Ch5 The Shattering
Y/N POV
I had picked the wrong day to have overslept. When I woke up I found that Kagome had vanished, leaving nothing but a message on my phone. Note to self change password again.
When you wake up, meet me by the well.
-Kagome
So now I had left the village, after taking my sling off before Kaede woke up. Now I was in the middle of the forest on my way to the dry well.
I can understand why she would have left early. Everyone back at the shrine must be really worried by now. It has been 2 days since we were dragged into the well after all.
Still I actually quite like it her and hope to be able to visit this place in the future.
It might not be possible, because I honestly have no clue how we even arrived into the past. So I have no clue that it would even work again and it was probably for the best. Not sure I would want any dangerous yokai crawling through it to the modern era.
Anyway when I got to the well, Kagome was nowhere in sight.
'Well that's just great.' I thought while looking around for Kagome.
I knew that she wouldn't have gone down the well without me. So she had to be somewhere around here.
"Damn it, looks like I missed her!" I heard Inuko shouted from right behind me.
"I was kind of expecting you to have caught up to use at one point." I said to her.
"Our course I was going to track you two down. That girl still has the Shikon Jewel and I'm not letting get away from me if I have anything to say about it." Inuko said "Looks like she left you here."
"No, she has to be around here somewhere." I said. There is no chance in Yomi that she would abandon me here.
"While I highly dou-" Inuko was saying, before she stopped herself in the middle. She started to sniff the air for a few seconds before letting out a heavy sigh. "I guess you are right, but we have better hurry. From what I can smell, some bandits probably grabbed her for the jewel."
Well that wasn't good, but hopefully we can make it in time.
"So which way then?" I asked her. She just shook her head and crouched down.
"Judging by how faint the smell is, if we ran at your speed then it would be too late. So hope on." She said seriously.
"Are you sure?"
"I know that if you try anything that I can easily kill you. So let's quite wasting time and go after them." She said. Nodding in understanding I climbed onto her back and we took off.
After about a minute at going at speeds rivaling a speeding car, we were coming up to what looks like an abandoned Buddhist temple.
"She's here along with a few other humans and by how it smells some of them are dead." Inuko said as we drew ever closer to the temple. "Also brace for impact."
"What did you say?" I asked.
However it was too late as she jumped up and was going to kick through the nearest wall. Making a smart choice and braced for impact.
She burst through the wall and just in time too.
The largest man I've ever seen was about to bifurcate Kagome when his sword struck Inuko's robe, it broke into several pieces.
She landed straight onto him, knocking the man down before landing next to Kagome while the rest of the bandits here took off.
I was immediatly slugged in the arm by Kagome.
"That was for sleeping in!" She shouted at me, before pulling me into a hug. "And this is for saving me."
"It's no problem Kagome, you would have done the same for me." I said while while returning the hug. After a few moments we separated.
"You're right about that.." Kagome said before adopting a confused expression. "Though how did you convince Inuko to help though?"
"Actually I didn't though." I answered truthfully. "I believe that she is only helping so nothing happens to the Shikon Jewel."
"Your right about that." Inuko said. "I could care less about what happens to you girl, all that matters is the jewel." She then gave Kagome an inquisitive glare. "So, is the Shikon Jewel safe or not?"
Kagome's expression turned sheepish.
"Well..." She was saying, but something else caught our attention.
The bandit leader was getting up again, producing a sickening sound while getting up. That along with a horrendous smell raised quite a few warning bells in my head. It smelt like roadkill. With that I was reminded of the conversation with Inuko last night.
"Inuko-" "Yes I can smell it too, looks like I missed one." She replied, with her claws out stretched.
"Missed what?" Kagome asked.
Her question was soon answered, but not by any of us.
The armor of the large man fell off to reveal that he had a hole where his heart was. Poking from the hole was a head that resembled a crow's head, with three red eyes and a tooth lined beak that was cawing at us.
"I missed that Shibugarasu over there." Inuko said while Kagome decided to hide behind me.
"I don't think that'll be necessary Kagome." I said, reassuring her. "They are a realitivly weak yokai. The only advantage it has against us is the corpse that it nested in. Even then it will pointless, both me and Inuko could easily deal with the body."
True to word Inuko punched threw the hole, scaring the Shibugarasu away. She removed her hand and the corpse disintegrated into dust and a skeleton that collapsed into the floor. The lowly scavenger flew threw a window and escaped.
