept her chin tilted up for a kiss. They spent several minutes lost in each other, Kagome's response becoming more passionate with each moment, before Inuyasha sighed regretfully. “C'mon, wench…let's go home before I decide that molesting you is worth a `sit'…want a ride back?”

 

“You bet!”

 

Smiling at her enthusiastic response, he stood both of them up and then carefully went down on one knee, balancing on the curved surface of the tree limb. Kagome pulled back slightly. “You want to try this up here? What if we don't get the balance right?”

 

Inuyasha looked over the side of the branch speculatively. “We fall…about twenty feet? Don't worry…I'll make sure you land on top…”

 

“You're a riot, dog-boy, you know that?”

 

“Just get on, wench…I'll take care of you…” Kagome stepped forward, gripping his shoulders and collapsing carefully against his back. “Ready?”

 

“As I'll ever be…whoooooaaa!” He jolted upright, grabbing her thighs and settled her legs around his hips. She wriggled carefully, then slung her arms loosely around his neck.

 

“Let's stay in the treetops…haven't been able to do this with you for a while…”

 

Kagome hung on as flickering patterns of light and dark flew past, their hair streaming like a parti-coloured banner behind them. The rapidly cooling air rushed past her face; she nuzzled between his shoulders and tucked her bare arms down against his back, twisting handfuls of his fire-rat to secure her hold. Her legs were fairly warm, covered by boots and hands and the sleeves of his haori. The slight discomfort of cold air was made up by the delicious sensation of flight, and feeling the amazing muscles of his frame tensing and releasing as he raced the twilight back to the warm hut and their friends.

 

Friends. Ooops. Almost forgot the original reason she'd been out in the forest in the first place…

 

“Inuyasha…could we walk the rest of the way to the hut? Miroku wanted me to talk to you…”

 

The hanyou grunted, and executed an impressive series of mid-air manoeuvres, including a couple of complete 360s to absorb their momentum, before landing on the riverbank. He let her down; she leaned against his back for another moment, soaking up the warmth of him. Turning, he circled her in his arms; she smiled warmly up at him, reaching to brush an errant leaf out of his mane. In the pale moonlight, her eyes were burnished pewter, her skin and hair lightly silvered. Inuyasha moved in for another kiss, gathered her unresisting form against him, and set out to really make her eyes go unfocussed. Damn, but she was wearing too much armour again…the next night of the new moon couldn't come fast enough...

 

“What did you want to talk about, koishii?” he asked, nibbling on her bottom lip.

 

“Huh? What? Oh, er, yeah…Miroku-sama says you're upsetting his meditations because you're growling at him too much…”

 

“If that damn houshi wouldn't look guilty every time I'm gone for five minutes…”

 

Kagome twirled his sidelocks around her fingers, and gave them gentle tugs as she started giggling softly. “You can't possibly be jealous of Miroku? That's like being jealous of Arashi…”

 

“I'm not jealous of him…more like cautious…”

 

“He knows what will happen to him if he even thinks of trying to do what you are in the process of doing right now.”

 

“Yeah?” Inuyasha smiled engagingly down at her, then went in for another kiss that became searingly intense; he felt her start to melt into him, and her scent spiked delightfully. “I'm trying to make you want to rip off my clothes and…”

 

“Hold that visual, dog-boy…” Kagome was blushing furiously, because she'd come perilously close to acting out that suggestion herself. Damn hormones…

 

Inuyasha kissed his way across her brow, swaying their hips together suggestively. “I'm holding it, Kagome...when are you going to give way to my masculine charms and admit that's what you want to do to me?”

 

“When one hell freezes over and Naraku learns to skate...so how about it? Will you stop looking at the monk like you're going to remove his boy parts if he talks to me? Trust me, if he lays a hand on me, he's going to lose it anyways.”

 

“Keh…just one hell? Hot damn, I've got a decent chance…I'll try to stop upsetting the poor innocent houshi…c'mon, let's go back to the hut…”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

A few days later…

 

Their journey had been more interesting than usual this time, to say the least. The addition of the monk to their travelling party certainly livened things up. Shippo had another adult to annoy, and Kagome found Miroku quite entertaining and knowledgeable on many conversational topics to while away the hours of travel.

