X-stasy

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha.

Chapter 6: Yume

Sesshoumaru was lured by a beautiful song. He walked through the forest until he came to the source. There before him was a sparkling waterfall and there beneath the cascade was a beautiful woman, who was singing. The spray from the waterfall surrounding her like diamonds as the sun caught each droplet with its rays. She was standing on a rock reaching her hands out so that they touched the falling water. Her voice was so surreal Sesshoumaru wondered if it could possibly be real.

Suddenly two gold and crimson-feathered wings sprouted from her back causing Sesshoumaru's breath to hitch in his throat. The wings looked like the burning sun had melted to form them. She sensed a presence and turned to face Sesshoumaru.

Her face was just as beautiful as the rest of her. Large golden eyes, almond shaped, and cat-like. Full of wonder, innocence, and at the same time great knowledge and experience. A beautiful contradiction lay before him to feast his eyes upon. He noted the gentle curves of her face, the beauty mark under her left eye. Her soft, and delicate pink lips...that seemed to beckon to him.

She was there exposed before him, every inch of her wondrous golden flesh. He was drawn to her...he had been for a long time now. Although he never would have admitted it to himself. He found himself walking forward. An unseen force pulling him closer and closer...

"Sesshoumaru," The woman greeted him and outstretched her slender arms towards him.

"Isane," Sesshoumaru murmured in return as he let himself step into her embrace. She rested her head on his chest for a moment savoring the moment. Sesshoumaru feeling braver titled her head to gaze into her eyes, somehow knowing what a privilege it was to finally be able to gaze upon their beauty. Slowly, he began to lower his face towards her. Inch by precarious inch. Time seemed to slow and then their lips touched. It was a gentle kiss...a first kiss.

Isane snaked her arms around Sesshoumaru pulling him closer and he responded by deepening the kiss and tightening his hold about her. His hands began to slid over her dampened skin savoring the feeling of her body. Over her proffered fruit and down to her most treasured pearl, he caressed her. And she let out a small moan from the pleasure he was causing her...

ooooooooooooo

Isane slowly opened her eyes from her daydream. She was lying in bed, a small sheen of swear covering her bare naked form. It was before sunrise but Isane had woken early. She continued to let her hands caress her passion-moistened depths. She could feel something rising within her. She had to bite her lower lip to keep herself from calling out Sesshoumaru's name as she continued to fantasize about him. Soon she was content. A small smile forming on her lips. Isane giggled as she flipped over on her stomach and began to read over what she had written in the journal the day before...

Green 12th moon

He came for me...but Sesshoumaru saved me. I thought...it was him for a moment but then I realized who it really was by the time I got back to the palace...Sesshoumaru's palace. He continues to let me stay here, although I know not why. I had a fun time with the little girl Rin at the hot springs. Try and remember her name Isane! That way the girl won't think you're so scary. She's like Sesshoumaru's adopted daughter...although it makes little sense. Sesshoumaru...he's been nice to you so don't forget that.

Isane started to giggle uncontrollable as she read the line 'but Sesshoumaru saved me...and he's been nice to you so don't forget that.' Over and over again. She couldn't stop this feeling she got every time she thought of Sesshoumaru. And the image it brought to her mind. Sesshoumaru's sword coming down upon Naraku's puppet and finishing the foul creature off. Isane's wrapped her arms around herself as she continued to smile. 'My soul remembers him...I almost remember him. Sesshoumaru...why do I feel this way when I think of you?! Why is it that my heart feels something else for a male besides anger and hate?'

Isane sighed as she rose to get dressed, once again the invisible servants coming to her aid. She sensed that she knew what these beings were and that they posed no threat and so let them go about their business. They once again had her dressed in a new kimono before long. This one was a beautiful purple and gold one, with a flower design, and matching golden obi. Isane barely noticed as she put the Fenikkusu in place. Isane placed her Noh mask upon her face lastly.

Suddenly a chill went down her spine. She knew what that foretold. Rushing over to her basin and pitcher used for washing her face she quickly poured fresh water in the basin. She then ran her hands over the surface of the water and concentrated. The surface began to ripple and shimmer and soon images began to present themselves...

It was a battle.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango's voice rang out as she unleashed her boomerang attack. She was riding Kirara as she did so.

The giant boomerang went spinning through the air until it made contact with the incredibly large demon before them. The demon was one unlike Isane had ever seen at least from what she could remember. It was about five times as large as a normal human being. The creature's bones had emerged from its human flesh in order to serve as a protective armor. The bones had also enlarged themselves to further that purpose, and there were spikes jutting out from the shoulder blades of the powerful demon. The face of the demon looked just like a skull and it had two large horns on either side of its head making it look even more menacing.

