InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dangerous Faith ❯ Shocking Developments ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. In other words, I don't own and I make no money from this.

Author Note: This was originally posted to The Inuyasha Fanfic Contest on May 15, 2012 for Prompt #285 Phenomenon and won 3rd place. It originally came in at 1257 words. Other than a few edits and an added sentence or two it has remained mostly unchanged.

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But as both sides prepared themselves for a fight that seemed inevitable, a small voice cut through the air, claiming the attention of all gathered there.

“Don't talk about my Mama that way!”

All eyes turned to stare at the small figure running toward them, his fists clenched. Kagome felt a flash of fear and worry at the sight of her son, so near to men who would wish harm on him. Beside her Inuyasha growled low in annoyance but she could sense his worry and fear as well. She opened her mouth to tell him to go back but another voice cut in first.

“Another one! They're breeding them here!” Ungai yelled in anger as he stared at the child. His eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze back to where Kagome was standing. “He called you mother. You actually defiled yourself with this monster and brought another into the world?! You are even worse than I thought!”

Inuyasha snarled, his hands itching to wrap around the priest's throat. Jomei stopped a short distance away, growls escaping his throat as he clenched his fists. “Don't talk about my Mama!”

“Hush Jomei,” Kagome said as she placed a calming hand on Inuyasha's arm. The situation was rapidly deteriorating, she needed to calm it somehow, at least until she could safely remove her child from it. “Go back inside,” she told her son before turning her attention back to Ungai. “Yes I bore my husband a son. Both my husband and child are hanyou. They are not monsters.” Her expression became slightly pleading. “Please, there is no reason for violence. Can't we discuss this peacefully? I'm sure you will understand if you give us a chance to explain.”

“Yes, this need not end in violence,” Kaede agreed. “We are all servants of the Kami in one way or another, this can be settled peacefully.”

But Ungai only glowered at them, his anger turning to fury. “You expect us to settle this 'peacefully'?!” Ha! You only want us to fall under the youkai's spell the way you have. The whore has admitted that she has borne his spawn! This village is a breeding ground for these monsters and must be cleansed!”

Twin growls filled the air at these words and Jomei, who had ignored his mother's command, threw himself forward with a yell. “My Mama's not a whore!”

“Jomei, no!” Kagome and Inuyasha began to move to intercept their son.

But Ungai was also moving. “See, even as a child these monsters lust for our blood!” And he flung his ofuda at the charging child.

Inuyasha saw as the priest began to unleash his attack and switched direction, heading for the priest instead. But he was too late, the ofuda were released before he could stop them and then he was forced to dodge the attacks by Ungai's men. Worry filled him for his son, he knew it was likely he would merely turn human were they to land on him as he himself had but it would be extremely painful and he didn't want his children to have to experience that kind of pain. And what if it were a different type of ofuda than the one used on him? After all, those had already been proven ineffective so who knows what Ungai might have done.

Inuyasha continued to dodge the attacks, snatching weapons and breaking or tossing them aside. He nodded his thanks as Miroku and the others joined him in trying to disarm the men. He couldn't suppress a smirk as he spotted Sango swinging Hiraikotsu at the men, a tense Miroku having to constantly duck as he refused to leave his wife's side. But most of his attention was focused to the side as his ears listened for the first sound of his son's cries of pain which thankfully never came.

“I-impossible!” Ungai's voice drew the attention of the combatants and they turned their attention to the phenomenon before them.

Inuyasha sighed in relief as he realized what had happened.

Kagome, upon seeing the ofuda heading toward her son had increased her pace as she continued to race toward him while Inuyasha headed for the man who had attacked her son. From Inuyasha's experience she knew that while painful, the ofuda shouldn't be able to permanently harm her son. But she couldn't risk it, her son wasn't full grown like her husband was, who knew if the effects would be different? She threw herself forward as the ofuda neared their target, instinctively swinging her bow around her body in a warding motion as she covered her son with her own body. She sighed in relief at feeling the barrier form around them and hearing the ofuda sizzle before turning to ash upon impact.

She rose slightly so that she was kneeling beside her son and checked him over for injuries despite knowing that there would be none. “Are you okay?” At his nervous nod she fixed him with a stern look. “Good. But we will be having a serious discussion about obeying your parents later.” Jomei gulped nervously. 'At least he realized that what he had done was wrong and dangerous,' she thought. “Stay behind me,” she told him as she stood, having heard the priest's exclamation.

Ungai continued to stare at the barrier surrounding the two. “Impossible!” he exclaimed again. This couldn't be! She had defiled herself with that monster, had borne his spawn! There was no way she could have any spiritual power left, if she had ever had any to begin with! Unless... “Dark Miko!” he cried, pointing at her. “That is the only way for you to possess these powers! Everyone knows that a miko must be pure and you have allowed yourself to be defiled by a youkai!”

“Oh shut up, you ignorant fool.” The response to his words came not from Kagome or Inuyasha but from Kaede. “I know that you can sense the same as I how strong and pure her reiki is. She is no dark miko.”

“Lies,” Ungai said but it was weak, with little conviction as he registered what his own spiritual senses were telling him. The old miko spoke true. “But how?” How could this be?

“Kagome-sama's power comes from the purity of her heart, not her body,” Miroku spoke up.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and continued to disarm the distracted men. 'Hopefully they won't want to fight anymore without their weapons,' he thought as he tossed the now broken and useless weapons into a pile.

“B-but even if her body need not be pure, she still consorts with youkai, and bore his spawn!” Ungai said, pointing a shaky finger at Inuyasha who snorted and made his way to Kagome's side. Ungai's jaw  dropped when Inuyasha walked through her barrier without any sign of pain. “How?”

“My husband knows that I would not harm him, and my powers respond to my will,” Kagome spoke up as she leaned into Inuyasha before releasing the barrier. She remained prepared to raise it again at a moment's notice should it prove necessary. “Look, we've told you that not all youkai are bad. Just like not all humans are good. You have heard of bandits, haven't you?”

Ungai's followers exchanged glances at her words, then finally realized that they were unarmed and surrounded. They gulped before nervously moving closer together.

“But the Kami command that the youkai be destroyed!”

Kagome shook her head. “I don't believe that. Youkai are creations of the Kami, just like we are. Why would the Kami create them only for them to be destroyed?”

Ungai could only stare in shock at her words. Could he have been so wrong, so misguided? Was his faith in the Kami and his duty to them wrong?
“Come, let us sit and discuss this rationally and peacefully,” Kaede said as she sensed that Ungai might finally be ready to listen to reason.