Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Two Swords: The Tangled Web ❯ Demons In the Morning ( Chapter 11 )

Okay! Time for the next installment.

Disclaimer: If you haven't figured out that these are not my characters already, you are in serious need of psychiatric counseling.

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Morning was not going as expected for the flustered tanuki, Hatchi. He had wanted to have a leisurely breakfast before continuing his journey with Inuyasha, Kenshin, Sanosuke, Sango, Miroku, Yahiko, and Shippo. He didn't really mind carrying everybody, but he wanted to eat first. Instead he awoke to the sound of fighting. He had quickly scurried behind a tree to join Yahiko and Shippo. The three were all watching intently as the fight raged on. Miroku was spraying demon wards everywhere, and his staff flew around furiously. He was fighting with every ounce of anger he had at himself for letting Sango slip away from him. His attacks were becoming more and more heated. Sango flew above on Kirara. Hiraikotsu whipped through the air over and over. Pieces of the demons fell from the heavens like rain. A stray leg plopped beside Sanosuke, but he didn't notice. He was too busy slicing through everything that came near him. He fought the best way he knew how. Kick. Slash. Punch. Slash. He'd killed so many, yet they kept coming. But their efforts were nothing compared to the two men that first alerted them of the attack. Because of their light slumber, they were awake as soon as the demons neared.

"Wow! He is so fast." Shippo was staring wide-eyed at Kenshin. His body and blade were moving so rapidly that it looked like there were three or four red headed samurais instead of just one.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Style Sau-Sen!" Twenty or thirty demons splayed away from him. His deadly blows having claimed them all.

"So is Inuyasha. And he's very powerful too." Yahiko couldn't stop watching the white haired man as he swung his overly large blade around. The young swordsman couldn't fathom how he could wield such a large weapon. He could never even be able to pick it up, but the hanyou swung it around with one hand.

"Kaze no Kiza!" The signature yellow stripes of energy burst from his sword. He killed nearly a hundred demons with just that one swing. Miroku had talked about that power the first time Yahiko had witnessed it, and there it was again. That intense, overwhelming power. Soon the battle was over. There was not a live demon left besides Shippo and Hatchi. Everyone was panting from exertion. Everyone but Inuyasha. He stood straight up and looked over the trees.

"More are coming." He got into an aggressive stance and the rest of them followed suit. Sanosuke stood near Sango, sword held in front of him. He watched as the distant specks that were demons drew closer.

"How can there be more of them? We killed so many all ready." The hoard of demons must have numbered hundreds, and it was coming steadily closer. When they arrived though, they did not attack directly. They hovered behind a woman with black hair who held on to a fan. Her red eyes made Sanosuke shiver. They were full of an emotion that he could not read. She landed gently when she jumped from a large feather and stared at Inuyasha.

"Kagura!" Kenshin's eyes narrowed when Inuyasha said that name. This was the woman who had taken Kaoru from him. It was her fault he was killing again. It was her fault Kaoru might be in pain. It was she that caused him to go back on his promise to himself, which might hurt Kaoru even more than Naraku ever could.

"Where are Miss Kaoru and Miss Kagome?" His anger surprised the female demon. She didn't even know who this man was. He glared at her with bright yellow eyes that burned with hate. He was gripping his sheathed sword so tightly his knuckles were white.

"Who are you?"

"Where are they?" Inuyasha demanded she give up the answer before letting Kenshin respond to her question. She didn't need to know who he was.

"Naraku has them at his castle." Kenshin took a step closer to her.

"What has he done to them?" A wicked smile played across her face. She could smell the fear in him. She knew it wasn't her that was inspiring it, but the possible pain of the other woman she had stolen. This Miss Kaoru was obviously very important to the short human before her. Kagura liked the feeling of being in control. She was destined to obey every whim of Naraku. She liked having power over someone else.

"Well, last I heard, he was going to remove their souls. Apparently they share one. Isn't that crazy? When their souls leave their bodies, Naraku will be able to give Kikyo her soul back. The part of him that is Onigumo still cries out for her. He wants her to really live again." Inuyasha's face contorted with anger. He couldn't do that to Kagome. That soul was hers now, not Kikyo's. Kenshin's face, however, did not show the anger he felt. It became more steeled as his eyes seared with emotions he didn't show. Yahiko looked at him, frightened.

"Kenshin, what are we going to do?" Kenshin made no move to respond, and Kagura laughed.

"I suggest you run." With that she raised a pointed finger at the group, and demons swarmed from behind her. They were hungry for blood. Everyone began fighting again as she tried to slip away. Sanosuke noticed and yelled to Inuyasha and Kenshin between slashes.

"Go after her. We'll take care of things here." The two men complied, anxious to continue after Kagura. They had to find out where the castle was. As they disappeared from sight, the fight raged on. Sango and Miroku killed with their unorthodox weapons, and Sanosuke swung his sword around. He was no swordsman though, and soon the blade was knocked from his hands. He just kept on fighting. All the three behind the tree could do was gape at him. It was true demons did not get knocked out. They fought until they died. So Sanosuke killed them. His bare, bandaged hands slammed into their spines with such force it broke them in two. Over and over he destroyed them. His hands eventually started to bleed from the armored, scaly backs he was breaking. But he did not stop. He couldn't stop. He wasn't fighting for himself. He was fighting for Kaoru. He was fighting for Kenshin. He could not let his best friend down by not keeping his word. He said he would take care of things and, by God, he would. But it was becoming harder. Strength was fading from him fast. Then he heard a voice behind him. Against the tree where Yahiko, Shippo, and Hatchi were hiding was Miroku. Sango and Kirara stood behind him.

"Sanosuke! Hurry and get behind me." The tall man scrambled to the monk. He had no idea what he was going to do, but he didn't care. His hands were raw from his efforts, and he barely had the force available to kill any more. Miroku stepped in front of them and braced himself.

"Stand back!" He began to remove the rosary from his right wrist.

"But Miroku, the bees!" Sango was genuinely worried. She knew what happened when the poisonous insects entered him. She knew of the devastation to his body. He knew too. But he ignored her cries. He opened his palm.

"Kazanna!" Suddenly, to Sanosuke and Yahiko's amazement, a wind tunnel formed in his hand. It was pulling in all of the demons. Miroku was slowly sliding back because of the force, but remained steadfast. The bees flew right into him and he fell to his knees. He refused to close his hand, though, until all the demons were gone. But when he did, he fell to the ground.

"Miroku!" The little party ran to him and helped him up. He breathed hard but insisted he would be fine. Soon they were back on Hatchi and searching for Inuyasha and Kenshin. Yahiko crawled toward the monk as they flew through the air.

"That's an amazing power you have there, Miroku. You must be really lucky to have such a weapon." The monk opened and closed his fist a few times while staring into the purple cloth. He chuckled lightly because he couldn't think of any thing else to do. Yahiko thought his power was awesome. He didn't understand the curse that came with it. He was surprised when Miroku replied very softly.

"Yeah, real lucky."

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A/N: Alrighty then. Please review and I'll right some more. Thanks again to all those who have reviewed!