The demon simply caught the attack in one of his powerful bone covered hands and snapped her boomerang in twain. "No!" Sango cried distressed. "That's impossible!" The demon then pointed a hand at Sango letting his fingers extend themselves before changing them into what appeared to be darts. He then sent several bone darts hurtling towards Sango. His fingers seemingly being shot off and then they regenerated themselves to form more bone darts. Kirara used her body to shield Sango and the two of them were sent flying to the ground in effect. Kirara being badly injured. The demon began to approach Sango's fallen form and was almost upon her when Miroku stepped in front of her.

Miroku quickly began to unwrap the prayer beads from his wind tunnel. "No!" Sango objected when she saw what he intended.

The monk simply turned to her with a grim smile upon his face, "I can't let anything happen to you Sango. If I did then I'd have nothing left." He turned swiftly to the skull demon and let lose his wind tunnel. "Kazaana!"

The skull demon raised his hand at Miroku and sent a barrage of bone darts hurtling in their direction. These bone darts were simply sucked into Miroku's wind tunnel...

Along with a dozen or so hell wasps.

"Damn it!" Miroku collapsed to the ground as the venom already began to take affect.

"Miroku!" Sango cried coming to his side. Her arms wrapped around him protectively and she could only watch in horror as the skull demon approached them once more. The demon then removed one of the spikes from his shoulder blades and both Sango and Miroku watched in horror as he caused the bone to grow and form a giant spear. He then flung it at the two intending to pierce them together at once.

"Kaze no Kizu!" InuYasha's voice bellowed. He landed in front of Miroku and Sango just in the nick of time. His attack demolishing the giant spear made of bone that the demon had thrown at his two friends. "Sango...how's Miroku?"

"He's pretty bad...if I don't treat him soon..." Sango's eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears.

"Don't worry I'll finish this stupid demon with one attack!" InuYasha boasted in his confident manner.

"But InuYasha if you lose anymore blood...you'll..." Kagome called out across the battlefield. She was already readying another arrow to shoot at the creature.

"Don't worry about me Kagome," InuYasha advised. "Just try not to get in the way!" InuYasha leapt at the demon once more unleashing his more powerful attack. "Bakuryuha!" The strain the attack took upon InuYasha's already wounded body could easily be seen as blood spewed out from his open wounds, some of which still had jagged pieces of what must have been bone darts that had met their marks.

The attack hit the demon causing dirt, rock, and dust to fly up into the air blinding everyone there. "Did we get him?" Kagome questioned hesitantly shielding her eyes from the swirling dust.

The dust cleared only to reveal two glowing red eyes peering back at them, and a fully unharmed skull demon.

"Take this you!" Kagome cried unleashing one of her purifying arrows. The arrow sped through the air, an aura of miko energy surrounding it.

It hit.

To no effect. The demon simply swatted her arrow away like it was a bothersome fly. Enraged it began to approach Kagome, the girl taking a step back...

Isane had seen enough. She quickly ran to the porch of her room and summoned her wings before taking off into the air.

ooooooooooooo

Sesshoumaru awoke with a start. He quickly wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. 'A dream...I wonder.' Sesshoumaru quickly got out of bed and allowed his invisible youkai servants to attend to him before waltzing down the hallway in the direction of Isane's room. She was only a few doors down from his own room. Sesshoumaru swiftly knocked on the door. Once. Twice. That was enough.

Upon entering her room Sesshoumaru growled and clenched his fists. She was gone. "How dare she leave without first getting my permission!" Sesshoumaru was more than angry. He spun around to leave down the hall to notify Jaken that he would be leaving and to watch over Rin. He paused in the hallway however and turned towards a bare wall. He balled up his fist and smashed it into the wall. Pieces of concrete fell to the floor around a nicely sized hole. "That woman!"

oooooooooooooo

"Kagome!" InuYasha yelled as he used his hanyou speed to get between her and the skull demon. "Hey you! You're fighting me remember!" InuYasha declared skidding to a halt. He then tried to lift the Tetsusaiga, which had suddenly become a lot heavier.

Kagome's eyes were as round as saucers. InuYasha couldn't even lift his sword and the demon was almost upon them. She really wished she could be of more use to InuYasha...she suddenly felt as if she was just in his way all the time. It was because of her that he was about to be hurt. It was all her fault. A single tear trickled down Kagome's face at the thought. No wonder he preferred Kikyou to herself. At least Kikyou would have been able to stand up to a demon such as this one. In fact, she probably would have been able to purify it with one mere touch! For not the first time she wished she was someone else.

