InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Words with My Uncle ❯ Electricity ( Chapter 8 )

WARNING: Heed rating and new genre! Lime-ish type content at the end of this chapter.

 

AN: This is the longest chapter yet, clocking in at over 8,000 words. The last one was only about 5,500 words. Phew! You guys inspire me to go to such lengths. Thank you.

 

-Chapter Eight-

-Electricity-

 

“There is only trouble and desire.” - Simple Men

 

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Believe me when I say that Danryokusei's sudden outburst was quite the unexpected phenomenon, to myself just as much as to Kyuichi and all the spectators who showed up that afternoon. After all the commotion simmered down and my cousin awoke with his usual fervor, spouting the nonsensical banter that was commonplace to him, Uncle Inuyasha and I returned to the arena to see if we could recreate the event. Of course, I only agreed to do so once he promised not to let me hurt him.

 

Two days and dozens of unsuccessful attempts later, we struck proverbial gold. My blade thrummed in my grip, feeling almost like an extension of myself. That unique bond would only grow with time, my uncle told me, if I treated Danryokusei with respect and continued to use it well. Between the two of us we deducted rather cleverly that the reason no evidence of the attack had remained was because the pebble-like shards were indeed made of ice, and had melted shortly after hitting the ground. Uncle made me practice the move over and over again until I could perform it at will. The final step, he said, was to give it a name.

 

And so the Hyoushou no Bakuha was born. It was the first of many techniques that my halberd would reveal to me. Soon after came the Hyoumenhoko, and the Moufubuki. Each new attack brought with it a renewed excitement and sense of accomplishment. It also became rather obvious that my specialty would be dealing with the colder elements. Thinking back on it now I find it oddly… fitting. You would too, if you remembered my father's outstanding personality. One word that always arose when describing him was `cold'.

 

In any case, the discovery of my blade's abilities, if anything, only served to immensely increase the amount of time I spent training. I was determined to perfect my every move, so much so that Uncle often invited others to join us and help. Hani kept returning, as did Miroku and Shippo. However, the one who showed up more than anyone else was none other than Kyuichi, who decided if he couldn't beat me he would just learn beside me.

 

You might think that sparring with my cousin would do nothing but increase our rivalry. Surprisingly, this was not the case at all. In fact, it built a respect and trust between us that I don't think we could have reached on our own, being such different people. That is not to say that Kyuichi and I stopped bickering or ever admitted that we could tolerate each other; however, we were able to come to an unspoken understanding of sorts.

 

So by the time I was fourteen and Kyuichi was eleven, we were both rather accomplished and - in all honesty - full of ourselves, in the particular field of dueling, anyway.

 

But once again, I digress. What I'm leading up to here is that for five years my life at the village went on as normal as it could. I trained and learned and visited the castle every so often as promised. I helped my uncle build huts for new residents, picked herbs with Sachiko for the doctor, even received a youkai kitten for my thirteenth birthday that was the grandson of Sango's companion, Kirara. I named him Aisoku, mostly because my mother had always loved felines, but for some reason he grew an affinity for Kyuichi over me and started following him around. Who'd have imagined?

 

Nothing truly interesting or note-worthy came upon me until the tail end of winter - the middle of February - reared its head when I was fifteen. Uncle Inuyasha was visited by a desperate messenger with news from the nearest settlement, and it all spiraled out from there.

 

OooOooOooOooO

 

“Damn it! You always win!”

 

Kotaromaru smirked at his cousin. “Watch it or I'll tell Uncle you've been swearing again.”

 

Glaring, Kyuichi retorted, “You would. Snitch.”

 

“Don't get testy with me just because you aren't smart enough to win a game of shogi.”

 

“I am so smart enough! You must have cheated!”

 

Kotaromaru rolled his amber eyes pointedly. “There you go again, blaming your incompetence on me.”

 

“Why, you-”

 

“Mew!”

 

Both boys looked down at their shogi board to find it was no longer occupied solely by game pieces. A small, furry black neko youkai was sitting comfortably in the middle of it, looking at them expectantly with its wide blue eyes. “Mew?” it reiterated, all four of its white-tipped tails swishing.

 

Kyuichi snorted. “What do you want?”

 

In lieu of answering, the animal stood and rubbed affectionately against his leg. Kotaromaru put a hand over his mouth to hide his smile.

 

“Augh! Get your stupid cat away from me!”

 

“Why should I? He likes you. Right, Aisoku?”

 

“Mew!”

 

“See? Although honestly I can't figure out why he would like you…”

 

“That's it!” Kyuichi growled, “You're dead!”

 

The hanyou sprang over the shogi board at Kotaromaru, arms outstretched and fangs bared with a promise of mayhem. But the tai-youkai just ducked and watching with growing amusement as his cousin soared over his head and rolled over the ground. Kyuichi recovered quickly, getting up and sprinting full speed at the tai-youkai, who was already running at a leisurely pace around the front of his aunt and uncle's hut.

