InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unexpected Allies I: How to Train a Taiyoukai ❯ For the Sake of the Call ( Chapter 14 )

{Disclaimer: See Chapter One.}

Chapter Fourteen: For the Sake of the Call

Kagome sprinted through the dense forest, Shippou clutched tightly against her chest. She zipped past trees and jumped over fallen limbs, struggling to get away from the army of youkai behind them.

Kagome cursed her luck, and Inuyasha's gullibility. Kikyou had betrayed them again, leaving them in the hands of Naraku and his army. The group were split up instantly.

"Divide and conquer," Kagome thought sarcastically.

Shippou shuddered against her in fear and Kagome ran faster. She masked their scents immediately. When they reached a clearing, Kagome stopped. In front of her were thousands of Naraku's youkai. Kagome turned around and ran back to the forest. Somehow, she dodged the youkai looking for her there and ran back to the field where Inuyasha and the others were still fighting. She'd still be fighting too, instead of running, but three things happened.

First, she ran out of arrows.

Second, her sword was knocked from her hands.

Third, she couldn't use her power.

She could feel it rising inside her, begging to come out and 'play', but Kagome knew that if she did, it would be a large blast instead of the small burst that normally happened. Sesshoumaru's training only strengthened her magic, and if she unleashed it now it would purify any youkai in the nearby area.

Including Shippou, Kirara, and Inuyasha.

Kagome nearly cried in relief when Inuyasha's red haori came into view at the edge of the forest. Kagome broke through the trees and skidded to a halt. In front of her was the first half of youkai that chased her through the forest. She turned back to the trees, only to find the second wave of youkai slowly approaching.

Kagome backed up until she was between both sides. She glanced around her nervously, desperately trying to find any crack in their defense. Kagome knew she couldn't fight them all, and Inuyasha and the others were too busy with their own problems. Inuyasha was fighting Naraku himself, and Sango, Kirara, and Miroku were fighting their circle of youkai.

Shippou jumped from her arms, standing in defense in front of her. "Don't worry, Kagome. I'll protect you." Shippou proceeded to use his Fox Fire, attacking any youkai that came close. After a while, he wore out. He jumped back to Kagome's shoulder. "I'm sorry Kagome," he whispered as the youaki came closer.

Kagome kissed his forehead. "Its o. k. Shippou. I'm so proud of you."

Kagome raised a shield around them before the youkai attacked them. The youkai attacked the barrier fiercely, weakening it with each blow. Kagome sank to her knees, trying to think of something to do. As she ran her fingers through her hair, she brushed against the headband. Remembering what it was for, she stood up defiantly, holding her bangs back so the youkai could see the headband and the crescent sapphire through the shield.

"Do you see this?" Kagome hollered, turning so the youkai around her could see the headband. "This means that my pup and I are protected by the Taiyoukai of this land. If you continue this attack, you will be in direct violation of his orders and will suffer his wrath."

Shippou blinked as the youkai stopped. 'What is Kagome talking about?' he wondered, staring up at her. He saw the crescent sapphire glowing against Kagome's forehead. 'It's a protection stone! Wow, so that's why she's been so calm lately. Kagome is under Sesshoumaru's protection!'

The other youkai seemed in debate as to what to do. Should they risk the punishment from the taiyoukai for killing his human, or Naraku's punishment for NOT killing the human? A sharp order from the latter made the decision for them. They attacked the barrier with newfound vigor. Kagome sighed in defeat as Shippou returned to her shoulder.

"You tried, Kagome."

"I'm not through yet."

Kagome raised her head suddenly, one hand reaching under her shirt to touch Sesshoumaru's mark. She took in a deep breath and called for help.

All fighting stopped instantly.

What Kagome said was "Help!"

What Sango and Miroku heard was a shrill dog-like yelp.

Naraku, Inuyasha, Shippou and the other youkai heard something that sounded like

"Aso nai!"

++++++

Inuyasha spun around. 'What was that?' He stared at Kagome as she said it again. 'The last time I heard that language, it was at a court appointment of Father's when I was very small. How does she know it?'

