Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ From Friends To Lovers... ❯ Chapter 14: Rescue ( Chapter 14 )

A/n: Okay, this chapter will be longer then usual, but the reason for that is below in the ‘dedications’ and besides, I never said the rescue would be easy did I? Lets just say there were complications. Enjoy!

Dedications: This one goes to Kawaii Craziness, whose birthday was on the 10th. Happy Belated Birthday!

*From Friends To Lovers*

By: Kage Otome (Shadow Maiden)

Chapter 14: Rescue

Kagome’s cornflower blue eyes gleamed with the possibilities this ability entailed. Of course she’d have to be careful about using it, she didn’t want Naraku to know she possessed this ability yet. It must’ve been a side affect from Sesshoumaru claiming her as his sister and heir to the West, unless he should have a child himself...

Astral Projection.

His mother had that ability to astral project herself so she could be in two places at once so to speak. However her ability was a little harder to harness, simply because well she could actually do physical harm while astral projecting. It was different to say the least, something she’d never experienced before. It took some time to get used to. But with the training Sesshoumaru dealt her, she was able to get a hold on it within days. It had been three days since Naraku’s attack and Hiei and Kurama’s capture.

They had to work quickly if they had any intention of executing their plan. They had to do things with calm, calculating intelligence, just one slip up was all it would take for their whole plan to fall apart. They had to work swiftly and carefully. No mistakes. Taking a deep breath, Kagome cleared her mind and imagined being next to Kurama.

Meditate.

Breathe.

Picture--

Kurama.

Project.

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Hiei and Kurama had been mentally discussing possible escape plans, all of which had been shot down each time they ‘tried’. There were just to many things they didn’t know about Naraku and about what type of ‘security’ he had. To go through with any of their plans would’ve been foolish. After all they’d be doing so blind, but if worse came to worst, and they had no choice--it was a risk worth taking.

Neither male expected the flare of light and Kagome appearing before them. She looked a tad disoriented as she shook her head, as if to dispel the dizziness. Kurama blinked, Hiei blinked, Kagome rapidly blinked, and in unison two brows rose in curiosity. Kagome turned to Kurama and Hiei before smiling, it worked. She was there---well, sort of. Glancing around to make sure that no one was present she turned her attention back to the two.

“Kagome?”

“Hello Kurama, Hiei. Sesshoumaru and I---or my body---are on our way to rescue you as we speak. We just need you to cause a big ruckus in about---30 minutes, as a diversion, while we come.” Kagome spoke quickly and quietly, it wouldn’t do to have their plans overheard, because then it could, and probably would backfire in their faces.

“Okay.” Kurama said, nodding.

Kagome paused.

“Be careful.” She said looking at both of them, her gaze lingering over Kurama’s form.

“You too.”

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Ka gome’s eyes opened as her ‘astral self’ returned to her body. Sesshoumaru glanced at his sister as she returned to her body, pausing for a moment to place her on her feet the two began once again racing towards Naraku hideout. They’d be there in about 25 minutes if they were lucky. The stench just keep getting worse the closer they got.

‘It worked, correct?’

Kagome nodded.

‘What will the distraction be?’

They will cause a ruckus. I’m not sure how they plan on doing it, I’m sure we’ll know.

‘Very well.’

Both demons landed gracefully, perched behind a large, dead tree. The miasma had killed it, including every living thing in the nearby vicinity. Kagome hissed in displeasure, she loved nature, and hated seeing it so ruthlessly and carelessly destroyed. That’s why she loved the Sengoku Jidai so much, it was free, fresh and wild. Not like home, sure the scent of blood was always underlying the beautiful scents of the wilds but it could not be helped, many a wars had been fought, especially during these times. But she knew with time the scent of blood would fade, till it was just a memory.

Both took turns peering out from the safety of the shadows. That was one thing they were thankful for, the shadows surrounding the ‘hideaway’ which was really just a manor taken over by Naraku. Not a real hideaway, all they had to do was follow the stench that was Naraku...It was easy---too easy. And that’s what set them on guard. Were they walking into a trap? They didn’t know, but there was a good possibilities that was exactly what it was. Naraku was after all known for his open maliciousness and underhanded tactics.

*CRASH*

Amber and blue clashed, that was there signal. They darted out of the foliage, before entering the manor as easily as they reached the hideaway. Lifting her nose to the air it was easy to catch Kurama’s scent, freshly cut roses and a soft pine, Hiei’s scent was spicy, cinnamon and a deep woodsy scent, with a hint of the iciness of snow. The corridors were easy to navigate, a bad feeling began bubbling up inside of them. Something wasn’t right, it was all to easy.

They saw the two demons guarding a door which they could only assume where Kurama and Hiei were being held, that was where their scent was the strongest. Nodding to Kagome, she quickly disposed of both guards, before they could so much as breathe. They slumped to the ground, a shuriken lodged in their eyes and throat. Kagome had used the “Chinese Fist Method” (1) Now with the door unguarded Kagome peered down the next hallway, before motioning Sesshoumaru forward.

Pushing open the dungeon door they came upon Kurama and Hiei, with lacerations down their chests, it seems the ‘diversion’ cost them. They entered the room with cautious movements, where the hell were the guards? Naraku? Kagura, Kanna? Something was very wrong. Approaching Kurama she was about to remove the chains when he suddenly lashed out at her, dragging clawed hands across her torso. Crying out in surprise she stumbled backwards into Sesshoumaru who caught her before she could fall.

