Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Kawaridane ❯ First Assault ( Chapter 17 )

AN: Hey everyone. This one took awhile eh? Sorry. Just about finished finals and I finally got around to wrapping this chapter up. Mostly transition tho…

Warnings: This is rated M. There will be language.

I do not own. Sad.

 

Something was digging in her ass. OW. Stupid fucking tree knot giving her a minor enema…

Ayako sighed. She was sooo not a morning person.

She heard a deep rumbling chuckle come from behind her head.

“You're finally awake? Geez I thought I'd have to summon a firing squad to scare you out of your coma.” Hiei said with an infuriating level of mocking in his voice.

“Don't make me hurt you small fry.” Ayako grumbled in response. To which he responded by laughing harder.

Stupid annoying, perky, fire-demons.

He gently pushed her up and hopped down to the forest floor.

“Let's go grumpy. Got a war to get to.” And with a flash of black he was gone.

Gah. Morning. OK. What am I supposed to be doing? Ah…packing. Right.

Ayako dragged herself back to her room to gather her things. Turning to the east she could see the sky lighten. It would be dawn soon and they would leave. The excitement in her began to grow.

She was just about finished packing when Hiei poked his head inside her outer door.

“Still feel like glaring daggers at me?” Hiei asked. Damn he could be cute sometimes.

She smiled too sweetly. “Not as much as before, but you know, I can have my violent tendencies.”

Hiei rolled his eyes. Yeah, no shit.

Ayako chose to ignore the look; she was just feeling normal again. She looked down at all she had gathered. Her med supplies, which were only half necessary as both her and Kagome were exceptional healers without all this junk, but old habits die hard I guess.

She felt a warm body press against her back and arms wrap around her from behind. She sighed and leaned back into Hiei's warmth.

“We're gonna make it through this ok, you know that right?” Hiei's deep voice rumbled through her body. “I won't let them take you from me again.”

Ayako nodded. She knew the depth of Hiei's anger, and her own at being controlled so easily. Once again she cursed her own stupidity. Ayako sighed. There was no use dwelling on that now.

“Enough of this… lets get going Hiei.” Ayako said with a smirk.

Hiei nodded and followed her out the door.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

Genkai stood on the path in front of the compound's main entrance tapping her foot.

Damn kids always take so long to primp. You would think that they would grow out of it but no, life didn't go that way for Genkai.

Her thoughts about her “young” charges were practically transparent to those gathered.

How can some of the most powerful demons and humans in the three worlds take so long to drag their asses out of bed and prepare to leave? She had been far too soft on them. That's it! Once a week their will be field training lasting 4 days. No, possibly five days…

She was dragged out of her thoughts by the arrival of the last three couples. Hiei and Ayako were first and Genkai could see Yusuke, Keiko, Kurama and Shizuru coming as well… Finally we can get going.

“Botan! Would you mind opening that portal now please? Seems like our young beauties have finally graced us with their presence.” Genkai scowled at the young ferry girl, who gulped and turned quickly to perform her task.

Genkai watched as Yusuke and Kurama said their last good byes to the two who were staying behind. She saw the fear in their eyes and swore she'd give her own life to make sure those two boys got home to them again.

She saw the eight young fighters face her and she nodded slightly. Then without a word she leapt through the portal and her small army followed.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

Spring was not so far along in the Northern Makai as it had been in the living world. Snow could still be seen here and there and the air was refreshingly chilled.

Ayako breathed in the forest air and felt absolutely alive. She figured she may feel nostalgic by coming here again but did not know to what extent. She looked over and found Kagome with the same expression on her face. The ghostly leopard spots on their skin seemed to grow more distinct, and Ayako could almost feel her power grow and flex.

“Genkai,” Ayako began and tried her hardest to keep her voice steady, “why do I feel so… different than at home? I've been to the Makai before and it's never felt like this. I feel like I could do anything.”

Genkai grinned at her adopted daughter. “This place is your home. The forest will literally bend to your will. Since you both are the true rulers here, the land is welcoming you back.” Genkai gestured to the forest around them and everyone in the party could almost here the trees cheering. Their branches were swaying and creaking and there wasn't a breath of wind.

“So this is why only nine of us are going to be able to take back the Northern Makai. Kagome and Ayako can literally call on the land to assist us.” Kurama muttered. Ayako saw Hiei glance at Kurama and nod.

That made Yusuke feel a whole lot better. “Well then! Alright Ayako call up that tree army and lets go beat some “hunter” ass eh?”

Everyone giggled. Except Hiei… Hiei doesn't giggle.

“Ayako, Kagome, would you mind calling on this new found power of yours and scout ahead to the first camp of the enemy. I made sure Botan set us down outside the zone of influence so we can take this one step at a time.” Genkai said softly.

The twins nodded and closed their eyes. Ayako wasn't sure what she was supposed to do, but listening seemed like the most logical choice so that's what she did. She listened to the trees.

At first she couldn't feel anything. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. Information was being thrown at her in the form of emotions and sensations. It didn't make any sense to her. She forced herself to calm down. How else did she expect trees to see the world?

Ayako took a deep breath and let the information come at her again. If there was an enemy camp around then they would have cleared trees, using them for shelter and firewood. She could feel the forests anger at those who did not ask before they cut, nor considered the values of their brethren when burning the branches of a cousin. The trees' anger was focused in one direction and she guessed the distance from how many voices between here and there.

Not far.

