InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Strategist, the Leader, the Infiltrator and the Suicide ❯ Catfight ( Chapter 5 )

 

 

 

Catfight

 

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Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Dark Angel (American cyberpunk science fiction program, which ran from 2000-2002 on the FOX network).

 

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Until now Kagome didn't know who she was fighting against, and this state of ignorance would last for the next few weeks.

 

“Fire, summer, northeast,” Kagome snorted, “What a bull!”

 

Kazuhiko gave her a questioning look.

 

“Look,” she gestured wildly around her. “Cold, autumn, west!”

 

“Your point?”

 

“It's all lies. History should be rewritten. Fictions should be corrected. Youkai are not to be associated with fire, the direction northeast, or the season summer, for pete's sake.”

 

Kazuhiko, though he really didn't care, nodded in agreement.

 

“I mean, of all the countries in the world, of all the seasons of the year, why can't we be stuck somewhere warm and not Japan? I should be in one of the Caribbean Islands right now, trying to open a coconut with my hands, a garland of exotic flowers around my neck, but no, here we are in a period, where the best technology is various incenses that emit funny smells, stuck nursing a monk who has been tranquilized by a knife that's to be invented in the future centuries.”

 

“Yeah, surreal, I know.”

 

“Surreal!?” Kagome looked at him disbelievingly. “This is more than surreal! It's our fate; we're stuck in this vicious circle until the day we die.”

 

“Don't be so dramatic. Is the cold really bothering you?”

 

“I can withstand cold or heat,” she grumbled, “It's just not my kind of weather.”

 

“It'll get colder,” Sango commented as she gazed around the forest.

 

“Where is that brat when you need him?” Inuyasha growled as an annoyed ticking resided on his temple.

 

Kagome turned to them. “Who are you talking about?”

 

“It's not worth explaining. You'll see when he gets here.” Then suddenly his nose twitched.

 

“It's about time, runt! We gave you a week, and you decided to prolong it into two weeks!? Get down here!” Inuyasha shouted.

 

A small humanoid kitsune appeared before them, mounting a giant two tailed cat demon. “Hi,” he greeted them shyly.

 

Inuyasha walked over to him and bopped the small kitsune on tops of his head. “Names, minions, information, anything,” he demanded while the little boy held his head and wailed.

 

“Stop it, Inuyasha!” Sango yelled at him.

 

“Don't yell at me!” The hanyou turned to the slayer. “He's the one who wasted our time!”

 

“Well, yeah, but you don't have to be so brutal. He's just a kid,” Sango replied in a gruff manner, not actually wanting to have to take sides. She hefted her cat demon that had transformed into a petite pet cat in her arm and took off in the other direction.

 

“So, runt,” Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, “You're dead now.”

 

“Oh yeah!? Think you can actually kill me, half-mutt!?” Pulling a fighting stance, Shippou shouted back arrogantly, which didn't suit well to his tears-streaked, scrunched face.

 

“There will be no fighting,” Kazuhiko said calmly, but firmly, as he lifted the little kitsune until they were eye to eye. Looking at the small demon face, he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped softly the kitsune's face.

 

Shippou was for a moment stunned when the giant man lifted him into his arms. Out of fear, he didn't dare to move. Then he looked into the man's eyes and saw only warmth and gentleness that made him immediately succumb to his kind ministrations like most children would.

 

“My name's Kazuhiko, and what is yours?” The man's heavy and warm voice bedazzled him for a while, reminding him of his father's voice.

 

“Shippou,” he answered softly.

 

“You, stay out of this!” Not yet on the name term with the giant man, Inuyasha made a move to snatch the kitsune away.

 

Kagome tripped him and said warningly as he fell to the ground, “Don't tell him what to do.”

 

“Shippou, this is Kagome. Kagome, say hi to Shippou.”

 

The kitsune turned towards Kagome and started to blush.

 

Not really comfortable being around children, Kagome gave him a stiff smile and nodded. “Hi, Shippou.”

 

“Hi, Kagome,” the kitsune answered timidly.

 

“Hey!” Inuyasha protested as he began to pick himself up.

 

Kazuhiko set Shippou down, and the kitsune immediately attached himself to his leg. He walked over to Inuyasha and offered him a hand. “With the monk still unconscious, there's really not much time lost, is it not?”

 

Inuyasha was about to slap his hand away when he saw that Kagome was watching him frowningly. Taking the bigger man's offer of hand, he huffed grumpily.

 

~*~

 

“And that's when I decided to help them. Without me, they'd still be on a wild goose chase by now,” the kitsune boasted.

 

“I see. That's very noble of you to help them,” Kazuhiko complimented him.

