InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shi-Bun-No-Ichi Yasha ❯ The Museum ( Chapter 11 )

Shi-Bun-No-Ichi Yasha

by Kota Magic

Part 11

Chikara was anxious to head for the museum and get the Shikon shard the next morning, but Sango and the others wanted to check out the area before rushing into what was hopefully not a deadly battle. With the money earned from the museum sale still abundant and now converted to American currency, the group set out to explore the Downtown New Bedford area.

"All these buildings are made of stone, like castles." Inu Yasha remarked. "And there's nothing but whaling stuff everywhere you look!"

"These buildings are obviously much older than most that we've seen." said Miroku. "Uh… what are those windows protruding from the roofs for?"

"Hm?" Chikara looked where Miroku was staring. "Oh! Those are called widow watches."

"Widow watches?" Kagome and Shippo blinked.

"Yup." Chikara smiled knowingly. "When men went whaling, the wives would go up to the widow watch towers and gaze toward the ocean to see if their husbands' ships were anywhere in sight. The fact that many never came back gave the towers their names."

"How sad!" Kagome remarked.

"Feh!" spat Inu Yasha. "If they didn't want to be widows, they should've married someone else!"

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome scolded. "How can you be so insensitive?"

"It's the damn truth!" the dog demon continued. "Why get attached if you're just gonna lose them? It's pointless!"

"You're the one to talk!" Kagome forced herself not to say. "You've been through it twice already and I know now that you love me just the same."

"For someone who's half human, you're pretty damn clueless about feelings!" said Shippo, getting in Inu Yasha's face. The dog demon simply yanked him by the tail and dropped him to the floor.

"Feh!" Inu Yasha turned away disgustedly. "Feelings just make decisions harder to do!"

Kagome was absolutely fuming. She had had more than enough of that hypocritical dog demon's attitude.

"OSUWARI!" she barked.

*WHAM!*

Inu Yasha hit the concrete pavement with a painful crunch. Struggling to lift his head, he muttered curses that would make even the most foul-mouthed sailor cringe.

They approached the New Bedford Whaling Museum cautiously, as though waiting for some foreboding creature to come out and attack. Kagome paid the admission fees and rejoined the group.

"So where's the shard?" Inu Yasha glanced around.

"This way," Chikara pointed. "It's in the room with the Lagoda ship."

The group headed slowly for the destined hallway. Just as they stepped into the doorway, Chikara stopped suddenly and gasped.

"Eh?" Shippo blinked.

"What is it?" Sango asked.

"It's here." Chikara whispered.

"I feel it too." Kagome glanced ahead. "There's definitely a shard of the jewel in this room!"

Inu Yasha sniffed the air with his keen nose. The smell of sweaty, rambunctious kids was everywhere, and he growled softly at the fact that it partially clouded the scent of the jewel. Shippo did the same, but was soon distracted by the exhibit.

"Wow!" the fox demon grinned. "There's a boat in here! How'd they manage to fit it through the puny doors?"

"This could be dangerous." Miroku said low and seriously. "If a fight does break out, all these children will be in danger!"

"Where exactly is the jewel, girl?" Inu Yasha stepped forward into the room.

"Up there." Chikara pointed toward the mural. "It's on the painting of Moby Dick."

Inu Yasha leapt toward the painting before anyone could protest. Scanning the wall, a gleam of light caught his eye. He grinned as he reached to snatch the shard right off of Moby Dick's brow. Just as his hand neared the fragment, a powerful force blasted him to the floor. The eye in the painting began to glow red.

"Oh no!" cried Chikara.

"The painting!" gasped Kagome. "It's coming to life!"

"I had a feeling it would be too easy just come here and get it!" Miroku remarked.

Moby Dick slowly began to pull himself out of the mural and towards the Lagoda. The children aboard the boat stopped playing and pointed curiously.

"EVERYONE! OFF THE BOAT! QUICKLY!" Chikara yelled in English.

Several children jumped off the Lagoda immediately at her warning, but others remained still in fascination, fear, or both. Moby Dick's tail finally came free of the mural, and it slammed violently into the side of the boat. People were screaming and running in all directions. One little girl, who had been standing near the edge of the boat when the white whale's tail had hit it, clung to the outer edge of the vessel for dear life. Chikara leapt up skillfully and caught her.

