InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Family Instincts ❯ Family Instincts - Reunions of a Sort ( Chapter 22 )

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

Bengoshi, Seijika and Onaraku finally get a chance to do a little bonding with dad. And the beast under Mount Fuji finally gets loose! Oh, what could happen?

As always, please read and review. This is the final chapter, except for an epilogue. Thanks for all the kind reviews so far!

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Comedy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.28.2006 | Updated On: 03.04.2007 | Pages: 11 | Words: 7.7K | Visits: 883 | Status: Work In Progress

Family Instincts - Reunions of a Sort

By Majicman55

Okay, okay. I do not own any part of InuYasha. I just like to play with the characters.

InuYasha and Sesshomaru stood side-by-side, facing the hundred-metre puppet and the entrance to Naraku's dungeon.

The Great Lord of the Western Lands snorted at the evil hanyou's overconfidence. He had left the door wide open. The taiyoukai had just begun to stride forward when InuYasha stopped him.

“Wait.”

All three of the children of Naraku had left their positions opposite the children of InuYasha and Kagome and now gathered before the two brothers.

“This Sesshomaru sees that the one called Bengoshi is missing an arm.” He glanced over to InuYasha. “Did you do that, brother? You have a habit of cutting off arms.”

InuYasha stared at his brother for a moment. “Can't say I did.” He then returned his attention to the three sons. “Although I wish I had.”

“It is not your concern how I lost an arm, hanyou,” declared Bengoshi. “We shall defeat you and your wretched group, regardless.”

“Bet Naraku did it.”

“Indeed, it is the kind of thing he would do,” pronounced Sesshomaru.

“Yeah.”

“Know your place, you wretches!” hissed Seijika. “We shall help our father defeat you and rule first Japan, and then the world, at his side!”

“Oi. They really don't know Naraku.”

“Enough of this!” said Onaraku. “Our father has asked us to pass a message to you.”

The Great Lord of the Western Lands raised one eyebrow. “As if anything Naraku says is worth listening to.”

Seijika was seething. “I do not know why father should be so generous to the likes of you, but he offers you your own lands and peace within his domain.”

Sesshomaru stepped forward. “Stand aside, InuYasha. If that abomination is as weak as this Sesshomaru thinks he is, my Tokijin will soon claim his miserable life.”

Onaraku smiled as he and his brothers stepped back and drew their weapons. “You are welcome to try.”

******************

Inside his dungeon, Naraku was working feverishly. Once again, he had managed to accelerate the development process, but he had only managed to reach the equivalent of approximately one year. He could crawl around and pull himself to a standing position by hanging onto something, but as soon as he let go he'd fall on his butt.

If he wasn't supposed to be the master of evil and ruler of the world, it might have been cute. And damn it if Nyoko wouldn't stop cooing over him and applauding every time he managed to pull himself up or accomplish some other feat of ningen childhood development.

At least his speech was developing more quickly than the rest of him. But all that meant was that he would be able to cuss out the hanyou and his damned family.

Naraku concentrated again on the creature that was imprisoned under Mount Fuji.

There!

He had barely felt it, but there it was: a vast fountainhead of pent-up rage and frustration. No real intelligence to speak of, but that suited Naraku's purposes perfectly. Using his contact with the beast as an anchor, he began extending his perception to its surroundings.

He found the wards that had been carefully placed to seal the beast under the mountain. They were the work of that thrice-damned miko. He could feel it. And she had been sad to have to seal the beast away. The wards were tinged with her emotion.

Naraku smiled. It said a lot that the miko hadn't simply purified the creature out of existence.

Destroy it. That's what he would have done. He reached out for the miko's ofuda…and drew back in shock! Naraku opened his eyes and looked down at his baby hands. The tips of his nails and the ends of his fingers were singed.

When had she become that powerful?

He would not make that mistake again. This time much more carefully, he mentally reached out for the ofudas. He examined the intricately-woven pattern within them. He frowned. This wasn't the work of an amateur. Kagome had become a master and the intricacy of her work rivaled his own. He kept looking for some flaw he could exploit and almost gave up, but…there!

It was not in the miko's nature to lock the creature away forever. Her kindness was her flaw. Unlike the sealing arrow Kikyo had used on InuYasha, Kagome's seal was meant to be broken under certain conditions.

Naraku began looking for the conditions that would cause the foolish miko's seals to be broken. As he did, he felt a pressure building within him. He strained for a moment.

