InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unplanned ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns InuYasha and all it's characters. We do not. So, don't get us confused.

 

Chapter Six: Unfortunate News

 

Three years later:

 

The small silver headed half-demon slipped from the shadows behind the centipede demon. The creature had crawled from the well earlier in the day muttering about half-demons and the Shikon no Tama. Then she had attacked him. When he had phased behind her, she had gone mad with rage. It was all a game these days. From the slaying of his victims,to the seizures, right on through the dreams he was forced to live with. Dreams about another. A girl with his face. Only she was happy.

 

She had a mother, a father, and several other's to care about her. Then when those few moments passed he was forced into realm of nightmares. Where the spirits of his victims called for revenge.

 

He hated her for that. For showing him her joy, when he was forced to live here. In this nightmare of hell. Midoriko had been silenced by something in this forest. So, she was not there to soothe his demon nature. Everything in his spirit told him that while she was free to be happy, he was destined to be alone. She had a voice. She could laugh, smile, play. She took advantage of her freedom. Never paying attention to the pleas for help he had first sent when he realized she was there.

 

His hand dived into the centipede's chest, taking hold of her heart. With a soundless grunt he removed the decayed organ from it's not quite dead host. His mind returned to the matter of this female named San. He would take her and that "mother" down too. But, he would make her watch. He would rip her to pieces. Quickly finishing the damned creature with a burst of purification the child moved away from his now destroyed home.

 

:It is time to move on anyway. Midoriko lied to me as well. She said she would protect my heart. She will perish as well.: The swirling aura's of hate filled his mind even more. The child held within his grasp, several shards of the shikon no tama. Relieved of their hosts throughout the years. The gold of his eyes held a shimmering haze of red. Locked deep within the boy's mind was his silent gaurdian, trembling in fear of the half-demon who held her power. For when Ryouken decided on something, he rarely changed his mind or failed.

 

 

Deeper within the forest: The Sacred Tree

 

A pulse of power shred the bark of the tree from somewhere high in it's branches. The gaping wound in the tree revealed a hidden treasure. The sword from a great demon's youth rested there. Completly forgotten by time and history. It's powers had long lain dormant for an express reason. The spirit of it's former wielder had possessed the blade in an effort to soothe it's lust for blood. That battle had been won, but now it was time for it to move.

 

The blood of his son was in need of his power. So it would be. The human soul within a demon body held the power to call even him from sleep. If only InuYasha and Sesshomaru had known how close he, InuTaisho had been to them. The boy who held Sesshomaru's power was being torn in two because of his parents' care or training. :"Stupid priestess. Should have realized that by giving him her power, she was sending MY grandson into madness. No demon blood is ment to have that kind of power. But he does.": If a sword could have sighed, this would be the moment. He sent a minor pulse of demonic energy out through the forest. The boy was being controlled by demonic emotions. Send this kind of call was the only way to gain his interest. Because like his demon blood, the human blood would react to save him by trying to kill anything with a pulse.

 

 

 

Ryouken was skinning the flesh from his latest kill, when the pulse of power grabbed his senses. :What?: his human mind asked his demon blood. :Threat?!: it answered. A snarl revealed itself across his feral features. :Challenge.: they howled together. Before they knew what else to say, the eight year old boy was running for this new threat. His claws lengthed in anticapation for the blood while his human mind giggled maddly at it's counterpart. His once siver hair had turned to a dull black from the lack of washing, pale skin darkened by years of neglect of proper bathing habits. His own stench often overrode his natural sense of smell, confusing himself when he was being attacked and when he wasn't.

 

He came upon the quiet clearing with a false calm. :Enemy?: his eyes asked. There lying on the floor of the forest was an ancient katana. Scrolling patterns in the demon language spelled out a simple name. Cirath. Fang of Shadows. There came again, that draw of power. Demonic power. It tugged at his inner self, the one who had recoiled in horror from himself. The innocence he had left had been shattered by this nightmare forest. The need of another to be by his side forced the boy to reach through the dominating madness to take that blade into his hands.

 

An immediate sense of power and authority swept into him. Ryouken whiplashed back into his corner as fear consumed him. This was no ordinary demon. He was more powerful than any he had ever met.

 

:"Relax, kid. I'm not going to hurrt you. Just show you how not to go mad.": the voice was kind, warm, and held no trace of deciet.

 

:Liar!: he growled out.

