Ch8 Yura
Y/N POV
As I was finishing my millet, a mother carrying her young son came by the lakeside. She asked for Kaede and they proceeded to talk for a bit. While I didn't get the whole conversation, I did hear through snippets that something was wrong with her daughter.
Considering the era it could range from a simple fever, to a curse, to a horrendous disease, to possession via yokai. So even if it is something minor, Kaede would have to check it out to ensure the girl's safety.
Also while Kaede was talking, Inuko returned. Currently she was sitting next to me while finishing the millet. Her expression was unreadable as she kept trading glances with Kagome.
While she seemed more composed now, however her emotions over Kagome's resemblance to Kikyo were still in turmoil.
After about a few more moments, Kaede stopped conversing with the mother and turned to face us.
"I must return to the village. Y/N make sure that they do not fight." She said.
"I will." I replied back. It was easier said then done.
Kaede nodded before beginning her trek back to the village. The mother gave us a quick glance before following Kaede.
Once they were out of sight there was a full minute of silence, because no one knew what to say.
Until Inuko broke it.
"Hey." She to Kagome.
"Hey' what?" Kagome asked.
"Strip." Inuko said with absolute seriousness.
I began to back away as Kagome proceeded to bash Inuktitut in the head with a massive rock.
Repeatedly.
"Kagome, I believe that Inuko meant that she wanted you to change into your school clothes." I said after getting the courage to speak up.
"What Y/N said!" Inuko shouted before pointing to a makeshift clothesline were Kagome's clothing were drying off. "So change back into your strange clothes right now!"
Kagome just threw the rock in my direction before fixing Inuko a hard stare.
I barely dodged the flying projectile before it took out my foot.
Even more reason to not to anger Kagome. She threw that rock like it was nothing, and it looked like it weighed about 10 pounds at least!
"It's because I look like Kikyo in these, isn't it?" She questioned Inuko, but the both of us knew the correct answer.
After looking shocked for a moment, Inuko regained her composure and turned away from Kagome with a huff.
"Whatever." She said.
Me and Kagome could only sigh at her behavior. She was acting like a stubborn middle schooler right now.
"Look! I can't work with someone who is always picking fights with me." Kagome said.
"That's fine. I can just work with Y/N then." Inuko said while giving Kagome a sideways glance before once again turning away, her ears twitching with irritation.
Having enough of the silverette hanyo, Kagome stormed past her and begins to take her uniform off the clothesline. After gathering all of her things, Kagome began to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Inuko questioned her.
"I've made up my mind. I'm going home." She replied back before turning to me. "Are you ready Y/N?"
"Ready whenever you are." I replied as picked up my sword. She nodded as we both began to walk to the well.
"'Going home'? Hey girl, Y/N what do you think you're doing?!" Inuko called out for us.
"My name is Kagome. Please address me as such." Kagome replied coldly.
"Besides we've been away from home for 3 days. After making sure everything is alright, I'll be back. Can't promise anything about Kagome though." I said.
"Alright then, the two of you can go." Inuko said before jumping over us and landing right in front of Kagome with an outstretched hand. "Along as the girl hands me the jewel shard."
"You mean this one?" Kagome said while pulling out the drawstring pouch, getting Inuko to nod.
"Osuwari!"
With that Inuko crashed face first into the rocky lake shore. Kagome walked past her groaning form, twirling the pouch around her finger.
"I'll see you later Inuko." I said while walking past the prone form of my fellow hanyo, getting a groan in response.
"How can you deal with here?" Kagome asked me.
"She isn't all that bad once you start to know her. A bit standoffish, but Inuko isn't that bad of a person. Her main problem with you is your resemblance to Kikyo. Just give her sometime and she'll treat you better." I replied honestly.
"If you say so Y/N." Kagome said uncertainly. We continued walking on the lake shore in silence and eventually into the vast forest towards the Bone Eater's Well and hopefully home.
(Later)
After about an hour of trekking through the forest we finally arrived at the forest. We mainly walked in silence with me either taking photos or playing Chrono Trigger on my phone during the walk.
The irony that I am technically a time traveler playing a game about traveling through time was lost on me.
After taking a photo of the well, I put my phone away and joined Kagome in looking down the well. She looked pretty anxious about what she saw. When I saw what was there, I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
At the bottom was what remained of Mukade Jōrō and the Shinugarasu.
Both of their bones were almost completely gone, however Kagome was focusing on what remained of the ?mukade.
Considering that she was dragged into the well by Mukade J?r?, her unease was understandable.
However the energy with our two shards were not enough to revive her again, so we didn't have to worry about that ?mukade ever again.
"If you want, we could sit here until your ready to go back?" I asked her.
"Alright." Kagome replied as we both sat down.
