Here it is! The Long Awaited Chapter 15!
Chapter 15
The Magatama Fruit
Inuyasha opened his eyes slowly to find himself laying down next to Aya and looked around the little house to see everyone else passed out as well. He looked down at Aya and at her short hair. ‘Why was I so rude to her…I was wrong…she looks better than she did before…I wonder if she even likes me after that…I can sense she’s gonna tell me something…something that might change the way I see her….Inuyasha stroked the hair from Aya’s eyes and looked closely at her sleeping face, feeling the burning sensations at his cheeks. He rested his cheek on Aya’s face.
“Ugh…” Kagome moaned sitting up. She looked over to see Inuyasha hunched down over Aya, “Inuyasha, what are you doing?” she asked.
Inuyasha sat back up, “Erm…I’m checking for ticks,” he said quickly turning to her.
Kagome laughed as Sango sat up as well, “Uh…where are we?”
A man entered the small house that was similar to Kaede’s, “Oh, you’re awake,” he said.
Miroku sat up and rubbed his head, “Did you save us?” he asked looking at the
man who walked in.
“I don’t know,” replied the owner of the house, “I found you at the entrance of the castle, so I brought you here to Rindoh Village,”
Aya sat up and rubbed her head, “Ow, why does my head hurt?” she asked in pain.
“Hey! You’re awake!” Shippo exclaimed as he came into the house,
“I got up and went out for some food,” Shippo said handing each of his companions a small bag of berries, “Eat up, everyone!”
“Thank you, Shippo!” said everyone except Inuyasha.
Everyone ate their food and Aya sighed, “Well, we didn’t beat Naraku…” she said.
“We didn’t even touch him…” Kagome added popping a berry into her mouth.
“That barrier is too strong for us…” Sango said hanging her head with a sigh.
“Yeah…” Aya stood up, “I’m gonna go out and take a little walk…” she said. Aya left the home and walked out into the Rindoh Village. She noticed a familiar black haired boy sitting in a grassy patch off to the side of the road, “Haruko-kun?!” Aya said happily.
The boy looked up at her, “Aya!” he exclaimed. Akasaka Haruko stood up and rushed to Aya sweeping her off of her feet into his arms, “I’m glad you’re okay,” he said lovingly nuzzling her cheek.
“Haruko-kun, what are you doing here?” asked Aya.
“I watched you enter the castle and every moment I waited for your return the Castle became darker and darker,” Haruko said letting Aya down on her feet. “Soon, when I sensed you reached the heart of the evil, The Castle was flooded with miasma and even the town, so Castle Town evacuated and everyone escaped here, to Rindoh Village, far away from the danger. I worried about you, Aya. That you wouldn’t make it out alive,”
“Oh, Haruko-kun,” laughed Aya, “I wish Inuyasha could care about me like you do,”
“This—‘Inuyasha’…the half-demon, right?” asked Haruko.
“Yes,” Aya replied.
“He doesn’t care about you?” asked Haruko again with sadness.
“Not as much as you do, Haruko-kun,” Aya said smiling warmly in his direction.
She hung her head and rubbed her shoulder, “I really do wish Inuyasha could care about me like you do. I wish he didn’t act so rudely to me, you know?”
“Yes…” Haruko said, “He doesn’t treat you right,”
Aya smiled up at him, “I was going for a walk, do you want to come with me?”
Haruko nodded, “I’d be honored to walk with you,” he said.
Aya smiled and the duo began to walk. Aya noticed a small set of stone stairs and she began to climb them, past the trees and patches and grass. Aya and Haruko reached the top and saw an old man standing at a shrine with his back turned.
“Miss Kururugi, how are you?” asked the man.
“Grandpa Kakaju?” Aya said looking up at him, “Is that you?”
“Kakaju?” Haruko was confused, “I don’t understand. You know this man?”
“Yes,” chuckled the old man, “Miss Kururugi is my acquaintance. I see you did not defeat your foe in the castle,”
“No, we didn’t…” Aya replied hanging her head, “And come to think of it. I never asked him why he brought me here and why I didn’t ask him to send me home…”
“He had a barrier…” Kakaju said looking at Aya through the gray hair over his eyes, “Did he not?”
Aya looked at Kakaju, “Yes, he did. It deflected every attack to him,” she said very confused.