 

:"No. Circumstances have not been kind to you. We shall work on that. But first... You must get out of this forest.": InuTaisho held his mental breath has the boy before him considered his options.

 

:Why?:

 

:"It's driving you mad. With my power behind you, you can break this so called barrier and leave.":

 

:But....: He thought for a moment. That argument was completly useless. So were any other's he considered reasonable. :Midoriko?:

 

:"The priestess? She hasn't left you. She has been here the entire time. Just unable to contact you. Again, because the forest and demon energies were affecting you.": InuTaisho was prepared for anything. But the depth of betrayal this boy felt.... It was almost too much. Even for him.

 

:Name?: he asked the greater demon.

 

The Dog Demon General spluttered. :"Well, your certainly sharp. You can call me, Grandfather.":

 

:Grandfather?:

 

:"Yeah, Grandfather. You ready to go yet? I'm sure Midi over there has a few things to tell you.":

 

:Midi?: Ryouken asked confused.

 

:"The priestess Midoriko. Your first teacher. Your Granny.": He smiled at the poor hapless half-demon. :"Get going. The longer you remain here, the longer that the demons can influence your actions.":

 

 

Naraku looked down upon Kanna's mirror. His dark bride sat with him, gazing with a deep hatred at the scene before them. Her black eyes moved away from the mirror to her lord's own crimson. Her undead face held no compassion for the child they had been observing.

 

"So, Kikyo, what do you think?" The spider demon asked. His voice a smooth texture of deadly steel.

 

"He's powerful enough. I suppose. But is he worthy of our 'attention', Naraku? He seems to be... wounded within his soul. Perhaps the twins should be the ones to take him in hand? It would be the perfect test of their unique skills." Kikyo looked away, her eyes sweeping over to the raven haired twins. "He could kill them."

 

"Yes, he could. But then, they could also kill him. The twins can be revived. So can the boy. Death is not a problem with the Shikon no Tama in our hands, my dear." Naraku ran a hand along the gentle curve of jaw, drawing the dead miko into a heated kiss.

 

 

 

Ryouken made his way to the border's of the barrier. His hands grasped the Cirath clumsily. This new weapon was not like those he had trained with when he had lived back in the salle. It had a longer blade, but was far more slender. The swords soul had partly taken control of him so show him how to move the blade. This was the final moment. The blade glimmered a dazzling white sparked through with black starbursts, when he swung it through the wall of his prison. It didn't completly destroy the barrier but opened enough to let him through.

 

Golden eyes closed as he rushed throught he opening before he was once again sealed within. The relief was instant. The horrible press of murderous need faded away to near nothingness. Then it came. The power of the spirits and his mind gripped his body, taking complete control. The Cirath dropped to the ground, completly forgotten once again. Siezures far more violent than he had ever felt assualted him. Images of blood and gore flickered to life in his mind's eye. He was soon lost to darkness, but not before a femine face appeared above his own. A face about ten years of age with eyes blacker than Hell's darkest soul.

 

His claws closed upon the creature's hand as she touched his brow with what was supposed to be a soothing touch. Then they slackened and he passed into the realm of nightmares.

 

"So, Nekura, is he the one?" A shadowy figure asked her.

 

The girl raised a brow. "Of course he is. Don't be such an idiot, Nekiyo. Besides, he has several Shikon Shards with him. I wonder...."

 

"What are you planning, Sister?" The boy asked his mirror image. Black eyes asessing her for her usual tricks.

 

"Nothing. Besides, Daddy want's us to bring him right home. But first, we have a stop to make." Summoning her magic and her demon mount

Nekura cast a sleep spell on her new 'toy'. She reinforced that with a suspension spell. Her brother picked up the Cirath and strapped it to Ryouken's still form. Nekura sent him a strange look. Nekyio merely smiled.

 

 

 

Sans part.

 

San walked through the cool shade of the trees as one hand went to her neck to try to sooth a cramped muscle. She could hear the soft sounds of the river up ahead and as the land began to slope downwards, she could see the sparkling surface of the water through the trees. Having just left one of her mother's strenuous training sessions, she carried sore muscles and a few bruises along with her weapons. Sunlight glinted off her katana's polished sheath as the thinning of the forest allow for rays of light to leak through the leaves. The water of river looked enticingly cool, reminding her of her thrist and how the outfit her mother had her wear caused her body to overheat at times.