+++++

The youkai stared at Kagome for a long time, waiting anxiously for whatever she called for. After a few minutes of nothing, the fighting continued with Naraku punching Inuyasha in the ribs, Sango and Miroku again fending themselves from the youkai, and the youkai around Kagome and Shippou continuing there destruction of the barrier.

An auburn cyclone suddenly appeared in the middle of the field, streaking toward Kagome. It knocked youkai away with blasts of chocolate-colored ki, splitting through them like a knife through water. The cyclone stopped before Kagome's barrier.

"Drop your shield, miko," came a smooth, feminine voice from inside the dark funnel. Kagome did so, holding Shippou closer to her. The cyclone dissipated, and in its place stood a female inuyoukai. She bowed low before Kagome, her hands clasped together as if in prayer.

"Are you the lady Kagome?" she asked.

Kagome nodded.

"And is this the young lord Shippou?"

Kagome nodded again. Shippou puffed up a little at being called such an important name, his tail fluffing in the breeze.

The inuyoukai smiled. "Good." She turned away from them, dropping instantly to a fighting stance. "Our lord will be here directly."

Kagome and Shippou watched her as she fended off the attacking youkai. The female inuyoukai had dark brown hair, streaked with tan. Her tail was the same, with a few sprinklings of black. Her eyes were a pale, yellowish green and there were green stripes on her cheeks and wrists. On her forehead was a mustard yellow circle, with a blue dot in the middle. She wore a one-sleeved white gi, with armor similar to Sesshoumaru's. On the one sleeve was a wide black stripe. Her attacks were amazing to watch as she batted the youkai away with the boredom of a cat playing with mice. The wind whipped around Kagome and Shippou, shielding them from the few youkai that momentarily tried to attack them. The female inuyoukai would instantly kill them moments later in a blast of wind and dust.

++++++

Inuyasha looked back to Kagome, and nearly dropped his sword in shock. In front of her and Shippou was what seemed to be a female inuyoukai. She defended them effortlessly, with the grace of a feline. When she struck a bear youkai in the face, Inuyasha recognized the black stripe on her sleeve. 'There's only one female I know that moves like that,' he said to himself as he dodged one of Naraku's tentacles. 'General Shorin.'

+++++++++

A sharp bark came from the distance, and all fighting stopped for the second time that day. The earth trembled, sending the humans to their knees. The other youkai stood their ground, but the ones in Naraku's army looked ready to flee at a moments notice. An enormous white dog appeared in the clearing, with magenta stripes on his face and a blue crescent on his forehead. A jade rosary resided around it's neck.

Naraku grinned ferociously. "Seems my help has arrived," he snarled.

Inuyasha shook his head, raising his sword in defense. "He's not here to help you baka."

The dog bounded over their heads toward Kagome and the female inuyoukai, crushing youkai under its massive paws. It stopped in front of the inuyoukai. She bowed as it transformed.

"My lord, the lady Kagome and Lord Shippou are safe."

"You are dismissed, Shorin."

Shorin bowed to him, to Kagome and Shippou, then left the same way she came; in a burst of cyclonic energy. Sesshoumaru turned to them, his expression blank as amusement danced in his eyes.

"Did you need me, miko-sama?"

"Jerk," Kagome muttered irritably. Sesshoumaru shook his head in mock suffering and turned to face the remaining youkai. One look at the obviously pissed-off taiyoukai and they turned tail. Kagome and Shippou stared in surprise as their remaining attackers disappeared into the forest behind them. Shippou looked at Sesshoumaru in amazement.

"That-was-so…COOL!" Shippou squealed. Sesshoumaru turned to him, his eyebrow raised.

"Thank you for helping us, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said, bowing. Sesshoumaru waved the thanks aside. "I had nothing else to do. It is a change from my normal exercises."

That's when Kagome took in his attire.

"I KNEW you got it!" she squealed, resisting the urge to hug him. Sesshoumaru stood in the white tank top and matching loose pants she gave him. Shippou stared at them both, confused.

"Kagome, why are you and Sesshoumaru dressed alike?"

