InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Vicissitude ❯ Abetment ( Chapter 4 )

Abetment

 

Chapter Four

 

Naraku hadn't blocked the well; it let InuYasha and her through the same way it always had. Her relief at that was short lived though, as she realized exactly what InuYasha had been concerned about. Sword still drawn, he looked deep in thought as he climbed the well house stairs. Following on his heels, she studied him for any change in his expression, any hint that might tell her what he'd discovered.

 

He was tense, almost as if he feared what lay outside the well house as much as she did. An unfamiliar aura surrounded the shrine; dark, malicious—it didn't belong. She rubbed her arms with her hands, trying to settle the unnerving gooseflesh that had suddenly appeared.

 

Flinching as a thunderous crash from above drew her attention, she was surprised to see that the ceiling, which had been there seconds ago, was now missing. Sunlight filtered in, illuminating the dust from the rubble in the normally dark well house. `What was that? Did something just tear off the roof?' A piercing creak and a low groan followed by the sound of splintering wood. Unable to move, she could only watch as the walls fell apart. The dust billowed around her in a dense cloud, invaded her lungs as she fought to breathe.

 

“Damn, the brat's in the house,” InuYasha muttered to himself.

 

Staring in disbelief, her home slowly came into view as the hanyou's words rang in her ears. A hysterical laugh swelled in her throat, threatened to snap her final thread of sanity as the truth sunk in. Half of the shrine was missing, reduced to the same rubble as the well house; the other half alight with angry flames. Unable to tear her gaze away, the dancing fire hypnotized her as she felt herself being dragged out of the debris. She wanted to ask him, needed to know…but when she opened her mouth to try, a rasping cough prevented her from saying anything.

 

“Everyone's fine…” InuYasha growled, glaring at her as if he thought she was coughing so hard just to spite him.

 

His response calmed her slightly, noticing how he'd known just what she was going to ask without her having to say anything. Her coughing subsided as she found herself able to breathe easier, allowing InuYasha to take her wherever he was going. Another thunderous crash sounded as a purple youkai slammed into what used to be her room, reducing it to flames and rubble. Yanking her hand from the hanyou, she quickly drew an arrow from her quiver and cocked the bow, aiming for the minor youkai. The streak of pink flew across the grounds of the shrine before purifying the creature.

 

A deafening groan gave the only warning before the part of the shrine that had been alight with flames, collapsed. “Souta!” she yelled, taking off toward the ruins. She only made it a couple of steps before she found herself dragged into the hanyou's grasp as he carried her away from the fire. “No! My brother is in there! Souta! InuYasha, do something!”

 

She fought against him, knowing it was fruitless but not sure what else she could do. It only made him tighten his hold on her even more, until he dropped her beneath Goshinboku. Any confusion on why he'd brought her here was answered as she found herself between Mama and Grandpa.

 

“I'll be right back with the brat. These youkai are pitiful—even you can protect these two while I'm gone,” he said, turning and racing into the flames to retrieve her brother.

 

“Are you guys okay?” she asked, looking both family members over for obvious injuries. Covered in soot and smelling of smoke, they were unharmed for the most part physically. Emotionally things didn't look good; Mama's whole body was shaking, her eyes full of guilt and brimming with tears. Grandpa couldn't stop staring at the fire, as if by will alone he could make the devastation disappear.

 

“I'm just glad you're here, Kagome. I was w-worried,” Mrs. Higurashi answered, her voice breaking on the final word. Kagome knelt down to inspect a large gash on Grandpa's leg. “Is…is he going to be okay going into the fire?”

 

Pulling her backpack from her shoulders, Kagome opened it—searching for her first aid kit. “His clothes repel fire, if that what you're worried about,” she said, pulling some gauze and ointment from the box before putting the kit away. Giving a humorless laugh, she added, “Not that fire would bother him …someone can shove a hand through his chest and he barely notices. You'd think that would hurt a little, but he acts like it never happened.”