 

Unfortunately, the chase came to an abrupt end when Kotaromaru suffered the embarrassment of colliding foolishly with Inuyasha's backside. He had grown significantly since becoming a teenager, so luckily his face did not meet with anything… unmentionable… but that did not stop a mortified blush from spreading across his skin. Instead of apologizing, however, he simply backed up and stood there, arms crossed and features red, acting for all the world as if he had meant it to happen. Kyuichi had rounded the corner just in time to watch the spectacle and was currently gasping for breath in the grass, clutching his stomach as he heaved with laughter.

 

Inuyasha was not amused. “Watch where the hell you're goin', pup.”

 

“I, uh… We were just-”

 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just don't interrupt me again, got it? I'm talkin' here.”

 

Kotaromaru looked around his uncle to find that there was indeed a guest present. He was a tall, lanky looking fellow whose dress denoted him as a petty guard, and the notion was supported by the sheathed sword on his hip. The one thing that seemed odd to the inu-youkai was that the man was trembling from head to toe, and appeared ready to faint or cry. He hoped that neither would happen.

 

Inuyasha turned back to the sentry and cocked his head to the side. “What were you sayin'?”

 

“My village, sir. It's in t-trouble. We've g-got a terrible youkai p-problem, sir. Nearly h-half the people k-k-killed,” he paused and swallowed heavily, “in one month.”

 

Behind them, Kyuichi had stopped laughing.

 

“I see,” the elder hanyou grunted, his brow furrowing. “You want help, is that it?”

 

“Yes, sir. P-p-please.”

 

Inuyasha nodded. “Wait here,” he commanded, then took off in the direction of Sango and Miroku's hut, where Kotaromaru knew Kagome and Miyami to be having lunch. He followed.

 

“Uncle, are you going to help those people?”

 

“If we can.”

 

The two of them found a merry meal in progress when they entered the hut, but most of the chatter stopped when the diners noticed the serious expression on Inuyasha's face. The only remaining noise came from Senko, who was mumbling happily to himself on the floor.

 

“What is it, Inuyasha?” asked Kagome, instant worry reflected in her eyes.

 

“Youkai trouble in a nearby village.”

 

Miroku stood. “I take it you already made up your mind to go?”

 

The hanyou snorted. “Haven't you?”

 

The monk smiled.

 

“I'll go as well,” said Sango, who was once again able to travel safely.

 

“What about you, wench?” asked Inuyasha, looking at his mate. “You coming?”

 

“Yes, of course,” Kagome replied.

 

The adults all began leaving the room, each headed off to prepare, but Kotaromaru stopped them.

 

“Can I go, too?”

 

He noticed the immediate flicker of protest on his aunt's face and ignored her, looking straight at his uncle. Although he loved Kagome, she tended to treat him like he was still young, at times, and he wanted to prove he wasn't. Inuyasha regarded him carefully, using the same piercing stare he always did when making a big decision. Finally, he jerked his head down once.

 

“But, Inuyasha!”

 

“He's old enough now, Kagome. You can't use that excuse anymore.”

 

The miko's aura seemed to swell; Kotaromaru could feel it building and knew what was coming.

 

“That is beside the point!” she yelled. “It's dangerous and he's our nephew and as his guardians we have the responsibility to keep him safe and-”

 

“Keh! You forgettin' something, wench? By the time you were his age you were runnin' all around the country fightin' tons o' youkai, and you weren't half as prepared as he is!”

 

A brighter shade of red could not be found than the one on the miko's visage then. “I only ended up doing that because you forced me, Inuyasha!”

 

“Well he's askin', and I'm sayin' yes. End of discussion.” The hanyou stomped past his mate and out into the village without a backwards glance.

 

Kotaromaru broke into a smile, simultaneously feeling gratitude for his uncle and slight remorse for his aunt. He didn't like making her angry, but Inuyasha was right. He was ready to do something like this; he had been preparing for years. After all, these lands truly belonged to him, and if there was trouble it was his duty to make sure it was extinguished. A hands-on experience was exactly what he needed.

 

Sango's voice was thick with cajoling as she said to her friend, “It'll be fine, Kagome. He can team up with Yoshio, and they'll cover each other.”

 

Another spark of joy ignited in the tai-youkai's chest. Yoshio was going - but it made sense, as the boy was training to be a taiji-ya like his mother.

 

“Yes,” Miroku added, “And Shippo can keep an eye on the both of them.”

 

Kagome huffed, her signal for, `I'm still angry but I guess you're right and I'm just not willing to admit it yet,' and headed in the same direction Inuyasha had left, the monk and demon slayer in tow.

 

Soaking up his small victory, Kotaromaru did not move for almost a minute. When he finally came to his senses it was with an unpleasant jolt as he realized he could hear more shouting. This time, however, the tones were both distinctly male. He left the hut and followed the yells to the weapons shed.

 

Before him stood Inuyasha and Kyuichi, shoulders squared, ears flattened, standing several feet apart and each one looking fierce.

 

“It's not fair! I want to go too!”

 

“Well you can't!”

 

“I should be allowed! I'm just as strong as he is and-”

 

“You're not old enough, pup. That's it.”

 

“I've been training way longer than him!”

