InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ 500yrs to wait ❯ chapter 28 ( Chapter 28 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: littleolmee 
inuyasha awaken
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Comedy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.07.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.2K | Visits: 2.1K | Status: Completed
inuyasha awaken
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Comedy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.07.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.2K | Visits: 2.1K | Status: Completed
Blanket disclaimer: I do not claim any rights to Inuyasha or any characters associated with the anime/manga. They are the property of Rumiko Takahahi.
I do claim rights to any orginial characters in this chapter.
A/N: I do appoligize to my readers, I didn't have the intent to take so long on this chapter. I can only say I simply was unable to be satisfied with some of the scenes. That and the authoress amyfushigiyugi has asked that she and I do a story together, so I have been spending time working on it.
"talking"
'thinking'
Kouga tried to control his angry as his body shook with fury, Xipe had some how found out and had used what should have been a happy time for Inuyasha against him. 'That bastard, his twisted everything around. I'll make him pay for his treasonous ways.' He was brought out of his thoughts by Kagome yanking on his arm. Inhaling deeply to rein himself in Kouga look down at her.
"Kouga, what's going on? What was wrong with Inuyasha?" Kagome asked concern clearly showing in her brown eyes.
"It would seem the mutt wasn't as cured from the youkai madness as he thought, it's taking him over again Kagome." Kouga sighed looking back into the woods where Inuyasha and Xipe had disappeared, pulling his arm out of her grasp Kouga crossed them over his chest. "Xipe has found a way to use that against Inuyasha and he used us to do it." He growled knowing he had been used by the conniving creature against his friend.
"Xipe, you said this Xipe was a chupacabra. Is he one of those creatures that killed that thunder bird?" Kagome asked bringing the hand that had held onto Kouga's sleeve to her chest to lay over her heart, she shivered slightly, she had been able to tell that the man that had stood in front of her a moment ago was not what he appeared. 'He gave me the creeps.'
"Yeah...now it seems Xipe has targeted Inuyasha." Kouga replied dropping his arms and clenching his hands in fists at the thought of what could happen. 'Mutt face isn't himself and if the madness has came back....'
Kagome knew what Kouga must be thinking, placing one hand over her mouth as she gasped at the memory of the pictures she had seen when she had been with Inuyasha at Sesshoumaru's the night this whole mess began. Reaching out she grabbed hold of Kouga's long pony tail and yanked. "What are we standing around for? Let's go, we've got to help Inuyasha!"
Kouga pulled his head to the side gaining his hair's release away from the fiesty young women beside him. Kouga smirked as he crouched down for her to climb onto his back. "Right! Let's go Kagome, I'm not as fast as I was but, we'll catch them before any thing can happen, I promise."
Kagome climbed onto Kouga's back piggyback style, grasping hold of his shoulders as his hands came around to hold onto her legs. "Let's go Kouga!" Kagome urged as she tightened her grip on his shoulders. A whirlwind appeared as Kouga took off sprinting into the near by forest in search of his old friend. 'Hold on Inuyasha, were coming.' Kouga thought as he followed Inuyasha and Xipe's trail through the timbers.
Kagome leaned forward laying her head on Kouga's shoulder to speak to him as she use to do when Inuyasha carried her in the past. "Kouga..what did you mean before about the madness taking Inuyasha over again? Inuyasha told me he no longer was suffering from the sickness."
"That's what he told us as well." Kouga replied leaping onto a fallen tree trunk and propelling himself onward. "Inuyasha had said that after he was reunited with you in Japan that he realized that the voice of the madness had left him but, that look he had just now...I'd know those haunted eyes anywhere." Kouga replied shuttering at the memory of Inuyasha at Naraku's defeat.
Kagome stifled a sob as she thought about the look Inuyasha had given her. "He looked like that when he got sick the first time?" Kagome asked just begining to understand what Inuyasha's suffering must have been.
"Yeah...as long as I live that is one thing I'll never forget. The look of absolute pain and loss that showed in his eyes. The dumbass must have thought you had come to be with me instead or something." Kouga remarked jumping over a brier of thorns. Reaching up Kagome couldn't help herself as she walloped him in the back of the head making him miss a step, tripping him up a little before he caught himself and continued his search.
"What the hell was that for?" Kouga asked glancing back perturbed at being smacked. He was meet by Kagome's narrowed angry eyes. "Kouga, don't insult him...if he thinks anything wrong it's your fault." Kagome accused, the seperation and worry she felt finally over shadowing her patients with the wolf. "When are you going to learn about the need for personal space? If you hadn't have been holding on to me..."
"You!Fell! What did you want me to do? Let you go splut on the runway?" Kouga couldn't believe it, 'she's mad at me over all this?' Turning to face away from her again Kouga raised one side of his upper lip exposing his fang on that side. "Damn Kagome don't you even know what a fall like that would have done to you. For a youkai like me or even a hanyou like Inuyasha a fall like that would have been nothing but, for a human...hell, you could have cracked your damn skull open. Is that what you want?" Kouga huffed still trying to track Inuyasha's wanding trail. 'Women!' Kouga thought only to stop dead in his tracks a moment later when the scent of Kagome's tears reached him and heard her snuffing. "Kagome...you ain't crying are ya?" Kouga inquired slowly turning his head to look at her. Kagome had her head down on his shoulder so only the crown of her head showed. "Oh shit, no....don't cry damn it!" Kouga insisted.
"I'm sorry Kouga..I'm just so worried about him. Why doesn't he understand how much I love him?" Kagome asked looking up with puffy doe eyes into Kouga's bright blue ones.
"It's alright Kagome. Maybe it wasn't the best idea for me to be the one who picked you up. I just wanted to be the one who brought you to him." Kouga smiled sadly at her. "Inuyasha and I have been through alot over the years. If it hadn't been for him I know what's left of my pack would never have lived. I just wanted him to be as happy as he wants everyone else to be." Kouga confessed releasing one of her legs to reach back and wipe her tears. "Okay enough crying little girl...don't you have a lost dog you need help finding."
Kagome couldn't help but, smile as she nodded her agreement. "Your right, come on Kouga...let's find him." Kagome replied finding the strength to stead fast her nerves.
Kouga smirked as he took back a hold of her leg and took off hot on Inuyasha's trail. Up ahead Kouga could see the woods opening up, taking a deep whiff he gagged at the smell of sulfur that hung in the air. "Uh... what is that stench?" Kouga complained as they neared the tree line that lead into the meadow where Inuyasha's scent had lead them.
"I don't care what the smell is Kouga just hurry." Kagome urged him. 'Inyasha no baka, you better be alright. How could you forget how much you mean to me?' Kagome wonderd as her mind then reminded her how they had only had less then 48-hours together over a month ago. 'Not really enough time to prove ones love. Well as the kami's are my witness, Inuyasha I'm going to make sure you know how much I love you so you'll never doubt it again.' Kagome swore to herself as they broke through the tree line into the meadow.
Coming to an abrupt stop Kouga hissed at the sight before him as he came through the trees into the meadow. Night had finally fallen, the moon hung in the sky round and full illuminating the meadow. Inuyasha was kneeling before Xipe with his arms out in surrender and his head thrown back exposing his throat. Tetsusaiga, his fang sword laid beside him on the ground, unconcealed and in its dormant state. Kouga attempt to swallow back the bile that had risen into his throat, never in his wildest dreams had Kouga ever believed he would see Inuyasha in such a position before someone like Xipe. Kouga couldn't believe how calmly Inuyasha was sitting, as if this creature from children's nightmares were not standing a meager twelve feet from him.