 

“I had about enough of this,” Inuyasha stood up and headed to the forest.

 

“He's always so mean to me,” Shippou whimpered as he snuggled in Kazuhiko's shoulder.

 

“Don't spoil him too much. He'll get used to it,” Kagome commented as she watched them.

 

“He's just a child,” Kazuhiko replied calmly.

 

“That's why he should learn early that the world is a harsh place.”

 

“Kagome,” Kazuhiko scolded her, “You're scaring him.”

 

Kagome looked at the kitsune and then the man. She sighed. “The dog-boy was right. This is about as much that I can take.” She got off the ground and left.

 

~*~

 

Later that night, however, a fight between Shippou and Inuyasha erupted again. This time they were feuding over a piece of a cooked meat.

 

Kagome looked at their way and became uneasy. Kazuhiko wasn't with them right that moment because he had gone to the river to wash their cooking appliances. She was sure that Kazuhiko would want her to interfere, and she would really hate to disappoint him.

 

The fight became violence, well, on Inuyasha's part, at least. The kitsune was trying to bite him back, but a jerk to his ear made him howl in pain.

 

Having about enough, Kagome walked over to them and snatched the little kitsune away from Inuyasha's aggression. “Pick somebody your own size, dog-boy.” She then turned towards Shippou, “You, follow me.”

 

She led him to an empty field away from their night camp. Without turning her back, she addressed him, “You know how to fight?”

 

“Yeah,” Shippou answered defensively. He didn't know how he should act around her. She tended to be very cold towards him, and despite the fact that he found her very pretty, he decided to behave in the same manner towards her as well.

 

“Then instead of whining, why didn't you fight back?”

 

“I didn't whine,” Shippou yelled in reply.

 

Kagome turned towards the little youkai. “Show me how you fight.”

 

“I — I don't have to fight. I'm a kitsune. I have supernatural power,” he answered, feeling a bit unsure.

 

“Then show me this power,” Kagome said with a bored look on her face.

 

He turned himself into a balloon and then popped back into his humanoid form.

 

“Interesting; if you were suddenly attacked, you just turn into a balloon and announce that it's carnival time.”

 

“What's a carnival?” Shippou asked innocently, the sarcasm lost on him.

 

“Never mind,” Kagome huffed. “What if your enemy managed to get his hands on you before you're able to perform any hocus pocus?”

 

“Hocus pocus?”

 

“Magic, kid,” Kagome answered with a frown, her patience on a thin string. She really didn't know how to interact with children.

 

“Then I'll have to make sure that he won't get his hands on me.”

 

“Yeah, but what if — Oh, just forget it.” Before she lost her patience for real this time, she decided to show him. Moving beside him in an instant, she lifted him by the neck, his arms and legs flailing about.

 

“Hey!” Shippou shouted. “Put me down!”

 

“The moment your enemy had you, he could kill you instantly before you even realized that he already had you.” She dropped him to the ground.

 

“Why are you so mean to me!? You're just like Inuyasha,” he yelled as he scrambled to his feet.

 

“I don't think that the dog-boy would teach you how to fight,” Kagome replied calmly.

 

“You,” Shippou started, “You're teaching me how to fight?”

 

Kagome nodded.

 

“How did you move so fast?” The kitsune braved himself to question her.

 

“Genetic, and training.”

 

“What's genetic?”

 

Kagome sighed. “Let's just start, okay?” Kagome moved into a fighting stance and expected him to follow suit. “So let me see your stance.”

 

She tapped him on the knee. “Any parts of your body that you present to your enemy shouldn't hold any weaknesses. You must hold your ground, but also keep your body agile for evading attacks.”

 

“Keep your eyes focus on the enemy. Read and study his present and next move. Don't let anything distract your focus. Don't let your peripheral vision deceive you, make these side visions work for you, not against you.”

 

“What's —”

 

“You will ask your questions later after I permit you to do so. Do not ever again interrupt me when I'm speaking to you. And when addressed by your superior, you will only answer with `Yes, sir' or `No, sir', is that clear, soldier!?” She commanded him firmly.

 

Shippou could only look at her with a shocked expression on his little face.

 

“I said, is that clear, soldier?” Kagome repeated the question softer this time while mouthing, `Me, superior.'

 

“Yes, sir,” the little kitsune answered obediently.

 

“Good. Now, let's continue. If you're attacked, what would you do? Should you block it or evade it?”

 

“Uumh… block it?” And with that Kagome delivered a shutoo (hand sword or karate chop) to his head, slow enough so that Shippou could see it coming. He immediately jumped back.

 

“And what is your body tells you to do?”