Ayako opened her eyes and met Kagome's. They sent each other a look that said, `Weird. Yeah I know. Northeast, about 5km.'

While Kagome relayed the information to the rest of the group, Ayako took the time to let the forest in on their plan. It took some getting used to, speaking in a way that they would understand but she got her point across. She showed the trees mental “images” of her companions in terms of sensation and power, while informing them of their need to travel through and seek shelter from the forest. The response she got was unanimously positive. They could take all the dead branches needed for their shelter and fire. A promise was secured to alert either of the girls to any trouble approaching as well.

Getting an entire forest on ones' side was quite the upper hand.

Genkai and Yukina listened to Kagome's description and took off through the branches. Ayako could feel Hiei stiffen at the thought of his baby sister just being here and Ayako turned to face him.

“Believe in her like I once asked you to believe in me… neh?”

Hiei's eyes widened and his lips pressed together in a strained line. He nodded slightly. Ayako sighed.

Everyone waited the extra minute it would take, to give them the head start they needed to analyze the camps defences, and then followed, quickly and silently.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

The trip through the trees saw Hiei anxious as all hell. Sure he promised Ayako nothing bad would happen to her but how the hell was he to keep that promise? He was wrought with insecurities and having Yukina along as a fighter was only adding to the problem.

He thought back to what Ayako had said about believing in her. He sighed. He knew that worrying about them only made them feel incompetent but he couldn't help it. It was his nature to protect what was his. He winced at that thought. She isn't really mine. Neither of them are. Another sigh.

Before they had left this morning Kuwabara had approached him. He knew this time would come since his and Yukina's talk in the gazebo, but somehow he wasn't prepared for what Kuwabara said.

The oaf had impressed him with his quiet confidence and intelligent manner so much that Hiei didn't even have a snide remark to make Kuwabara sweat about. He sighed again. `I'm getting soft.'

He turned slightly and watched Ayako leap through the trees just ahead of him. She really didn't know all the things he would do for her. The extent to which he'd go. Maybe someday he'd show her. After they got through this mess.

Hiei smirked as he sent some of his arousal from watching her through their mark. She almost missed the next branch because of it and he smirked. She could feel her anger coming back through at him, and he chuckled.

`Have to make sure she's worked up. She's a better fighter when she's pissed at me.' He thought as he remembered their desperate fight last December.

His focus returned to the camp ahead and they all masked their spirit energy. They were within range of detection and so their movements automatically became quieter as they flitted through the branches. They landed silently and gathered around Genkai and Yukina, in a particularly large tree at the edge of the enemy camp.

Genkai rattled off instructions in sign language.

Alright kids here's the deal. Approx. 70 enemy targets ranging in power from upper D to upper B. Doesn't mean there isn't an A or two around. Watch your asses.

Nods were seen all around.

Kagome take this tree and take out as many as you can with your bow. Ayako there is a tree similar to this one almost halfway around the other side. Take that. I don't have to tell you to be careful. If you are forced from the tree you'll have to fight with your sword or hand-to-hand, and we will lose cover for the boys. Do your best.

Yukina and I will hover and assist where needed.

The best way to do this is to split the boys into two groups. One supported by Kagome, the other by Ayako. I will let loose the signal once everyone is in position. You'll know it when you see it.

Use your radio head sets only once battle has commenced. Got it?

Nods again.

Any questions?

Everyone was silent.

Right, good luck boys and girls. Let's crack that first bottle of sake when this one's over.

Flashes of white smiles were seen in the early morning light. Silently Ayako took off through the trees to her position. Hiei, Kuwabara and Kurama followed. Yusuke and Inuyasha stayed behind with Kagome.

Hiei didn't wait long. Standing in the shadows beneath Ayako's perch he saw an enemy sentry fly through the air over camp, screaming with a small dagger imbedded in his chest. Genkai was not one for subtlety.

Chuckling to himself, he watched as Ayako began picking the visible guards off one by one.

Not one for battle cries, Hiei leapt on the first demon he saw. Kurama and Kuwabara beside him did the same.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

The battle didn't seem to last very long.

The companions were so wound up about coming here to kick some Karyuudo ass, that this relatively small outpost camp did not know what hit them. Soon only a few remained, surrounded by the companions at the center of camp. Among them, a snivelling C class demon, who appeared to be the highest ranking left alive, declared their surrender.

Wasting little time the demons were bound and gagged and swiftly transported to the nearest village where many of the inhabitants were itching at a chance to get even with their tyrannical leader's men.

Genkai thanked the innkeeper but declined the offer to stay the night recalling the mess that morning getting her children out of bed. No, sleeping in the forest would do them good, and keep them focused as well.

That didn't mean there couldn't be any celebration. Genkai arrived at the camp just in time to see Yusuke dig out the promised bottle of sake and pass it around.

She smiled softly as she watched Yukina telling Hiei about her fights, while Ayako was patching up a particularly wicked gash across her left shoulder blade.

Genkai almost laughed out loud at the look on the fire apparitions face as she recounted her story and waved off his objections. She thought the demon looked like he would burst from frustration.

It was getting on early evening and the bottle had made its rounds. Wood was gathered for the fire and supper was cooking in a large pot suspended over it.

Genkai settled back and contemplated tomorrow. Today went well. Tomorrow was going to be worse. That was just the last outpost. Not too well guarded or supported. According to the innkeeper the next camp they would encounter was the main Southern outpost.

The old master settled her back against the tree and watched as her small army enjoyed themselves. It was good for them now, but she would be all business come morning.