"Aren't you going to go after it?" Kagome asked Inuko as she was dustingher robe off.
"I can't go after every dumb yokai out there. Besides it can't really harm anyone without the corpse." She said cockily.
"Unless of course you threw the Shikon Jewel outside." I said, getting the both of them to look shocked. "You actually did it then Kagome?" I sighed out.
"Yes..." She said meekly.
"What! How could you do that!" Inuko yelled at Kagome, causing her to shrink back. She tried to approach Kagome, but I got inbetween them. "Y/N, get out of the way. I need to teach the girl a lesson."
"Sorry Inuko, but I can't allow you to do that." I denied her, getting a relieved expression from Kagome.
"And why's that, Y/N?" She asked.
"Two reasons." I said while drawing closer Inuko. "The first is that if you to get to Kagome, then you have to get through me."
I knew that it was cliched as hell, but I wasn't going to budge. That and it was centuries before that saying became overused anyway.
"Seems simple enough." She said while shrugging and drawing her claws.
"The second is that the Shibugarasu is flying away with the jewel." I said while pointing right behind her.
True to word, the yokai in question took off with the Shikon Jewel in it's beak.
"Damn it!" She shouted before facing Kagome. "We will continue this later, but for now we need to get that jewel away from that damned crow!"
She quickly grabbed our hands and proceeded to take drag us in the Shiburgarsu's direction. A moment later she stopped just a little aways from the temple.
Tied to the bush, the bandits had left two horses with saddles along with a bow and a quiver filled with arrows.
"Take this." She said, tossing the bow and quiver at Kagome.
"Why are you tossing this to me?" Kagome asked.
"Simple, because without them you would be completly useless. Now that you are armed, there is no time to waste." Inuko said as she grabbed us and proceded to drag us after the Shibugarasu.
(Later)
We were both on Inuko's back as she bounded through the treetops, not even feeling anykind of disomfort from carrying two people on her back.
However for us it was a differnet story.
Me and Kagome had to cling to eachother to make sure neithwr one of us fell off Inuko's back. The both of us sprouted a light blush the entire time due to how close we were.
Eventually we caught up to the Shibugarasu as it was flying towards the village. If it used the jewel's power in the village, it will possibly be as dangerous as Mukade J?r? was.
"What are you waiting for girl, take the shot!" Inuko called out.
"But why me? I haven't even used a bow in my entire life!" Kagome shouted.
"It's only a matter of time before it uses the Shikon Jewel to transform itself.
" Inuko said as she dropped down from the tree tops and started running along the forest floor.
"Shibugarasu scavenges on human flesh most of the time.
So imagine what would happen if it transformed, it will start attacking the village and devouring the humans.
Not that I care that aboit them though, I just want the jewel back. "
As if thr demonic crow was hearing her, it swallowed the jewel whole.
"Shoot it down before it transforms!" Inuko shouted.
"All right, I'll try!" Kagome said as she added nocked an arrow with her hands shakily. She aimed and shot the arrow after the airborne yokai. It flew straight and true, but before it could reach it's mark the arrow fell short and plummeted down into the treeline.
"You missed!" Inuko shouted at her. "Kikyo was a master archer, I thought that you would have at least inherited that from her!"
"Well I did say that I've never used a bow and arrow before." Kagome countered.
"But you seem to be a natural for it." I said honestly, getting looks from the both of them. "What, it's true. Kagome that shot was amazing for someone who has never practiced archery in your life. I'd say with some more practice you could have hit the bird."
"Thank you, Y/N." Kagome said a bit shyly. Also is it just me or is she blushing a bit more.
"Whatever, she's still a klutz anyway." Inuko said while glaring at Kagome. Before looking back at the Shibugarasu. "Now it's beginning to transform." She added with a deadpan.
True to word it started to twitch and then grow until it was large enough to carry a human away.
"Alright it looks big enough for you to shoot it down now." Inuko said.
Kagome decided to try again and nocked another arrow. She let it fly lose and once again it fell short of it's mark.
"That's it I've had enough." Inuko said as she dumped Kagome off her back.
"Oww."
"Now I know that you are definitely not Kikyo's reincarnation! In fact why did I even expect anything from you at all? Well, you won't be having me for back up anytime soon." She said before facing me. "Are you coming with me Y/N or are you going to stay with that useless girl?" She inquired.
