InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ This Wasn't In The Job Description ❯ Goshinki ( Chapter 60 )

 

 

 

 

Chapter 60

 

Goshinki

 

As InuYasha and his friends entered forest of the Demon Realm, the leafy green canopy of trees engulfed them. Kagome stayed close to InuYasha's side, glancing at her lover's expression discreetly. She saw his nostrils flare, and his ears twitch, always on guard for danger. That particular tang in the air, so clean and yet so musky from vegetation, brought back memories of when they had first come here by accident. This time, they had a purpose, if not a direction.

 

“So, fearless leader, what is our next move?” Miroku said from behind them.

 

“Just give me a minute, I know what I'm doing,” InuYasha rumbled.

 

InuYasha caught Kagome giving him a smile full of faith and love, and he gave her a quick smirk. He never got tired of seeing her look at him like that, it was invigorating and more gratifying then he could ever express to her.

 

Truthfully, the hanyou was not sure, beyond what his keen senses told him, of where they should start to look for Midoriko - if she was even still alive. That human woman had a lot of courage to come to this violent place where the youkai ruled alone. Stupid, that she had never asked him about the Demon Realm before she left. But then, he probably would have told her vehemently not to come here. Damn it, if she had needed protection from Naraku, all she had had to do was ask him! She knew there was no way he would have let her work fall into the evil hanyou's hands! Then again, he and Kikyo had just had a bad break-up, so maybe it would not have been such a good idea….

 

“Midoriko would need a place that could both be a hideout and easily defended,” Sango said thoughtfully.

 

“Shit, she was a scientist, not a warrior,” InuYasha replied.

 

“I think Sango is on to something with that train of thought,” Miroku said, and beamed at Sango, who blushed at his support.

 

“Do you think maybe she had help from someone on this side?” Kagome ventured to say.

 

“The humans in the Demon Realm are all vassals of the youkai,” InuYasha said. “None would be powerful enough to protect her from Naraku.”

 

“So, couldn't she have got help from a youkai?” Kagome responded.

 

Kagome's idea made InuYasha give a bark of laughter and shake his head. He looked at her with an affectionate twinkle in his eye to belie the harsh gesture. She shrugged her shoulders and gave him a wry smile in reply.

 

“Is that such a hard idea to imagine, InuYasha?” Miroku said thoughtfully. “She would need a powerful protector, I would think.”

 

“I tell you no youkai would bother protecting a human here,” InuYasha growled. “They are all treated pretty much as slaves.”

 

The three humans exchanged grim looks, remembering their first trip here. InuYasha had a point, and yet Miroku could still see the logic in Kagome's thinking. He watched the strong, leather-clad back of his friend striding before him with seeming purpose, and wondered how all these pieces might fit together.

 

For her part, Sango watched Miroku and knew that the lecherous agent was also shrewd and intelligent. In fact, if he would use the brains in his head more often in their friendship, instead of thinking with his dick, they might even be able to be more than friends. There was no doubt that he was loyal and dependable, if he would only give up this exasperating lecherous quirk of behavior. Sango sighed and shook her head, and Kirara chirped from her perch in her arms. A stroke of the neko's soft fur elicited a purr from her companion, making her smile.

 

Suddenly, InuYasha stopped, a warning growl in his throat. The abrupt halt startled Kagome and she bumped into his elbow. Instinctively, he put out his hand to both keep her from falling and protect her. She raised wondering eyes to him, but he did not look at her. He had picked up something…

 

“Get on my back, Kagome,” InuYasha instructed. “We need to travel quickly. You two, ride on Kirara.”

 

As InuYasha crouched down so Kagome could clamber onto his back, Kirara jumped from Sango's arms and transformed. The hanyou took off, bounding expertly and speedily over tree limbs and small shrubs, the youkai neko keeping up behind him. Kagome clung on to him tightly, her small hands digging into his leather-clad shoulders. Branches came her way and she ducked as they passed over her head.

 

“What is it, InuYasha?” Kagome asked.

 

“I smell something foul up ahead,” InuYasha replied. “We need to investigate…before it finds us.”

 

A shiver went through Kagome at InuYasha's grim words. It passed soon though, because she knew that her hanyou could and would protect her. Her hair was another matter, as it caught in small branches and got tangled with shredded leaves…

 

In another moment, they were free of the forest and a clearing appeared before them. The meadow soon became fields surrounding a village. The village was straight out of her history books, frozen in the time of Japan's Feudal Era when the Realms split. What her history books could never have captured, though, was what was happening there at this moment.