Kagome shut her eyes as the skull demon's large bone hand came down towards InuYasha with sickening speed. He was going to use his bone darts again, she could feel it. She didn't have to see it. She could envision his skeletal hands stretching out as they became abnormally longer, and then suddenly turning into darts that were unleashed upon her and her friend...her crush...her love. Kagome pressed her eyes together harder as she waited for the inevitable impact...

Which never came.

Kagome cautiously opened one eye and saw that a powerful energy shield protected her and InuYasha. It was a translucent red and orange color that was swirling with energy, almost giving it the appearance of flame. There in front of InuYasha was their savior. Kagome already wanted to hug them for it.

"It seems a fellow woman has need of my help," Isane turned her masked face towards Kagome and let a smile grace the mask's lips. Kagome was caught off guard by the mask but smiled back nevertheless. Then she frowned. 'Fellow woman...did that mean she wasn't going to help InuYasha?!'

Isane quickly unsheathed the Fenikkusu, "I don't plan on saving the males accompanying you. So if you want them alive make sure they don't get in my way." Isane seemed to answer Kagome's unspoken question. She then concentrated on surrounding her sword with elemental fire energy, her sword glowing a deep red reminding Kagome of InuYasha's sword in its force field breaking state. Isane then leapt into the air attacking the skull demon head on.

"Feh, did you hear what she just said," InuYasha grunted as he gave up trying to lift the Tetsusaiga.

"Well don't look a gift horse in the mouth InuYasha," Kagome scolded.

"A wha?" InuYasha wore a confused expression upon his face.

"Oh never mind," Kagome sighed.

Isane's sword clashed with the demon's arm as he raised it to simply block her attack. Isane's eyes widened. Any other youkai would have been cut in half by now. This was a powerful youkai indeed. And its scent it was somehow familiar...

"You foul creature! You reek of him! You are one of Naraku's horrid creations aren't you?! For that I will show you no mercy! Naraku and any of his disgusting extensions shall die by my hand!" Isane declared preparing to attack again.

"Did you hear that InuYasha," Kagome breathed. "She's Naraku's enemy as well."

"I heard her." InuYasha was narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Isane. He never trusted anyone right off the bat.

Once again the demon was able to deflect the blow by shifting his bone armor to shield against Isane's sword attack. This was going to be a lot harder than she had expected. No matter, perhaps her sword just needed more power. Summoning more power from within herself Isane simply attacked again. And again.

Slash. Block. Swish. Block.

It was useless. The youkai bone of the skull demon was impenetrable. It could not be broken by the full force of her Fenikkusu sword, which was truly saying something. Isane leapt back. "Try this on for size male!" Isane's voice was full of venom. Holding her sword out in front of her horizontally she summoned a large fireball and then sent it hurtling towards the skull youkai.

The skull youkai raised his arm to block the attack once more and was surprised when the fireball hit and began to envelope his arm in flames. Flames which soon began to eat away at the bone and then the underlying flesh until his arm was gone.

"Yea! She got 'em!" Kagome exclaimed seeing what had happened. But then to her surprise the arm began to grow back.

"Just as I thought." InuYasha began in a worried tone. "To have his bones actually protruding from his body like that to be used as armor they would have had to pierce his actually flesh, and it would have had to heal. So this youkai not only has great defense with his bone armor but has great regeneration powers as well. This youkai is...simply unbeatable."

"Don't say that," Kagome said shaking her head back and forth, "Please don't save that. This woman she'll save us I just know it!"

Sango and Miroku heard Kagome's words and found themselves hoping for the same thing. Miroku barely being able to keep his eyes open as the poison coursed its way through his body...

"Shit," Isane swore as she watched the accursed demon regenerate. "Well then it's not like I've shone you even a taste of my full power!" But before she could prepare another attack the skull youkai sent a flurry of his bone darts at Isane. Isane quickly rolled out of the way, however, one of the darts managed to pierce her shoulder, blood spurting out.

The skull youkai began to laugh at Isane noticing the wound he had inflicted upon her. "Was that your full power, girl?!" It seemed Isane's form was trembling...from the pain no doubt. Until...

"Ahahahahah!" Isane couldn't contain her laughter any longer. "Oh that tickled! You bad youkai you! Ahahahah!" Isane jumped to her feet and a wide grin formed upon the Noh mask. She then slowly removed the bone spike from her shoulder as if she relished the pain. InuYasha and the others shivered as they watched what would normally have caused much pain seemingly cause great pleasure. Isane then summoned her golden wings and took off into the air. She had to gain an advantage on the imposing demon somehow.