Xipe was unclothed, that in it self was enough to turn the ookami's stomach but, the fact he was also unconcealed had made the taste of bile rise farther into his mouth. Kouga had never seen a chupacabra unconcealed before and he couldn't help but, feel he could have lived the rest of his life and not seen the disgusting creature in his unconcealed form.
Kouga had mainly been in charge of dealing with the spirit leaders in the Canadian wilderness. It had been Miroku, Sango and Shippou had been the ones to deal with those in the Mexican and South American areas, those were the lands the chupacabra spirits occupied. Then after Kizan's revolute Inuyasha had decreed it illeagal for any spirit in any part of the Americas to go around unconcealed unless in designated areas and of course no chupacabra was allowed to show it's true self in Inuyasha's presence. 'Hell, no chupacabra had the balls to go unconcealed anywhere near Inuyasha since Kizan's attempt on his life.' Kouga thought to himself with pride, remembering the account Shippou had told him as to how Inuyasha had handled Kizan.
Kouga noticed Xipe making to move towards Inuyasha, without so much as a second thought he jumping in between Xipe and Inuyasha growling down at the hideous creature before him. Kouga released his hold on Kagome allowing her to slide down off his back as he took up a protective stance in front of his friends. "Inuyasha...what the fucks wrong with you? Get up you dumbass!" Kouga growled back to his old friend in hopes to reach him, Inuyasha never made a move to acknowledge he had heard Kouga.
"I do not believe your master can hear you wolf. Move aside or I'll be forced to take you as well." Xipe warned backing up a bit, shocked at Kouga's arrival. He had been so immersed in the sight of the dog on his knees before him he had not noticed Kouga had entered the meadow. Xipe had not been planning on having to deal with Kouga also.
"What's wrong Xipe? Are you only able to kill the defenseless? What's next, taking candy from babies?"Kouga insulted stalking forward trying to back the chupacabra away from his friends.
"There are none better then those who sacrific themselves willingly and thanks but, no thanks I'd rather have the baby then the candy." Xipe popped off exposing his fangs to Kouga.
Kouga stoled a glance back at Kagome, she seemed almost afraid to go to Inuyasha. 'Can't blame her, he scared me too.' He thought as he remembered the haunted look Inuyasha gave them. Shaking off the memory Kouga whispered back to Kagome. "Kagome...talk to the baka will ya? I'll keep Mr. Sunshine here busy."
Kagome looked back at Kouga and nodded as she approached Inuyasha and kneeled down with him. "Thanks Kouga." She whispered back to him.
Turning back to face Xipe, Kouga continued to taunt him. "Where's those strong brave chupacabra your always spouting off about? I guess your not one of them huh?" Kouga asked keeping as much distance between himself and the chupacabra lord as he could. Inuyasha had spouted for years during sparing about how to fight the spirits of the Americas. 'Don't let them hellanatsy creatures to close or you won't live to regreat it.' Kouga could still hear Inuyasha's ranting in his mind about fighting chupacabras.
"Why do you protect your master so?" Xipe asked swaying back and forth like a serpent preparing to strike. "You should be helping me instead." Xipe cooed to Kouga opening his arms out to the him. "When I destroy the dog you will no longer be his pet, you will be free to run as wolves should not owned and housebroken like the lap dog Inuyasha is." Xipe promised trying to smile through his deadly fangs.
Kouga growled deeply making his body vibrate with the anger he felt behind it. "I'm no one pet you arsehole! Your as twisted as that grandfather of yours. How about I put you out of our misery?" Kouga asked stretching out his clawed finger and wiggling them suggestively at Xipe. Kouga could feel the power of his Goraishi claw surging through his right hand as it came out of him singing it's high pitch ringing sound to him. "It's been along time since I had anyone's blood to rust my Goraishi. I'm so glad it's going to be you to rust them for me." Kouga almost seductively said as he smirked displaying his power to the chupacabra.
Xipe was shocked at the power the wolf held. He had no idea the loud mouthed assistant had been hiding such power within him. 'Perhaps I should start with an appetizer.' He decided as his mouth watered at the thought of gaining such power for himself. "Shall I lead this dance my dear?" Xipe asked bowing to Kouga and beckon him forward with a wave of his clawed hand.
"I'm going to enjoy this. I'll lead, now do try to keep up my lady." Kouga taunted lunging forward as he swung his right hand down to strike Xipe with Goraishi. Arcs of lighting shot forth but, Xipe was able to dodge to the left turning his body 360 degrees stepping behind the wolf. Xipe's sharp spike quills from his back grazing Kouga's shoulder as he slash out at Kouga with his own razor sharp claws bearly missing him as well. Kouga's eyes widened at the speed the chupacabra exhibited. 'I'm going to have to watch it, he's better then I thought.' Kouga realized jumping back as Xipe crouched down, swinging his claws aimed for his legs.
Kagome had knelt down in front of Inuyasha she hoped that Kouga would be able to take care to the creature behind her until she could talk some sense into him. 'What I wouldn't do for a bow and an arrow right now.' Reaching up to cup his cheek she asked him, "oh Inuyasha what are you doing?" As she gently caressed his face.
Slowly in Inuyasha cloudy pain filled mind he began to register that he could smell Kagome's calming scent, as it overpowered the smell of Xipe. Blinking his eyes he lowered his head and looked down to see her kneeling in front of him. 'Did the gods find pity on me and grant me my wish?' He wondered not sure if to believe it wasn't her ghost, the one who always visited him before. "Kagome?" He asked uncertainly.
Smiling with tears in her eyes Kagome nodded. "Inuyasha why are you just sitting here? Were you going to let that creature try and hurt you?" She asked as her smile faded and more tears found their way down her face.
"Don't cry Kagome, you know I hate it when you cry." Inuyasha moved quickly to wrap her in his arms, afraid she would disappear from him, as he reached up and wiped her tears from her face. "Why are you here?"
Gripping his tee shirt Kagome locked her gaze with his "I came here for you!" She cried out laying her head on his chest. Reaching one hand up to stroke her hair he questioned, "for me? Then why were you with Kouga?" Not looking up from his chest Kagome answered. "I fell Inuyasha, he caught me...in the name of all the kamis why are you always so jealous.." she began to rant but, Inuyasha heard no more as he tried to understand what she was telling him. 'She fell...' part of his own mind registered. 'She lies.' The dark voice of his madness whispered to him. 'NO! Kagome has never lied to me...' Inuyasha insisted to the darkness. 'It's a trick, she left you before and she will again. You will be alone, as you always have.' The dark voice agued. Inuyasha inhaled sharply at the thought of always being alone when memories of Kagome being by his side came to him; times they shared meals together, sat out under the stars and talked, times he carried her on his back, when they made friends with everyone he still held dear, times she refused to leave him even when it wasn't safe. 'I wasn't always alone....an..and I wasn't really alone even after the jewel took Kagome from me, I still had our friends.' Inuyasha's mind insisted. The darkness of his madness also insisted. 'She left us, even after she said she wouldn't.' Inuyasha shook his head. 'It wasn't her idea to leave...I've had enough of this, I've listened to you for too long.'