 

A howl sounded as a youkai crashed into a tree near the remains of the well house. Handing the supplies to Mama, Kagome picked up her bow and yanked an arrow from the quiver. Aiming for the slow moving olive colored youkai, she released the arrow and watched as its pink glow race to purify the youkai.

 

“Oh my…” Mama whispered, her eyes widening in shock at the sight.

 

Kagome heaved a nervous sigh before placing her bow on the ground and kneeling next to Grandpa. “InuYasha will be fine; he'll get Souta out of there,” she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. No matter how irrational it seemed to her, if she stopped talking, she would breakdown—she knew she would. “He knows how much my family means to me; he'd never let me down.”

 

“Kagome, where did you learn how to do that?” her grandfather demanded.

 

She shrugged, taking the first aid supplies from her mother. “I told you, I'm the reincarnation of a miko. Kaede has been…” she trailed off, realizing what she almost said.

 

`Kaede's dead, Kagome. Remember? She's not training you anymore. She was killed in the attack—she's gone.'

 

“Kagome?”

 

Distracted by her thoughts, her mother's voice pulled her from her reverie and back to the present. “Kaede h-had been training me these past years,” she managed to choke out. “She's gone; h-he killed her. Villagers…gone…w-well.”

 

“Kagome, you aren't making any sense,” Mama said, pulling Kagome into a soothing embrace. “What's going on, exactly?”

 

Until that moment she hadn't realized the burning wetness rolling down her cheeks were tears, hadn't realized how tense, how frightened she was. Being in her mother's arms had a cathartic effect, as if she was a child in need of comforting from a nightmare. Slowly, she pulled away from her mother's hold, wiping the tears from her face.

 

`You can't wake up from this, Kagome. It's not a silly nightmare that will be gone come morning. InuYasha left them in your protection; you can't let them down.'

 

“I don't know how, but Naraku sent these creatures through the well,” she explained, her voice weary, strained from emotions. “H-he tricked us, got us out of the village. By the time we realized it was a trap, he'd already started his attack. K-kaede—she's gone. So many of the villagers just died to protect something they had no involvement in. We couldn't even stay to help, I don't know what we'll find when we go back. Our friends…we just left them there to take care of it on their own. The well…all to get through my well.”

 

Sometime during the brief explanation, Grandpa had taken her hand in his own, offered her some of his own strength. Staring at the hands, linked as they were, Kagome suddenly realized how self-centered she sounded. Sitting there, wanting comfort from her mother and grandfather wouldn't get rid of the youkai. It wouldn't put out the fire, save her brother or repair the shrine. Giving an appreciative squeeze before freeing her hand from his grasp, she needed to refocus her attention on what was important at that moment.

 

Quickly applying ointment to Grandpa's injury, she kept her senses open for any movement in the area. In the distance, she could discern the wail of sirens and realized the fire department was on its way. Frantically searching the visible remains of the house for any sign of the hanyou, there were too many youkai milling around the grounds for her to handle alone before the authorities arrived. Tearing off the gauze as she finished wrapping Grandpa's leg, she grabbed her bow and got to her feet.

 

`Come on, InuYasha. Get Souta and hurry out here to help me.' Pulling another arrow from the quiver, she aimed at a youkai that lurked around the tree that used to stand outside her window. Firing, only one thought ran through her head, consumed her attention.

 

`I refuse to let Naraku destroy my life, too.'

 

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

 

`This isn't working,' she thought, grabbing the band of leather as Hiraikotsu returned to her. Hefting the weapon over her shoulder, Sango assessed the situation, looking for an opening that would do the most damage. Problem was; she wasn't finding that gap anywhere. There were too many youkai, and she didn't have enough room to get a decent release with Hiraikotsu.

 

Her feet spread shoulder width apart as she eyed the youkai—she waited. Engrossed in battle, she didn't have time to see how the others that fought alongside her fared. Every so often, she braved a glance at Miroku, making sure he was safe as he protected the well. Ofuda out, his only weapon left as he'd slammed the end of his shakujo into the ground to hold the barrier, he'd gotten every youkai that managed to get past her—so far.