 

“I said, `that's it', now drop it!”

 

“No!” Kyuichi's face was blotchy red; Kotaromaru had never seen him so upset. “I will not! This isn't fair! Every time something happens he always gets to know about it! You never let me do anything!”

 

His expression growing more disgruntled by the second, Inuyasha growled, “I do so. But you're not going. Now shut it.”

 

“You do not!” Kyuichi screamed, and Kotaromaru was astonished to see that his cousin's eyes were glassy and wet. “It's always him! You should just make him your son and then you would have a reason to ignore me!”

 

Inuyasha looked like he had been slapped in the face. The scene had attracted all sorts of spectators and almost all of them had slapped their hands over their mouths. The shaking, distraught young hanyou was breathing heavily but Kotaromaru could scarcely hear the noise over the pounding coming from his chest.

 

“Kyuichi…” His uncle said quietly, the name sounding like a plea and an apology. But the boy had already turned and run through the crowd and out of sight into the forest.

 

After sparing a meaningful glance in Kagome's direction Inuyasha sprinted after him. With his departure the onlookers seemed to melt away, each one of them returning to their daily tasks while whispering under their breath about what had transpired. His family trudged off to their huts to wait but Kotaromaru was rooted to the spot, unable to comprehend how this had come to be.

 

It was true that he had long regarded Inuyasha as the closest thing to a father he would ever have, and he had known for sometime that the hanyou cared for him like a son. But to think that their relationship would come between the actual father and son and not something Kotaromaru had ever considered. Kyuichi was very much like his sire - brash, tough, and hot headed. It was very rare that he did anything blatantly compassionate, like tell his mother he loved her, and he never, ever admitted weakness. For him to reach the point of crying was unheard of, and this phenomenon was what let the tai-youkai know the situation was far beyond serious.

 

It truly had never been his intention to ever usurp Kyuichi as Inuyasha's son. Being without a father himself, Kotaromaru knew the feeling it created, and would never have wished such a circumstance upon anyone, even the insensitive and wild Kyuichi. Considering their personalities, the tai-youkai had always just assumed the reason that Inuyasha and his eldest child never seemed close was because they simply weren't prone to showing it.

 

But now Kotaromaru realized his mistake. He had not taken the feelings of his younger cousin into account, had only been concerned with being close to his uncle because the hanyou was all he had to look to. His smooth brow furrowed in distress. What should he do to fix this? Was there anything he could do? Surely Kyuichi hated him now, and what would Inuyasha think? Would he blame his nephew for the ostracism of his son? Panic began to well in his chest like a storm cloud. If that happened he would just die-

 

“Kotaromaru.”

 

Gasping at the unexpected sound, the inu-youkai whirled around to see, to his complete shock, Inuyasha and Kyuichi standing side by side.

 

“Pack a bag, pup. We're leaving soon,” the older hanyou ordered gruffly; his voice sounded rough but not condescending or angry. And before Kotaromaru could respond he was striding past him and had disappeared into his home.

 

Kyuichi cleared his throat.

 

Kotaromaru found that his body was incredibly reluctant to face the boy. He did not know if he was able to do so. What could he say?

 

As he was frantically searching for an acceptable apology or sentiment, however, he was released of the need to do so, for Kyuichi beat him to it.

 

“I'm sorry.”

 

Kotaromaru's golden eyes widened and he froze again, caught off guard.

 

“I know you aren't trying to steal him from me or anything… And it's not like you have a dad to talk to or anything… So I get why you need him…”

 

The tai-youkai had not really felt the need to cry in quite a while, but suddenly the familiar old feeling came washing back upon him like a rolling wave, and he had to fight to keep the tears from making it past his eyelids. He knew that if Kyuichi kept talking he wouldn't be able to stop them anymore, so he did the only thing he knew would shut his cousin up.

 

He hugged him. Sort of.

 

The one-armed embrace was awkward and stiff for a moment, but it successfully halted Kyuichi's little speech.

 

“Wha…?”

 

Kotaromaru cleared his throat to rid it of the knot that had gathered there. “I… I'm sorry too.”

 

The hanyou blinked, turned red, and then firmly - but gently - pushed Kotaromaru away. “Keh! You don't have to get all sappy about it!”

 

The inu-youkai could not help what slipped out of his mouth then. The moment was too perfect. “Awww! Come on, wittle bitty cousin! We need to start bonding! Hug me!” He lunged for Kyuichi but missed when the other boy scrambled backwards with a look of terror.

 

“Augh! You've been around Miroku too much, you weirdo!”

 

“You know you love me, Kyu!”

 

“Sick! Dad! Get him away from me! Help!”

 

“Come back! I just want a hug!”

 

“Help!”

 

OooOooOooOooO

 

I remember - embarrassingly - chasing my cousin around the village for maybe five minutes before Uncle Inuyasha came outside and stared at both of us like we had gone mad. “Pups…” he muttered, before abruptly going back into the hut.

 

After that we both collapsed in the dirt and laughed until our sides were sore, over everything and nothing all at once. That was the first day I ever really appreciated my cousin for sharing his life, his home, and his family with me. We definitely got along better following that event, although I never dared hug him again, which I'm sure he's grateful for.

