InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ This Wasn't In The Job Description ❯ A Battlefield ( Chapter 59 )

A Battlefield

 

No one had any idea where the portal would open in the Demon Realm this time. For some reason, these portals seemed to favor dumping them out over water. Gripping Kagome tightly, InuYasha gritted his teeth and thought they should have come up with a contingency plan against this outcome.

 

The portal opened, in a bright blue, cloudless sky. They were quite far up this time.

 

“InuYasha, are we over water again?” Kagome asked, trying to peer over his shoulder.

 

A roar and clashing met their ears, and Kagome looked over InuYasha's shoulder apprehensively. The sound came in waves, but it was not the sea. Behind them appeared Kirara with the others. Eyes wide, Kagome gasped.

 

Beneath them was a raging battlefield. A horde of lower youkai, all scales and slather, were facing off with…

 

“Damn it, of all the fucking places to be and people to see when we just get here!” InuYasha growled. “A battlefield, and my bastard brother!”

 

The gleaming figure of Sesshomaru was in the forefront, fighting the youkai horde. The Lord of the Western Lands made an imposing, otherworldly and heroic figure, as he wielded his sword before his army. Lower youkai piled up at his feet, as his sword came down on them again and again. But there were just so many of them…

 

“Where are we going to land?” Kagome asked. “Don't you think we should help your brother?”

 

“Do I fucking have to?” InuYasha spat.

 

“InuYasha, he could be an ally we may need here to fight Naraku!” Kagome said in consternation.

 

“I got all the allies I need,” InuYasha grumbled, but drew Tessaiga before they hit the ground.

 

Spying his brother before the others did, Sesshomaru stopped a moment and looked up, eyes narrowed. A four-armed, green-scaled youkai jumped at him, and he batted it casually away like a fly, his eyes still on InuYasha and his friends descending into their midst. The Taiyoukai regarded them with a cold calculated look, obviously wondering what InuYasha would do.

 

A huge flash of blazing yellow energy blazed down on the youkai below, as InuYasha cried out, “Kaze no Kizu!”

 

The youkai horde facing Sesshomaru and his forces evaporated. Behind the Lord of the West, swords were lowered in awe as InuYasha landed gracefully on the ground, his hair and Kagome's flowing out and down like clouds of silver and black. Kirara landed softly next to InuYasha, and her passengers dismounted.

 

Sesshomaru raised his sword, and immediately InuYasha raised Tessaiga, snarling. Brow creased in concern, Kagome hung back on his arm. Miroku and Sango got ready to draw their weapons as well, while Kikyo looked for a way to quietly slip away. Two sets of golden eyes met and held a moment, the heat from them palpable. Then Sesshomaru sheathed his sword and turned away.

 

“Your help was not requested this time, little brother,” Sesshomaru said, walking away.

 

“Who said I was helping you?” InuYasha called after him, his own blade lowered. “I was just clearing a place for us to land!”

 

Huffing angrily, InuYasha watched the retreating back of his brother. In front of him, the other youkai threw him disdainful or guarded looks as they followed their Lord. The hanyou's eyes narrowed, and he smirked as he sheathed Tessaiga. Now they saw - a hanyou was the one who ended their battle, they could decide whether he did it for them, or for himself.

 

Kagome watched the interaction sadly, her hands clasped demurely in front of her. Then she gazed up at her lover's profile, but he did not see the interplay of emotions that ran through her dark eyes.

 

`This is as good a time as any to be rid of InuYasha and his friends,' Kikyo thought, as everyone focused on the hanyou.

 

In strong and fluid strides, Kikyo walked away, shouldering her equipment and weapons. This was her chance to get the jump on InuYasha in the pursuit of the formula, and she smiled a small smile of triumph.

 

“Don't you think you should try and get along with your brother?” Kagome said. “He is a powerful Lord here.”

 

Closing his eyes and heaving a disgusted sigh, InuYasha shook his head. Next to him, Kagome wilted a little, biting her lip. After all, they were both battling Naraku, she only had hoped they might find common ground between them and be less antagonistic to each other. In this wild place, they needed allies…but were surrounded by enemies.

 

“All right, let's move out,” InuYasha said, turning to regard the others, and frowned. “Where the hell did that bitch Kikyo get to?”

 

A look of mild surprise passed over Miroku's face, as he surveyed where he had last seen her. Then he chuckled, eyes sparkling.

 

“Did you really expect her to stick around?” Miroku said. “She'll find us if she needs us.”

 

“If that bitch gets herself killed…” InuYasha said darkly.

 

“She's not your responsibility anymore, InuYasha.” Kagome said softly. “She's a strong determined woman, let her be.”

 

Behind them, Sango and Miroku murmured in agreement. Kirara chirped, and jumped into her mistress's arms, and Sango stroked the neko absently as they waited for InuYasha's next move.

 

“Let's get out of this carnage,” InuYasha finally said. “We need to regroup and create a plan of action.”

 

They all followed InuYasha out of the battlefield, into the surrounding forest. The wild, deep green foliage enveloped them, hiding their passage and their intentions, hopefully, from their enemies. But someone was watching…

 

Stepping out of the forest, she looked at the InuTachi as they left. InuYasha entered first, followed quickly by Kagome, and then Miroku and Sango. The leaves of the trees rustled a moment, and then they were gone. Then she looked at the backs of the retreating army. The long, shining white hair of Sesshomaru stood out like a beacon, and she regarded him wistfully. Slowly, she made to follow him.

 

~*~

 

The vat glowed greenly, and Kanna stood at her master's side and watched quietly to see what he had done. The nanotech had rearranged Naraku's flesh and created something new…and yet, it was still Naraku. Without the Shikon no Tama formula, he would never separate the basic genes into youkai and human. All Naraku's creations had this flaw, this weakness. It was what drove her master on in his endless quest for the formula….

 

The form in the vat coalesced. It was huge, with dark purple skin, two huge, ram-like horns, a mouth full of vicious teeth and large glowing red eyes. Its clawed hands gripped the edges of the vat, and slowly it pulled itself into a sitting position. It regarded Naraku silently, and then nodded its great head.

 

“This is Goshinki, your brother, Kanna,” Naraku said. “He has his instructions - you will remain here and show me what the outcome is with your mirror. I believe this time InuYasha will have met his match...”

 

Goshinki lumbered forth, and stalked out of the mansion. Naraku laughed darkly as he watched him leave. Then thoughts of Kagura intruded on his thoughts of triumph, and he sneered, balling his hands into fists. He moved away from the door and walked past Kanna. Quietly she followed him down the dark, solemn halls of the mansion.

 

“Your sister will feel my wrath for her betrayal, soon enough,” Naraku said. “She will come back begging me to save her…but all she may face is her ultimate destruction.”

 

The words her master spoke of Kagura's doom had no effect on Kanna. They fell into the deep waters of her subservient soul without a ripple. Living only to serve him, no emotions stood a chance in her complete devotion. No time for feelings, even for her sister. Like a small, pale, shadow she ghosted after her master, in the wake of his dark energies that swirled around him like purple wisps of flame….