Kagome hugged him as Sesshoumaru walked away. Knocking aside various youkai, he reached Inuyasha and Naraku in record time.

"Naraku."

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Naraku said, a slow smile rising on his face. "How are you?"

"I said to leave the miko alone. You disobeyed me."

Naraku bristled, not used to being ordered around. ""I didn't know she was here."

"You sent at least 200 youkai after her."

Naraku's smile widened. "And yet she still lives."

"You will not."

Sesshoumaru attacked.

+++++++

Inuyasha watched the whole exchange in confused amusement before helping Sesshoumaru. The remaining youkai abandoned Sango and Miroku in an attempt to help Naraku. Kagome watched as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru fought through the wave to Naraku. Sesshoumaru sliced through a cat youkai, not aware of the other cat youkai behind him preparing to strike. Kagome gasped and reached out for him, wishing for her sword.

+++++++

Inuyasha slashed through another youkai when he heard Kagome's gasp. He turned around and was cut across the chin. Inuyasha turned back, expecting to find another youkai. Instead, his eyes followed in shock as Kagome's sword flew past him, surrounded by purple ki.

+++++++

Kagome watched as the cat youkai raised her sharp talons.

"Kagome do something!" Shippou urged. Kagome was about to ask what when she saw her sword flying toward her. She reached for it, not aware that she and Shippou were glowing a pinkish-blue.

+++++++

Sesshoumaru glanced up, wiping his bloodied claws on the body of the dead cat youkai. He blinked, not sure of his eyes for the first time in his life.

Kagome's sword flew through the air toward her, and she was glowing the same light from the miko village. Kagome caught the sword, her arm swinging over her head due to momentum, then threw it at Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru stood, absolutely still as it came toward him. Images of his life flashed before his eyes as the blade glowed a fierce purple. It blew past him in a comet-like streak. Sesshoumaru blinked again as Kagome walked toward him.

"What was that for?" he growled, ready to slice her throat open. Kagome pointed behind him. Sesshoumaru turned around. Behind him was another cat youkai, with Kagome's sword imbedded in its forehead.

Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome yanked her sword free.

"You have improved."

Kagome grinned as she wiped the blade clean. "Thanks to you."

Sesshoumaru walked past her, clearing a path to Naraku again. She watched as more youkai under Naraku's control approached as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru attacked Naraku again. Kagome attacked at the first wave, sending her purifying powers into her blade. As more and more youkai descended on them, Kagome knew that soon they would be overcome. Sango and Miroku suddenly appeared beside her, weapons raised.

"Got any ideas, Kagome?" Sango asked.

Kagome nodded. "Shippou, the next time I talk, take a seat in Sesshoumaru's lap."

"WHAT?!!"

Kagome rubbed her hurting ear. "Just do it. The next thing I say, no matter what it is, take a seat in Sesshoumaru's lap."

Shippou nodded and jumped to her feet, ready to sprint any second. Kagome focused her powers into a force of ki, it swirling at her feet. It soon enveloped her, surrounding her in purple energy. Kagome closed her eyes tightly, balling into a fetal position in mid air. She focused harder, and the ki became stronger. Rocks and other debris flew toward her in a vacuum. White feathers, rocks and sticks swirled around her in the ki. She opened her eyes, now glowing an eerie azure.

"Sango, Miroku, SIT DOWN!"

>Thump!<

>Flop!<

Shippou fought the urge to laugh as he ran to Sesshoumaru. The taiyoukai was currently grumbling, sitting subdued with his tail in a funny ? shape. Shippou slid into Sesshoumaru's lap, earning a growl from the pissed youkai.

"Don't behead me when this wears off. Kagome said to be here."

Sesshoumaru turned his head toward her.

+++++++

Inuyasha grumbled as soon as his face hit the dirt. He was the closer of the two brothers to Naraku, so he could fully enjoy Naraku's laugher at his expense.

"Wow. How interesting. I didn't know the miko had such power." Naraku chuckled again. "How she managed to subdue you both is beyond me."