 

When we had finished rolling on the ground, I went to prepare a pack for our trip. I came across Hani while doing so, and he immediately insisted upon accompanying us. We two met the rest of our traveling party - Uncle, Aunt Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Yoshio - at Goshinboku. We were also joined by the guard who had delivered the invitation, who would act as our guide to his home.

 

The journey itself was short, no more than half a day of swift walking with a short dinner break incorporated into it. Yoshio, Shippo, and I chatted amicably most of the while, until we came to a small forest that, according to the human guard, meant we were only twenty minutes away from our destination. There, all talking ceased.

 

I know every single one of us could taste the carnage in the air. The atmosphere was thick with it. If you have never been to the scene of a recent or large murder, then you will not be able to comprehend the feeling of strolling into one. Death carries a unique scent all its own, a lingering miasma that clings to flesh and cloth and wind. For a youkai such as myself, it can be smothering. I had never seen battle, had killed nothing bigger than a rabbit running in the underbrush. Not ten steps into the forest and I was already choking on the hideous smog. Beside me, Hani instructed that I lift my arm to my mouth and breathe through the sleeve of my haori. I did, and that small relief allowed me to make it the rest of the way through the trees.

 

I almost wish I had not stepped out on the other side.

 

OooOooOooOooO

 

The small settlement, a tiny farm-based society with perhaps a hundred citizens in it, reeked of blood and youkai. It was evident from the deserted streets and fields that the place was in a siege of high alert. Trembling, nervous guards stood watch, dotted regularly along the border of the houses. One of them spotted their group some dozen yards from the boundary and ran up to them, sword at the ready in case their presence was a trap.

 

The new guard whispered something under his breath to his fellow, who responded in turn, and a second later they were being escorted through the streets to the small castle that was erected in the center of the village. Kotaromaru surveyed his surroundings as he walked, and every so often he caught a glimpse of a terrified face peeking out from the window of a hut.

 

The feeling in the castle was tense, almost as thick as the aura in the forest. It was setting the tai-youkai on edge; he wanted to sink his claws into something - maybe a pillow or a blanket - and tear it apart. Instead he clenched his fists and tried to ignore the frightened stares he was receiving.

 

The village leader met them in his quarters, where tea was served. The man was middle-aged and balding. He looked stressed to his limits, like any bad news at all would shove him off the edge of the precipice he was faltering on.

 

“Please, sit down,” he said when they arrived. “I'm sorry we do not have any food to offer you. What with our current… situation… It has become increasingly difficult to tend the fields.”

 

Miroku bowed his head. “Oh no, sir, do not worry about us. We're quite all right already.”

 

The headman smiled in a strained way. “I am glad. But now I'm afraid we should discuss your purpose here.” His face grew grim. “As I'm sure you're aware, we have a youkai problem.”

 

“No kidding. I could smell the damn bastards all the way here,” declared Inuyasha with a scowl.

 

“Yes, well, you see… A long time ago, this land was home to a terrible youkai lord who called himself the Raimei no Ouja.”

 

`Raimei no Ouja?' thought Kotaromaru. `The Thunder King… I've never heard of him.'

 

“He was a terrible form with the power to call a monstrous storm from out of thin air. All manner of other thunder youkai flocked to him, hoping to earn a place in his quickly growing territory. He and his underlings terrorized the surrounding forests until no creature dared venture through them.

 

“But then, half a century ago, my grandfather, who was a great and powerful general for an influential lord, came to this place and fought with an army against the beast. He killed the Raimei no Ouja and brought its head to his lord, who named him head of this village. It grew into a small but successful community, and we have lived in peace here for decades now. That is, until just last month…”

 

The man's eyes became shadowed with the darkness of an unpleasant memory. “Some of the youkai's followers survived the attack on their hoard. They've regrouped their forces and now they are back for revenge! They have already killed nearly half my people! This… This is why I called upon you. You must help us before we are completely obliterated.”

 

Inuyasha regarded the headman's pleading gaze for a second or two; Kotaromaru hoped he would agree to help. He really didn't want these helpless humans slaughtered anymore, even if they did technically steal their home from someone else. Finally, the hanyou nodded.

 

“Fine. We'll do it. When do these youkai normally make their move?”

 

“At dawn. And thank you!”

 

“Yeah, yeah. At sunrise, eh? Okay. You got somewhere for us to rest till then? An extra room or something?”

 

The village leader looked somewhat perplexed. “Er… My home is not all that spacious…”

 

“There's only eight of us. You can't fit us in one measly room? I definitely don't see any of your villagers doin' it.” Inuyasha snorted, and Kotaromaru was inclined to agree. He suspected the last thing those people wanted to do was house a couple youkai, a hanyou, and their companions in their huts.

 

“This is all you brought?” the man asked, craning his head around as though he expected to see more guests hiding behind them. “I thought, perhaps, you had a bigger force waiting outside…?”

 

“Keh! Why would we do that?”

