InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Wishmaster ❯ From One Master to Another, Part Six: Kouga ( Chapter 8 )

His senses tingled, and had been since Tenchi had fed him the afternoon meal. As soon as the small family had finished, Ryu had thanked them and excused himself, stating he had to keep moving. Why, he wouldn't tell them. The last thing the village needed was to be on the defensive.

 

'Besides,' he reasoned as he continued on his journey to the north, 'the village is safe, now that I've left.'

 

Ryu pulled the inkpot out of the folds of his robes and inspected it closer. The texture of the inkpot was nothing like that of ordinary inkpots. Most were made out of bamboo and had a coarse, almost grainy feel to them. This inkpot, with the exception of where the lid and the two jewels met, felt like glass from a mirror. Then there was the power that he felt radiating from it. And the life.

 

'A living, breathing entity that's nearly pure power. How is this even possible? Who could contain such power?'

 

Ryu shook his head as he concealed the inkpot in his robes once more. The tingling sensation had grown, his senses warning him that demons were on the horizon. But something else had mingled in with his youkai senses, a buzzing sensation. The youkai were behind him. What had caught his attention was the spiritual power approaching him from the north. And if it was spiritual, not youki . . .

 

'I have a priest or a priestess coming towards me. I wonder if it's the priestess who's traveling with Miroku,' he mused. 'Only one way to find out.'

 

He continued along his designated path, humming softly to himself. Despite the danger behind him, Ryu felt light. The day, so far, had been pleasant, and he was enjoying himself. If the youkai reached him before he reached the priestess . . . well, he'd get rid of them when the time came.

 

A few hours after he'd left the village, as the sun started to lower in the west, Ryu spotted the priestess approaching at the same time she noticed him. And he did not fail to see that she traveled alone. Her eyes narrowed as they drew closer.

 

“A single youkai?” she spat. “I was told of a horde of them heading for a village south of here. What were you doing there, demon?”

 

“I was merely passing through, priestess,” he bowed. “The village remains intact and shall remain in tact.”

 

“And why is that?”

 

“Because they're now after me.”

 

* * *

 

As soon as the dizziness had passed, Inuyasha rose to his feet. He carefully made his way to the stack of books closest to him, noting the blue-mist continued to swirl about him, but that he could also see what lay on the floor. It clung to his clothing, causing it to stick to his skin. Some of it snaked its way up his legs, twirling about his waist, but heading mainly for the writing on his wrists. Thin tendrils curled around several times then started to imbed themselves into the writing. Searing hot pain flashed in his arms. Then they were numb.

 

It had happened so quickly Inuyasha barely had time to react. He gazed at his arms, eyes blinking.

 

“What just happened?” he murmured.

 

“Another infusion of power, Inuyasha.”

 

“You again,” he growled. He didn't feel particularly angry or anything. The voice, to him, was a nuisance but the only company he had. He'd growled for the principle behind it. Having been of an ornery disposition once, he felt that he should at least try to maintain it.

 

“Growling won't work on me, my pet,” the voice laughed. “I know for a fact that, once you were turned, your orneriness left you.”

 

“Whatever,” Inuyasha shrugged. “And I'm not your pet.”

 

“Of course you are! The marks on your wrist prove it.”

 

“What?” he glanced back at the writing.

 

“The writing on your wrists. Not of your native language, of course, but of mine.”

 

“So how is it that I'm able to understand you if you speak a different language than me?” he inquired. “And what's with this blue mist everywhere?”

 

“You are able to understand me because of the powers that have been infused into you. Believe me when I say, Inuyasha, that if you were not powerful, the ceremony would have killed you. You are, indeed, very powerful and one fine specimen of a genie. As for the blue mist . . . the current inkpot holder is a monk,” the disembodied voice explained.

 

“A monk?”

 

“Yes. A monk. And not just any . . . his name is Ryu and he belongs to an ancient order of youkai monks.”

 

“I've heard of them,” Inuyasha stated flatly. “But what does that have to do with this blue mist?”

 

“It means he will not make a wish.”

 

“He what?”

 

“He will not make a wish,” the voice repeated. “There is nothing he desires that he cannot achieve on his own. However, should someone else who doesn't intend to make a wish pick you up, more mist will appear. And it will be of a different colour each time. Don't worry, my pet. You'll be with me soon enough.”