The skull demon was not caught off guard however and simply fired more bone darts at her from both of his hands. This time though Isane was ready for him. She had another attack of her own. Feathers began to shoot in the air towards the skull youkai turning into flaming arrows as they went. They hit several of the intended bone darts turning them instantly to ashes on contact.

Using the feather fire arrows as her defense Isane took this opportunity to form an even larger fireball than before using the Fenikkusu sword as a medium. The fireball hovered in the air before her swirling with power until she sent it at the skull youkai. The fireball hit him straight on igniting half of his body in flames, parts of his body were turning to ashes. It seemed she had struck a mortal blow...

No-he was already regenerating. "Damn it!" Isane cried as she touched back down to the ground. Her breathing was coming in and out in short gasps. She was tired. That last attack of hers had used much of her energy.

A pair of clam golden eyes watched the scene curiously. 'What will you do now, forever child.'

'There must be a way,' Isane was thinking to herself as she watched the skull demon begin to regenerate himself in seconds. She didn't have much time to decide. 'The skull youkai must have some sort of weakness...but what? His body is impenetrable to attacks...the bone is just too strong. And with his regeneration even a fireball at full power had no real effect. It only temporarily hurt him...I can't go on like this much longer either. I have to end this soon, and get it done right.' Isane had no choice but to keep fighting. She had to protect the fellow women that needed her help.

Isane took off into the air once more and prepared to attack the skull youkai once more. He was already fully regenerated. The skull youkai eyes glowed a deep fiery red as they stared at Isane...and then he licked his lips at her. Or at least a shocking purple colored tongue revealed itself to stroke the bottom of his skull-like mouth. Isane was temporarily disgusted by it until...

'I know now what I must do!' Isane had an epiphany. Crossing her fingers she hoped it would work. She summed her fire elemental energy to surround the Fenikkusu until it was throbbing with a glowing red power. The skull youkai was already on the attack pointing his skeletal hands at her and was firing more bone darts at Isane. Her feather fire arrows were able to destroy most of them however...

SPASH.

Blood spurted into the air around Isane in droplets as several bone darts pierced her tender flesh. But Isane just laughed at it. Pain caused her pleasure after all. "Ahahahaha!" The youkai seemed to be unnerved by her laughter and even took a step back. But no matter how much pleasure she received her body was still effected from the loss of blood she was now suffering. She could feel her strength and power leaving her. But she knew what she had to do.

"Is that the best you got?" Isane taunted as blood poured down her trembling form. "That's truly pathetic if so. Naraku is really getting bad at these marionettes he so likes to create. They truly have become nothing but flawed leftovers. What you really are is 'waste products' that Naraku felt he needed to get rid of and you were the result! You can't even cause me proper pain!"

The skull youkai clenched his fists in anger at Isane's insults. "You know nothing girl! Your power is already leaving you and soon I will finish you off-slowly. I will rip you apart limb by limb and make sure I make you scream for me again and-"

During this tirade Isane didn't waste anytime. She was already flying through the air towards the skull demon's open mouth, her sword raised outwards.

SPLURT!

Using her youkai speed she managed to imbed the Fenikkusu into the mouth of the skull youkai. Blood gushing from his mouth. But the skull youkai wasn't through with Isane yet. In fact she was right where he wanted her. He quickly wrapped both of his hands around Isane's body and began to squeeze...

"Ahahahah! Oh that tickles!" Isane laughed at him as she continued to squeeze harder. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the task at hand. Summoning all of her remaining power she sent it into the skull youkai through the mouth. She planned to destroy him from the inside out. Now it was down to a test of wills. Would Isane back out before her body was crushed in the demon's powerful hands, or would she simply let her body be destroyed and take the demon with her in the process. The skull demon was in no position to do anything but keep on squeezing Isane until...

CRACK.

The sound of Isane's bones breaking resonated through the barren battlefield.

"No!" Kagome cried as she watched the woman, who was risking her life to save them, seemingly sacrifice her life to insure the demon's defeat. "Don't do it! There must be another way!"

Isane simply ignored the sound of her bones being smashed to bits in the hands of the skull youkai. Even though every bone in her body was almost broken her body was still alive and that's all Isane cared about since as long as she was living she could use her power against the youkai. And that's exactly what she did. "Take this you horrible monster!" Isane cried as a golden aura began to surround her bruised and battered body. She began to send wave after wave of her fire elemental energy into the demon using the Fenikkusu as a medium.

And suddenly the skull youkai began to glow...something was indeed happening. Using the last of his strength the skull youkai finished Isane off with one final wring of his two hands. Isane's body having reached its limit was engulfed in flames and her ashes fell to the floor at the feet of the still standing skull youkai. He had finally dealt her a mortal blow. But to her credit she had been hard to kill the demon mused. The demon began to laugh thinking he had won until...

