InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ New Life ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Year: 1535
Month: February

Shippo yawned and stretched. Groaning softly, he looked around. In a couple of days would be a year since he had last seen the tree. They were currently resting in a cave on the border of the Western lands.

In the time he had been with his mother, he had seen the change. He had gotten a look at his mother during one of her serious fights. It had been against the Eastern Lord, a neko. He growled softly. His mother hadn't killed him though. The stupid cat had thought to take his mother as a slave. He snickered. That stupid cat hadn't even come close to touching his mama. He was proud of his mama. Inuyasha would not recognize her. “Shippo. You have awoken at last.”

Turning, he saw his mama at the entrance of the cave. “Mama!”

Kagome stared down at her son with humor in her eyes. He had grown quite a bit in the year. He now appeared to be at the age of 13. Somehow with her growing more powerful, it had made him start growing more rapidly. She would have to ask Bokuseno when she saw him.

As she traveled, she had taken to studying with different schools, often asking them to train Shippo as well. He had become so strong. Perhaps that was the reason. Perhaps because she had started ensuring that Shippo began to train and increase his power, his aging had progressed rapidly.

Shaking her head, she turned and began to head into the trees. Shippo scampered behind her in his true form. He had managed to master appearing human now.

As the day began to wane, Kagome paused. Before her she could sense the power marking Sesshomaru's lands. It would be a three day journey to Bokuseno once they crossed. The hard part was getting to him without coming into contact with Sesshomaru. Over the year she had trained, she had avoided becoming noticed. Thankfully she hadn't ever given her real name. Chi-Ken No Tama….

That name that had come to her in the dark whispers of the night. Soul of the blood blade. Giving a harsh laugh, she glanced around. If Sesshomaru had ever indeed found out about her, he would know her by that name. Thank goodness that he had never discovered her true name. If he had, she had no doubt that he would go after anything that she considered friend.

“Mama?” Kagome glanced back.

“Come Shippo. Let us go.” Shippo nodded. He ran forward happily, taking her hand.

Inuyasha grunted harshly. The youkai before him was a bit more difficult than usual. In the corner of his eye, Inuyasha could see Kikyo firing arrows. He could sense Miroku and Sango nearby with Kirara.

Leaping back next to Kikyo, he grunted. “Kikyo, we have to combine our attacks.” Kikyo nodded. Both began to charge their attacks. Within moments, their attacks set out. The youkai screamed in pain as the attack washed over it. Inuyasha panted as it was dusted. Kikyo grinned. Inuyasha smirked at her. “Let's head back to the village now.” Kikyo nodded, blushing.

Miroku and Sango came over laughing. “Alright love birds.” Both blushed, looking away from each other. The two began to laugh out loud.

Inuyasha immediately crossed his arms. “Keh.”

As they entered a village, Inuyasha frowned. There were whispers echoing around town. It was about someone named Chi-ken no Tama. This creature was supposedly some godlike creature. Perhaps… this creature had something to do with Naraku.

His ears flattened against his head. Naraku had randomly attacked throughout this past year but they hadn't seen the filthy spider in person since Kagome had died. He had gotten scared since that time. He would simply have to find out more information about this guy while he was here.

Sesshomaru growled softly. He had sensed someone crossing into his lands not too long before but it was as though they had vanished without a trace. He now stood at the place where the trespasser had crossed, attempting to find a scent. The path they walked was unknown. He could find no sign of passage nor any scent that could lead him.

Behind him, he could hear Jaken and Rin bickering behind them. He growled softly in irritation. He would hunt down the creature that passed his borders. Moving forward, he headed into his lands.

Kagome sighed softly as she looked up at the setting sun. “Hey Shippo, I think we will stop at a village tonight.” Shippo looked up in surprise. He didn't think that they would stop in one of the villages in the western lands. He knew that every time they entered a village, it caused problems and brought attention to them. It was something that he knew his mother wasn't wanting any type of attention. He said nothing, merely following her.

Kagome's face held a smile but her eyes were anything but. There was a calculating look in them. She paused as she came into view of a village. Before she had even stated her opinion to Shippo, she had been planning on going. She had turned in the direction of this village. Feeling Shippo bump into her legs, she felt a jolt within her that felt odd. “Mama?”

Looking down, Kagome smiled sweetly. “We're here Shippo. Come.”

As they entered the village, Kagome froze. Something was most definitely wrong with this village. There was a presence here. Shippo gripped her leg as he shivered. The spirit in this village was very oppressive.

“Shippo… I want you to leave.”

“I'm not leaving you, Mama. I'll help protect you.” Kagome gave a slight nod. Her gaze moved around the village, no longer the same Kagome. This was Chi-ken no Tama.

Slowly, she pulled her blade. Within minutes, men surrounded them. These men weren't normal though. The two had long ago stopped carrying a basket and now only had a bag that Kagome had commissioned to look a lot like her old one except it was smaller.

There were about 15 men. The thing was, they were oddly not human. “Who can this be? It was not whom I expected.” Both tensed. It was Kagura. “Well this is no fun. I was expecting the half-breed and his group.” Kagome watched as the wind witch pouted.

So Inuyasha was supposed to arrive here. That was something that she hadn't expected. Tilting her head, she dropped the tip of her blade towards the ground. “Oh, it's just you.”

Kagura scowled darkly. “You have no idea who you're talking to.”