******************

Sesshomaru and InuYasha watched as the three sons of Naraku grimaced and did a little dance that seemed to involve shaking their pants legs a lot.

“You are wasting this Sesshomaru's time…and you smell bad.” The Great Lord of the Western Lands turned to his brother. “Keep these three cretins busy while I destroy their father.”

“Stop!”

Sesshomaru's proud shoulders slumped. “What now?”

Kanna and Shippo raced to his side with Kanna holding out her mirror. “Look!”

Kanna's mirror showed the inside of Naraku's dungeon. Nyoko could be seen carrying the baby Naraku around. She was never more than a few feet from the Naraku, even when she set him down and he toddled on his own.

“Isn't that cute? He's walking.”

InuYasha and Sesshomaru looked up to find Kagome and Kagura hovering just above them on Kagura's feather. The miko was beaming as she stared into the mirror.

“Feh! That's Naraku, for kami's sake!”

“He's still our grandson.” Kagome turned to Sesshomaru. “And if you go swinging at him with Tokijin, you could hurt or even kill Nyoko.”

“Miko…”

Kagome stared at Sesshomaru with one of her “looks.”

After a minute, Sesshomaru blinked and put his sword away. “Very well, but you had better have a better plan.”

******************

So…if the creature met certain conditions…probably impossible for such a beast…the seal would allow it to emerge. It was clever and probably meant only to assuage the miko's guilt for having to seal a poor, dumb creature away; but Naraku, the master of deception, could take advantage of it.

He concentrated on the creature and began to dominate it.

Gradually, it calmed down and ceased pacing within its prison. When it was sufficiently under his control, he caused it to sit cross-legged before the ofuda that barred its easiest exit. (There were other ways out, of course, but they involved a significant amount of digging, and Naraku didn't have a lot of time.)

The creature appeared to enter a meditative state. Much as it disgusted him, Naraku caused the creature to think peaceful thoughts. Green meadows. Babbling brooks with colorful fish being eaten by ravenous lizards.

No.

Damn it.

That wouldn't work.

Okay. Green meadows. Flowers. Buzzing bees stinging the hell out of easily-victimized villagers. Naraku began to giggle.

No.

Damn it.

That wouldn't work, either.

Green meadows. Flowers. Villagers tending their fields among babbling brooks filled with colorful fish that would jump out of the water, grow to tremendous size and swallow the villagers whole! Naraku started giggling harder.

No.

Damn it.

Green meadows. Flowers. He began giggling.

Damn it.

He toddled over to wear Nyoko was pinned to the inside of his door, levitated slightly and took a suck from one of her breasts.

How was he to get serious?

******************

“Oi. Is that what I think it is?”

A brown lump had just dropped out of Onaraku's pants leg and rolled part of the distance to where InuYasha and his brother were standing.

“You dare shit in the presence of this Sesshomaru?” roard the tai-youkai.

“Ewwww, gross-s-s,” said Kagome, motioning for Kagura to move higher…which the wind sorceress did willingly.

Akamaru met his mother on her way up. “What's going on?”

“The boys are trying to figure out how to get at Naraku without harming Nyoko.”

Kagura sneered in what she assumed was Naraku's direction. “He's up to his old tricks…hiding behind hostages.”

Kagome looked thoughtful for a moment. “Call your brother and sister. I want to try something…and I'll need your help.”

******************

Naraku finally calmed himself down and began concentrating on the beast under Mount Fuji again. Green meadows, peaceful villagers tending their fields, colorful fish playing in babbling brooks.

The ward was definitely weakening.

He had a sudden inspiration. He pictured himself (as the beast) actually helping the villagers with their fields.

The ward broke.

The beast stood up.

Stumbling a little because its one leg had gone to sleep, it walked down the passageway till, for the first time in well over half a century, it saw the light of day. While the sight freed it from the superimposed will that had helped it to escape its prison, it seemed to hear a distant voice calling it.

Summoning it.

The call was coming from the direction it had sensed something earlier. That suited it well. Drawing itself up to its full height, it began walking towards the source.

******************

Up on Kagura's feather, Kagome gave a little start. “It's free,” she murmured.

“What's free?” asked Midoriko. She, Aoimaru and Akamaru floated around their mother, who remained on the enlarged feather with the wind sorceress.

“It can't be helped,” said Kagome. She looked down to her mate and Sesshomaru. “It's gotten loose.”