Inuyasha found his determination to not waste anymore of his life, grabbing hold of Kagome's upper arms and pulled her back to look into her eyes. "Kagome, why did you come to Canada?" Seeing his eyes begining to clear Kagome explained again. "I told you I came for you." Kagome replied determined her self to make him understand. Inuyasha shook his head, "why?" Kagome released her hold on his shirt and stood up. "Look at me Inuyasha." She instructed him taking hold of his chin. "Do you remember before we fought Naraku and mama had made you think I was going to go to more school?" Inuyasha nodded as his mind replayed that time in his life. "I told you then were I wanted to be was by your side, with everything that happened I guess I forgot that I didn't care where we were just as long as I was with you. I'm sorry I forgot but, I'm here now and I'm not leaving, no matter what you or anyone else says."
Inuyasha's eyes widened as he remembered her words from so long ago. Those words had made him feel accepted at the time and had also made him loose his mind when she disappeared. 'You'd stay with me?' His memory whispered the past conversation to him as well as her answer. 'Yes, if you'll let me....by your side is were I belong.' As he replayed the scene in his mind he could almost feel her ghost, the one who had visited him every morning for the past 500-years, wrap it's self around his back to hug him just as Kagome had that night in his memory. Grasping the real Kagome in his embrace Inuyasha pulled her back down and held her close. "You'll stay with me, no matter what your family wants for you?" He asked hoping the answer would stay the same as it had in the past.
Kagome moved her arms up to hug him around the neck. "Yes, because I still have to do what is right not always what my family wants." She answered giving him as chaste kiss. Pulling back from the kiss Inuyasha nodded, "cause you have to do what's right for you." Inuyasha answered searching her brown doe like eyes with his golden amber ones, searching for the truth. Reaching up and tracing the magenta jagged strips that adorn his face she shook her head no. "No, I have to do what is right for us." She corrected giving him a warm smile.
Inuyasha leaned in touching his lips to hers. These words were the same as those she had spoken to him on a night like this one so long ago. A night he worried another thing had come to cause a rift between them and would take her away from him. Then she had promised to be with him, that promise had lead to his misery when she was taken from him and at the same time had given him the will to hold on through time till he could find her again. For a moment the world stood still for them, the centuries he had waited didn't exist. For this moment it was just the two of them and nothing stood between them; no accursed jewel, no unspeakable evil, no duties as Taiyoukai, no family wishes, no expanse of time or distance between them. Just two beings who loved one another with all they were. Pressing her body closer to his Inuyasha open his mouth to deepen the kiss, gently stroking her lips with his as his tongue shyly found its way to hers tasting her.
Kouga bounded off a near by tree rocketing himself back towards Xipe, drawing his Goraishi back Kouga brought down his claws aiming for the chupacabra's head. Before he could connect Xipe had reached behind him and tore two spike quills off his own back, bringing them up and crossing them in front of him over his head blocking the blow. Recoving first Kouga brought his left leg up and delievered a roundhouse kick to Xipe's unprotected side, sending him crashing into the woods. Proud of his work Kouga turned to check on his friends. Kouga's eyebrows lifted up into his bangs as he watched Inuyasha and Kagome kiss. Blushing slightly at the sight of such passion Kouga smirked, "about time you came to your senses and followed your own advise dog turd." Kouga yelled causing the two lovers to break apart.
Turning to scowl at Kouga Inuyasha noticed the glow of red eyes from the depth of the forest behind Kouga, as his eyes widened and he took a breath to warn his friend Xipe made his move and shoot out of the woods fangs bared straight at Kouga's back. Pushing Kagome to the side Inuyasha shot forward reaching out for his friend. "Kouga!"
It was too late though Xipe had seen his chance and had lunged forward with such speed that he was on Kouga's back within moments, his claws sunk deep in his shoulders and his toe claws imbedded into his hips. Kouga howled out in pain and reached back with his right hand that housed his Goraishi trying to dislodge the chupacabra only for the creature to sink his fangs deep in his arm. Releasing his bite Xipe braced his back feet against the wolf's back as Inuyasha made his way to them, pushing off he propelled himself back into the woods knocking Kouga to the ground as Inuyasha ran to assist him.
Kouga couldn't believe it, 'how could i've been, well so stupid.' He wondered as he found himself face down in the dirt. Craning his neck around he could make out Xipe's glowing red eye watching him from the woods. Kouga could hear Inuyasha making his way to him as he moved his face back into the dirt, not wanting to look the dog in the face at the moment.
Kouga berated him self for being so careless, he was after all the son of the Youkai-Wolf Tribe from Japan. Sure his tribe had been decimated by the Gokuraku-chou and then his kinds numbers had been diminished even more by Naraku. That was what ultimately lead him to follow Inuyasha to the Americas as one of his assistants, bringing what was left of his pack with him. He knew he wasn't a failure as a leader, it was just there wasn't enough of his tribe left even after he had taken Ayame as his mate combining the two tribes to continue their way of life. Sure he might have become a supporter of the dog brothers but, that didn't mean he wasn't an alpha in his own respect. Now he was laying there like a dumb cub. 'How many times over the years had the mutt ranted about different spirit's fighting abilities and attacks each had. Did I remember any of that? No, I just turned my back like a cub and expected him not to attack cause I wasn't ready. Have I gotten that lazy over the centuries that I don't even know how to fight like my life depends on it anymore?' Kouga sighed at the thought of dieing in such a disgrace.
Inuyasha began to take off his shirt as he approached Kouga, the poison Xipe's kind had in their mouths paralyzed their victims to allow the chupacabras to kill without having to fight for the kill. Reaching his fallen comrade Inuyasha bent down and rolled him over, slipping the shirt around Kouga's arm while he grabbed a near by stick and placed it in the shirt to aid in twisting it tightly around the wolf's arm. Inuyasha continued to twist the stick, he only hoped that by using his shirt as a tourniquet it would help to slow the progression of the poison. "You idiot...are you that out of practice? You don't take your eyes off a fight!" Inuyasha criticize him with a grim look. Inuyasha knew the poison would soon set in and Kouga would be paralyze.
Gritting his teeth against the pain in his back and arm Kouga nodded. "Yea, well if you two weren't getting all kissy face over there I might have been able to concentrate. You know I can't resist to watch that kind of stuff." Kouga tried to chuckle to cover up his gunt of pain as the tourniquet became tighter. Inuyasha shook his head at the wolf's reference to his last problems he had gotten himself into. When he had mistakenly been watching a human porn video and was caught by Ayame. Inuyasha snorted, "you idiot." He affectionately said trying to help raise him up. "Can you move?"
Kouga tried slowly to move his body but, his limbs had began to feel like they were incased in lead. He continued to mental berate himself, he really had ignored alot of Inuyasha's instructions over the years on fighting different spirits. Of course he had never really worried about it, it wasn't like he worked with half those spirits after all. Now he wished he would have listened a bit better, 'he is never going to let me forget this.' Shaking his head very so slowly Kouga looking towards the woods where Xipe had retreated, he could see the glow from his eyes. 'If I live long enough for him to yell at me that is.' Kouga turned his head slowly as it became harder to move, to where Kagome had taken a place by his side Kouga sighed, 'she looks so scared.' Kouga knew Inuyasha would never make it safetly away with both Kagome and him. "Inuyasha....I can't move much. Look you take Kagome and get out of here. Come back after you get her to safety, I'll hold this bastard back until you can get away."