"NOOOO!!!" He cried as the fire elemental energy began to eat the demon from the inside out. Starting with his unprotected innards, flesh and organs were soon turned to ashes. And then nothing was left of the demon except an empty bone youkai armor. The bones fell the floor on top of the pile of ashes the skull youkai had been reduced to.

Tears streamed down Kagome's face as she realized the woman had died to save them. "She's really dead." Kagome said softly.

InuYasha put a hand comfortingly on Kagome's shoulder until he sensed something. "Wait Kagome...just wait."

Sango supporting Miroku's prone form came over to InuYasha and Kagome. The wounded Kirara limping close behind them. "What is it?" She asked when she noticed InuYasha's intense gaze fixed on the pile of ashes Isane had been turned into.

"It's that woman...she's not dead. Her yoki I can still sense it." InuYasha tried to explain.

"But that's impossible," Miroku's weak voice sounded.

"Miroku!" Sango warned. "Don't waste your energy in talking."

But all of them couldn't fail to notice the sudden stirring of Isane's ashes. How it began to become wet and then to bubble until it looked like a giant mass of clay. And then how the clay began to form itself into the image of a woman. The clay began to harden and turn white until it suddenly broke away to reveal flesh that was glowing a golden color. A hand was reaching out slowly for her fallen Noh mask and it was swiftly upon her face in seconds. Another hand began to snake around for the Fenikkusu sword.

On weak legs Isane stood before InuYasha and the others. One hand holding the Fenikkusu and another around her chest for the sake of modesty. Kagome, InuYasha, Sango and Miroku could only stare back at her in shock. Until...

"Damn it!" InuYasha suddenly swore causing everyone to jump about a foot in the air. "It's him. Sesshoumaru is here. What the hell could he possibly want? Talk about bad timing."

Sesshoumaru sped through the air so fast they could barely see him before he materialized in front of Isane.

"Wench," Sesshoumaru began ignoring the others. "Playtime is over." He began to approach Isane. She took a step back. That's all InuYasha needed to see. He quickly placed himself in front of Isane, the Tetsusaiga raised before him with renewed vigor.

"Sesshoumaru," InuYasha growled menacingly.

oooooooooooooooooo

Meanwhile at Naraku's secret lair...

Naraku scowled at the image Kana was presenting him in her mirror. "How very unexpected...unexpected indeed. The skull youkai would have been more than sufficient to have defeated the hanyou and his companions but since Isane interfered-" Naraku clenched his fists in anger. "Damn that girl! She really ought to be disciplined. Once I have my hold upon her again and she is under my control I will teach her a great many lessons indeed."

"Sesshoumaru went after her," Kagura stated. She was standing next to Naraku and had also been watching the battle through Kana's mirror curiously.

Naraku leered at the image of Isane in the mirror...her exposed golden-hued flesh. "Of course. Isane is no ordinary woman after all. After her transformation...powerful youkai were always drawn to her power and her femininity. Her beauty and her vulnerability. She became the ideal woman. Innocent yet experienced. Beautiful yet deadly. Weak of the heart yet strong of the flesh. A beautiful contradiction indeed. And she belonged to me. It was no wonder I gained so many enemies. Ah, but it was worth it. And now many of those would-be enemies have become one with my flesh!"

"Are you saying Sesshoumaru himself desires her?" Kagura asked stunned.

"Yes," Naraku grinned, "Although he may never admit it to himself. He is full of that stubborn youkai pride of his. He also has too much honor to act on his more primal instincts and carnal desires. Ah, but that is where you come in my dear."

"What do you mean?"

"You are to gain Sesshoumaru's trust..." Naraku revealed. "And you will do this by helping him with Isane."

"What?! How can that possibly help me win Sesshoumaru?" Kagura argued.

"All in good time, my dear. You will earn his trust by helping him with what he seems to care about most at the moment. And then you'll have him right where we want him. I have a plan that will deliver Isane to me and you Sesshoumaru killing two birds with one stone!"

"I understand." Kagura frowned. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it." 'But I'll do whatever it takes is it mean I'll have Sesshoumaru.' Kagura watched the flames of the fire that was in the hearth of the room they were currently in. Kagura noticed the light caused shadows to dance on the walls including her own and Kana's. That's when she noticed Naraku was missing his...the light from the fire hit him but created no shadow about him. "Naraku what happened to your shadow?"

Naraku simply started to laugh, a low hollow laugh.

"Oh I see," Kagura's deeply painted red lips smiled back at her master.

To be continued...

Japanese translations:

Yume: Dream.