 

“I didn't mean to evade it,” Shippou said quickly.

 

“No, what I'm trying to say is that your instinct knows better than you. When your physical state — meaning: you're small — disables you to block the weight of an attack, then the best way is to evade it.”

 

“I will teach you an art of self-defense that emphasizes on using mobility to evade attacks,” Kagome decided.

 

“But how will I be able to fight back?”

 

Kagome lifted her brow.

 

“I mean if I'm giving permission to ask, Sir?”

 

“That'll come in time. Now, the most important thing is to survive an attack and eventually retaliate.”

 

~*~

 

“So did you guys get along well?”

 

“It was okay. He has a lot to learn though.” Kagome answered Kazuhiko as she rested her head on his chest.

 

“After he lost his parents, he was forced to fend on his own until the group took him,” Kazuhiko explained as he watched the kitsune sleeping, snuggling on the other side of the broad chest that Kagome wasn't occupying.

 

“What happened to the demons that killed his parents?” Kagome asked as she looked sadly at the little youkai's sleeping face.

 

“They got away, I guess. He didn't talk about it.”

 

“That's terrible.”

 

“I know.” His gentle eyes turned to Kagome. “You did well today. I'm proud of you.”

 

Kagome smiled as she closed her eyes.

 

“He reminds me so much of you when you were his age.”

 

“I'm not that whiny,” Kagome protested sleepily.

 

“You're worse. Instead of whining, you cried an awful lot and only stopped when I promised to get you a strawberry milkshake.”

 

Soft deep breathing answered him. Tilting his head to the side, he watched as she joined the kitsune in his deep slumber.

 

~*~

 

“Are you feeling well enough to continue?” Kazuhiko asked the monk.

 

After recuperating from the effect of the tranquilizer, the monk nodded weakly. “Yes, your herbal drinks were a great help. I feel very quickly reenergized.”

 

“We should wait for a day or two to continue the travel though. Not that you pass out again,” Inuyasha reminded him snidely.

 

“How was I supposed to know that the blade was corrupted?”

 

“Well, you shouldn't touch things that don't belong to you, for a start,” Kagome objected.

 

“Again, my apology, Kagome-sama.” The monk sighed.

 

“You know why this idiot was trying to cook?” Inuyasha whispered at Kagome conspiratorially, a grin evident on his mouth.

 

“Why?” Kagome whispered back.

 

“Well —”

 

“Must we dwell on my painful error, Inuyasha? I have realized that I made a mistake and have properly apologized, all around,” Miroku interrupted him.

 

“Yeah, leave him alone, will you, guys? He suffered enough.” Sango came to his aid. Kirara settled herself beside her mistress and purred softly. Then she sniffed and her piercing eyes fell upon Kagome.

 

For once Miroku held his superfluous speech of gratitude and gazed beamingly at the slayer.

 

“Stop looking at me like that or I'll throw my weapon at you,” Sango warned as the look was making her uncomfortable.

 

“She'd prefer the groping instead?” Kagome whispered disbelievingly to Inuyasha who, in turn, laughed at her question.

 

“What's wrong with you?” Sango looked at Kirara as the cat demon hissed and growled at Kagome.

 

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the cat and hissed back. Kirara, taking up the challenge, transformed into a demon form.

 

“Hey, what's going on!? Sango, tell your cat to cut the crap!” Inuyasha yelled as he watched them both in surprise.

 

“Tell her to hold it herself. She's the one who's challenging my cat!” Sango replied. “What's the matter with them anyway?”

 

“Territorial conflict,” Kazuhiko answered silently.

 

“What!?” A stunned look pasted over their faces as they watched Kirara slapped Kagome on the cheek with her big forepaw.

 

“Kagome!” Shippou cried.

 

“You stupid cat, what do you think you're doing!?” Inuyasha snarled at the cat demon.

 

“Stand back,” Kazuhiko warned him.

 

Kagome, who recovered quickly from the attack, jumped back, crouching. She suddenly pounced at Kirara and slapped the cat back on the cheek, making the cat flew to the side from the impact of her slap. The cat squeaked in pain.

 

When Kirara wasn't moving, Sango immediately rushed to her side, screaming at Kagome, “What did you do to her!?”

 

“Kagome, you're alright?” Inuyasha and Kazuhiko both simultaneously asked her. The hanyou immediately blushed while Kazuhiko walked over to her and checked her injury. Shippou immediately followed suit and latched himself to Kagome's right leg.

 

“I'm fine, just a bigger cat than normal,” Kagome answered him and then shouted over to Sango, “And the cat's fine, but I suggest you keep her down for a minute or two, so that she know that I've won my part of the territory.”