Inuyasha reared back as if he had been struck by Kouga's words. "Fuck no! If you think I'm leaving you here to die you crazy you flea bitten mongrel you think again." Kouga snorted and nodded his head in agreement as if he expected the comment. "I'm not going to be good for anything much but, bait maybe." Kouga sluggishly replied as the poison began to effect his ability to speak.
Inuyasha looked back at Kagome, she gave him a firm look of support. "Can I do anything to help?" Inuyasha looked around and spotted his Tetsusaiga, his father's fang made for protecting. "Here, hold on to this idiot for me." Inuyasha instructed as he let Kouga's head rest on Kagome's lap, showing her how to keep the pressure on his arm. "You..." He said standing up as he pointed in Kouga's face. "Look after Kagome for me..." Kouga's eyes widened and he made a whimpering sound in the back of his throat, he had lost the power to speak to the poison. "Just lay there and be a barrier or something..." He answered Kouga's unasked question. "Inuyasha!" Kagome warned giving the i'd sit you if we weren't in trouble look. "What? He ain't good for anything other then a blanket right now!" He replied slowly backing up towards his sword that still laid on the ground untransformed. Inuyasha snickered when he heard Kouga's weak growl answer his insult.
Back in the tree Xipe licked his lips, the wolf's blood had been delectable and the rush of power he felt when Kouga had fell was even more addictive then what he had felt when he killed the young thunder bird. 'So this is what Kizan meant....about the restrictions Inuyasha had placed on them had been to tame them.' Xipe notice the lord moving away and moved through the tree cover with him. "You will die tonight Lord Inuyasha." Xipe promised as he moved again to try and ambush him.
Inuyasha wished the damn chupacabra didn't smell so bad, his stench was everywhere and there was no way for him to find him by scent. His inu ears flicked back as he heard Xipe's promise from the bushes near him. Crouching down and rolling the rest of the way, Inuyasha made it to Tetsusaiga coming up on one knee and sending a blast of the Kaza no Kizu out into the woods. Animals scurried out of the way as the blast tore through the forest leaving the ground scared by his power.
Xipe dove to the side as the Kaza no Kizu flew past his hiding place. Rolling behind a large rock he peeked out to see Inuyasha moving to stand, his eyes hiding under his unruly bangs. "Lord Dog! I thought you wanted me to help you stop the pain!" Xipe yelled moving silently as possible to the left away from the stone. "Let's just say I've decided not to listen to voices from the dark anymore." Inuyasha replied twitching his inu ears, listening for any movement to pinpoint his enemy's location. "So tell me Xipe did you plan this all along after the boys death or did you just come up with this to bug me some more?" Inuyasha asked scanning the area.
Xipe's voice came in an almost seductive purr. "Worry not my Lord Inuyasha, you were always my true target. The boy was just the cataclysm to get me on your estate, I knew you'd have meeting to discuss the issue. Just think of his death as the conmencement to our gala."
"You were behind that boys death along?" Inuyasha yelled out growling. "Don't worry about any more meeting asshole, you won't be attending any ever again! I'm going to make sure you don't ever hurt anyone again Xipe!"
Grinning at Inuyasha's emotional outburst Xipe asked. "What are you some kind of guard dog or something?" As he made ready to move against Inuyasha, having migrated to another position, one he felt was his best chance from which to strike from.
Turning again to face the last place he had heard Xipe's voice Inuyasha tightened his hold on Tetsusaiga, straightening out the blade holding it to face towards his right side. "Yea, just think of me as a guardian demon." Inuyasha smirked awaiting Xipe's move. He didn't have to wait for long, Xipe had made his way to Inuyasha's unprotected back and sprung forward aiming for the back of his head his feeding appendage extended. 'I'll crack his head like a melon.' Xipe decided advancing on the Taiyoukai of the Americas.
Kagome held onto Kouga watching for any movement that Inuyasha might not have seen. She couldn't help but, to admire how he still protected them. Kagome smiled at Inuyasha's description of himself as a guardian demon when a blur of grey shoot out of the surrounding forest at his back. "Inuyasha! Behind you!" She screamed trying to move Kouga's limp body off of her to go help.
Inuyasha could feel the evil aura from Xipe coming towards his back as Kagome yelled her warning to him. Inuyasha smirked as he hid his eyes under his bangs. 'Kagome....how could I have thought you'd abandon me?' He wondered as he quickly slide his right foot behind him to his left side twisting himself around to face Xipe's assult bringing Tetsusaiga around with him. "You want a taste of me, here taste my Tetsusaiga!" Inuyasha roared slicing through Xipe's feeding appendage.
Xipe's eyes widened as Inuyasha's swung around to face him giving him a taste of his blade. Xipe landed in the grass of the meadow his feeding appendage laid several feet away blood flowing from his mouth. 'How? I planned it all so well. He was mine...' Xipe's mind asked as his tongue came up to feel what was left of his once strong appendage. 'How could he cut it?' The moon was blocked suddenly by the shadowy figure of the Lord of the Americas. "Give up Xipe...then I might just allow you to live to see tomorrow." Inuyasha ordered taking a side fighting stance, his left hand out as if to help measure his distance and Tetsusaiga pulled back in his right hand ready to thrust if need be.
Xipe slowly shook as he began to raise drawing up to look his lord in the face as his blood ran down his chin. The Taiyoukai of the Americas stood before him in all his glory, the full moon hung behind him like a righteous light. Xipe would not bow to him though for he knew he was a god creature of old in his own right, he had been given a taste of the old ways and he would never go back. "My people won't live under you again! We will be free to kill and eat as we once did!" Xipe's gurgling voice answered as he lunged at Inuyasha's face only to meet Tetsusaiga. "Then eat this." Inuyasha replied thrusting his blade forward into the chupacabras mouth. Xipe's eyes went blank as his body twitched on Inuyasha's blade. Laying the chupacabra on the ground Inuyasha placed his foot on his chest and pulled Tetsusaiga free. Wiping his blade on the grass Inuyasha moved back to where he left the sheath untransforming his blade and reconcealing it.
Kagome had finally moved Kouga from her lap and made her way to Inuyasha's side. "Are you alright?" She asked clenching her hands to her chest. Inuyasha placed his reconcealed Tetsusaiga back at his hip. "I'm alright...you?" Kagome nodded to him that she was fine. "Wolf still alive?" He asked wrapping his arm around her to lead her back to Kouga's prone figure. "Yes...but, he can't move." Inuyasha stopped at Kouga's feet staring the wolf in the face. "Too bad he made it... I really could have used a new rug for in front of the fire place in my bedroom." Inuyasha replied cocking his head to the side in a very canine poise.
____________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ______________________
youkai: spirit/demon/ghost/magical creature
hanyou: half youkai
inu: dog
ookami: wolf
son of the Youkai-Wolf Tribe: the title Kouga uses for himself when first meeting Inuyasha manga volume 14 chapter 132
Gokuraku-chou: paradise-birds
Kaza no Kizu: cutting wind(one of Tetsusaiga's attacks)
baka: idiot/fool
Inuyasha no baka: Inuyasha you idiot
chupacabra: 'the goat sucker' Spanish
Xipe: 'the flayed.' worshipped in ancient Mexico, usually depectd as wearing a flayed human skin as a cloak. From the Nahua religion, Mexican mythology.
