InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Where the Sun Rises ❯ Challenge ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

AN: Wow. Been a while, huh? It took me a bit to figure out where I wanted this to go, and I think I've got it together. I hope you enjoy the chapter below. Review if you can.

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Where The Sun RisesChapter Five: Challenge

"Well, this has to be it," Inuyasha announced wearily as he and Mizuki approached the heavy wooden doors marked by boar statues. "If it's not, then those guards give crappy directions."

"Okay, My Lord. When you are ready to enter, I will announce you," Mizuki declared, holding his head high. "These 'Captains' will know who they will be speaking with!"

"You don't have to do that --"

BANG BANG BANG!

"Open up!" Mizuki yelled as he pounded his fist into the shut doors. "Lord Inuyasha has arrived, and he wishes to speak with you! Open up!"

Inuyasha could only gape at his forwardness. He found it funny that his ferret friend's confidence soared once he was 'promoted', but now his lead official had a presence that commanded attention. Mostly because he was so loud.

The doors slowly began to open, leading the travelers to believe the doors were being pulled from the inside. Inuyasha grabbed the hilt of Tetsusaiga, readying himself for a fight in case someone wasn't too happy with Mizuki making forceful demands of them. It took a while for the swinging barriers to open, and another horse demon stood in the opening. "We've been expecting you," he said, stepping aside and keeping his eyes forward. "Please enter."

Inuyasha entered the room with Mizuki in tow, and stopped a few feet from the edge of a long, wooden dining table. There were at least 20 chairs with full sets of silverware on each side, yet only four were occupied. The four demons looked up from their meal at the intruding hanyou and his tiny ferret companion. The demon at the head of the table, opposite of Inuyasha, stood. Motioning for his guests to take a seat, he said, "please. Sit down and eat with us. I know we have business to discuss, but I don't want you making any decisions on an empty stomach."

Usually not one to turn down food, Inuyasha rounded the table and sat a few places from the nearest boar. Mizuki followed suit and sat next to him. "What do we have to discuss?" Inuyasha asked, eying his dining mates cautiously.

"Well, first let me introduce myself and my fellow Captains," the head demon said, clearing his throat. "I am Kazuki, the one you are sitting next to is Ryoma, across from him is Nenmu, and next to me is Yukito. And what is your name, if I may ask?"

"His name is Lord Inuyasha!" Mizuki cut in, crossing his arms. Looking up at his master for approval, he shrunk into his chair when he was given a less-than-pleased glare. "Sorry."

"Lord Inuyasha," Kazuki repeated as if rolling the name around in his mouth, trying to get a feel of it. "I like it."

"Forget about that," the sharp voice of Ryoma interjected, looking up from his rice and fish. "Get to business."

Kazuki turned to Ryoma and replied, "I'll handle this. You go back to eating." Looking back up at Inuyasha, he continued, "but we do have to get down to business of why you are here."

Shifting in his seat, Inuyasha tried to keep the most neutral face he could. He noticed that Sesshomaru always kept a blank face and everyone took him so seriously. Maybe the same thing would work for him. 'I'll try it.'

"Now, it has been brought to our attention that you have been gaining allegiance from all the demons of the Eastern Lands with vows of protection. But you see, we have been providing protection for them already, way before you got here. Do you understand me so far?"

"I got it," Inuyasha nodded, "but it has also been brought to my attention that you require sacrifices, food and other things from these helpless demons. Your plan is hurting them, not helping them. If anything, I think they may need protection from you."

The other boar Captains paused in their meals to turn and stare at their bold guest, speaking against their practices so freely. Downturned eyebrows were present on each face, obviously not pleased with the hanyou's suggestion. "I think you should hold your tongue before you offend us," Yukito warned, rising to his feet. "You forget where you are. If you continue, you might not make it to the door with a beating heart."

Standing as well, Inuyasha refused to back down. "I didn't come here to fight you. I came here to see if you wanted to ally yourselves with me. But if you want a fight, then I won't turn you down."

"Let's go!"

"HEY!" Kazuki squealed, raising his hooves high into the air. "No one will be fighting in here. It's clear that this can't be solved on civil terms. If we can't come to an agreement, then maybe another method is in order."

"Maybe so," Yukito spat, keeping his eyes locked to Inuyasha's. "I think that we should see what this guy is made of; I wanna see if he can back up what he says."

"You think I can't?" Inuyasha shot back, cracking his knuckles. "Just name what you want. I'm sure I'll put you in your place either way."