“A shard...” Kagome murmured spotting the shards on both Kurama and Hiei. Hiei had one located on the back of his neck and Kurama on his forehead. The Shards were tainted, no doubt Naraku’s doing. But---’How did he know we were coming?’

“We have to remove the shard.”

Kagome shot him a look.

Glancing at each other, they disappeared in blurs to their ‘targets’, Kagome with a well placed kick to the groin and upper cut to the snarling Hiei’s face stunned him enough so she could snake her arm around his neck and grab the shard. It purified. Sesshoumaru using Kagome’s attack on Hiei to distract Kurama, brought the hilt of Tenseiga down against his temple, rendering the man unconscious. Kagome moved over and carefully removed the shard from his forehead, his features immediately softened.

Picking up Hiei’s body, Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru picked up Kurama’s larger form. Both immediately took off down the hallways they’d come from. Something was amiss, it was all wrong, what happened to the turn off to the entrance/exit? It was just gone. Kagome and Sesshoumaru exchanged odd looks. It was a trap. Now how to get out. After running for three minutes, Kagome lost her patience and with one well placed kick broke through the wooden walls to the outside. Leaping throughout her ‘door’, Sesshoumaru if he had been anyone else would’ve rolled his eyes, but followed none the less. Now it was time for him to take lead.

Neither had expected it, which was probably why it was most effective. Hiei had just been stirring when they caught the sounds of whizzing. Not from the front nor from the back or the side, but from above. Sesshoumaru who had just entered the cover of the tree’s a few miles from Naraku’s ‘home’, turned back in time to see an arrow headed towards Hiei’s prone form. Kagome caught glance of it and quickly dropped to the ground, covering him and taking the arrow through her right shoulder. Another quickly followed, hearing the ‘twang’ of a bowstring, she turned so she lay on her side against Hiei, still covering his unconscious body, she’d attempt to move but the pain was beginning to spread. She took another arrow to her side, under her ribcage. She knew what the archer was aiming at, her spine. If he’d hit her spine...she’d probably be paralyzed.

Sesshoumaru snarled spotting the perpetrator a male archer, with the stench of Naraku dripping off him a new incarnation? He was perched on Kagura’s feather, staring down at them with cruel amusement. Leaping up into the air he slashed at the two with Toukijin, only to be distracted by Kagome’s cry of pain. Snarling he allowed them to escape, Kagome was more important. Seeing the two arrows lodged deeply into her body he picked her up gently, making sure not to jar her too much. She was whispering something softly...

“Miasma...Arrow, coated.”

Dread gripped it’s icy fingers around the demon lords body. Giving Hiei a harsh kick to the ribs to jar the demon awake, he himself tried to keep his bloodlust in check. It wouldn’t do any of them any good for him to go on a rampage. Hiei sat up looking a bit disoriented, but it lasted only for a second before he caught the scent of blood and miasma. Glancing up he saw Kagome, limp and injured in the demon lord’s arm. Leaping up he looked around wearily, before walking over to Kurama’s prone form, and picking up the still unconscious fox. Looking towards the demon lord he found he was already gone.

Hiei took off, one thought running through his head.

‘What happened?’

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Three days.

That’s how long she’d been unconscious.

Sesshoumaru had been unapproachable since their return to Kaede’s village. It was almost as if he blamed them for her injuries. Well...Technically, it kind of was their fault, in a roundabout sort of way--They were fooled, so Kagome and Sesshoumaru came to save them, they were injured making a ‘distraction’, They were rescued and then Kagome was struck down protecting Hiei as they’d been informed. If they hadn’t been so blind and fallen for Naraku’s trap in the first place...But there was no changing the past.

Hiei couldn’t help the guilt that welled up. Even if he wasn’t conscious, he should’ve been, he kept berating himself for being so weak. Especially to be manipulated by Naraku and playing into his little trap. Kurama was just worried and guilty as well. He too had caused her injury, he had smelt her blood on his hands, he may have been controlled, but he was aware of every moment. And it terrified him that he could be controlled so easily. He had come to care for the young inuyoukai. More then he cared to admit. Somewhere along the line he began to feel something. Attraction, there was certainly more then enough of that between the two. But something a little deeper, a friendship. Maybe even something more.

He sighed.

And in the darkness of Kaede’s hut, blue eyes fluttered open.

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A/n: Enjoy It? I hope so! I decided to save the fluff for the next chapter, but I promise you it will definitely be there. So what did you think?

Notes:

1. “Chinese Fist Method”(Chugoku Genho)-
This is a technique of shuriken throwing. The butt end of the blade is placed in the center of the palm, pushing the blade out through the fingers on the throw. The thumb, index, middle and ring fingertips clutch the sides of the blade, which forms a type of guide in which the blade exits. The hand flicks forward to the target, there are two methods of throwing called “positive” and “negative” hands. The hand is either held in a low position with the palm upwards and throws at targets at above horizontal/ held in a high position with the palm downwards throwing at targets below horizontal. The “negative” hand (as used in my story) is regarded as “metsubushi” sight remover attack, it targets the eyes (though not all the time). That path of the blade as it leaves the hand is direct/straight creating a very small profile as it could be seen only from in front of the tip.