InuYasha looked up at his mate and her little gathering in the air. “Oi. I felt it, too. Probably that bastard's doing.”

“Yes, probably. But we have no time for it now.” Kagome turned to the kids. “If I know Naraku, he's plotting something big, and we're better off attacking him early.”

Kagome reached out with her miko powers and found that what she had guessed was true. Although the dungeon's door was open, there was a barrier around the whole place…and tracing the barrier allowed her to map out the dungeon (or at least the part Naraku thought he was able to protect). There…there was his barrier's weakest point, not surprisingly the farthest point from the doorway.

She turned to her three children and directed their attention to one point. “Do you think you could focus there?”

Akamaru sighed. “Mother, even with the three of us hacking away, it would take days to cut through that with our katanas.”

“I didn't mean with your katanas.” Kagome paused a moment. “Don't you remember?”

Midoriko floated forward. “You mean our spiritual powers.”

“Our lights,” continued Aoimaru.

“But we haven't tried that in…”

“Well, it's time you tried it now.”

******************

Down in the dungeon, Naraku was feeling anxious. His senses hadn't failed him yet, and they were screaming “danger!”

“What's going on out there?”

“InuYasha and Sesshomaru haven't attacked yet.”

“No, I mean above you.”

Bengoshi described the scene. “The three children are floating in the sky, cross-legged, in a circle. They seem to be meditating while they float over the back end of your dungeon. They seem to be glowing, each with a different color aura.”

“Did you say `glowing?'”

“The auras seem to be joining together now, forming one beam of bright, white light…which seems to be hitting the ground.”

It was that damned miko again! “What's happening to the ground?”

“It seems to be dissolving away. There's a shaft forming down towards the dungeon.”

“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”

“Father?”

“I think it's time one of you joined me. Onaraku?”

“Yes, father.”

“Come to me.”

Moments later, Kanna gasped. “Look at this!”

Kanna turned the mirror so that all could see…and this time captured the sound from inside the dungeon as well.

There, to everyone's horror, was Onaraku. The hanyou was already half absorbed by Naraku and all that could be heard was a terrified “whoop-whoop-whoop!” reminiscent of an old Three Stooges movie.

With a final “oh, a wise guy, huh?” Onaraku disappeared from view forever…although, just before he disappeared, Naraku appeared to belch once and what looked like a small and very frightened woman fell out and scurried into a corner.

“Ewww, gross,” said Kagome from above.

“Been there, seen that,” said Kagura, although not without a shudder.

InuYasha grimmaced at Bengoshi and Seijika. “You would defend him even after he absorbed your brother?”

“Don't listen to him, Bengoshi,” spat Seijika. “It's a trick!”

Down in the dungeon, Naraku was feeling more powerful. Indeed, he felt as though he had grown to the equivalent of 3 years of age. If he felt this good after absorbing one of those idiots…

“Seijika. Come here. I need you.”

“Yes, father.”

Bengoshi glanced over to where Seijika was backing away. “Where are you going? Do you expect me to face both of them, myself?”

“Father needs me.”

“You are a fool if you go,” said Sesshomaru.

“Much as I hate to admit it, Fluffy's right.”

“What did you call me?”

Seijika continued to back away, smirking. He hadn't been called first, but at least father had called him before Bengoshi.

He disappeared down the steps.

Kanna's mirror flared to life.

“Father! No-o-o!”

Seijika would never be seen again.

Naraku smiled. Now he felt like a five-year-old. Almost. He could feel that absorbing Onaraku and Seijika had allowed him to strengthen his barrier and the progress of the children of InuYasha and Kagome had slowed to a crawl.

“Bengoshi.”

“Y-Yes, Father?”

“I need you.”

“Don't you want me to stay out here and fight your enemies?”

“I think you'll be more useful in…burp…here.”

“I think I should stay out here.”

“Now, how can I expect you to rule at my side if you don't trust me?”

“At your side? Really?”

“I want to keep you very close to me. Always.”

“This Sesshomaru does not intend to wait much longer. Surrender now and you will receive some mercy.”

InuYasha blinked. “Mercy? Sesshomaru?”

Bengoshi began backing away. “Fools. I shall rule at my father's side forever.”

“Oi. More like inside your father.”

Bengoshi backed down the steps, leaving only the hundred-metre puppet guarding the way. Momentarily, a muffled scream was heard…the last the world would hear of Bengoshi.”

“Fool,” was all Sesshomaru said.