 

“Keh,” Inuyasha snorted, folding his arms. “If I'm lucky, I'll be free before I even get the chance to meet you. Which I will be. Just you wait.”

 

“Somehow, I don't think so, my pet. I don't think so.”

 

* * *

 

“Kouga! Wait up!”

 

The wolf youkai snorted and shook his head. He'd be damned if he slowed down for Hakkaku and Ginta at that moment. There was something wrong. He felt it, he knew it. And it had to do with Kagome.

 

'Strange thing is,' he mused. 'I want to protect her . . . but I don't want to be with her anymore. Why is that? I must see her . . . I have to be sure.'

 

A slight breeze picked up, carrying several familiar scents to him and two unfamiliar . . . as well as a horde of youkai. But there was one scent missing. Inuyasha's.

 

'Dammit, where'd that mutf-face get to?' he growled to himself, as he picked up his pace. 'If I find out he's abandoned Kagome for that undead priestess . . .'

 

He left the thought unfinished. He'd deal with Inuyasha when he found him. In the meantime, he had to get to Kagome before that horde did. Even if he didn't want to be with her, he had to protect her. She could detect the shards of the Shikon no Tama and that made her a valuable ally against Naraku. If anything happened to her, they were in serious trouble.

 

Kouga crested a hill just as Kagome and her group crested another. The horde was to the south but, in the road, stood an unusual-looking monk and a priestess. A priestess that resembled Kagome.

 

'That must be Kikyou . . . but if she's here, then where's Inuyasha?'

 

* * *

 

“Come on! We have to hurry! I sense the jewel shards!” Kagome called after them as she dashed ahead of them. Sango cursed to herself. While the young miko may have sensed the jewel shards, the taijiya sensed several demonic auras converging on one spot.

 

“Kagome, wait!” Sango cried out, running after her. Miroku and Kirara were following. The young girl stopped and turned to face them.

 

“But the jewel shards,” Kagome began.

 

“Will have to wait,” Sango told her as she caught up. “We need to be careful. There's a group of youkai converging up ahead.”

 

“Because of the jewel shards . . .”

 

“Probably,” she agreed. “We need to be careful in proceeding.”

 

“I wish Inuyasha was here,” Shippou mumbled, his tone taking a slight whine to it.

 

“We all do, Shippou, but he isn't here,” Sango stated, lifting her bone boomerang. “Miroku and I can handle this. The two of you stay behind us.”

 

They continued running and had crested a hill . . . only to come to a halt. The horde was just to the south . . . and Kouga had just crested a hill on the opposite side of them. However, that wasn't what had Sango's attention. At the foot of the hill stood Kikyou and a monk in similar robes to Miroku's.

 

“What is going on?” she murmured.

 

* * *

 

“We're here,” Kagura announced. “Finally.”

 

The strange man next to her nodded, relief written all over his face. Naraku watched from a hidden grove as the two slowly approached Sesshomaru's castle. There was something different about Kagura and Naraku knew it. Somehow, someway she'd been turned into a human.

 

'Probably that man's doing,' he surmised. 'I did send her after him and his wares. Probably did it to protect himself and that wolf demoness. No matter. I can always change her back.'

 

Naraku crept out of his hiding spot, careful not to raise the guards' attention. As the inkpot wasn't there any longer - he'd overheard a guard telling a servant about Sesshomaru's displeasure at losing the inkpot - he had decided to change his plans, and wait and see what the taiyoukai's next move would be. Once he had the inkpot, he would have Kagura, and Sesshomaru, within his grasp once more. But now that Kagura had shown up . . .

 

'I don't have to wait any longer.'

 

Calling forth a single tentacle, he suddenly dashed towards her just as Sesshomaru came out of his palace. In one swoop, Kagura was in his grasp and he was off.

 

`Now to get that inkpot. And I think I know where it is.'

 

He laughed as he and the wind sorceress-turned-human vanished into the distance, slowly and painfully infusing her youki back into her.

 

* * *

 

“Was that . . . who I think it was?” Abu inquired nervously. He was well-aware of the silver-haired youkai behind him, and he feared him. Just not as much as he feared the one that had just grabbed Kagura and took off.

 

“Naraku,” came the soft growl. “I wondered when he'd try to attack again.”