Yukito's furious expression morphed into one of mischief. "If we can't go head to head, then maybe we can indirectly... A week from today, come back with as many of your men as you can. Me and the other Captains will bring three fighters each. We will all brawl until one side is victorious. What do you think?"

"I think that's not a bad idea."

"Good," Yukito grinned. Finally returning his stare back to Kazuki, he asked, "what do you think? Is this way better? Our guest agrees with it. Can we do it?"

"Fine. Three fighters for each of us, and as many as Lord Inuyasha wants to bring. I guess that's fair."

Yukito nodded in approval. Looking back at Inuyasha, his malicious smile spread wider. "Better be ready... once the starting bell sounds, I'm coming after you first."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at him, a dark smile of anticipation claiming his mouth. "Good. I can get you out of the way right at the beginning."

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"Kagome's coming back today!" Shippo shrieked in excitement, dancing around the edge of the Bone Eater's Well. "She's been gone for a week; I miss her so much!"

"Me too," Sango replied, smiling at the celebrating kitsune. She sat cross-legged on the grass, folding her traveling yukata into a tight square while watching Shippo prance around. Setting the bundle on the ground, she reached over and petted Kirara on the top of her head. The neko purred and curled into Sango's lap, enjoying the soft scratching behind her ears.

"How long do you think Kagome will stay until she has to go back?" Miroku asked, polishing his staff with a small cloth. He half-expected Sango to ignore him, given the circumstances, but she answered him.

"I don't know." She didn't sound cold nor aloof, but she didn't even bother to look at him. It was a start.

"I hope she gets here soon," Shippo said, sitting on the grass across from Sango. "Maybe she'll have something sweet for me like she did last time!"

"Maybe so," she smiled at him again, softly twisting a lock of his hair around her finger. "I bet she missed you so much, that she will bring you two treats!"

His eyes widened at the thought. "I hope so!"

Miroku could only look on during their exchange. He sat a distance away from them, but not far enough to be excluded from their conversation, though he was. He was placed behind Sango and watched her intensely, hoping she would turn around and say something to him. Though it wasn't likely, he was always one to keep the positives. Maybe if he said something to her...

"Sango," he started, clearing his throat. "You know, I was thinking..."

"What monk?" she snapped, tone suddenly biting cold.

His expression froze into shock. 'Monk? When did she start calling me that?' Miroku wondered, astonished. 'Why didn't she call me by my name?'

He didn't realize how much time had passed until she turned to him, her brown eyes narrowed. "What were you thinking?"

"Uh... nothing," he said, lowering his head. He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she didn't address him by his name. It was so sudden, but apparently he was only a monk to her now, not even a familar one at that. 'I really fucked up,' he thought with a shake of his head. 'She doesn't even want to call me by name anymore. I didn't think she'd get so mad about what I did. I was only trying to get her back... what's wrong with that?'

A cheerful squeal brought him from his thoughts to what was going on. Kagome had just crawled out of the well and given Shippo two lollipops. Currently, she was hugging Sango tight and asking her how everything was. "Everything's fine," Sango told her, pulling away. "I'm glad you're back. Shippo was restless while you were gone."

"I imagine so," the miko laughed, looking over her shoulder at the grinning kitsune. "He's always jumping around!"

"Especially when you're not here," Sango said. "He almost wore me out with his questions about when you were going to return."

Kagome shook her head in amusement, and turned her eyes to the other male besides Shippo. "Hello, Miroku," she smiled, walking over to him. "I assume it was an adventure being here alone with two females and a hyperactive fox. But it looks like you survived."

"Barely," he chuckled to himself.

"Is Kaede home?" Kagome asked Sango, ignoring Miroku's comment.

"Yes, she's there," Sango answered. "Do you need to see her?"

"Yeah. I need to ask her a few questions about some herbs I found."

"Good. Let's go. Come on, Shippo!"

Miroku slowly stood and watched his friends (and former friend) walk off in the direction of Kaede's hut. He still couldn't believe what happened just a second before Kagome arrived. While he didn't want to think about it, it still nagged him at the back of his mind. He wanted to talk to her, explain that he was wrong, but he knew that she would only get mad at him again. 'I'll give her some time to get over all of this,' he decided. 'If I give her some space, maybe she won't be so mad at me anymore. Maybe we can even become friends again. Or at the very least, she'll remember my name.'

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AN: Okay now. Seems like we've got some action here, right? While I was writing this, I got a great idea! And what's even better? It's coming in the next chapter, which I will start writing right after I post this! Oh, the excitement is boiling over... anyway, review if you can, and Chapter Six is coming your way!