“Well, I can teach you a shikigami skill that can break any barrier,” Kakaju said leaning on his cane.
Aya smiled broadly, “Really? You can do that, Grandpa Kakaju?” she asked.
“Of course, but it will require a certain fruit that will be tricky to retrieve,” Kakaju replied, “It’s dangerous. Keep your friends close as you go up,”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to break Naraku’s barrier!” Aya said determined.
“You have determination. That is needed to get what you must receive from the mountain,” Kakaju said, “Now, you need to bring me the Magatama Fruit from Mount Houoh. When you have received this fruit, bring it back to me,”
Aya smiled, “Thank you so much, Grandpa Kakaju!” she exclaimed.
“Aya…does this mean you will leave me again?” asked Haruko looking at Aya.
“Yes,” Aya replied, “But I’ll be back soon, and that’s a promise!” She ran back to the house where her friends were, “Kagome! Inuyasha! Sango! Miroku! Shippo!” she called as she burst in, startling them as she entered.
The house of the man that saved them was a single room with a small extension in the back. It was made of simple wood and had no door.
“What is it, Aya?” asked Sango.
“Grandpa Kakaju! He told me a way to break Naraku’s barrier!” Aya exclaimed.
Miroku gave her a surprised look, “Really, now?” he said blinking.
“Yes!” Aya said excitedly, “We have to go now!”
“Wait, Aya,” Kagome said standing, “Where?” she asked.
“Mount Houoh! We need to get a Magatama Fruit from the Magatama Tree!” Aya said, “But, Kakaju told me it was going to be dangerous. There’s extreme danger at the top of the mountain, so we have to be careful,”
“Anything to beat Naraku,” Inuyasha said standing, “Let’s go,” he said.
“Yeah!” Shippo jumped up and into Aya’s arms.
“Nice work, Aya,” Kagome said smiling.
“Yes,” Miroku said ruffling Aya’s short blonde hair, “As usual, you found a way to go on,”
Sango patted Aya’s shoulder, “You’ve been the biggest help to us lately, thanks,” she said smiling, “We’d be no where without you,”
“I can say the same,” Aya said, “You’ve helped me try to find a way to get me home,”
“Well, what are friends for?” asked Shippo.
“I just wish Inuyasha would help,” Kagome said as Inuyasha walked past them, leaving to go to the mountain.
Inuyasha stopped to yell at Kagome, but Aya replied to Kagome before he could open his mouth,
“He means well, Kagome,” Aya said, “I’ve noticed that…he’s helping me. He really is…he may act rude sometimes, but I see it as his way of showing he cares if I get home or not,”
Inuyasha said not another word as he left completely.
* * *
The party began to climb the tall and rugged mountain. They started at the grassy base.
“I wasn’t very good at mountain climbing,” Aya said looking up at the mountain ahead of them through the trees.
Miroku took her hand and smiled, “I won’t let you fall, Aya,” he said.
“I won’t let you fall, Aya,” Inuyasha said mocking Miroku. “I wouldn’t trust him,” He said scooping up Aya and carrying her like a baby.
“Inuyasha! Put me down!” Aya said angrily, “Put me down! NOW!”
“Inuyasha!” Kagome said angrily, “Put Aya down!”
“She’s freaking out about mountain climbing, so, relax, I’m going to get you up Mt. Houoh, whether you like it or not!”
“Inuyasha,” Sango sighed, “I think that’s being a bit too pushy!”
“So what?” asked Inuyasha angrily, “She’s whining to Miroku and it’s pissing me
off, so I’m gonna bring her up this mountain, no problem,”
“No, Inuyasha,” Kagome said angrily, “Put Aya down,”
“Yes! Put me down!” Aya said frantically kicking her legs. Inuyasha continued to walk up until he reached a rocky path, getting close to the mountain.
“Alright, alright,” Inuyasha sighed and dropped Aya onto the gravel.
“AH!” Aya cried.
“Inuyasha!” Sango said angrily rushing to help Aya back up, “Don’t drop Aya like that! Be gentle!”
“Yeah, Inuyasha!” Shippo said in his high-pitched childish voice, “Be nice to Aya!”
“Aw, shut up,” Inuyasha said angrily scowling at them.
“Well don’t just stand there, Inuyasha,” Miroku said easily picking Aya back up and holding her tight to his chest with his arm free from his staff, “apologize to Aya,”
Inuyasha crossed his arms, “I’m not apologizing to her, she doesn’t deserve it,” he
said angrily.