 

`Finally,' she thought, pulling every ounce of her strength as she heaved Hiraikotsu over her shoulder. It soared after Shippou's foxfire, a technique that over the past year had morphed into an image of a kitsune, before bypassing his attack and destroying a large amount of youkai directly behind it. The dual attack worked side by side taking out the largest amount they could manage in the shortest time. Any youkai Shippou's attack didn't annihilate, Hiraikotsu usually managed to get on the way back to Sango.

 

This strategy would only hold off the youkai; it wouldn't help defeat them. There were too many of them, and not enough humans left to fight. Her goal had changed from conquering them to keeping them away from the well. She'd seen several go through the well before either InuYasha or Kagome had been there to follow. Youkai didn't belong in Kagome's time, and she refused to be the one to let any of them through. She was a trained taijiya—the only one left. With Shippou's help, she could do this.

 

Watching the weapon on its return, she unsheathed her katana as Hiraikotsu missed three of the youkai. Ignoring the boomerang as it clattered to the ground nearby, Sango lunged at the first youkai, running it through with her blade. Twisting the hilt slightly before changing direction with the strike, she dropped down to one knee as an explosion of youkai entrails confirmed that she'd successfully sliced through her opponent.

 

From the corner of her eye, Sango watched as Shippou dove for another of the stray youkai, sinking his fangs into its tail. Digging his claws into the creature as it howled, the kitsune forcefully dragged it to the ground before ripping it apart with his paws. Seconds later, youkai remains covered the ground— the remnants of Shippou's kill.

 

`Two down, one to go,' Sango thought, pushing herself back to her feet as she scanned the battlefield for the stray youkai. They needed to dispose of it quickly; the main swarm of youkai was closer than when they'd attacked the mass moments ago.

 

“Sango!”

 

Turning at Miroku's cry, lightening hot pain laced through her shoulder as she stumbled to the ground from the impact. She'd found the stray youkai, or rather it had found her first. At the last second she'd stabbed through it's midsection with her katana, but hadn't been able to protect herself fast enough. Holding her right arm against her stomach, she cringed as hot sticky liquid slowly dripped down her arm. Switching the hilt to her left hand, she pulled the sword out of the youkai before slamming the end of the blade into the ground to help push herself to her feet.

 

`This isn't good,' she thought, watching Shippou frantically releasing foxfire in small ineffective attacks, wounding his prey but not killing them. Sango realized then, there were only three still battling. Only the three of them left protecting the well. Without her throwing arm, she wouldn't be much help—she couldn't wield her sword with her left. Miroku couldn't use his strongest weapon at all with the saimyoshou lingering amid the youkai. The only one strong enough to fight was Shippou, and although he'd gotten quite strong in the past couple of years, he was still just a kid.

 

The gentle clank of prayer beads hitting each other pulled her from her reverie, eyes widening she turned and watched as Miroku removed the rosary and released the kazaana. Gripping his right wrist with his left hand, he held his ground as the youkai fought against the curse.

 

`I should have known,' she thought, shaking her head in frustration at the monk. Slamming her katana in its scabbard as she ran, approaching Miroku from the side to avoid the wind. Grabbing the back of his hand, she knocked him down as she yanked the rosary from his left hand. “Houshi-sama, that's not your job,” she growled, wincing in pain as she rewrapped the kazaana. Too determined to stop him, she'd discarded the fact that she'd injured her shoulder. “Get in the barrier.”

 

“What?”

 

“Get in the barrier, now.”

 

“But, Sango--”

 

“You have one job,” she said, rolling off him and struggling to her feet. “You need to protect the well. Don't be stupid and think that you can save us by taking on the saimyoshou poison. All that will do is prevent you from holding up the barrier. If it goes down, InuYasha and Kagome don't stand a chance. They need you more than Shippou and I right now.”

 

“Sango, you're injured!” he argued, as she pushed him back toward the well--shoving him into the barrier. “You won't survive, you can't do this.”