 

The only thing that made her crazy was his insistence on propositioning every female in a decent-looking kosode that crossed his path. By the end of the first day, having passed through two villages, they'd heard his spiel at least three dozen times. Kagome was suspicious that his sudden detection of an `evil aura' requiring covert application of a sutra, an aura that she couldn't feel, nor Shippo or Inuyasha smell, was more like his cover for a pre-arranged rendezvous. In fact, it was suspiciously similar to how the towns' finest inns had to be exorcized each evening when they were thinking about finding food and beds. Of course, the grateful innkeeper would insist on providing a meal and a futon to show his appreciation…

 

Finally, after his third disappearance in as many days, she had to say something. He was looking just a bit too pleased with himself, humming jauntily, and Inuyasha and Shippo both grimaced when they came within sniffing distance of him; Shippo took refuge behind her on Arashi's rump, when he'd been happily jabbering away on the monk's shoulder for most of the day.

 

“Houshi-doushi, I hope you have the sense to stay away from married women…we can't afford to have any outraged husbands on our track for your stupidity…what if you actually get one of these women pregnant? I don't notice you making inquiries at any town if you've left any progeny behind…and don't tell me you've never been in this area before…you know too much about the inns and taverns…”

 

Miroku paused mid-step, striking a pose with his hand over his heart. “Kagome-sama…you wound me. I cannot help it if the husbands around here do not seem to attend to their marital duties with any enthusiasm…I haven't been through these parts for a few years…”

 

“Probably just long enough ago for people to forget your face, Miroku-sama…but I doubt the women will forget your hand…”

 

“Why, thank you, Kagome-sama! It is indeed kind of you to say that I am unforgettable…”

 

Kagome groaned; Shippo snickered. Inuyasha, who had been walking ahead with his ears swivelled back, shuddered and dropped back to pace beside Arashi. Kagome leaned over and reached out to touch his shoulder; a quiet smile passed between them, and he briefly pressed his hand over hers.

 

“We ought to find a place to camp tonight before it gets too dark…”

 

“Allow me…I believe I sense an evil aura coming from that direction over there…yes, most assuredly. My suspicions are indeed correct. Step this way…I will deal with it, never fear…”

 

Kagome wasn't too surprised to discover that the direction indicated led unerringly to a very prosperous and substantial inn. The rotund, middle-aged innkeeper was astonished to learn that an evil spirit was hovering over his inn; he cautiously opined that was the reason his business had suffered for the last couple of days. While Miroku kept a serene countenance, pacing the property with the owner trailing behind, murmuring incantations and fastening sutras every few yards, Kagome, Inuyasha and Shippo were treated to a meal served by the lady of the house herself. She withdrew upon Miroku's arrival, leaving the group in peace.

 

“Another successful exorcism, Miroku-sama?” Kagome asked, careful to keep her tone neutral.

 

“Most assuredly, Kagome-sama…this inn will undoubtedly enjoy renewed prosperity in the immediate future…”

 

“Miroku, how is it that whenever we need a place to stay, you manage to sense an evil aura over the finest hostelry in the area?” Inuyasha asked, between bites of savoury dumplings. Miroku's eyebrows raced each other up into his hairline. Even Shippo rolled his eyes.

 

Kagome slid over to the hanyou, draping her arm around his shoulders and whispering conspiratorially, loud enough to be heard by the monk and the kitsune. “Inuyasha, I greatly fear to inform you that we are in the company of a seasoned…swindler. Yes, underneath that holy robe beats the heart of a hardened con man…and I have to say, I'm rather enjoying his ingenuity. Beats sleeping outside all the time, and even you get tired of field rations…”

 

Inuyasha looked at her with wide eyes, his ears flickering sideways, and then flattening slightly, before he turned his attention back to the peaceful visage of the soup-slurping monk. “I can't believe you take advantage of these people's trust in you…” he started, incredulous.

 

Miroku concentrated on capturing the last shreds of mushroom with his chopsticks. “I can't believe you're that thick…” he murmured, with a significant look at the astonished hanyou.

 

Kagome brought her other arm up to encircle Inuyasha's shoulders tightly, before he could make a dive for the monk. “Its okay, Inuyasha…it's only a little white lie…he'll only go to the second or third hell, at the most…”

 

He looked into her amused grey eyes for a moment, before slumping. “And…you don't mind him doing this?”

 

“At least he's benefiting all of us for once, instead of just his own libido…”

 

The hanyou shook his head; Kagome nuzzled the side of his neck briefly, until he brought his cheek down for her to kiss. He smiled into her misty eyes for a moment, and then kissed her softly.

 

“Eeeyew! There they go again…”

 

“Hush, Shippo-kun! One should never turn down the opportunity to learn by observing others…”

 

That was the proverbial bucket of cold water. Inuyasha let go a full-throated growl and a snarl in their audience's direction, while Kagome couldn't help giggling. The hanyou tucked her under his arm and rose to his feet, intending to take her outside for some privacy, when Kagome stiffened, her head swinging towards the door.