 

“Forgive me for my asking, my Lord,” Abu turned to face Sesshomaru then bowed, “but are you not the most powerful youkai in all of this country?”

 

“Hai. That's one of many reasons why Naraku has come after me. Now if you'll excuse me, I must go after that inkpot.”

 

Abu felt his heart sink at Sesshomaru's word. Go after that inkpot . . . The taiyoukai glanced at him.

 

“And just why are you here? Did I not give you enough funds for my brother?”

 

“So you've used it,” he murmured then shook his head. “I'm not here for more money, my Lord. I'm here for the inkpot itself.”

“The inkpot itself?” Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at him. Abu nodded, squashing his fear. No matter what, he had to stand his ground.

 

“Yes. I came to retrieve the inkpot itself. I have a deadline as to how long I can stay in this land.”

 

“It would have nothing to do with this master that Inuyasha had been created for?”

 

“H-h-how do you know about that?” the man stammered.

 

“I received a note asking me not to overuse him,” came Sesshomaru's calm statement.

 

“I see,” Abu murmured, already unfolding his carpet. “Well, I can do is just hope that I get to the inkpot before Naraku does or anyone else for that matter.”

 

“And how do you propose to do that? You have no way of catching up with Naraku.”

 

“Don't be so sure of that, Lord Sesshomaru.”

 

Having said that, he unfurled the carpet and set it down. It floated a few feet above the ground. Abu stepped lightly onto the fabric and took off, not even bothering to see the expression on Sesshomaru's face. He had an inkpot to retrieve and deliver.

 

'I just hope I can get there in time. Please, God, let me get there in time,' he prayed as he tried to hone in on the inkpot's power, silently berating himself for not having done so before. 'I must get there in time.'

 

* * *

 

Sesshomaru watched as Abu followed Naraku into the distance. He had no doubts that Abu could find the inkpot. The man had, after all, turned his brother into a genie. A powerful one, at that. Sesshomaru just had doubts that Abu would be able to protect the power that Inuyasha now possessed.

 

“Rin, Jaken . . . Let's go,” he commanded, grabbing Uhn and Ah's reigns. Both quickly scrambled onto the two-headed dragonet's back. Then Sesshomaru took off after the strange human.

 

'Wherever he goes, Naraku will be as well,' he reasoned. 'Now is as good as any time to get rid of that filth. Once and for all.'

 

* * *

 

“Kikyou . . . What's she doing here?” Kagome murmured to herself. Across from her and her traveling group stood Kouga. In the road in front of them stood a strange monk and Kikyou, the two apparently facing off about something.

 

“He's a youkai,” Shippou whispered, his voice slightly awe-filled.

 

“A youkai monk?” Kagome blinked. “I've never heard of such a thing.”

“Neither have I,” Miroku concurred.

 

“I have,” Sango stated. “But I never thought I'd see one. Youkai with spiritual powers are said to be rare, and that, if they become part of an ancient order of youkai monks, they're never seen.”

 

“So what is this one doing out and about then?” Miroku inquired.

 

“I don't know . . .” Sango then turned her head to the south, her stance going stiff and on the defensive. “We'll have to ask him later. The horde is just beyond that next hill. Kirara, let's go!”

The taijiya and fire neko had just started to run when the monk whirled around, his eyes glowing red. Kagome watched in dumb-founded awe as he started twirling his staff. As soon as the horde cleared the hill, a blast of energy arched in her line of vision. A brilliant flash of bluish-white light surrounded them and, when it was gone, the only youkai remaining were the monk, Kirara, Shippou, and Kouga. Then, before anyone could react, Kouga let out a growl then tackled the monk, raising a fist.

 

“Kouga, stop!”

* * *

 

As soon as the light had cleared, Kouga felt himself trembling. That blast had been meant for any youkai who meant harm to the traveler in the center of the road. He'd felt it and it had made the hairs on his neck stand. With a snarl, he leapt at the strange youkai and poised to attack when he'd heard Kagome shout out to him. Relaxing some, he eased up but not entirely. A strange object had been hidden within the folds of the youkai's robes and Kouga roughly pulled it out then got off the youkai.

 

“My friend, it would be wise for you to give that back,” the youkai stated, rising to his feet.

 

“Oh, yeah?” Kouga snorted. “So you can try and blast us like you did that horde? I don't think so.”