 

“Maybe you misunderstood me…? These adversaries you will face are dangerous! It was only with a few well trained leagues of men that my own grandfather managed to defeat-”

 

“I understood you just fine. But trust me; we're more than a match for whatever weak youkai are hidin' in those woods.”

 

Their host looked rather doubtful, but Inuyasha had such an arrogant sneer upon his visage that he likely no longer wished to argue. Instead he nodded and instructed one of his servants to show them all to an unused bedroom.

 

After they had settled, laying their sleeping mats down strategically so that they would all fit in the somewhat cramped space, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and Kagome began discussing their duty. The remaining four sat around and listened intently, not wanting to miss a single detail. Ultimately their plan became to have the village fortified as best as could be done very early in the morning, before the moon had even sunk below the horizon. Then the eight of them would wait on the outside of the protection and face the youkai when they came - Kotaromaru and Yoshio staying back a bit with Shippo so they wouldn't have to fight as often, if at all. It was a simple plot and easy to remember; Kotaromaru only hoped it would go off without a hitch and they would be victorious.

 

“We should all lay down for a while before we have to start the preparations,” said Sango, fluffing her pillow.

 

“Yes, we want to be on our toes,” added her husband.

 

“I'll keep watch while you all sleep,” Hani offered. “I'll wake you when the time comes.”

 

“Are you sure?” Kagome cocked her head to the side. “Won't you be tired?”

 

The youkai smiled. “Not at all, Kagome-san. I'm an owl, after all. We are creatures of the night.”

 

Inuyasha nodded. “Right. You do that. Remember to get us up on time.”

 

“Of course.”

 

With that settled, the entire group save for Hani spread out on their mats and attempted to sleep. Kotaromaru was having a hard time of it. He rolled over several times, trying to find a way to lay that would allow him to stretch his legs without kicking Yoshio below him or hitting his head on his aunt above him. He had grown considerably over the years and such a small arrangement did not suit him at all.

 

After a long, frustrating hour, he finally drifted into an uneasy state of unconsciousness that was filled with thunder and tears and shogi boards.

 

OooOooOooOooO

 

It seemed like only a minute had passed before Kotaromaru was being gently prodded awake by his advisor. Sleepily he trudged out of the castle with his family, Danryokusei slung over his shoulder. The moment he stepped outside into the dark, however, he was snapped from his stupor. The late winter air was cool and a big change from the warmth of his mat. The contrast struck him immediately and effectively helped him shake the lingering languor from his bones.

 

The eight of them ordered all the village guards to gather anything and everything they could use to act as a barrier around the homes. The men scurried about and finally returned with logs they had not burned during the colder months, big stones from a nearby stream bed, and other more random items like barrels and wheelbarrows.

 

Kotaromaru was handed five large logs and instructed to start constructing a makeshift fence around the east of the town. He headed in that direction with his load held somewhat awkwardly in his arms. The early morning was quieter than usual; no birds chirped, no crickets sang. All the villagers were fast asleep in their rooms, or at least pretending to be. The crescent moon winked at him from low in the sky. It too was ready to go into hiding.

 

A flash - like captured starlight - caught Kotaromaru's eye, and he looked in the direction it had come from. He caught his breath and nearly dropped all the logs he was carrying.

 

There was a house no more than five yards beside him. It was plain and certainly not noteworthy. From the strange and somewhat daunting contraptions sitting outside of it he guessed perhaps it was the home of some sort of eccentric. But it was not the home itself that had stunned him, no. Rather, it was the girl who stood in its doorway.

 

No. This was not a girl. This was a woman.

 

She was tall for a female, approximately Kotaromaru's height, and thin, but not scrawny. Though she was dressed in heavy winter kimonos the inu-youkai could clearly distinguish the impressive curves she possessed. Her eyes, just barely visible in the twilight and from this distance, were deep and dark, and settled on him.

 

And her hair. It was this which had caught and reflected the light he had seen earlier, no doubt. It was long, barely brushing the top of her thighs, and glossy. Her locks were so black that in the weak rays cast by the moon they appeared blue. This woman, this angel, whoever she might have been, was beautiful.

 

Kotaromaru stared at her, unable to look away. She met his gaze unwaveringly. He wanted to speak, to approach her and ask if maybe she knew what the strange, broiling creature in his gut was, and if she felt it as well. Surely such a feeling was too big for him alone to contain?

 

She shifted on her feet, and a wave of that impossible black hair fell off her shoulder, exposing the creamy white skin of her neck. It looked so smooth that the tai-youkai suspected it might be made of milk. If only he could just taste it…

 

A long, drawn out whine escaped into the air, and with a jolt he realized the noise was coming from him. The woman noticed it as well, and she smiled-

 

“Oi! Pup! What're you just standing around for? We gotta get those things in place before the sun comes up!”

 

Kotaromaru jumped, startled, and promptly let his grip slip from the logs, causing them to tumble to the ground. His cheeks flushed and he grimaced at his uncle. “I, um… Thought I saw something… Strange… In the woods…” His miserable explanation carried off and Inuyasha just shook his head.

 

“I don't sense anything.”