 

“I'll be doing what I needed to do,” she gave him a sad smile. “I was born a taijiya—and I'll die one. Defeating Naraku might not be my destiny, but I know whose it is. They are the important ones, Houshi-sama.”

 

Slowly turning away from the monk, Sango watched as Shippou fought the mass of youkai near him. Seven on one, he didn't stand a chance against them—but he stood strong and fought with determination, just as he'd been taught. Yanking her katana out of her scabbard, Sango held her head high and walked into the midst of the battle.

 

`I am taijiya; this is my destiny. I will fight with honor; I will die with honor.'

 

Pulling her right arm as close to her side as she could get it to go, she gripped the sword in her left hand. The unfamiliar grip made her usual confidence falter a little as she quickly found herself surrounded by youkai. Determined to go down with honor, and a fight, Sango slashed through the abdomen of one before turning and slicing off the head of another.

 

“Fuujin no Mai!”

 

The urge to drop to the ground, sobbing, overwhelmed the taijiya. If she hadn't been fighting four youkai at the time, she would have. The wind sped up around her, rushed past her, seemingly in all places at once as if it had a life of its own. Hope swelled in her chest, with a rush of strength she slammed the katana through a youkai's midsection before turning to slice through a second. Moments later, everything was silent except for the sound of a pair of bare feet as they touched the ground.

 

Their unlikely savior had arrived.

 

“That stench is everywhere,” the feminine voice snorted behind her. “What do you think he wants with a stupid well?”

 

Sango opened her mouth to answer, but another voice interrupted her. “It is covered with the scent of the half-breed and his wench, as well. It is none of our concern.”

 

Shippou stared at the new arrivals, looking confused about what to think about their sudden appearance. Sango finally gave into the urge, and dropped to the ground in an exhausted heap. Thankful to be alive, she was content to watch as Miroku approached them. Haggard and worn, he looked just like she felt, which almost made her feel sorry for him. He gave her a grateful smile before sinking down to inspect her shoulder.

 

“InuYasha and Kagome, eh?” the female murmured, slowly making her way to the well. “Something of interest to your brother and Naraku...I think it is our concern.”

 

“Kagura…”

 

“You can't sulk every time your brother beats us someplace,” Kagura growled over her shoulder.

 

“He did not beat us; he lives here,” Sesshoumaru replied, glaring as Kagura blatantly ignored his opinion. Only a few moments later, he too made his way to the barrier.

 

'I don't understand them,' she thought, watching as the rest of Sesshoumaru's traveling companions emerged from the forest.

 

"People think that we are an interesting group," Miroku commented, tearing a strip of fabric off the bottom his robe.

 

Sango looked over her shoulder at him, smiling as he pulled ointment from her shoulder pad for her injury. "I don't know, I think they win hands down. Four full youkai and a human girl? No contest."

 

"You think?" Miroku chuckled, wrapping her shoulder in the fabric. "Two full youkai, a taijiya, a monk, a hanyou and a girl from the future? Sango dear, there is no comparison for us."

 

"True..." she sighed, leaning back against him as soon as he finished tying the bandage.

 

'We may be different, but there's no place I'd rather be.'

 

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

 

 

Holding the sleeve of his fire rat over his face to block out the smoke, InuYasha entered the blaze. His senses dulled from the scent of burning wood, it took him a few moments to locate Souta in the debris. `You're one lucky kid,' he thought, heading toward what should have been the kitchen.

 

One of the only rooms unaffected by the flames, it didn't take long to find the kid hiding in the corner. “Inu-nii-chan!” Souta yelled, eyes wide with surprise. “I knew you would save me.”

 

`What?' InuYasha almost tripped from the shock of Souta's announcement, wondering where the confidence came from. “Are you stupid, kid? Why didn't you get out?”

 

“Buyo, I can't find Buyo,” Souta replied, “We can't just leave him here; he won't get out on his own.”