 

“That isn't the source of my power,” came the reply. “Now if you would be so kind as to hand that back to me, I promised a young child that I would return it to its proper owner as I continue on my quest. And I do not intend to break my word.”

 

“And what is your quest, youkai?” Kikyou spat. Kouga did his best to not crinkle his nose at her scent. How Inuyasha could stand to be close to a woman who smelled of clay and bone was beyond Kouga. The youkai in the monk's robes merely shook his head and sighed.

 

“My name is Ryu, priestess, and I seek a monk by the name of Miroku. He has a wind tunnel in the palm of his right hand,” he replied, casting a tiny glare at her. “Is that all right with you?”

 

“It would be if you explained why those youkai were heading this way,” the priestess retorted.

 

“Because of the very inkpot the wolf holds in his hands,” Ryu stated. “Can you not feel the power that radiates from it? The life that seems to emanate from it? I know that a small, human boy could.”

 

Kouga rolled the inkpot round in his hands, noting that it definitely was not like ordinary inkpots. Not with the violet hue, the two jewels or the strange shade of blue. Most inkpots he'd seen humans carry had been made out of wood or bamboo, always brown and dull in appearance. This . . . this he couldn't explain.

 

'He's right . . . it does feel like it's alive or something . . . I've never seen anything that felt so . . . powerful before . . . It's like . . . it's like it had more power than my sacred jewel shards. And if that's the case . . . I wonder . . .'

 

Carefully, he held the inkpot out in front of him then took a deep breath. It was a risk, he knew, but people didn't gain their power and knowledge if risks weren't taken. If he was wrong, nothing would happen and he'd look rather silly in front of the humans and the youkai monk. If he was right, however, he'd be able to use it to his advantage. Either way, it would be interesting to see what would happen.

 

'And there isn't a guarantee that I'll be able to keep this, either. Just like the jewel shards. So . . . here goes nothing.'

 

“I wish . . .”

 

* * *

 

Somehow, the room had become warmer, as if the sun had somehow managed to sneak its way in. A dark fur rug appeared in the center of the room, underneath the chair and a stack of books. As he looked around, Inuyasha also noted that several furs had appeared on his bed.

 

'Did the monk lose the inkpot already? Sheesh, he didn't even have it for a whole day!'

 

Inuyasha shook his head yet something told him that the youkai monk was nearby. As well as several familiar people. They were outside, gathered around and discussing something. What, he couldn't make out but he knew that they were close by.

 

'What? How is this possible?'

 

“I'll show you, my pet. Look at the mirror.”

 

Turning his head, he caught a small flash of light coming from the looking glass.

 

At first, everything had been blurry. He could make out dark forms but nothing more. Then everything started to materialize more, take shape until his friends, Kikyou, the youkai monk, and Kouga came into view. The wolf had a hold of the inkpot but Inuyasha paid no heed to that. What held his attention was the young miko standing next to Miroku and Sango. His hands touched the looking glass.

 

“Kagome,” he murmured, his heart aching. He could tell that she was worried. Worried about him. If there was only someway he could let her know where he was at . . .

 

“I'm right here, Kagome! I'm right here . . .”

 

“They can't hear you, my pet. Until someone takes the lid off the inkpot or rubs it, you are trapped inside. There is nothing you can do. No amount of screaming, jumping, or trashing the place will bring any attention to your inkpot. Don't worry. When you're finally in my possession, you won't be trapped. As often, anyway.”

 

“But I have to be out there to grant any wishes, right?” he inquired, not taking his eyes away from the looking glass. He'd not forgotten the incident with the child but he was hoping that was the only exception.

 

“Actually, no. You'll respond to the word 'wish' anytime someone holding the inkpot says it,” the voice chuckled. “You proved that with the child.”

 

As the images in the looking glass started to fade, Inuyasha noticed Kouga inspecting the inkpot. He closed his eyes. From somewhere on the outside, he heard the words and knew that he would be compelled to obey.

 

“I wish . . . I wish I had the strength and the wisdom to be able to defend my tribe and lead them for many years to come, that I won't need the use of the Shikon no Tama anymore. I also wish that I can track down that bastard, Naraku, and break through his barrier, no matter what he throws at me!”

 

“Your wish,” Inuyasha whispered, the faint tingling of his powers coming alive, “is my command.”