 

“Incoming Jewel shard…fast…and a demonic aura…huge!” Inuyasha let her go long enough to grab her weapons, then catching her wrist, pulled her out onto the veranda. Shippo scampered up onto Miroku's shoulder, and they followed in the couple's wake.

 

It was damn big and damn ugly. A gigantic, horned demon with glowing red unblinking eyes lurched its way up the mountainside, the ground shaking with every step. It paused, swaying slightly, giving them the chance to admire it in all its hideousness. Shippo pointed at something glowing up on the demon's shoulder.

 

“Kagome! Is that the Jewel shard?”

 

Inuyasha went deadly quiet, sniffing the air intently. “No, runt…that's Sesshomaru. Damn…thought I finished him off last time!” Kagome notched an arrow, following the white-clad demon's trajectory as he gracefully floated towards them. Inuyasha snarled and stepped in front of her. “Move back, Kagome…take Miroku and Shippo with you. I'll deal with this idiot…”

 

She squeezed his shoulder. “Inuyasha…be careful…the Jewel shard is in his right arm…wait a minute…isn't that the one you cut off?” He grunted. Kagome backed up until she reached Miroku's side. “Come on, boys…we need to take cover. Things are likely to get a little messy…”

 

“Kagome-sama, that demon strongly resembles our hanyou…”

 

“His name is Sesshomaru, and he's Inuyasha's half-brother…he's a full demon, and a very nasty piece of business.”

 

“What does he want?”

 

“Probably a piece of Inuyasha for his loss in their last battle… Behind that rock wall looks safe enough…Keep your eyes peeled for a little green toad-demon. He carries a walking stick with a nasty bite…”

 

Inuyasha drew the Tetsusaiga, waiting, as the blade hissed to its full size. He levelled it at Sesshomaru. “What the hell do you want?”

 

The tall demon smiled mockingly. “I came to see if you'd yet mastered our father's fang, little brother…or if you were still flailing it around like a child in the dojo.”

 

Inuyasha's smile was frightening. “Come and find out …asshole!” Charging, he swung the blade in a sizzling arc; Sesshomaru moved out of the way. Again the sword sought its prey; again it missed. Sesshomaru yawned delicately, and avoided a third wild swipe.

 

“Ah, brother…I see you are still a novice…you shall give up the weapon to a superior swordsman, as you are not fit to wield it!” In a blurred movement, he darted in, seizing Inuyasha's wrist, sinking in his claws ever so slightly. “Your choice, Inuyasha…your arm or the Tetsusaiga…” Inuyasha emitted a strangled cry as the poison began melting the skin and flesh off his sword arm, but then showed his fangs in a fierce grin.

 

“I'll never give up the Tetsusaiga to you…you're fucking dangerous enough without it!” Switching hands on the hilt, he swung a blow that would have sliced Sesshomaru in two, if the other demon hadn't relinquished his hold and pulled away. They stood off a moment, glaring at each other, Inuyasha conscious of the blood running down his wrist and over his hand, slithering the grip.

 

“Tainted brat from a tainted alliance…you don't deserve to live, never mind carry that sword. Playtime is over…” In a swift movement, Sesshomaru snapped his energy whip at the blade, knocking it out of Inuyasha's hand, and sending it spinning away to thunk, untransformed, into the earth. Cursing, the hanyou dove for it, but his brother was quicker. Grasping the bloodied hilt, Sesshomaru drew Tetsusaiga out of the ground…and it transformed instantly. Smiling chillingly, he admired the blade for a moment.

 

“Allow me to demonstrate the true power of the Tetsusaiga, brother…power which you can never hope to achieve. Jaken…”

 

“Hai, Sesshomaru-sama?” The diminutive demon appeared on the shoulder of his enormous compatriot. Kagome considered flaming a bolt at him, but Miroku stayed her arm.

 

“Wait, Kagome-sama…we should observe this, as it may be to our benefit in the future…” She started to shake her head at him, but Sesshomaru's cool voice caught their attention.

 

“Jaken…awaken the fodder…”

 

“Hai, my lord!” The huge demon turned ponderously, and slowly lifted a massively clawed hand. It drove the hand deep into the mountainside, and tore a trench into the heart of the rock. A strange, phosphorescent glow began to swirl over the gaping hole, and then horrible, twisted fireworks snaked upward into the sky. Demons…hundreds of them, squealing and snarling and howling in a demented cacophony that caused anyone brave enough to venture outside to run back and hide. Shippo squeaked and ducked under Kagome's arm; she resisted the brief urge to dive behind Miroku.