Kizin: Mayan evil god of earthquakes, lives in purgetory. Name means 'stinking one.'
Taiyoukai: demon lord
Goraishi: 'five lighting fingers' the wolf claw weapon Kouga obtains in manga volume 39 chapters 380-382
kamis: gods
I do claim rights to any orginial characters in this chapter.
A/N: I do appoligize to my readers, I didn't have the intent to take so long on this chapter. I can only say I simply was unable to be satisfied with some of the scenes. That and the authoress amyfushigiyugi has asked that she and I do a story together, so I have been spending time working on it.
"talking"
'thinking'
Kouga tried to control his angry as his body shook with fury, Xipe had some how found out and had used what should have been a happy time for Inuyasha against him. 'That bastard, his twisted everything around. I'll make him pay for his treasonous ways.' He was brought out of his thoughts by Kagome yanking on his arm. Inhaling deeply to rein himself in Kouga look down at her.
"Kouga, what's going on? What was wrong with Inuyasha?" Kagome asked concern clearly showing in her brown eyes.
"It would seem the mutt wasn't as cured from the youkai madness as he thought, it's taking him over again Kagome." Kouga sighed looking back into the woods where Inuyasha and Xipe had disappeared, pulling his arm out of her grasp Kouga crossed them over his chest. "Xipe has found a way to use that against Inuyasha and he used us to do it." He growled knowing he had been used by the conniving creature against his friend.
"Xipe, you said this Xipe was a chupacabra. Is he one of those creatures that killed that thunder bird?" Kagome asked bringing the hand that had held onto Kouga's sleeve to her chest to lay over her heart, she shivered slightly, she had been able to tell that the man that had stood in front of her a moment ago was not what he appeared. 'He gave me the creeps.'
"Yeah...now it seems Xipe has targeted Inuyasha." Kouga replied dropping his arms and clenching his hands in fists at the thought of what could happen. 'Mutt face isn't himself and if the madness has came back....'
Kagome knew what Kouga must be thinking, placing one hand over her mouth as she gasped at the memory of the pictures she had seen when she had been with Inuyasha at Sesshoumaru's the night this whole mess began. Reaching out she grabbed hold of Kouga's long pony tail and yanked. "What are we standing around for? Let's go, we've got to help Inuyasha!"
Kouga pulled his head to the side gaining his hair's release away from the fiesty young women beside him. Kouga smirked as he crouched down for her to climb onto his back. "Right! Let's go Kagome, I'm not as fast as I was but, we'll catch them before any thing can happen, I promise."
Kagome climbed onto Kouga's back piggyback style, grasping hold of his shoulders as his hands came around to hold onto her legs. "Let's go Kouga!" Kagome urged as she tightened her grip on his shoulders. A whirlwind appeared as Kouga took off sprinting into the near by forest in search of his old friend. 'Hold on Inuyasha, were coming.' Kouga thought as he followed Inuyasha and Xipe's trail through the timbers.
Kagome leaned forward laying her head on Kouga's shoulder to speak to him as she use to do when Inuyasha carried her in the past. "Kouga..what did you mean before about the madness taking Inuyasha over again? Inuyasha told me he no longer was suffering from the sickness."
"That's what he told us as well." Kouga replied leaping onto a fallen tree trunk and propelling himself onward. "Inuyasha had said that after he was reunited with you in Japan that he realized that the voice of the madness had left him but, that look he had just now...I'd know those haunted eyes anywhere." Kouga replied shuttering at the memory of Inuyasha at Naraku's defeat.
Kagome stifled a sob as she thought about the look Inuyasha had given her. "He looked like that when he got sick the first time?" Kagome asked just begining to understand what Inuyasha's suffering must have been.
"Yeah...as long as I live that is one thing I'll never forget. The look of absolute pain and loss that showed in his eyes. The dumbass must have thought you had come to be with me instead or something." Kouga remarked jumping over a brier of thorns. Reaching up Kagome couldn't help herself as she walloped him in the back of the head making him miss a step, tripping him up a little before he caught himself and continued his search.
"What the hell was that for?" Kouga asked glancing back perturbed at being smacked. He was meet by Kagome's narrowed angry eyes. "Kouga, don't insult him...if he thinks anything wrong it's your fault." Kagome accused, the seperation and worry she felt finally over shadowing her patients with the wolf. "When are you going to learn about the need for personal space? If you hadn't have been holding on to me..."
"You!Fell! What did you want me to do? Let you go splut on the runway?" Kouga couldn't believe it, 'she's mad at me over all this?' Turning to face away from her again Kouga raised one side of his upper lip exposing his fang on that side. "Damn Kagome don't you even know what a fall like that would have done to you. For a youkai like me or even a hanyou like Inuyasha a fall like that would have been nothing but, for a human...hell, you could have cracked your damn skull open. Is that what you want?" Kouga huffed still trying to track Inuyasha's wanding trail. 'Women!' Kouga thought only to stop dead in his tracks a moment later when the scent of Kagome's tears reached him and heard her snuffing. "Kagome...you ain't crying are ya?" Kouga inquired slowly turning his head to look at her. Kagome had her head down on his shoulder so only the crown of her head showed. "Oh shit, no....don't cry damn it!" Kouga insisted.
"I'm sorry Kouga..I'm just so worried about him. Why doesn't he understand how much I love him?" Kagome asked looking up with puffy doe eyes into Kouga's bright blue ones.
"It's alright Kagome. Maybe it wasn't the best idea for me to be the one who picked you up. I just wanted to be the one who brought you to him." Kouga smiled sadly at her. "Inuyasha and I have been through alot over the years. If it hadn't been for him I know what's left of my pack would never have lived. I just wanted him to be as happy as he wants everyone else to be." Kouga confessed releasing one of her legs to reach back and wipe her tears. "Okay enough crying little girl...don't you have a lost dog you need help finding."
Kagome couldn't help but, smile as she nodded her agreement. "Your right, come on Kouga...let's find him." Kagome replied finding the strength to stead fast her nerves.
Kouga smirked as he took back a hold of her leg and took off hot on Inuyasha's trail. Up ahead Kouga could see the woods opening up, taking a deep whiff he gagged at the smell of sulfur that hung in the air. "Uh... what is that stench?" Kouga complained as they neared the tree line that lead into the meadow where Inuyasha's scent had lead them.
"I don't care what the smell is Kouga just hurry." Kagome urged him. 'Inyasha no baka, you better be alright. How could you forget how much you mean to me?' Kagome wonderd as her mind then reminded her how they had only had less then 48-hours together over a month ago. 'Not really enough time to prove ones love. Well as the kami's are my witness, Inuyasha I'm going to make sure you know how much I love you so you'll never doubt it again.' Kagome swore to herself as they broke through the tree line into the meadow.
Coming to an abrupt stop Kouga hissed at the sight before him as he came through the trees into the meadow. Night had finally fallen, the moon hung in the sky round and full illuminating the meadow. Inuyasha was kneeling before Xipe with his arms out in surrender and his head thrown back exposing his throat. Tetsusaiga, his fang sword laid beside him on the ground, unconcealed and in its dormant state. Kouga attempt to swallow back the bile that had risen into his throat, never in his wildest dreams had Kouga ever believed he would see Inuyasha in such a position before someone like Xipe. Kouga couldn't believe how calmly Inuyasha was sitting, as if this creature from children's nightmares were not standing a meager twelve feet from him.