 

`Buyo?' Kagome's mom, Kagome's Grandpa, and Souta—he hadn't missed anyone in the family. He knew he hadn't, “Buyo…Who's Buyo?”

 

“The cat!”

 

`The…cat…' InuYasha sighed, suddenly remembering the stupid fat cat Kagome had. Why Souta would be concerned about it enough to not leave the house, he couldn't understand. “Where's it at?”

 

“I don't know; I couldn't find him.”

 

“Stay here. I'll be right back with your stupid cat,” InuYasha growled, pulling off his fire rat haori. Handing the shirt to Souta, he instructed, “Keep that on. It'll protect you from the fire.”

 

“Don't you need it?” Souta asked as he pushed his arms into the sleeves.

 

“Nah, I'll be fine without it. I'm not made like you, remember?” he answered, turning away from the boy—following the scent of the cat.

 

It didn't take long to track its location. Within moments, he found himself standing in front of the closet in the foyer. There were several burning logs between him and the door, hanyou or not, getting rid of them would be painful—if only for a day. `Keh, this so isn't worth it,' he thought, grabbing the first smoldering piece of timber with his left hand.

 

At first InuYasha couldn't tell if it was alive or not, when he opened the closet, but Buyo hadn't been pleased with the disturbance in his nap and gave the hanyou a glare. “You've got to be kidding me! The brat's all worried about you and what are you doing? Taking a fucking nap!”

 

Buyo yawned and laid his head on his paws, ignoring the hanyou.

 

InuYasha growled, grasping the cat by the scruff of the neck, “I should leave your ass here, but Kagome would get pissed at me.” Buyo hissed as InuYasha picked him up and headed back to Souta.

 

As soon as he reached the kid, he dropped the cat in Souta's lap. “There, let's get you outta here.” InuYasha knelt down to let Souta climb on his back. The kid held tight to Buyo, even as his coughing from the smoke became uncontrollable. InuYasha moved as quick as he could, wanting to get Souta out of the house as quickly as he could. Moments later, he broke free from the shrine and made his way toward Goshinboku.

 

“Is that K-kagome?” Souta managed to cough out.

 

InuYasha paused, taking the opportunity to do something he rarely did—watch Kagome fight. Her spiritual energy shone, determination lit her gaze as she released an arrow. Her aim was true; she hit her target dead on—purifying it. “Yep,” he replied, taking off again. He couldn't help thinking that no matter how graceful she looked fighting, he preferred protecting her.

 

“Wow, Kagome, t-that's so cool!” Souta wheezed, as he climbed off InuYasha, dropping Buyo to the ground.

 

“Oi, put that thing away before you hurt someone!” InuYasha yelled, grabbing the arrow from her.

 

She stared at her empty hand a moment, before lifting her gaze to meet his, narrowing her eyes. “Then, do something about them!” she growled, lifting her arm to indicate the youkai. “The authorities will be here any second; I can't have youkai running around when the fire department gets here.”

 

“Keh, no problem,” he scoffed, yanking Tetsusaiga from its sheath.

 

“No! You can't use that out here,” she cried, “What are you thinking?”

 

“I'm thinking that you told me to get rid of them.”

 

“Not like that; just use your claws,” she replied.

 

“Seconds, wench, seconds!”

 

“You can do seconds with your claws, there's only about twelve of them.”

 

He looked down at her as she smiled at him. `Damn it…,' he thought, putting the sword away. “Fine, I can do seconds with claws…” he sighed, taking off after the nearest one, wondering why her faith made him feel like he could do anything.

 

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

 

 

A/N

Yes, I know that Kagura is dead.

Yes, I like to live in denial…really…

I have no problems discarding canon events.

It is not a pet peeve of mine.

Really…I love when people do that.

 

Walks away giggling

 

 

I do not own InuYasha or the characters affiliated with the Manga and Anime. They are the property of Rumiko Takahashi…I am just `borrowing' them for my own nefarious deeds. I own nothing, suing me won't help anyone.

Sari-15