 

“Watch closely, Inuyasha…the master of the Tetsusaiga can slay a hundred demons with one strike.” Sesshomaru gripped the hilt more tightly, and then swung one powerful blow. Arcs of power sped away from the blade; the demons caught in them simultaneously exploded and disintegrated. When the dust had settled, a large chunk of the mountain had also been vaporized. Sesshomaru allowed himself a moment of smug satisfaction before turning on the hanyou. “Now, it will be my pleasure to rid this earth of your disgusting taint, half-breed.”

 

“What did you call him?!”

 

Sesshomaru cocked his head slightly, as an armoured dark-haired woman stepped in front of an astonished Inuyasha, her steel-grey eyes glittering in anger, a gleaming sword in her hand. She pointed it squarely at the tall demon. He frowned briefly, before his face cleared.

 

“Ah, the human bitch; we meet again…I admire your loyalty to this worthless piece of trash, extending as it does to your grave…”

 

Kagome smiled narrowly, the coils of vapour whirling around Fenikkusuken as she sank into a stance, the tip of her blade never wavering from Sesshomaru's eye. “We'll see about that, you arrogant piece of shit…”

 

“It will be a pleasure to teach you better manners…” He raised the Tetsusaiga for the killing blow.

 

“Kagome…!” Inuyasha tried to step in front of her; she snarled and elbowed him back.

 

“Stand with me, team-mate, and he doesn't stand a chance…”

 

For the briefest of instants, as Sesshomaru began the downward swing, he glimpsed a giant spectral canine head rear up behind the girl and his half-brother, its ears laid back and glinting teeth bared in an unmistakeable snarl directed at him. Father…? He blinked, but it was gone, and the Tetsusaiga's aura was roaring in his ears.

 

“Fenikkusuken!!” Kagome shouted her war-cry, and held the blade horizontally in both hands away from her body, directed into the blast. Inuyasha grabbed her around the waist and braced her, as the shockwaves rolled overhead and deflected up into the sky, the very air exploding from the energy. The shimmering barrier created by her sword crackled and sparked, but it held.

 

The look on Sesshomaru's face was priceless; somewhere between `what the hell' and `how dare they'. He lowered the Tetsusaiga, glaring at the barrier encasing his target. Movement to the side of it caught his attention; a monk with a kitsune child clinging to his shoulder stepped into view, unwinding a string of prayer beads from around his wrist. What had Naraku said…? Ah, yes, use the nest of the hell wasp to discourage the monk now travelling with Inuyasha and his bitch. Hmm. How could the nest be of service?

 

“Sesshomaru-sama! Allow me to take care of these worthless creatures…you should not have to dirty your hands with the likes of them…”

 

“Very well, Jaken…you have my permission to amuse me.”

 

No sooner had the giant demon reached for the group, than Miroku tore open his gauntlet. “Vortex!” The tremendous suction tore at Sesshomaru's robes and hair; he drove the Tetsusaiga into the ground to brace himself. The huge demon had disappeared up to the shoulder (he could hear Jaken gibbering in fear) before he located the nest in his sleeve and flung it at the monk.

 

Huge venomous buzzing insects swarmed out of the nest and dove into the tornado of winds, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Miroku staggered, faltered, and abruptly re-covered his palm, sinking to his knees, his face suddenly flushed and sweating. Kagome dropped the protective barrier; she raced for the inn, yelling over her shoulder that Miroku needed medication, and he needed it now.

 

“It seems your bitch has deserted you, Inuyasha…too bad you will not witness her destruction as well…perhaps I should revive you with Tenseiga, just so you may watch me slaughter her first and then indulge myself by killing you a second time.”

 

Inuyasha grabbed Miroku and threw Shippo onto his shoulder, and in one bound carried them over and behind what was left of the giant demon's body. “C'mon, Miroku…I could use a little help here! Damn…he's burning up…from the wasps? Shit…”

 

The ground beneath them heaved, and Inuyasha threw himself flat over the unconscious monk and the sobbing kitsune as Tetsusaiga's awesome power carved channels though the huge quivering hulk. He heard Kagome yell as she threw up a barrier of her own, and kept zigzagging her way toward them, the saddlebags over her shoulder. She tumbled to a stop beside him, and began frantically digging through one pouch.

 

“Kagome.” She looked up, and he caught her for a hard, fast, desperate kiss, before turning away and leaping over the smouldering mound. He heard her anguished cry of his name, but he kept going. Someone had to do something, or they would all die…

 

 

 

A/N: Cue heroic soundtrack of your choice…hee!