******************

Naraku was pleased with himself. He had definitely surpassed the equivalent of age seven in a ningen. His barrier had stopped the damned tunneling, and he could feel that the beast from Mount Fuji had almost arrived.

And he was rid of those idiots who dared call themselves his sons (except for a little gas, maybe). He experimented with sending out a tentacle and was rewarded with the sight of one several times the length of his own body…and fully under his control!

Now, if he could only absorb that magnificent and almost mindless beast that was almost here. Then…then he would attack!

******************

“Oh, InuYasha?”

“Feh.” The hanyou looked up at his mate. “What is it?”

“Would you be so kind as to examine the pit your children have been drilling and see how close you think we are from breaking through?”

“Keh.” Freed from having to face off the three children of Naraku, the hanyou walked to the edge of the shaft and looked down. “Really close, but the barrier down there looks pretty strong.”

“Do you think you can cut through with Red Tetsusaiga?”

“Won't know till I try.” InuYasha drew his katana and transformed the blade. He concentrated until the blade glowed red. Finally, katana upraised, he jumped into the pit, bringing the katana down with a yell.

Nothing.

Well, almost nothing.

“What's wrong, InuYasha?”

“I almost cut through.”

“Almost isn't good enough,” thought Kagome. “Be a dear and try again, would you?”

“Feh.” InuYasha shrugged, but raised Tetsusaiga and brought it down in a long arc. Just as the katana was about to hit the barrier…

“Osuwari!”

Several things happened at once.

The barrier broke and InuYasha crashed to the dungeon floor. Unfortunately, this was as far as the hanyou would get for the moment, as Kagome's subjugation spell pinned him to the floor.

The hanyou did get lucky. Had Naraku kept his wits, he could have slain InuYasha then and there. Unfortunately for the Naraku, all he could think of was escape. He bolted for the front door.

Naraku lost his concentration on Nyoko. The girl slipped out of his control, shook her head free of cobwebs and darted into a corner, where she found a strange, disheveled woman who seemed oddly familiar.

Naraku bolted up the front steps and out the door, where he expected his newly-acquired hundred-metre puppet would protect him. The evil hanyou came to an abrupt stop when he found himself facing a very angry taiyoukai. Somehow, being the size of a ningen seven-year-old didn't help his confidence. He backed down the steps until he realized the puppet was still there.

“Protect me!” he ordered.

The puppet looked down at Sesshomaru.

Back in the dungeon, InuYasha was finally able to move again.

“Do you see Nyoko?” Kagome called from above.

“Yeah,” shouted InuYasha, “and I can see Naraku backing down the steps. He must've run into Sesshomaru. I'll get him!”

“No!”

“Huh?”

“Get the two women and come out of there!”

“But…”

“No nookie for a week!”

“Damnit!”

While Naraku's attention was still on Sesshomaru, InuYasha grabbed the two woman huddled in the corner and carried them underneath the hole in the ceiling.

“A little help would be nice!”

Akamaru jumped down into the dungeon, took Nyoko from his father and jumped back up. A second later, InuYasha had jumped out of the dungeon, carrying the other woman.

Once out of the dungeon, Akamaru could not get Nyoko to let go of him. It seemed that all the girl wanted to do was hold onto him and cry…not that he could blame her. She had been through so much, including the loss of a child - as strange as the circumstances were.

There was something about being held by her mate and having his scent around her that was calming her down. Finally she allowed Akamaru to set her feet on the ground. “Our baby…”

“Shhh. It's okay, Nyoko.”

The woman InuYasha had rescued looked up from her seat on the ground, where Midoriko and Aoimaru were tending to her. Did you say `Nyoko?' I had a child named Nyoko, once.”

Nyoko's head snapped around and she regarded the woman closely for the first time. “Mother?”

The woman's eyes got big. “Is it really you?”

The two women rocked in a mutual embrace.

InuYasha put his arm around Akamaru's shoulder. “Congratulations, son. Not only have you saved your wife, but you've also gained a mother-in-law.”

It was then that they all heard the Great Lord of the Western Lands calling out to them. “Now that you've had a nice family reunion, how about giving this Sesshomaru a hand?”

A/N: I guess Bengoshi, Seijika and Onaraku got a little absorbed in what their father was doing. And that beast under Mount Fuji was released. More about that in the next chapter. And what does the future hold for Akamaru and Nyoko?

Remember, this is a rewrite.

As always, please read and review. Thanks!