 

“It was, um… A rabbit…”

 

“Whatever. Just pick those things back up and come help me.” The hanyou stomped off with his own set of logs in hand.

 

Kotaromaru waited until his uncle was a decent distance away before whirling around to look at the hut, but his gaze was met with nothing but an empty doorway. The woman was gone. Trying to hide his disappointment, he went about his original task and put her in the back of his mind.

 

An hour later the sun was beginning to break the horizon. The air had warmed and with the help of the guards the fortifications were all completed. According to the captain of the guard the youkai normally attacked from the north, so that is where the eight of them waited.

 

Kotaromaru looked along the border at all of them: Sango, dressed in her taiji-ya gear and wielding the enormous Hiraikotsu. Miroku was next, a handful of ofuda ready in his grip. Inuyasha stood in the middle, Tetsusaiga drawn and chin held high while Kagome and her sacred bow and arrows were prepared to defend them on his right. And all the way at the other end was Hani, who had borrowed one of the village's swords.

 

Next to the inu-youkai was Yoshio, wearing garb similar to his mother's. His weapon, a scythe-like blade attached to a chain that had once belonged to his uncle, was gleaming dangerously in his hands. Shippo was standing in front of them both, a grin on his youthful face. “Just like old times,” he muttered.

 

Another hour passed, and then one more, and nothing had yet to happen that was even remotely out of the ordinary.

 

“Where the hell are these youkai?” Inuyasha growled, stamping his foot impatiently.

 

“They probably want to surprise us,” Sango said, scanning the forest.

 

“Maybe they won't come today,” said Kagome, frowning.

 

“They'd better. We didn't do all this work for nothin'.”

 

“Now, now, Inuyasha, let's just be pa-”

 

But before Miroku could finish placating the hanyou he was cut off by an ear-shattering crack and the accompanying bolt of lightning that struck the ground right in front of him. The thawing dirt flew out into heavy chunks that soared in all directions, nearly rocketing into the monk's head.

 

“Miroku! Are you okay?”

 

“Fine, Sango!” he yelled, jumping backwards.

 

“They're in the trees!” exclaimed Kagome. She was right. Another bolt shot out of the foliage and almost fried Hani, who dodged just in time.

 

“Damn cowards,” snarled Inuyasha. “Get out here and fight us!”

 

A wicked cackle rose from the forest that chilled Kotaromaru to the bone. He could feel the presence of the youkai who was attacking them. It was strong. Only ever so discernable were the auras of their opponent's minions, weaker but nonetheless a threat.

 

“You will regret getting involved with us, hanyou!” the evil voice roared. “We are the Thunder Clan and we answer to no one!”

 

“Keh! Come on out and I'll let you answer to my Tetsusaiga, you hag!”

 

There was a screech - Kotaromaru struggled to stop his hands from discarding his halberd and shielding his ears - and then the trees positively exploded.

 

It was as though an entire thunderstorm had ravaged that small section of the forest. Severed trees were cast into the sky and once Kotaromaru was forced to move or else be crushed under errant branches. Enormous dust clouds loomed over them, impairing their vision. The young tai-youkai put a hand over his mouth and tried not to breathe the stuff in. Around him the sounds of a battle were starting to emerge: the clash of blades, a roar of fury, a scream of pain. Shippo had placed a firm hand on his shoulder - and he assumed one on Yoshio's as well - to hold him in place.

 

But the dust was starting to settle, and Kotaromaru had his sight back. He gasped. Miroku and Sango each had one youkai occupied. Hani was holding off two. Yet another was walking in slow, predatory circles around Kagome, watching her arrow with intense caution. And though these youkai were fearsome enough in their own right, none compared to the giant of a female who was fighting Inuyasha. She was easily ten feet tall, Kotaromaru noted with trepidation. Sparks were flying off her in all directions as she swiped and charged at the hanyou. Once, before the inu-youkai looked away, he saw one of her monstrous hands come down in an arch, missing the chance to crush his uncle by mere inches.

 

There was a tortured howl and it became apparent that Miroku had managed to expel his attacker, but he only had to look forward to one more coming at him. Numerous such youkai waited on the edges of the skirmish, watching for a chance to replace a fallen comrade. Kotaromaru was worried that soon their propriety would run out, or else their patience would, and the beasts would all just swarm their small force at once. And as of yet, none of the Thunder Clan had noticed the other three onlookers present - Kotaromaru, Yoshio, and Shippo were apparently quite safe positioned behind the formidable form of Inuyasha, but the former wondered how long that would last as well.

 

“Wind Scar!”

 

The attack burst forth from the Tetsusaiga like a glowing tidal wave, swallowing everything in its path, including the wailing youkai giantess. Overshooting its mark, the Wind Scar even managed to engulf several other members of the Clan. This, as it was quickly made clear, turned out to be a monumental mistake. The previously watching youkai - those who had not been obliterated - went livid. Thunderclaps that could wake the dead went off in succession like a fatal fireworks show. The youkai surged forward towards Inuyasha, a virtual wall of lightning and hair-splitting cries. Counting a hasty estimate, Kotaromaru realized that his family was outnumbered three to one, at least. Hani was already bowing under the combined weight of five opponents, and Miroku, three. Sango and Kagome sought to eradicate some of them with arrows and the Hiraikotsu but that only did so much to relieve the other side's numbers.