"I will stay with my friend. You can go on ahead Inuko, we'll catch up with you." I said while helping Kagome up.
"Okay then." She said simply before running off. However she didn't make it that far though.
"Osuwari!"
Inuko proceeded to faceplant into the dirt at full speed.
"Oww."
Looks like Kagome got her payback.
"Come on Y/N lets go." Kagome said while running infront of me.
"Right behind you." I called out as I ran behind her. From her tone she was still kind of ticked off and I didn't want to provoke her anymore. Lest I end up like Inuko.
(Later)
We arrived a few minutes later at the village, bit we were too late. The Shibugarasu had arrived before us and was already carrying off a little boy. Inuko was running alongside the riverbank with her claws drawn. She lept up up and pulled her claws back.
"Sankon Tesso!"
With that she sliced the mutated Shibugarasu into ribbons that fell along with the boy into the river bellow. She started to examine the riverbank for the remains of the Shibugarasu.
"Come on, where is the Shikon Jewel." She said while continuing to look for the jewel.
Nice to see what her priorities were.
Still the boy was being carried downstream barely staying afloat. The villagers were calling out for him, but considering the time period I doubt any of them know how to swim.
Well took off our shoes and weapons and left them on the riverbank. After that we both jumped in and swam after the boy.
'I'm glad that the both of us took those swimming classes.' I thought while swimming with Kagome, much to the amazement of the villagers on the riverbank.
"How are they doing that?" One of them questioned.
"So fast!" Another said before a look of realization crossed his face. "They're kappa! This is the first time I've seen any of them up close!"
"But what about the hanyo? I thought that he was half yuki-onna?" Another villager questioned.
"Maybe he is part kappa as well." The villager who thought we were kappas said. He got some strange looks from the other viallagers in return.
We paid him no heed as we reached the boy.
"Help!" He cried out before his head sunk under the water. However Kagome caught him and brought him back up to the surface.
"It's alright." She said to the boy, calming him down. "Hang on and we'll get you back to your mom."
The boy nodded and clung on to her as we swam back to shore.
"The female kappa is swimming on her back! Impossible!" The delusional villager cried out.
"Y/N remind me to knock some sense into that guy when we get back on dry land." Kagome said bitterly. She would have said something a bit worse, but there was a child clinging onto her.
"Don't worry I will." I agreed.
That guy was starting to annoy me anyway.
We brought the boy to shore when we heard Inuko call to us from the other side of the river.
"Hey Y/N, girl! Did you find the Shikon Jewel yet?" She shouted.
However we ignored her as the mother was embracing her child.
"Shokichi!" She said with tear filled eyes.
"Ma! I was so scared!" The boy, Shokichi cried out while embracing his mother.
It was a touching site to behold, but it was a little ruined by Kagome scoffing at Inuko. Which she kind of deserved it a little by the way.
Speaking of idiotic things.
"Hey Kagome." I said, getting her to nod. With in a second she stepped towards the delusional villager.
"Stay away from me kappa!" He cried out, only angering her further.
"I'm not a kappa!" Kagome declared with her voice filled with furry. She punched him in the face with the full force of her wrath and he collapsed to the ground unconsious.
"Anyone else." She said a bit to sweetly. She got fearful nods from most of the other villagers. "Good." She said calming down.
This was just another reminder that it wasn't a good idea to anger Kagome. You will regret it.
"Thank you." The mother said, bowing to us. "Thank you both very much for saving my son. Thank you."
"It's no problem really." Kagome said as the mother kept thanking us.
However the moment was interupted by the sound of splashing coming from the river.
The Shibugarasu was letting out a monsterous caw as it was flailing itself in the river, in the process of reforming like Mukade J?r?. It was a truly disturbing process to watch. With a few more flaps of it's wings it took off fully formed.
"It's getting away!" Inuko called out.
"I guess this is no time to be fighting with her." Kagome said getting me to nod.
We heard a cry of pain from Shokichi. We looked to see that the Shibugarasu's foot was still attached to his gi and from the cries of pain from his back it was starting to dig into his back.
With a quick tug I took the foot off of him.
I can feel it trying to pull itself towards it's origional body, but it's pull was weaker then the grip I had on it.
"You might want to get him to Lady Kaede for the scratches on his back." I said to Shokichi's mother, who had picked him up already.
"I will." She said while nodding. "Thank you Lord Y/N." With that she took off into the village.