 

A giant youkai, purple-skinned with ram-like horns and vicious teeth, was massacring the village. Human and horse limbs littered the area, in horrific quantities. He turned slowly, his gruesome jaws dripping in blood, and seemed to see them at the forest's edge.

 

“Ah, so my true prey has arrived,” the beast rumbled.

 

“True prey?” Miroku said.

 

“I will crush you, InuYasha, as my sisters Kanna and Kagura failed to do,” the beast continued.

 

“Take care of Kagome,” InuYasha said, putting her down. “I've got to take care of this piece of shit.”

 

Miroku and Sango put protective hands on Kagome's shoulders, as the hanyou drew Tessaiga. With a roar, he charged the beast, which had arrogantly turned his huge, horrendous head away from him. InuYasha smirked in anticipatory triumph.

 

“What is that thing doing?” Kagome whispered apprehensively.

 

No one answered her, as they watched InuYasha close in on the monstrosity. A collective tension fell on the group, and they unconsciously huddled closer together.

 

“Kaze no Kizu!”

 

Everyone gasped as Goshinki easily dodged the blazing bright yellow strikes of energy. No one was more shocked than InuYasha, who watched in disbelief.

 

`How the fuck did he do that?' InuYasha thought. `It's like he knew it was coming!'

 

`I am Goshinki, Naraku's most powerful creation,' InuYasha heard the thing say in his head. `Nothing you do will get by me.'

 

`Shit, he's reading my mind!' InuYasha thought, but had time for little else as Goshinki lunged for him.

 

InuYasha barely had time to dodge the blow, as a massive claw swiped for him. He leaped over Goshinki, flipping in mid-air, and landed on the other side of him. Immediately, he raised Tessaiga to attack - but Goshinki caught the blade in his teeth. Growling angrily, InuYasha yanked at the sword to free it.

 

SNAP!

 

Kagome cried out in horror as she saw Tessaiga snap in two in the grip of the saber-like teeth. The pieces of the sword fell to the ground in front of a stunned InuYasha, and Goshinki went on the attack. The massive claws raked InuYasha, but no matter where he turned, or what he did, Goshinki knew beforehand. His clothes became ripped and torn, and blood spattered the ground around them…hanyou blood.

 

It was too much for Kagome to take. She broke away from Miroku and Sango, and went running down towards the combatants. Her heart hammered in her ears, and fear gripped her gut. Never had she been so afraid that an adversary could kill her InuYasha. Not wanting her to flee into danger alone, Miroku and Sango soon caught up to her.

 

`You are doomed, InuYasha,' Goshinki gloated. `I will wear you down - and then I will kill you.'

 

For the first time in a very long time, InuYasha began to fear for his life. It was a feeling he was so long unaccustomed to, he hardly felt like himself. A desperate rage built up inside him, accompanied by a roaring in his ears. Blood surged in his veins; he could feel it like never before. And then…everything turned red.

 

“Oh my god, what is happening to him?” Kagome cried in horror, as they watched InuYasha transform.

 

The gold eyes turned solid red, the fangs and claws extended, and purple slashes appeared on each cheek. A malevolent laugh issued from the hanyou, sending chills up Kagome's spine and making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She could hardly breathe.

 

“He looks…like his brother, a full youkai,” Miroku said in amazement.

 

“Now the tables are turned - time for you to meet your doom!” InuYasha said, his voice so deep and distorted, that he sounded like another person entirely.

 

This time, Goshinki was outmatched. If InuYasha was powerful as a hanyou, he was even more powerful as a full youkai. None of the blows Goshinki landed on him had any effect in stopping him - InuYasha took blow after blow as he attacked the creature in a venomous rage. Tears formed in Kagome's eyes, and she bit her lip as her heart hammered painfully in her chest while she watched.

 

Finally, InuYasha landed a decisive blow with his claws - and took Goshinki's head clean off his body. The huge thing tumbled to the ground, and the glowing red eyes slowly went dark. But the killing rage was still upon InuYasha, and chest heaving in anger, he spied Kagome. Slowly, he advanced on her, dripping claws extended.

 

“Stay away, Kagome!” Sango cried out. “He's not our InuYasha anymore!”

 

“No, I refuse to believe it!” Kagome said, fists clenched at her sides. “InuYasha loves me, he would never hurt me!”

 

“Get…away, Kagome,” InuYasha grated. “I can't…control myself.”

 

“InuYasha, it's me!” Kagome cried desperately. “I know you would never hurt me - return to me! Please!”

 

Still, he advanced on her menacingly, a war going on inside him that threatened to burst his heart in two.

 

“I said…GET AWAY!”

 

What would Kagome do now?