"Daijoubu?" she asked, forgetting to speak English.

"Huh?" the little girl blinked confusedly.

"Are you alright?" Chikara repeated in English.

"I'm ok." the child replied. "But the whale is breakin' the boat!"

From seemingly nowhere, Inu Yasha drew the Tetsusaiga. The sword hummed with raw power as its wielder pointed it at its target.

"Where were you hiding that?" demanded Kagome.

"You said I couldn't carry it at my side," Inu Yasha explained. "but you never said anything about carrying it on my back under my shirt!"

He had a point. He also had a huge Dragon Ball Z shirt to hide it under. It made perfect sense.

The white whale roared a monstrous sound, shaking the entire museum. Everyone readied themselves for battle. Miroku had his hand on the prayer beads, ready to pull them away at a moment's notice. Inu Yasha stood wielding the Tetsusaiga. Sango reached for her boomerang, but realized that she didn't have it. It would've been too big and noticeable to carry around. Shippo's tiny fists were clenched and anxious to release their loads of foxfire. Chikara cracked her knuckles, revealing her claws.

Moby Dick lunged at them, his narrow jaw and pointed teeth bared murderously. Inu Yasha charged to strike, but Moby swung his tail over his head and slammed the dog demon into the floor harder than any Osuwari from Kagome or Chikara.

"Kitsune-bi!" Shippo unleashed his azure flames into the enemy's face. Moby Dick recoiled for a moment before tackling Shippo right through the bow of the boat.

"Shippo!" cried Kagome.

Miroku leapt up struck down hard across the whale's head with his staff, but the blow did little more than jangle the rings. The large, white tail came around and slapped the houshi down beside Inu Yasha, who was just getting up.

"If only I had Hiraikotsu with me, I might be able to do something!" cursed Sango.

"There might be a way!" Chikara leapt over to where Shippo was lying unconscious on the ground. She cradled the little fox demon in her arms, trying to wake him."Shippo! Shippo? Are you ok?"

Shippo opened his eyes weakly, sporting a dazed expression. He shook his head and tried to focus on who was trying to wake him.

"Ugh…" he groaned. "What happened?"

"You took a beating I'm surprised you survived!" Chikara smiled, relieved that the little demon was alive.

"Oh!" Shippo sat right up when he recalled what was going on. "Where is everybody?"

"Over there." Chikara pointed. "Sango needs your help badly!"

"What can I do?" the fox blinked.

"She left Hiraikotsu back at the motel." Chikara explained. "Do you think you could transform into it for a while?"

"I'll try!" Shippo reached into his pockets and gasped. "Oh no! I left my leaves in my other clothes!"

"You mean these leaves?" Chikara handed him five wrinkled leaves she had pulled from her pocket.

"Yeah!" Shippo cheered and took the leaves from her. "Thanks a bundle!"

Meanwhile, Inu Yasha was up and slashing at Moby Dick with a ferocity that could put a real dog to shame. Moby Dick reeled with every slash, but healed up almost instantly. There was a sharp smell of paint filling the room.

"If we don't kill this thing soon," said Kagome. "The smell is going to knock Inu Yasha out!"

"If it weren't so dangerous," Miroku glared at the beast. "I'd suck it up into the air rip!"

"We can't do that." Kagome glanced back at the monk. "There are still a lot of people in here as well as priceless artifacts. If you open it up, innocent people might get sucked in."

"Sango!" yelled Chikara.

The taijiya turned just in time to catch a giant boomerang heading straight for her. She looked at it, puzzled. It was exactly like Hiraikotsu… except with a fluffy fox tail.

"Shippo?" Sango blinked.

"Yes, it's me!" said the boomerang. "I'll be your weapon as best I can!"

"I see." Sango glared at Inu Yasha as he slashed repeatedly at the white whale. "Maybe if we can split it in two, Inu Yasha might have a chance!"

"Let's do it!" said Shippo.

"INU YASHA! MOVE!" the demon killer yelled as she hauled the tailed boomerang lethally at the giant white monster.