Lord Y/N? What was that about? I can worry about that later, but for now we have an overgrown flying pest to deal with.
"Y/N." Kagome said, getting my attention. "I have an idea, but I'm going to need you to hold onto that foot for a few more moments."
"Alright." I said simply. With that she nodded and went to a villager with a bow and a quiver full of arrows.
"Can you lend those to me." She asked him.
"Uh, sure Lady Kagome." He said as he handed his weapons to her.
"It's too far away now." Inuko called out. "There is no way that she would be able to hit it."
Well looks like Kagome will just have to prove you wrong then.
Speqking of which, she walked up to me and handed me an arrow.
"Do you mind binding this with that foot Y/N?" She asked.
"No problem." I said while smiling. This was going to be awesome.
Pressing the arrow and foot together and using a lot of my power, I bound both objects together in a crude ice band. It wouldn't win any contests for craftmanship, but it should hold and the fly through the air without any problems.
I handed the arrow to her and and she nocked it into the bow. After a moment she aimed it and shoot it straight through the air.
With a mixture of Kagome's talent with the bow and the regenerative powers bestowed upon the Shibugarasu by the Shikon Jewel, the arrow hit ot's mark and the mutated yokai stopped in midair.
The Shibugarasu let out one last caw before explodinging into a rain of assorted flesh. Soon followed by a the familular purple glow of the Shikno Jewel.
"Awesome shot Kagome." I said, congratulating her.
Before she could respond the light started to glow brighter and everyone present had to shield their eyes. After a few moments it exploded and sent streaks of purple flying all over the place.
Before I could even process what was going on, something struck me in the middle of my chest and all I saw was darkness.
(???)
I woke up with a start and after a quick look around I saw that I was back in Kaede's house.
"So you are finally awake. You've been asleep for quite a while." Kaede said from right next to me, hanfing me a thing of tea.
"Thank you." I said as I started to down the whole thing. I was really thirsty after all. After drinking it all I turned to Kaede. "How long have I been out?" I asked her.
"It's evening." She said.
So I've been knocked out for half the day, well that's fun. After taking another look around I noticed that neither Kagome or Inuko weren't here. Before I could even asked about that, Kaede answered for me.
"I had to send them off to retrieve the see what remained of the jewel after they spent most of the day by your side." She said as she started to unwrap some bandages off my chest.
It was nice to know that Kagome cared so much, but I really didn't expect Inuko to be that worried about me.
"How much do you remember before you were knocked unconscious?" Kaede questioned me.
"Just that the Shibugarasu was killed and the Shikon Jewel was emitting an almost blinding light. After that it was all just a blur." I said honestly. "So what happened."
"When the arrow landed it's mark, the Shibugarasu's foot hit the Shikon Jewel with enough force that it shattered it and I'm afraid the fragments have been scattered all over Nippon by now.
I've sent Kagome and Inuko to retrieve the remains of the jewel located among the whatever remains of the Shibugarasu. " She said in a bleak tone.
It was actually kind of fitting though.
If an item as powerful as the Shikon Jewel shatted, even the smallest of fragments would considerably power up those who got their hands on it.
Considering that they were now scattered all over Japan, there is no way of knowing the damage that this event will cause for everyone in this era.
Speaking of which, how could an event like this have knocked me out. Unless...
"I'm sorry to say this, but we can not remove it from your body right now.
" Kaede said before I could even guess what I was going to ask.
"Inuko tried to remove it herself, but it pushed itself into your body and caused you nothing but pure agony.
It eventually resurfaced, but we stopped trying to remove it afterwards in fear that you might die in the process.
" She continued as she finished removing my bandages.
I looked down and only saw what confirmed my fears.
In the center of my chest was five scars from Inuko trying to get it out from my chest.
And in the center of that, right over my heart was a fragment of the Shikon Jewel.
(Chapter 5 end)
Hello guys Mukuro7 here and I want to thank you for your patience. Sorry this took so long, but I have been a bit busy with some stuff in my life and I hope that this was worth the wait.
Now before we move on to the next chapter, I will publish an update on the harem. It will include everyone I've listed in the previous chapters and one that I'll wait to show you. I'll also include anyone that you have a suggestion if they aren't already on the list.
So anyway tell me what you thought about this chapter and if you liked it or not and I will get back to you on it. Until next time this is Mukuro7 signing off.
Ciao.