 

Inuyasha no longer had the advantage of the Wind Scar; hitting the youkai would mean hitting his allies. Instead he rushed forward to offer a helping hand to anyone he could reach before a group of attackers took him on themselves.

 

“We have to help!” Kotaromaru heard Yoshio shout. The boy had his eyes trained on the struggles of his parents.

 

But Shippo did not release them. He was scowling, obviously wanting to join the fray, but would not let either of the teenagers do the same. “No. They can handle it for now.”

 

Then there was a scream -

 

And in a second Kotaromaru had wrenched himself from Shippo's grip and was sprinting blindly towards his mentor, ignoring every word the frantic kitsune called after him. Three youkai were surrounding Hani - he had already killed two - and one had been able to rip into his stomach. The wound, gaping and red, looked singed around the edges. The skin there was charred and blistering, and the tai-youkai shuddered when he understood: the youkai had electrocuted Hani from the inside.

 

The owl fell to his knees, hands clutched tight at the injury, making the creatures around him laugh raucously at his plight. One hauled back and kicked the advisor in his tender side, eliciting another yell.

 

Kotaromaru was seeing red. He just could not get to his teacher - his friend - fast enough. Before he knew what he was doing Danryokusei was over his head and being swung down so fast the wind from the blade whistled in his pointed ears. “Hyoushou no Bakuha!”

 

Droves of ice crystals exploded from the halberd and embedded themselves in the flesh of the unsuspecting youkai. They screeched and whirled around, searching for their new opponent, but Kotaromaru was already in the air above them, gaze on fire.

 

“Hyoumenhoko!” he snarled, tightening his hold on Danryokusei when its weight nearly doubled due to the thick icy sheet that had completely covered its blade. His targets heard his vocalization and snapped their heads back to look at him not two seconds before Danryokusei collided with their skulls with a sickening crack. The youkai crumpled, unconscious but alive, and Kotaromaru landed neatly on the ground beside them, breathing erratically.

 

“Kotaromaru!”

 

Kagome was running at him, bow and arrows on her back, face contorted in worry and relief. She snatched him into a warm embrace the minute she reached him. “Oh, thank Kami, you're all right.”

 

Shippo was there too, a mix of emotions on his brow. He looked like he wasn't sure whether to congratulate the tai-youkai or smack him upside the head. In the end he settled on staying quiet and glaring at the boy sternly.

 

“Damn fool pup,” Inuyasha was muttering behind him. “Shoulda left `em to me.”

 

Kotaromaru surveyed the field over his aunt's head. The battle had ended without him noticing, probably due to his fury over Hani's wound.

 

Oh.

 

“Hani!” Once again the inu-youkai was breaking free of an adult's grasp. Miroku and Sango were already at the owl's side, ripping strips of cloth off the advisor's haori and using them to bandage the lesion. Kotaromaru kneeled behind his head and put it gently in his lap.

 

“My… Lord?”

 

Frowning, Kotaromaru met the orange stare of the older youkai. “I'm sorry, Hani. I wasn't quick enough to stop you from getting hurt.”

 

What could almost be described as a chuckle rasped its way out as a response. “It is… my job… to protect you, My Lord.”

 

“Nonetheless…”

 

“Hush. I am honored… that you defended me.”

 

A handsome smile spread over Hani's sweating face, but Kotaromaru could not return the gesture. Instead he knelt there and did not say another word, not even after their group had moved back inside the castle to recover and join the victory celebration. He found that his throat had curiously constricted and would not loosen. He did not swallow a single mouthful of food the whole night.

 

OooOooOooOooO

 

Because of Hani's injury we were forced to stay in the village until he was well enough to travel the short distance home. The time it took for him to heal would probably have been a lot less were it not for the burn damage done to his insides. Suffice to say I did not ask for the details of such a grisly condition and therefore can only tell you that the damage did not lessen enough for us to leave for four days.

 

Most of those days my family spent tearing down the temporary wall we had built, helping the townspeople tend their fields, and picking up the debris from the fight itself. With the rising of the sun came a complete turn-around of the attitudes of most of the villagers, and before we departed the place our packs were bulging with sentiments of thanks.

 

My four days were quite the same; however, it was my nights that differed from the others'. I was restless in the castle at nightfall, and could not sleep no matter how hard I tried. My brain teemed with thoughts of guilt and a nagging curiosity that had somehow survived the trauma of the battle. In the wee hours of dark it whispered to me, “Go to her.”

 

And I did.

 

The first night this thought plagued me I simply up and left the castle, making my way slowly but determinedly walked around to the eastern side of the village. The side where she lived.

 

She was not outside as I expected her to be, although I was never quite sure why I had expected that in the first place. Warily I approached her hut, eyeing the metal contraptions in her yard with unease. They looked like various torture devices made by an imaginative and cruel mind. I hoped they were farming equipment.