Xipe was unclothed, that in it self was enough to turn the ookami's stomach but, the fact he was also unconcealed had made the taste of bile rise farther into his mouth. Kouga had never seen a chupacabra unconcealed before and he couldn't help but, feel he could have lived the rest of his life and not seen the disgusting creature in his unconcealed form.
Kouga had mainly been in charge of dealing with the spirit leaders in the Canadian wilderness. It had been Miroku, Sango and Shippou had been the ones to deal with those in the Mexican and South American areas, those were the lands the chupacabra spirits occupied. Then after Kizan's revolute Inuyasha had decreed it illeagal for any spirit in any part of the Americas to go around unconcealed unless in designated areas and of course no chupacabra was allowed to show it's true self in Inuyasha's presence. 'Hell, no chupacabra had the balls to go unconcealed anywhere near Inuyasha since Kizan's attempt on his life.' Kouga thought to himself with pride, remembering the account Shippou had told him as to how Inuyasha had handled Kizan.
Kouga noticed Xipe making to move towards Inuyasha, without so much as a second thought he jumping in between Xipe and Inuyasha growling down at the hideous creature before him. Kouga released his hold on Kagome allowing her to slide down off his back as he took up a protective stance in front of his friends. "Inuyasha...what the fucks wrong with you? Get up you dumbass!" Kouga growled back to his old friend in hopes to reach him, Inuyasha never made a move to acknowledge he had heard Kouga.
"I do not believe your master can hear you wolf. Move aside or I'll be forced to take you as well." Xipe warned backing up a bit, shocked at Kouga's arrival. He had been so immersed in the sight of the dog on his knees before him he had not noticed Kouga had entered the meadow. Xipe had not been planning on having to deal with Kouga also.
"What's wrong Xipe? Are you only able to kill the defenseless? What's next, taking candy from babies?"Kouga insulted stalking forward trying to back the chupacabra away from his friends.
"There are none better then those who sacrific themselves willingly and thanks but, no thanks I'd rather have the baby then the candy." Xipe popped off exposing his fangs to Kouga.
Kouga stoled a glance back at Kagome, she seemed almost afraid to go to Inuyasha. 'Can't blame her, he scared me too.' He thought as he remembered the haunted look Inuyasha gave them. Shaking off the memory Kouga whispered back to Kagome. "Kagome...talk to the baka will ya? I'll keep Mr. Sunshine here busy."
Kagome looked back at Kouga and nodded as she approached Inuyasha and kneeled down with him. "Thanks Kouga." She whispered back to him.
Turning back to face Xipe, Kouga continued to taunt him. "Where's those strong brave chupacabra your always spouting off about? I guess your not one of them huh?" Kouga asked keeping as much distance between himself and the chupacabra lord as he could. Inuyasha had spouted for years during sparing about how to fight the spirits of the Americas. 'Don't let them hellanatsy creatures to close or you won't live to regreat it.' Kouga could still hear Inuyasha's ranting in his mind about fighting chupacabras.
"Why do you protect your master so?" Xipe asked swaying back and forth like a serpent preparing to strike. "You should be helping me instead." Xipe cooed to Kouga opening his arms out to the him. "When I destroy the dog you will no longer be his pet, you will be free to run as wolves should not owned and housebroken like the lap dog Inuyasha is." Xipe promised trying to smile through his deadly fangs.
Kouga growled deeply making his body vibrate with the anger he felt behind it. "I'm no one pet you arsehole! Your as twisted as that grandfather of yours. How about I put you out of our misery?" Kouga asked stretching out his clawed finger and wiggling them suggestively at Xipe. Kouga could feel the power of his Goraishi claw surging through his right hand as it came out of him singing it's high pitch ringing sound to him. "It's been along time since I had anyone's blood to rust my Goraishi. I'm so glad it's going to be you to rust them for me." Kouga almost seductively said as he smirked displaying his power to the chupacabra.
Xipe was shocked at the power the wolf held. He had no idea the loud mouthed assistant had been hiding such power within him. 'Perhaps I should start with an appetizer.' He decided as his mouth watered at the thought of gaining such power for himself. "Shall I lead this dance my dear?" Xipe asked bowing to Kouga and beckon him forward with a wave of his clawed hand.
"I'm going to enjoy this. I'll lead, now do try to keep up my lady." Kouga taunted lunging forward as he swung his right hand down to strike Xipe with Goraishi. Arcs of lighting shot forth but, Xipe was able to dodge to the left turning his body 360 degrees stepping behind the wolf. Xipe's sharp spike quills from his back grazing Kouga's shoulder as he slash out at Kouga with his own razor sharp claws bearly missing him as well. Kouga's eyes widened at the speed the chupacabra exhibited. 'I'm going to have to watch it, he's better then I thought.' Kouga realized jumping back as Xipe crouched down, swinging his claws aimed for his legs.
Kagome had knelt down in front of Inuyasha she hoped that Kouga would be able to take care to the creature behind her until she could talk some sense into him. 'What I wouldn't do for a bow and an arrow right now.' Reaching up to cup his cheek she asked him, "oh Inuyasha what are you doing?" As she gently caressed his face.
Slowly in Inuyasha cloudy pain filled mind he began to register that he could smell Kagome's calming scent, as it overpowered the smell of Xipe. Blinking his eyes he lowered his head and looked down to see her kneeling in front of him. 'Did the gods find pity on me and grant me my wish?' He wondered not sure if to believe it wasn't her ghost, the one who always visited him before. "Kagome?" He asked uncertainly.
Smiling with tears in her eyes Kagome nodded. "Inuyasha why are you just sitting here? Were you going to let that creature try and hurt you?" She asked as her smile faded and more tears found their way down her face.
"Don't cry Kagome, you know I hate it when you cry." Inuyasha moved quickly to wrap her in his arms, afraid she would disappear from him, as he reached up and wiped her tears from her face. "Why are you here?"
Gripping his tee shirt Kagome locked her gaze with his "I came here for you!" She cried out laying her head on his chest. Reaching one hand up to stroke her hair he questioned, "for me? Then why were you with Kouga?" Not looking up from his chest Kagome answered. "I fell Inuyasha, he caught me...in the name of all the kamis why are you always so jealous.." she began to rant but, Inuyasha heard no more as he tried to understand what she was telling him. 'She fell...' part of his own mind registered. 'She lies.' The dark voice of his madness whispered to him. 'NO! Kagome has never lied to me...' Inuyasha insisted to the darkness. 'It's a trick, she left you before and she will again. You will be alone, as you always have.' The dark voice agued. Inuyasha inhaled sharply at the thought of always being alone when memories of Kagome being by his side came to him; times they shared meals together, sat out under the stars and talked, times he carried her on his back, when they made friends with everyone he still held dear, times she refused to leave him even when it wasn't safe. 'I wasn't always alone....an..and I wasn't really alone even after the jewel took Kagome from me, I still had our friends.' Inuyasha's mind insisted. The darkness of his madness also insisted. 'She left us, even after she said she wouldn't.' Inuyasha shook his head. 'It wasn't her idea to leave...I've had enough of this, I've listened to you for too long.'