“That’s it!” Kagome said angrily, “Inuyasha, sit!”
Inuyasha’s prayer beads glowed for a split second before he was thrust to the ground like an unwanted cupcake.
“Oh, poor Inuyasha,” Aya said sweetly, seriously feeling bad for the half demon.
“He deserved it,” Sango snapped at Inuyasha as she walked by him and further up the road. Kagome with Shippo followed, then Miroku let Aya walk on her own as he also went ahead.
Aya knelt down to Inuyasha and poked at him, “Inuyasha, are you alright? Does
anything hurt?” she asked.
“No,” Inuyasha stood, “I’m fine, don’t be like that, it’s stupid,” he mumbled.
Aya looked down and away from him as he walked a few steps, “I wish you would one day realize I care about you, Inuyasha…” she said softly, but loud enough for
him to hear.
Inuyasha stopped walking and looked back at her, “What?” he gave her an utterly baffled look and his heart raced, were those the words he wanted to hear from her?
“Y-you heard me…” Aya said softly, letting her short hair fall in front of her face.
Inuyasha turned to her, “Aya….do you mean it?” he asked, his heart pounding.
Aya approached Inuyasha as he spoke. She laughed loudly, “No,” she replied giving Inuyasha a pat on his shoulder.
“WHAT!?” Inuyasha was furious as Aya walked by him, “YOU GOT ME ALL WORKED UP FOR THAT?!”
Aya giggled and pulled her hair back into a little ponytail that stuck out from the back of her head, “I guess I did, what were you expecting? For me to confess my eternal love for you and have it result in passionate love-making?”
Inuyasha blushed a bit and fisted his hand, “N-no!” he protested, “You jump to too many conclusions, Kururugi!”
Aya laughed again and walked off, “I wonder when I’ll get you like that again, mutt. That was fun,” she said blowing his a playful kiss.
“GET BACK HERE!”
* * *
“Well,” Kagome looked up at the steep mountain face and sighed, “There’s no way up from here,”
The face of Mt. Houoh was rocky, barren, and ugly. It had steep cliffs and loose rocks tumbled down past them as the group exited the forest region at the base and made it to the mountain itself. The sky stretched limitless overhead and it made Aya nearly fall back looking up the mountain.
“Well, let’s go, guys,” Aya said placing her hand on a rock. She boosted herself up and began to scale the mountain slowly, the Tokijin bouncing on her backside.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Miroku said frantically reaching out to grab her. He missed and Aya climbed higher and higher out of his reach.
“Aya!” cried Kagome, “Come back! I know there’s an easier way!”
“Psh,” Inuyasha placed his hand on the Tetsusaiga and pulled it out, “She’ll be fine,
Kagome,” he gave his blade a few good swings.
Aya climbed higher and higher before eventually, she went into the ring of mist around the mountain.
“Aya!” cried Sango, “Be careful up there!”
“I’m almost a quarter of the way up!” called Aya as she was about half of a mile off the ground.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew Aya away and her foot slipped from the grip on the rocky mountain face. She clung to the wall for dear life and screamed.
The others, not able to see was going on, cried out, “Aya!” they screeched.
Inuyasha sheathed the Tetsusaiga and raced toward the wall, “Hang on, Aya!” he shouted.
“Inuyasha!” cried Kagome and Sango, “Wait! Don’t go! It’s dangerous!”
“You want Aya to be alright,” Inuyasha said angrily looking at the girls, “don’t you?”
Kagome and Sango nodded and looked down with a sigh.
Inuyasha crossed his arms, “Don’t worry! If she falls, I’m gonna catch her!”
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Aya’s grip failed and she fell backwards towards the ground. Her hair flew up and her pupils grew thin. This….is the end…..I’m sorry… Mom… Dad…all of my friends….Hiro… Aya fell faster and faster to what she expected to be her doom. She felt her heart beat harder and quicker, her fear sky-rocketing, and her tears slowly flowing from her eyes.
“I’m telling you, the moment she falls, I’m gonna be right under to catch her,” Inuyasha said bravely.
WHAM!
Dust kicked up and everyone cried out in surprise.
“What happened!” cried Shippo.
Aya coughed a bit from the dust.