 

I will never forget the first time I heard her voice, standing there gaping at the metal shapes with one foot poised to step closer to the house.

 

“How do you do?” she asked casually, making me jump so much I almost left the ground. Not, `who are you?' or, `what are you doing?' or even, `why are you on my property?', but, `how do you do?', as if it was the most natural thing in the world for me to be standing there. As if she had been waiting for me.

 

In reality, it was probably I who was waiting for her.

 

I stammered out an unimpressive, “Fine,” in which I'm sure I stammered more than is healthy for my pride. She smiled and introduced herself.

 

Shirue.

 

I think I replied with something at least resembling my name, and the next thing I knew we were walking side by side out of the village and on the border of the forest.

 

OooOooOooOooO

 

Kotaromaru and Shirue's stroll took them all the way around to the western half of the town and then back again. Surprisingly, after the initial ten minutes, the tai-youkai found himself capable of coherent speech once more. He was, however, reluctant to ask questions or start new discussions lest she find his choices silly and boyish. Instead, he waited patiently for her to inquire upon him. Most of her questions seemed somewhat pointless themselves. She wanted to know if he liked beetles, and whether or not he believed there was a lady in the moon.

 

She also asked him, to his consternation, if he had ever been kissed, just before he left her at her door. Kotaromaru immediately had to beat down a blush at which he only partially succeeded and answered gruffly, “'Course.”

 

Shirue looked disappointed at his lie, but her brown eyes did not lose their sparkle. “Is that so?” The corners of her lips twitched upward. “Lucky girl,” she whispered, then turned and strode gracefully into the hut.

 

Once his heart had started beating in a normal pattern again, Kotaromaru decided he could not yet bear to return to the castle. Instead, he went back to the route they had walked and sat down in the grass. A firefly flitted around him, reminding him of the shimmer in her hair. Visions of the woman filled his mind, each and every one a masterpiece of feminine beauty.

 

`Beautiful' was not a word the tai-youkai used often. He wasn't sure how to define it. His mother had been beautiful. His aunt was beautiful. Someday he suspected Miyami would also be. And yet he did not think of them the way he regarded Shirue. She was simply… magnificent.

 

His golden eyes closed languidly. In the dark he remembered every aspect of her magnificence. The confident lilt of her smile, and the assuredness in her gaze. Those pink, parted lips. The curve of her neck and the pale porcelain skin it put on display.

 

A wandering claw-tipped hand pulled at the knot that secured his hakama and slipped beneath the fabric.

 

Kotaromaru saw images he knew had not transpired during their walk. The silky curtain of her obsidian colored hair, cool and smooth against his burning torso, slid off her slender shoulders in waves. They were pressed impossibly close and yet there was still too much space between them. Her breasts under his fingers were perfect and oh, so tantalizing.

 

His wrist flicked and he shook with the pleasure caused by the friction.

 

That spot, there, just beneath her collarbone begged to be tasted and he obliged it happily. He sucked, nibbled, licked, and kissed that spot until he was sure her skin should be as scalding as his, although it remained cold.

 

His grip tightened a fraction and his pace increased. Breathing became a struggle, and every exhalation was a visible puff of hot air in the night.

 

Her legs, long and powerful, wrapped deliciously around his waist. She was moving against him in steady strokes, driving him insane. He abandoned her throat to draw breath instead, meeting her unreadable brown stare with his own hazy one.

 

The pressure in his abdomen was building rapidly. It would be over soon. His free hand clawed at the semi-soft dirt below him.

 

She reached down and grabbed him there-

 

Kotaromaru's head flung back and he yelled her name brokenly. His hand ceased moving when he came to his high. In the silenced that followed his head cleared, his temperature dropped and he willed his body not to fall backwards.

 

When his strength returned he stood slowly, found a few dead leaves in the grass and cleaned himself up. Over his head the moon was still present. Dawn was not for another couple hours or so.

 

The tai-youkai had yet to grow tired, but he decided it was in his best interests to return to the village before someone - like his Uncle Inuyasha - woke up and went looking for him. He did not exactly relish the idea of the hanyou smelling what he had done. Although to be truthful that would not be half as mortifying as Shirue finding out the same thing. What would she think? Would she be disgusted? Flattered? Or would she think him immature for performing such a task alone? If asked… would she have helped?

 

Kotaromaru did not know which would be more frightening, her refusal to do so or her desire. Surely he wanted her attentions; his actions proved it so, and he would be stupid to deny something so obvious. But if she agreed to… have relations with him, and was then disappointed in his inexperience, how would he handle the shame?

 

He sunk down onto his sleeping mat and asked himself why he was even pondering the idea when he had never entertained notions like those before. A small, fleeting thought furled up in his mind then that had him more concerned than ever. Perhaps this feeling, this new and irrational sensation could only be attributed to one thing: the culprit that made men do foolish things like fight impossible battles and make unattainable promises. The force responsible for the lives of his uncle, aunt, and cousins, but not his own.

 

On and on, until the sun rose and Kagome shook him to get up for breakfast, Kotaromaru lay there and wondered if he was in love.

 

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