Inuyasha found his determination to not waste anymore of his life, grabbing hold of Kagome's upper arms and pulled her back to look into her eyes. "Kagome, why did you come to Canada?" Seeing his eyes begining to clear Kagome explained again. "I told you I came for you." Kagome replied determined her self to make him understand. Inuyasha shook his head, "why?" Kagome released her hold on his shirt and stood up. "Look at me Inuyasha." She instructed him taking hold of his chin. "Do you remember before we fought Naraku and mama had made you think I was going to go to more school?" Inuyasha nodded as his mind replayed that time in his life. "I told you then were I wanted to be was by your side, with everything that happened I guess I forgot that I didn't care where we were just as long as I was with you. I'm sorry I forgot but, I'm here now and I'm not leaving, no matter what you or anyone else says."
Inuyasha's eyes widened as he remembered her words from so long ago. Those words had made him feel accepted at the time and had also made him loose his mind when she disappeared. 'You'd stay with me?' His memory whispered the past conversation to him as well as her answer. 'Yes, if you'll let me....by your side is were I belong.' As he replayed the scene in his mind he could almost feel her ghost, the one who had visited him every morning for the past 500-years, wrap it's self around his back to hug him just as Kagome had that night in his memory. Grasping the real Kagome in his embrace Inuyasha pulled her back down and held her close. "You'll stay with me, no matter what your family wants for you?" He asked hoping the answer would stay the same as it had in the past.
Kagome moved her arms up to hug him around the neck. "Yes, because I still have to do what is right not always what my family wants." She answered giving him as chaste kiss. Pulling back from the kiss Inuyasha nodded, "cause you have to do what's right for you." Inuyasha answered searching her brown doe like eyes with his golden amber ones, searching for the truth. Reaching up and tracing the magenta jagged strips that adorn his face she shook her head no. "No, I have to do what is right for us." She corrected giving him a warm smile.
Inuyasha leaned in touching his lips to hers. These words were the same as those she had spoken to him on a night like this one so long ago. A night he worried another thing had come to cause a rift between them and would take her away from him. Then she had promised to be with him, that promise had lead to his misery when she was taken from him and at the same time had given him the will to hold on through time till he could find her again. For a moment the world stood still for them, the centuries he had waited didn't exist. For this moment it was just the two of them and nothing stood between them; no accursed jewel, no unspeakable evil, no duties as Taiyoukai, no family wishes, no expanse of time or distance between them. Just two beings who loved one another with all they were. Pressing her body closer to his Inuyasha open his mouth to deepen the kiss, gently stroking her lips with his as his tongue shyly found its way to hers tasting her.
Kouga bounded off a near by tree rocketing himself back towards Xipe, drawing his Goraishi back Kouga brought down his claws aiming for the chupacabra's head. Before he could connect Xipe had reached behind him and tore two spike quills off his own back, bringing them up and crossing them in front of him over his head blocking the blow. Recoving first Kouga brought his left leg up and delievered a roundhouse kick to Xipe's unprotected side, sending him crashing into the woods. Proud of his work Kouga turned to check on his friends. Kouga's eyebrows lifted up into his bangs as he watched Inuyasha and Kagome kiss. Blushing slightly at the sight of such passion Kouga smirked, "about time you came to your senses and followed your own advise dog turd." Kouga yelled causing the two lovers to break apart.
Turning to scowl at Kouga Inuyasha noticed the glow of red eyes from the depth of the forest behind Kouga, as his eyes widened and he took a breath to warn his friend Xipe made his move and shoot out of the woods fangs bared straight at Kouga's back. Pushing Kagome to the side Inuyasha shot forward reaching out for his friend. "Kouga!"
It was too late though Xipe had seen his chance and had lunged forward with such speed that he was on Kouga's back within moments, his claws sunk deep in his shoulders and his toe claws imbedded into his hips. Kouga howled out in pain and reached back with his right hand that housed his Goraishi trying to dislodge the chupacabra only for the creature to sink his fangs deep in his arm. Releasing his bite Xipe braced his back feet against the wolf's back as Inuyasha made his way to them, pushing off he propelled himself back into the woods knocking Kouga to the ground as Inuyasha ran to assist him.
Kouga couldn't believe it, 'how could i've been, well so stupid.' He wondered as he found himself face down in the dirt. Craning his neck around he could make out Xipe's glowing red eye watching him from the woods. Kouga could hear Inuyasha making his way to him as he moved his face back into the dirt, not wanting to look the dog in the face at the moment.
Kouga berated him self for being so careless, he was after all the son of the Youkai-Wolf Tribe from Japan. Sure his tribe had been decimated by the Gokuraku-chou and then his kinds numbers had been diminished even more by Naraku. That was what ultimately lead him to follow Inuyasha to the Americas as one of his assistants, bringing what was left of his pack with him. He knew he wasn't a failure as a leader, it was just there wasn't enough of his tribe left even after he had taken Ayame as his mate combining the two tribes to continue their way of life. Sure he might have become a supporter of the dog brothers but, that didn't mean he wasn't an alpha in his own respect. Now he was laying there like a dumb cub. 'How many times over the years had the mutt ranted about different spirit's fighting abilities and attacks each had. Did I remember any of that? No, I just turned my back like a cub and expected him not to attack cause I wasn't ready. Have I gotten that lazy over the centuries that I don't even know how to fight like my life depends on it anymore?' Kouga sighed at the thought of dieing in such a disgrace.
Inuyasha began to take off his shirt as he approached Kouga, the poison Xipe's kind had in their mouths paralyzed their victims to allow the chupacabras to kill without having to fight for the kill. Reaching his fallen comrade Inuyasha bent down and rolled him over, slipping the shirt around Kouga's arm while he grabbed a near by stick and placed it in the shirt to aid in twisting it tightly around the wolf's arm. Inuyasha continued to twist the stick, he only hoped that by using his shirt as a tourniquet it would help to slow the progression of the poison. "You idiot...are you that out of practice? You don't take your eyes off a fight!" Inuyasha criticize him with a grim look. Inuyasha knew the poison would soon set in and Kouga would be paralyze.
Gritting his teeth against the pain in his back and arm Kouga nodded. "Yea, well if you two weren't getting all kissy face over there I might have been able to concentrate. You know I can't resist to watch that kind of stuff." Kouga tried to chuckle to cover up his gunt of pain as the tourniquet became tighter. Inuyasha shook his head at the wolf's reference to his last problems he had gotten himself into. When he had mistakenly been watching a human porn video and was caught by Ayame. Inuyasha snorted, "you idiot." He affectionately said trying to help raise him up. "Can you move?"
Kouga tried slowly to move his body but, his limbs had began to feel like they were incased in lead. He continued to mental berate himself, he really had ignored alot of Inuyasha's instructions over the years on fighting different spirits. Of course he had never really worried about it, it wasn't like he worked with half those spirits after all. Now he wished he would have listened a bit better, 'he is never going to let me forget this.' Shaking his head very so slowly Kouga looking towards the woods where Xipe had retreated, he could see the glow from his eyes. 'If I live long enough for him to yell at me that is.' Kouga turned his head slowly as it became harder to move, to where Kagome had taken a place by his side Kouga sighed, 'she looks so scared.' Kouga knew Inuyasha would never make it safetly away with both Kagome and him. "Inuyasha....I can't move much. Look you take Kagome and get out of here. Come back after you get her to safety, I'll hold this bastard back until you can get away."
Inuyasha reared back as if he had been struck by Kouga's words. "Fuck no! If you think I'm leaving you here to die you crazy you flea bitten mongrel you think again." Kouga snorted and nodded his head in agreement as if he expected the comment. "I'm not going to be good for anything much but, bait maybe." Kouga sluggishly replied as the poison began to effect his ability to speak.
