Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kurama, Sesshoumaru's General! ❯ Shadowy Demons ( Chapter 9 )

Sesshoumaru stood by his window, looking out into the forest for any sign of Kurama and his small army. He'd received a message 2 days prior, and was expecting them to arrive shortly. A count of dead and injured men had also come with the message, and to say the least, Sesshoumaru was surprised that Kurama had managed to keep so many of them alive with whatever strategy he came up with.

Seeing no movement in the forest, Sesshoumaru left the window. During his thoughts, not a single emotion had formed on his face. He was forever known as the stoic Western Lord.

"SESSHOUMARU-SAMA!!" Jaken yelled in his high-pitched voice, knocking on Sesshoumaru's door. "A scout has spotted your army! They should be arriving within hours!"

Sesshoumaru opened his door to a panting Jaken, who tried to calm his breathing to be presentable. "I see," Sesshoumaru said tonelessly, heading for his study. "When they arrive, tell Kurama to some see me. The rest of the army I want to rest and those who were severely injured to visit the healers. Is that understood, Jaken?"

Jaken gulped at the cold tone. "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," he squeaked out, scurrying off to fulfill his lord's orders.

oOo

Kurama smiled when he spotted parts of Sesshoumaru's castle through the trees. The trek back had been tiring, and Kaze's arm needed to be looked at, even with Kurama's bandages and herbs on it. There were also a few others that needed to be looked at. One youkai had a broken arm that needed to be properly realigned and splinted, because Kurama couldn't operate with his plants and still pretend he's human. That had been a problem, quite often. It would probably be simpler if he just revealed himself… but then it might be harder to get closer to this `shikon no tama' that could possibly get him home.

"Kurama-sama!" a squeaky voice called, surprising Kurama out of his thoughts.

Had he just been addressed with the honorific `sama' attached to his name? Since when did ANYONE give him that much respect?

"Kurama-sama!" the squeaky voice called again.

Kurama looked around and spotted no one. Soon, he felt a tug on his pants, and looked down into the eyes of a small toad youkai… a very ugly one at that. "Yes?" Kurama asked the creature.

"Sesshoumaru-sama requests your presence immediately in his study. Do you need me to take you there?" Jaken asked.

Kurama couldn't help but smile. "No, I don't need to be taken there. Thank you for the offer, however," he said. Turning to his army, he issued an order, "To all of those who were injured during the battle and have not yet healed, regardless of the severity of your wounds, visit the healers immediately. If you do not, I will know." A sharp edge was in Kurama's eyes as he looked over the few wounded. "As for the rest of you, rest up unless given further orders. Dismissed!"

The small army immediately broke up to do their thing. Some took their horses to stable boys or girls to get taken care of, while others went straight to the healers or to their homes.

Kurama made his way down the hallway of the western-styled palace with light feet. He quickly arrived at Sesshoumaru's study and knocked gently on the door. After a moment of silence, a voice spoke, "Enter."

Opening the door, Kurama smiled slightly at the sight of Sesshoumaru. "You summoned me?" he asked with amusement colouring his voice.

Sesshoumaru looked up from his desk. His lips turned up the slightest bit at the sight of Kurama. "I have read your report. Is there anything you wish to add?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Kurama shook his head and was quickly dismissed. Sesshoumaru obviously had important things to attend to. Sighing slightly, Kurama made his way his and Sesshoumaru's rooms. Gathering up a clean set of clothes, he made his way to Sesshoumaru's private hot springs. Cleaning up quickly and soaking for a time afterwards, Kurama thought over the battle. What in the world was the Northern Lord trying to do? Why did he attack the Western Lands?

Shaking his head, Kurama climbed out of the warm water. He just wanted to relax after such a tiring week. Drying off and dressing, Kurama wondered what he was to do next. Sparing it little thought, he decided to go back to the library and read up some more on the Shikon no Tama. After all, if her were to find it to take him home, he'd have to know where to look.

oOo

Time passed rather slowly the next couple of months. The Northern Lord was rather silent, and Sesshoumaru was gathering more warriors to fight for him. Word of the Shikon no Tama residing with a miko named Kikyou reached Kurama's ears after a time, but he was unable to search for it because of his duties as general.