'Both?' Inuyasha raised his head, and burst out laughing. Sesshoumaru sat a few inches from him, subdued in a gentler position. Inuyasha finally noticed the jade rosary around his neck.

"You were stupid enough to LET her put one on you!" Inuyasha said more than asked, howling in his glee.

Sesshoumaru scowled. "This will not be funny when I get up."

Naraku shook his head. "What makes you think I'll let that happen?"

Sesshoumaru motioned behind them. "Because of her."

Naraku glanced behind him and gasped.

++++++++

Sango and Miroku worried about Kagome's sanity, especially when they saw Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha drop to the ground like stones in water. When they turned to question her, she was surrounded in purple ki, white feathers, and various things from the forest floor. They wisely decided to sit down.

+++++++

Kagome waited until Shippou was safely tucked under Sesshoumaru's chin, then released the ki. Purified objects zoomed away from her toward the youkai army, blasting them from existence. The feathers surrounded her comrades, protecting them from the rock-missiles. Shippou gazed around their feather shield, amazed.

"Wow," he said for the third time today. Rocks collided with the feathers, shaking them but not moving them. Shippou relaxed in Sesshoumaru's lap, stretching out with his tail curled around his waist. After a few moments, the feathers dropped, one by one, to the ground. Shippou moved from Sesshoumaru's lap to his shoulder as Kagome came into view.

+++++++

Kagome shuddered slightly as her eyes returned to normal. The feather shields around Sango, Kirara, Miroku, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru came fluttering down. It was then she realized that the only youkai untouched was a hanyou. Naraku darted forward and struck his shoulder into her stomach. Kagome fell heavily, knocking the back of her head against the ground. She lost consciousness.

"I should kill you now for what you did to my youkai, but I think I'll take you home with me instead."

As he reached for her, a streak of white came between them and was gone. Kagome disappeared. Inuyasha came from behind and sliced Naraku through. The baboon-clad figure slumped to the ground, then blew away in a cloud of ashes, leaving behind a broken doll.

Inuyasha cursed darkly. "Damn it."

Sango stood up, brushed herself off, and helped Miroku to his feet. "Houshi-sama, where is Kagome and Shippou?"

Inuyasha scanned the area. Kagome and Shippou were no where to be seen.

Neither was Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha muttered a few curses and darted away, following her scent. Sango and Miroku followed close behind on Kirara's back.

----

Inuyasha: {::unsheathing Tetsusaiga::} Where are you taking Kagome, Sesshoumaru?!

{::The inu brothers charge toward each other::}

SF: {::stepping between them::} Woah. Now you two chill. The repair guys have just started on the stage, and if you fight on it you'll ruin it and I'll have a duck.

Inuyasha: But you're a falcon.

SF: That's how big a fit I'll have. Don't make me hurt you two. {::Inu brothers sigh and sit down on opposite couches. One of the springs in Inuyasha's couch pokes him in the butt::}

Inu: OW!!!!

SF: What now?

Inu: Something stabbed me!

{::all look at Sesshou::}

Sesshou: {::sipping a Coke::} Lucky couch.

SF: Not very nice, Sesshou. Now Inu-chan needs a tetanus shot.

Inu: {::paling::} What's that? Does it hurt?

SF: No, not really. Its just a little prick.

{::SF's muse walks onstage, dripping Popsicle all over the new mahogany floor::}

SF's Muse: SF lies. She told me that once when I had to have a shot. It hurt like hell.

SF: HEY!!! WHO TAUGHT YOU TO SAY THAT?!

SF's Muse: Inu-no-nee-chan.

{::SF glares at Inuyasha.::}

SF: Forget the shot. I'll just fry the little dog. {::chases Inuyasha offstage::}

Sesshou: {::standing and patting SF's muse on the head::} I guess I should get her. The preview is below. Oh yeah, the next chapter is the last.

Chapter Fifteen: My Father be Damned/You're Miko is in Danger!

Kagome reached for the tie to the rosary. Sesshoumaru clasped her hands in his, stopping her. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Taking off the rosary."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. Kagome quirked an eyebrow quizzically. "You don't want it off?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head again.

"Why?"