 

Kneeling at the water's edge, she dipped her hands in to bring the cool liquid up to her parched mouth. She took several more sips of water before splashing some of it over her face and the back of her neck. The summer day had not proved kind to the hanyou clad in black clothing, but fortunately the water was able to provide her some relief before she would head back home and meet the others for lunch.

 

A pair of shadows suddenly fell over the sun-drenched river. San looked up and smiled as Kilala's two offspring, Killa and Silana, came circling down from the sky to join her on the riverbank. Silana mewed to her as San stroked the young dragon-cat's head. Killa moved to stand in front of the pair and growled defensively at something across the river. San stood quickly, hand on the hilt of her sword, as she took in the sight of the intruder.

 

A girl, a few years older than herself, stood across from her, the light seeming to fade around the dark hair that fell in waves around her. Something in the other girl's dark eyes reminded her of the look her mother had in her eyes during the few occasions when San got a chance to witness her mother in battle. There was also something else that made her want to recoil from the gaze as if she had just fallen into a pool of frigid water. The girl's clothing made her seem much older than her real age, which San suspected was not much over 10. It seemed almost like the clothing of a hime, but with a certain influence from a warrior's dress style. “So are you incapable of speaking, just like the other?” the other girl asked after a moment, her voice holding an arrogant tone.

 

“What do you mean `like the other?'” San asked, feeling more and more like this other girl would be a future enemy.

 

But the new rival only smiled and laughed condescendingly. “You don't already know? This will certainly be amusing. Won't it be, Nekiyo?”

 

With her words, a boy, presumably Nekiyo, came from the trees to stand at her side. His hair and eyes were also dark, though his eyes reminded San more of the eyes of a wolf than the cold eyes of one intent of the death of another. His dress was distinctly more like that of a warrior than the other girl's, who seemed to be his twin sister. Though his hair was only let to go just past his shoulders, it shared the same wavy quality as his sister's, and both of them had the pale skin of one who had spent most of their days away from the sun. San's eyes locked with Nekiyo's for a moment. There seemed to be almost a flicker of warmth in their depths. But as soon as she saw that warmth, it was sealed away under a layer of icy aloofness. “I would think so,” he answered finally, letting his gaze fall from San's as he glanced to his sister.

 

“You fight?” the other girl asked, motioning to San's katana.

 

“I am in training,” she answered, inadvertently taking on a defensive tone.

 

“Care to show just what you've learned?” the other girl asked before launching herself across the river towards San.

 

San's eyes widened. Only uncle Inuyasha could jump that well. Even she wasn't as good as he was yet. But this other girl seemed to be able to bridge the gap between the riverbanks with hardly any effort at all. San barely had time to draw her katana before a series of daggers where flung at her. She jumped from their path and deflected those she couldn't dodge with her katana. The other girl produced a fan that had been hidden within one of her sleeves as Killa and Silana transformed into their larger forms, which were still barely more than a quarter of Kilala's full size. Another shower of daggers came in San's direction, and Killa and Silana barely had time to carry their friend from the path of danger. “Is that all you can do? Run and rely on others to help you?” the other girl asked as she opened the fan she held.

 

As the fan was expanded, Nekiyo's eyes registered a look of concern. “Nekura, don't go that far, you know there's no point-”

 

“I'll do what I want, Nekiyo.”

 

“Just because you're mother's favorite doesn't mean you can do whatever you please without any consequences.”

 

“Oh yeah? Watch me,” the girl finished, glaring at her brother who seemed ready to intercept his sister's attack.

 

San was beginning to really worry about what could make Nekiyo so worried. But she didn't have time to contemplate the issue as Nekura had already raised her fan as if ready to produce some kind of attack. But a silver blur swept by Nekura, causing her fan to fall from her hands onto the ground in several pieces. Looking down in shock and horror at her ruined weapon, Nekura missed what Nekiyo and San saw. The silver being once again descended swiftly upon the dark twins, though it didn't devote all its attention solely on Nekura as it had the first time. By the third pass, the silver being had distressed the twins enough to cause them to retreat back into the shadows of the forest, though Nekura didn't go without the promise that she'd return and finish her fight with San.

 

As the twins faded away into the trees, the silver being came to rest on the opposite bank a distance upstream from where San stood. For a fleeting moment, she could make out the image of a tall man with long, flowing silver hair and a crescent moon on his forehead. And then he was gone, fading away into the forest just as the twins had. “Thank you,” San whispered, barely loud enough for even herself to hear.