Kagome smirked. “As a matter of fact I do know. You are Kagura, wind witch and a part of Naraku the spider hanyou. As a matter of fact you have located on your back a scar in the shape of a spider.” Kagome watched the anger pass over her face.

“How do you know such things? Who are you?”

Kagome sheathed her blade and bowed. “I am Chi-ken no Tama.” The dark smile that appeared made Kagome lift a brow.

“We have heard about you. My Lord Naraku has been wanting to find you to ask about you joining us.”

Kagome snorted. “No thanks. I would never join one as disgusting and vile a creature as Naraku.” Kagome glanced down at Shippo. “Let us go then. We have places to be.” Shippo nodded.

As they turned away, Kagura snarled. “Do not turn your back on me human.”

Jumping to the right, Shippo snarled as the attack came at them. It had been Kagura's dance of blades. Turning he saw his mama had jumped the other way. He knew this alter ego of his mother's was far different from the usual person he knew.

Looking at Kagura, he snarled. “Take care of the dead.” His mother's voice was cold. Nodding, he turned.

“You think that boy will be enough?”

“More than enough.” Shippo's voice was dark. Calling on his youki, the fire swarmed around him as he darted forward.

Kagome stared at Kagura in disgust and pity. The woman was full of hatred. She was a selfish woman, seeking to save her own life before that of others. She was tired of this woman. “You will be set free this day. You will return to the wind as you should.”

Kagura laughed harshly. “You are only human. You will die this night.” Kagome's eyes seemed to smile.

Inuyasha grunted. “We're almost there. I can smell that bastard's stench. We are close.” The others behind him were attempting to keep up. It was sudden when they burst into the open. Inuyasha stared down at the village in shock.

Kagura was battling with a woman. There were dead battling with a young kitsune. Inuyasha blinked in shock. “What the…” Kikyo had slid off his back at this point. “What the…”

Kikyo shrugged. “I have no idea Inuyasha. Should we help?” Inuyasha huffed.

“Of course.”

“Hey Inuyasha, doesn't that kitsune look familiar?” Inuyasha glanced at Miroku with a frown.

“What do you mean?” Focusing on the kitsune, he studied him. With sudden clarity, he watched the kitsune let loose a fire attack. “It's Shippo!” The group hastily headed down the hill.

Shippo grunted. Grabbing the hilt of the blade at his side, a wakizashi that his mother had had commissioned for him, he summoned his youki. Pulling the blade, blue fire seared through the flesh of the dead around him, turning them to ash.

Growling darkly, his beast surged to the surface. Unfortunately, he had yet to learn to control the blood lust within him. It was the one thing that his mother could not help him with.

“Stupid brat, do I still have to save your ass? Where the hell have you been?” Shippo blinked in surprise.

“Inuyasha?” Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the hanyou behind him with Kikyo and the others. “Inuyasha…”

“Keh…” Shippo grinned. Having Inuyasha around was oddly comforting.

Kagome sidestepped another attack. She hadn't even bothered to pull her weapon. She yawned loudly. “Is this really it?” This seemed to set her off more. “To think all those times before we had trouble battling you.”

“I have never battled you in my life.” Kagome's eyes glinted.

Laughter escaped. “Silly woman. It is time to end this.”

For a moment her mind brought up a memory of a show back in her time. The type of martial art was a fictional concept but she would make it a reality. She'd have to talk to Bokuseno to see if there was something similar in this era that would help. Maybe stay a couple days with him to master whatever else. Having a sensei that was as old of time that could see into your mind and teach you through the mind gave her an advantage that most students didn't have. She had spoken with a few teachers and taken lessons from them but she had managed to master them within a couple months. She had taken them by surprise. Especially when they discovered that she was really a woman. They had gone on and on how they had disgraced their teachings by letting a woman learn. In the end, thanks to Bokuseno, she had learned more than they could ever teach her. She was at the pinnacle of human perfection.

What made things even more perfect was that she was immortal. She couldn't die. At one point though, she had almost died for real. In all the times she had died over the year because of stupid mistakes she had made, they had always been painful. The one time that her head had almost been severed though… She mentally shuddered. She still had the scar.

Focusing back on the task at hand, she figured that it would be time to end it now. Darting forward, she pulled her blade free and leapt into the air. As she made a connection on the back of her neck, Kagura gave a gasp of surprise and shock. As she fell, Saimoshu appeared and grabbed her body as it fell.

Kagome scowled. Well that was no fun. Those bees would simply have to be taken care of the next time before she attacked Kagura. Landing, she turned and blinked in surprise. It was Inuyasha and the others.

As soon as Kagura was knocked unconscious, the dead dropped. Shippo grinned. Turning, he looked at Inuyasha and the others. “Hey guys. Long time, no see.” Rubbing the back of his head, he chuckled.

Inuyasha inspected him. “You've grown.” Shippo nodded. Every youkai knew that as their power grew, the faster they aged when they were young. Once they reached mating age, they stopped aging more or less.

“Yeah, got me 3 tails now.” Shippo unwrapped the appendages from around his waist to show them.

Sango came up. “Where have you been?”

“Eh… I uh…”

“Shippo!” Shippo turned.

“Hai Mama?” Everyone turned to watch the human woman come up.

“Hello Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku and Kikyo.”

They all stared. “Kagome!”