Inu Yasha leapt out of the way as the weapon sliced its target in two. Comprehending the situation, the dog demon slashed downward at the shard on Moby Dick's head. But the white whale had other ideas. It reared its severed head and caught Inu Yasha in its jaws, crunching hard. Inu Yasha screamed in agony as he felt several of his ribs cracking under the intense pressure. Having crushed the hanyou unconscious, Moby Dick dropped him to the floor with a thud.

"INU YASHA!!!" cried Kagome.

"No! Otou-sama!" Chikara gasped.

"Otou-sama, is it?" came a low, dull voice. "I see that I am not the only one who has come back to claim this shard then."

Everyone looked upward toward the source of the voice. There, standing on the topsail of the Lagoda, was a familiar looking boy. He looked no older than twelve years of age and bore two violet slashes on each cheek. His eyes were cold and emotionless. The boy's kimono clearly stated that he was not from this time or place.

"Zankokumaru!" Chikara snarled.

Everyone looked at her, shocked. Inu Yasha winced as he forced himself to open his eyes. Shippo popped back into his true form.

"That's Sesshoumaru's son?!" gasped Kagome.

"Yes." Chikara growled. "What are YOU doing here, Zankokumaru."

"Oh? So you do remember the name of the demon who's going to kill you." the boy said nonchalantly. "If you weren't so worthless, I'd be honored!"

"Oh…" groaned Inu Yasha, struggling to get up. "That's definitely Sesshoumaru's brat!"

"What are you doing here, you jerk!?" Chikara yelled.

"My father grew tired of simply chasing after you for the Tetsusaiga." Zankokumaru began. "so he sent me to fetch the Shikon shard he had heard about here in this filthy place. After all, my father is powerful enough to only need one shard to defeat you. I had no idea that you vermin would be here as well."

"Look who's talking!" Shippo shouted. "Inu Yasha could kick you and your dad's butt any day!"

"Could he now?" Zankokumaru glanced over at Inu Yasha. "I doubt he'll be doing much with ribs cracked as they are."

"Did you send this monster after us?" Chikara bared her fangs.

"Are those ears naught but décor?" the boy sneered. "I just said I didn't know you would be here. Though I must admit, I wish I could take credit for it."

Just then, Moby Dick pulled himself back together. He lunged at Kagome, targeting her as his next victim. Kagome stood frozen in terror…she cringed…

*SLASH!*

*CRUNCH!*

Everyone stared as Inu Yasha, as hurt as he was, stood between Kagome and Moby Dick with Tetsusaiga drawn. As the white whale raced forward, the demon blade stopped it in its way. Moby Dick roared psychotically as the sword bit into its forehead. Inu Yasha glared at the beast, leaning his face a breath away from the monster's face. He then spoke low so that only the whale could hear.

"You… will… leave… my mate… alone…" he growled.

Inu Yasha didn't give the words a chance to sink into the creature's mind, because the next thing anyone knew, the dog demon had madly slashed the white whale and reduced it to a puddle of bubbling paint. The Shikon shard lay sparkling in its midst.

Seeing his chance, Zankokumaru leapt down from his perch and snatched up the shard almost effortlessly. Inu Yasha took a swipe at him, but the young demon was too quick for him.

"I expected a lot more from the worthless hanyou my father has failed to defeat!" Zankokumaru spat. "My father must truly be weak to lose to the likes of you! Maybe I should attack your bitch instead! She'd probably have more fight than you!"

Inu Yasha had not yet turned around. He was still facing the lifeless puddle of paint on the ground. Tetsusaiga had been dropped on the ground.

"Hey!" Zankokumaru barked. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, you worthless bastard!"

"Shut up!" yelled Chikara.

"Inu Yasha?" Kagome asked timidly.

Inu Yasha turned around, his bangs covering his closed eyes. Slowly, he lifted his head. The color drained from everyone's face. A single violet slash streaked across each of Inu Yasha's cheeks. When his eyes opened, they were blood red.

~~~~~~~

Oooo! He went youkai! Even I'm getting scared! Are you guys/gals enjoying this? Please tell!