However, Kurama found himself not wanting to go back after a time. His relationship with Sesshoumaru bloomed rather nicely, in his opinion, and the two of them had bonded for eternity. Sesshoumaru was still unaware of Kurama's `condition', however…

It was discovered soon after their bonding that a hanyou named Naraku had joined forces with the Northern Lord after a failed attempt of stealing the Shikon no Tama. This caused more trouble for Sesshoumaru and Kurama… And because of Naraku's more devious mind, it wasn't long before an assassination was attempted…

oOo

Kurama sighed softly as he restrained himself from picking at his food, as it was quite rude. The day had been long and tiring, and Sesshoumaru had succeeded in making him hate him. Not only had they been up since before dawn, Sesshoumaru had made them practice a certain sword movement for hours straight!! It had been a hard one too… Feeling an eyebrow twitch, Kurama sighed again and excused himself from the table. He found himself wandering the gardens and breathing in the fresh air. Sitting down on a bench, Kurama sighed slightly and relaxed in the afternoon breeze.

A bush rustled, but before Kurama could so much as look in that direction, he felt a knife at his throat. Blinking in shock, he stilled his body and frowned. He couldn't seem to sense the person behind him, and they lacked a scent as well.

"Don't move, little human, and I won't kill you," said a gravely voice in Kurama's ear.

Kurama didn't say anything as the demon took them into the shadows. The next thing he knew, they were in Sesshoumaru's throne room. `A hostage…'

"Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands!" the demon who held a knife to his throat yelled out in his gravelly voice. "If you do not retrieve for me the Shikon no Tama, I will kill your general!!"

`Well, isn't THAT stupid reason to threaten to kill me,' Kurama thought irritably. "Assuming you can kill me, of course," he said monotonously as Sesshoumaru watched the events play out with barely hidden surprise.

The knife tightened at Kurama's throat. "You dare speak, human?!" the demon grated out.

"What kind of demon are you?" Kurama asked curiously. "You have no scent."

The demon froze and all eyes turned to Kurama. The redhead merely smirked before reaching up with quick movements and snatching the demon's hand that held the knife. Exercising his strength, Kurama quickly crushed the hand, grabbed the arm connected to it, and threw it over him. The demon landed in an ungraceful heap on the ground in front of him, and Kurama eyed him coldly.

The demon looked to be made of a solid sort of shadow, with red eyes and a knife the only weapon it seemed to have. This caused Kurama to raise a cool eyebrow as he stepped back, not wishing to reveal anything other than abnormal strength (for a human).

"You…" the demon spoke gratingly, stranding slowly and healing its hand (whatever it was made out of) with a flash of sickly purple light. "I sense something different about you…" it said, raising its hand as if to feel something. "You are not human."

This statement caused several eyes to turn to Kurama, who was watching the shadowy demon intently. "If I am not human, then what am I?" he asked cryptically.

The demon seemed to pause here, as if not knowing what to say. "You are human yet not… and something else yet not… What is the something else?" the demon asked.

Kurama smirked slightly. "And why should I tell you, shadow?"

"I will kill you if you don't," the demon threatened.

"How?" Kurama asked.

The demon paused here. After a short amount of time, it raised its hand and a dark purple dome of energy tried to cover Kurama. Using his inhuman speed, he jumped back and skid across the ground to a halt a ways away from the demon, almost hitting the wall.

The demon followed quickly, to Kurama's surprise. `If I do not unleash my power, this demon will kill me… and with that look of curiosity on Sesshoumaru's face, he wants to find out what the demon was talking about too. Damnit,' Kurama cursed in his mind. Reaching back into his hair, Kurama decided it was best to `come out of the closet' so to speak. Seemingly pulling a rose out of his hair (he had grown it from a seed) he whipped his wrist and transformed it into his trademark weapon: Rose Whip. Slashing out with speed that rivaled Sesshoumaru's, Kurama slashed through the demon twelve times in the space of that instant. It stopped moving, and many eyes watched in shock as the shadow fell apart and splattered to the floor, where it sizzled slightly.

Kurama smiled a charming smile. "Looks like the secret's out, doesn't it?"

I'm sorry to tell all you faithful readers, but writing this story is becoming a chore. I will (hopefully) get this finished, but it won't be up to the same standards as KiN, as I will be (most likely) rushing it a titch. Ciao!