Inuyasha looked back at Kagome, she gave him a firm look of support. "Can I do anything to help?" Inuyasha looked around and spotted his Tetsusaiga, his father's fang made for protecting. "Here, hold on to this idiot for me." Inuyasha instructed as he let Kouga's head rest on Kagome's lap, showing her how to keep the pressure on his arm. "You..." He said standing up as he pointed in Kouga's face. "Look after Kagome for me..." Kouga's eyes widened and he made a whimpering sound in the back of his throat, he had lost the power to speak to the poison. "Just lay there and be a barrier or something..." He answered Kouga's unasked question. "Inuyasha!" Kagome warned giving the i'd sit you if we weren't in trouble look. "What? He ain't good for anything other then a blanket right now!" He replied slowly backing up towards his sword that still laid on the ground untransformed. Inuyasha snickered when he heard Kouga's weak growl answer his insult.
Back in the tree Xipe licked his lips, the wolf's blood had been delectable and the rush of power he felt when Kouga had fell was even more addictive then what he had felt when he killed the young thunder bird. 'So this is what Kizan meant....about the restrictions Inuyasha had placed on them had been to tame them.' Xipe notice the lord moving away and moved through the tree cover with him. "You will die tonight Lord Inuyasha." Xipe promised as he moved again to try and ambush him.
Inuyasha wished the damn chupacabra didn't smell so bad, his stench was everywhere and there was no way for him to find him by scent. His inu ears flicked back as he heard Xipe's promise from the bushes near him. Crouching down and rolling the rest of the way, Inuyasha made it to Tetsusaiga coming up on one knee and sending a blast of the Kaza no Kizu out into the woods. Animals scurried out of the way as the blast tore through the forest leaving the ground scared by his power.
Xipe dove to the side as the Kaza no Kizu flew past his hiding place. Rolling behind a large rock he peeked out to see Inuyasha moving to stand, his eyes hiding under his unruly bangs. "Lord Dog! I thought you wanted me to help you stop the pain!" Xipe yelled moving silently as possible to the left away from the stone. "Let's just say I've decided not to listen to voices from the dark anymore." Inuyasha replied twitching his inu ears, listening for any movement to pinpoint his enemy's location. "So tell me Xipe did you plan this all along after the boys death or did you just come up with this to bug me some more?" Inuyasha asked scanning the area.
Xipe's voice came in an almost seductive purr. "Worry not my Lord Inuyasha, you were always my true target. The boy was just the cataclysm to get me on your estate, I knew you'd have meeting to discuss the issue. Just think of his death as the conmencement to our gala."
"You were behind that boys death along?" Inuyasha yelled out growling. "Don't worry about any more meeting asshole, you won't be attending any ever again! I'm going to make sure you don't ever hurt anyone again Xipe!"
Grinning at Inuyasha's emotional outburst Xipe asked. "What are you some kind of guard dog or something?" As he made ready to move against Inuyasha, having migrated to another position, one he felt was his best chance from which to strike from.
Turning again to face the last place he had heard Xipe's voice Inuyasha tightened his hold on Tetsusaiga, straightening out the blade holding it to face towards his right side. "Yea, just think of me as a guardian demon." Inuyasha smirked awaiting Xipe's move. He didn't have to wait for long, Xipe had made his way to Inuyasha's unprotected back and sprung forward aiming for the back of his head his feeding appendage extended. 'I'll crack his head like a melon.' Xipe decided advancing on the Taiyoukai of the Americas.
Kagome held onto Kouga watching for any movement that Inuyasha might not have seen. She couldn't help but, to admire how he still protected them. Kagome smiled at Inuyasha's description of himself as a guardian demon when a blur of grey shoot out of the surrounding forest at his back. "Inuyasha! Behind you!" She screamed trying to move Kouga's limp body off of her to go help.
Inuyasha could feel the evil aura from Xipe coming towards his back as Kagome yelled her warning to him. Inuyasha smirked as he hid his eyes under his bangs. 'Kagome....how could I have thought you'd abandon me?' He wondered as he quickly slide his right foot behind him to his left side twisting himself around to face Xipe's assult bringing Tetsusaiga around with him. "You want a taste of me, here taste my Tetsusaiga!" Inuyasha roared slicing through Xipe's feeding appendage.
Xipe's eyes widened as Inuyasha's swung around to face him giving him a taste of his blade. Xipe landed in the grass of the meadow his feeding appendage laid several feet away blood flowing from his mouth. 'How? I planned it all so well. He was mine...' Xipe's mind asked as his tongue came up to feel what was left of his once strong appendage. 'How could he cut it?' The moon was blocked suddenly by the shadowy figure of the Lord of the Americas. "Give up Xipe...then I might just allow you to live to see tomorrow." Inuyasha ordered taking a side fighting stance, his left hand out as if to help measure his distance and Tetsusaiga pulled back in his right hand ready to thrust if need be.
Xipe slowly shook as he began to raise drawing up to look his lord in the face as his blood ran down his chin. The Taiyoukai of the Americas stood before him in all his glory, the full moon hung behind him like a righteous light. Xipe would not bow to him though for he knew he was a god creature of old in his own right, he had been given a taste of the old ways and he would never go back. "My people won't live under you again! We will be free to kill and eat as we once did!" Xipe's gurgling voice answered as he lunged at Inuyasha's face only to meet Tetsusaiga. "Then eat this." Inuyasha replied thrusting his blade forward into the chupacabras mouth. Xipe's eyes went blank as his body twitched on Inuyasha's blade. Laying the chupacabra on the ground Inuyasha placed his foot on his chest and pulled Tetsusaiga free. Wiping his blade on the grass Inuyasha moved back to where he left the sheath untransforming his blade and reconcealing it.
Kagome had finally moved Kouga from her lap and made her way to Inuyasha's side. "Are you alright?" She asked clenching her hands to her chest. Inuyasha placed his reconcealed Tetsusaiga back at his hip. "I'm alright...you?" Kagome nodded to him that she was fine. "Wolf still alive?" He asked wrapping his arm around her to lead her back to Kouga's prone figure. "Yes...but, he can't move." Inuyasha stopped at Kouga's feet staring the wolf in the face. "Too bad he made it... I really could have used a new rug for in front of the fire place in my bedroom." Inuyasha replied cocking his head to the side in a very canine poise.
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youkai: spirit/demon/ghost/magical creature
hanyou: half youkai
inu: dog
ookami: wolf
son of the Youkai-Wolf Tribe: the title Kouga uses for himself when first meeting Inuyasha manga volume 14 chapter 132
Gokuraku-chou: paradise-birds
Kaza no Kizu: cutting wind(one of Tetsusaiga's attacks)
baka: idiot/fool
Inuyasha no baka: Inuyasha you idiot
chupacabra: 'the goat sucker' Spanish
Xipe: 'the flayed.' worshipped in ancient Mexico, usually depectd as wearing a flayed human skin as a cloak. From the Nahua religion, Mexican mythology.
Kizin: Mayan evil god of earthquakes, lives in purgetory. Name means 'stinking one.'
Taiyoukai: demon lord
Goraishi: 'five lighting fingers' the wolf claw weapon Kouga obtains in manga volume 39 chapters 380-382
kamis: gods