“Ugh! What’s on my back!” Inuyasha shouted as he squirmed on the ground.
The dust cleared.
“Aya!” cried Kagome, Shippo, Miroku, and Sango happily.
Aya looked up at them and wiped her tears clumsily, “Huh? Kagome! Shippo! Miroku! Sango!” she said smiling back at them. Aya blinked, “Where’s Inuyasha?” she asked.
“Get off of me!”
Aya looked down to see she was sitting on Inuyasha’s back forcing him to lay on his stomach on the rough pebbles of the mountain base. Aya scrambled off of Inuyasha and blushed in embarrassment. “Oh, Inuyasha, I’m so sorry….” Aya said nervously.
Inuyasha stood up, “Well, you’re okay, right?” he asked looking at her.
Aya nodded, “Yes….thank you, Inuyasha,” she said shyly.
“How are we going to go up?” asked Miroku pulling Aya into his arms and comforting her from her devastating fall.
“It’s dangerous to just scale the mountain like Aya did,” Sango added, “surely we’ll fall and kill ourselves,”
Shippo looked up the mountain and smiled, “I got it!” he said excitedly.
“Hm?” all the attention was to the small fire fox demon, “What is it, Shippo?” they asked.
“You guys can hitch a ride! Watch! Transform!”
POOF!
Shippo became in his large pink balloon form, “Hop on, everyone!” he said happily.
Miroku, Sango, Kagome, and Aya smiled, “Shippo, you’re brilliant!” they said.
“Yeah, yeah, let’s just go to the top of this thing so we can get closer to defeating Naraku,” Inuyasha grumbled.
Miroku lifted Kagome, Sango and Aya up on Shippo’s back, “Ladies first,” he said smiling at them.
“Thank you, Miroku,” the girls replied smiling.
“Going up!” Shippo began to rise from the ground, “Hang on, everyone!”
The girls grabbed a tight hold of Shippo and one another.
Shippo rose into the misty clouds where Aya had fallen and Kagome looked at Aya, “Hey, Aya,” she said.
“Hm?”
“What do you think of that Haruko?” Kagome asked curiously.
“Yeah, he’s so attracted to you, I was wondering the same,” Sango added.
“Oh…him?” Aya blushed, “He’s become a good friend,” she replied. She tapped her chin, “but lately, Inuyasha doesn’t approve…he always mutters something about a scrawny wolf…”
“Scrawny wolf?!” cried Kagome, Sango, and Shippo.
“Uh-oh…do you think—” Sango started.
“No! It can’t be!” Kagome said baffled as they rose higher into the sky.
“What are you talking about?” asked Aya looking at her friends, “You mean you know about this “scrawny wolf”?”
Kagome shivered, “Do we?” she asked rubbing her arms, “It’s a long story, hopefully on our journey you’ll see…” she replied.
“Hm…I don’t know why Inuyasha would dislike a wolf…” Aya said, “after all, he is a half dog demon…”
“Oh you’ll see,” Sango laughed nudging Kagome.
Kagome gave Sango an angry look, “I’ll get you for that, Sango…” she growled.
“Here we are!” Shippo said happily as he reached a final ledge. Shippo stopped and Kagome, Sango, and Aya hopped off.
A light wind blew the girls’ hair and they looked out past the mist into the mountain ranges beyond. The trees looked like ants and they formed an umbrella over the woods below and a large flock of birds arose.
Suddenly, Shippo, with Inuyasha and Miroku came up, Inuyasha looking as if he slapped Miroku upside his head.
“Miroku!” cried Aya as she ran to him to tend to his wound.
Miroku opened her arms to Aya, but a sudden gust of wind pushed Aya past Miroku and she went tumbling off the cliff.
“AYA!” screamed the Kagome, Shippo, Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Aya screeched.
There was a rustle at the bushes as Aya fell.
Inuyasha jumped after her head first, “AYA! HANG ON!” his silver hair billowed behind him as he fell.
“INUYASHA!” cried Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo.
Suddenly, a figure swooped in the air, catching Aya in mid air and running off with her.
“AYA!” Inuyasha called. He sniffed a bit, “Ugh…I smell wolves,” he said angrily.
The figure that caught Aya looked at her while hidden in the bushes.
Aya slowly opened her eyes to see a blurry figure of a man with a ponytail, dressed in a chest plate, and other fur, “Hey, are you alright?” his voice was sweet and comforting.