 

When they all went back to their places, which was around the open bonfire, later after that, the monk immediately brought out the question that he was dying to ask. “So, what's the territory, seeing that we're not in the village?”

 

“Apparently, him,” Kagome pointed at Inuyasha.

 

“What!?” the hanyou sputtered as his face reddened instantly.

 

Kagome rolled her eyes at him. “The cat's the one feeling territorial over you, dog-boy, seeing me as a threat to the pack or something.”

 

“So, Kagome-sama, have you been fighting a lot of cats?” Miroku asked with a grin.

 

“Nothing escapes you, does it?” Kagome commented, referring to her remark to Kazuhiko of the cat being bigger than normal. Apparently the monk had caught it. “Wouldn't you like to know?” Kagome smiled mischievously at him.

 

“Anyway,” Sango broke in, “What are you, a cat youkai or something?”

 

“Somethin',” Kagome replied cattily.

 

“Humph.” Sango pursed her lips.

 

“Well, what is that something?” Inuyasha asked, not getting the tension between the two girls.

 

“Let's just say, a dominant part of me genetically is a cat.” (*)

 

A silent pause ensued.

 

“Genetically?”

 

“One of your parents is a cat?” Miroku asked her.

 

“Hell, no,” Kagome screeched at him. “Kazuhiko,” she whined to her companion.

 

“How do I start,” Kazuhiko began to explain, “You know that the talents, physical features that you possess are what you inherit from both of your parents, even from the parents of your parents?”

 

They nodded.

 

“Well, what if you could have all the good things and get rid of the bad? And after we already achieved that, we found that we can even take other traits from other beings outside our line of blood. By isolating and manipulating a small fraction of a cell, we're able to create a being that has a greater strength, speed, reaction, durability than regular humans.”

 

“Not only that, we also have enhanced senses and immune system, accelerated healing capability, eidetic memory, and we look way better than thou `regulars',” continued Kagome.

 

Kazuhiko sighed. “Ignore her.”

 

Everyone blinked.

 

“Then what are you?” Inuyasha asked.

 

“Transgenic,” answered Kagome.

 

“Were we just talking about the reproduction system?” the monk queried.

 

“In a way, yes.”

 

“Then why does it sound as if there were no humans involved in order to create babys or, as you prefer to call it, beings?”

 

“Well to be carried to term, of course —”

 

“No, you're absolutely right, monk,” Kagome interrupted Kazuhiko's explanation. “In the future, copulation would not be needed. In fact, it will become illegal.”

 

“What!?” the monk sputtered. “What kind of bleak future that we have ahead of us!?

 

Kagome burst out laughing. “Don't worry. I was just joking.”

 

“Transgenic, huh?” Was it only her feeling or had the hanyou just passed her a different look?

 

“Yeah, you gotta problem with that?” Kagome glared at him challengingly.

 

“Does every creation come with an attitude problem like yours?” Inuyasha asked grinningly.

 

Feeling awkward with his sudden amiability, Kagome shrugged.

 

“So are you saying that, in the future, humans are trying to play god? And you're one of the invention's freaks?” Sango asked her bitingly, the earlier catty dispute not wholly forgotten.

 

“Yes,” Kagome replied smoothly, in contrast to the fire behind her eyes.

 

“Alright,” Miroku suddenly broke in. “Inuyasha, won't you need Sango's help catching us dinner?”

 

The hanyou was about to contradict him, but Miroku was giving no chance to speak as he turned towards Kagome. “And Kagome-sama, you've done an excellent job training our little friend, Shippou, here. Would you mind showing me some of that move as well?” On the roll, he turned to Kazuhiko. “Were you the one who taught her how to fight, Kazuhiko-sama?”

 

Only when the hanyou and taijiya disappeared from the camp did Kazuhiko turn to him and smiled. “Nice save, Miroku-sama.”

 

“It's my enhanced radar for certain female emotions, I suppose.” Miroku smirked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

((((*))))O((((*))))O((((*))))

 

 

(*) the idea is from Dark Angel (television program) about Kagome and Kazuhiko being transgenic. Though I don't know how far I will incorporate that idea into the story. Maybe I will do a little twist of my own. To all Dark Angel's fan out there, I hope you won't mind.

 

 

A/N: Okay, I know by admitting this I would commit the "post hoc, ergo propter hoc" ("after this, therefore because of this") fallacy, but I have to tell you the story of my author's name. First I wanted to use Cocco, but somebody already took it, so I tweaked it a bit and it became Coccio. I used that name without knowing its meaning, that is, until now. I learn from somewhere that it actually means `shard' in Italian… Fancy that, huh?