“Aya!” Inuyasha called racing into the woods where Aya was carried off.
The man who saved Aya looked up, “Damn…it’s the mutt…See you soon, princess <3...” he laid Aya on the grass and shot off into the woods, feeling satisfied.
Inuyasha reached Aya and put his nose to her neck, sniffing lightly. He pulled his head back in disgust, “Damn wolf…” he muttered angrily.
Aya slowly came to and sat up. She saw Inuyasha leaning over her, and threw her arms around him, “Inuyasha! We’re okay!” she said happily.
Inuyasha pushed Aya away from him and growled, his face, bright red, “Stop that!” he said angrily. He was still close to Aya and about to tell her off, when Kagome and Sango, Shippo, and Miroku ran in.
Kagome blinked awkwardly. “Are we—”
“—interrupting something?” finished Shippo blushing in embarrassment, covering his nose and mouth.
Aya shuddered horribly and her face exploded in red.
“No! What makes you think that!” Inuyasha said angrily.
“Look at yourself, Inuyasha!” Sango exclaimed covering Shippo’s eyes.
Inuyasha looked at his hand to find it tightly holding onto Aya’s breast.
Aya’s anger rose and she blew her top. She raised her hand and slapped Inuyasha so hard he flew back a whole 2 yards.
“What a woman!” Miroku said blinking awkwardly.
Aya stood, “Come on, I’m going up again,” she said rushing off, followed by Miroku, the Kagome, followed up by Sango and Shippo.
Inuyasha was last after he finally picked himself up.
Aya reached the face of the mountain and clasped her hands together, “Alright everyone, hold tight, I think I can solve this problem…” she said.
A while light surrounded her and her short hair lifted from her neck, flowing around her. Her shikigami flowed through and created a light wind in the air around them. A small cloud formed at Aya’s feet as well as the feet of the others, “Going up,”
The clouds formed solid and before everyone knew it, they were rising to the top of Mt. Houoh quite quickly.
Aya first, followed by Miroku, then Sango, then Kagome with Shippo, and finally Inuyasha.
The reached the top and the clouds disappeared, letting them walk on the rock at the top.
“Alright, everyone,” Sango said nervously sticking to the wall, “be careful,”
“Yeah I got lucky someone saved me that time…” Aya said pinning her back again to the rock face.
Soon, they were off to the Magatama tree in a line, Sango, then Aya, followed up by Kagome, Shippo, Miroku, then Inuyasha.
Aya looked off down the cliff and shivered,
“Aya!” hissed Kagome, “Don’t look down!”
Aya adverted her eyes and followed Sango once again, suddenly realized and wondering who the man was that saved her from her sure death.
“What’s on your mind, Aya?” asked Shippo.
“The man who saved me…” Aya replied softly, thinking hard again, “I want to know more about him…”
“Hm…” Inuyasha said angrily. He growled and thought of his third eternal rival besides Naraku and Sesshomaru.
Miroku looked back at Inuyasha, “What is it, Inuyasha?” he asked.
“I think that “mysterious man” Aya’s talkin’ about is that scrawny wolf…” Inuyasha said gritting his fangs.
“Hm, maybe,” Miroku said, “But this isn’t his territory, why would he be here?”
“I don’t know, but I bet that stupid boy, Haruko has something to do with this…” the half demon replied.
“I see it!” Sango exclaimed.
Everyone stopped as Sango stepped out onto some cliff, wide and long enough for everyone to stand on. She pointed down a wide stretch of cliff revealing a small, but beautiful tree looking bush that glowed with a single of the red-orange Magatama Fruits.
“There it is!” Kagome said smiling, “The Magatama fruit!”
Suddenly the small breeze that continuously swept across the mountain grew stronger and gusts whipped across their path.
Aya tried to step forward, but was blown back near to fall off the cliff for a third time.
“Aya!” Miroku bellowed over the roar of the wind, “Hang on!” He seized Aya’s hips and pulled her to him.
“Who are you to trespass…” a misty, airy voice boomed.
Stay tuned! Love in Feudal Times Chapter 16: The Second Attempt is on it's way!
Please! Comment if you enjoy this fanfiction! If you don't like it, what's the point of posting it, right? So please! Comment! Tell me what you think about it!
heart ~Mai-chan~ heart
Mai Harada Community Member 
|
|