However a minute later Kagome got back up. I thought that she was ready to try again. But as she began to look around, a cut suddenly appeared on her cheek. I got with my sword drawn, while Kagome was looking around.
"What do you see Kagome?" I asked her. Evidently by the way she was looking around, there was something that I obviously wasn't seeing.
"I don't believe it, but there is a web of hair around us. Do you know of any king of yokai that can create something like that?" She asked.
"Sadly I don't." I replied with unease.
I knew at about 2 types of yokai that can manipulate hair. Futakuchi-onna and Harionago. However neither one can manipulate hair like what Kagome was describing. Considering that there are thousands of different types of yokai that I don't know about, this could be one of them.
That did not improve my mood about this situation at all.
"Y/N look out!" Kagome cried out.
Before I could processes that, I suddenly found my arms bound to me and my sword clattered onto the ground. I was then hoisted up into the air. I tried to struggle out of the hair, but it instantly tightened.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A voice said from above us. When I looked at the source, a woman that was equally as beautiful as Inuko and Kagome in her own mature way. It looked like she was floating in midair, but she must be standing on a strand of hair in the web she created.
"It wouldn't do for you to be injured before what I have planned for you later." The woman said. With a flick of her wrist, the binds already in place only on my body tightening even more.
I have a bad feeling about this. I just hope she wasn't planning to do what Mukade J?r? almost did.
Considering my luck, that is exactly what she has planned.
"Who do you think you are?!" Kagome yelled at the woman, evidently coming to the same conclusion as I did.
"They call me 'Yura of the Hair'." Yura said before giving Kagome a look over. "From what I was able to gather your the reincarnation of the priestess, but it seems that the original was certainly better."
"What did you say?!" Kagome shouted angrily.
"I mean that you are completely lacking then your previous incarnation was. But don't worry you won't have to worry about that soon." Yura said before flicking her wrist.
Kagome's anger soon turned to fear as she tried to dodge some unseen attack. How ever she seemed to be pelted what by hair more often then not. One of the strands went into her kimono and pulled out the drawstring pouch.
Well this isn't good. I tried to say something, but the next moment all I could taste was hair.
"Don't speak, you will only ruin this moment." She said with the drawstring pouch in hand. However her joy vanished when Kagome's shard fell out.
"Now look at what you've done to it." Yura sighed out. "Now where are the other fragments?"
"Give it back!" Kagome called out.
Judging by her facial expression and the fact her wakizashi was slowly being drawn out of it's sheath clearly meant that she was getting irritated.
I started to let out wisps of mist from any available openings to freeze this cocoon of hair and break out of here. However it was slow going and hopefully I can break out of here. I need to get out before Yura can kill Kagome.
"Answer my question! Where are the other fragments!?" Yura shouted, her patience with Kagome running thin.
"I don't know." Kagome replied while backing towards the well.
My cocoon was almost frosted over and luckily Yura hasn't noticed me yet. But I just needed a few more moments to break out. Hopefully Kagome could hold off for that long.
"I see." She said calmly with her wakizashi now fully drawn besides her. It hung by her side by a single strand of hair by my guess. "In that case." With her wakizashi now in hand she descended upon Kagome. "You may as well die!"
I needed to get out now!
With one great push the cocoon shattered and as I landed on the ground between them I raised a great barrier of ice, blocking Yura's attack.
"You alright Kagome?" I asked while panting a bit. Creating a barrier like this took quite a bit out of me.
"I'm fine." She said as the barrier started to break.
"Good, because I'm going to need you to jump into the well without me." I said. Kagome looked like she wanted to protest, but the barrier wouldn't last any longer. "Look I'll hold her off and I promise to be back. Just promise me that if I don't return by nightfall then find Inuko."
"Fine." Kagome said before sluging me in the gut. "That is for later, just come back okay."
"Okay." I groaned out.
Kagome nodded before jumping into the well.
When she was halfway done the barrier broke.
The wakizashi went over the well before changing directions and plumeting straight down.
I held my breath as it plummeted into the darkness.
Eventually Yura pulled it back and to my relief there wasn't anything on it.
She looked like she was pondering what was going on, but just shrugged. I took the time to gather my sword. Before I could face her, I felt the wakizashi pressing against the back of my neck and my hair seemed to be parting around it.
"Is that Bensigaumi?" I asked Yura as she appeared in front of me.
"Yes it is actually, how did you know?" She said casually.
"My father was well versed in stories of different yokai and has shared most of them with me.
The fact that I could feel it parting my hair is also a tell tale sign.
Though how did you get it away from the oni, they are very territorial when it comes to their treasures? " I asked while gathering my yoki.
"Simple, I took it shortly after I was born while two tribes were clashing with each other." She said simply. "But enough of this, what clan do you come from hanyo?"
"The Yukinokouji clan." I replied honestly.
I felt the wakizashi press against my neck some more before it was lessened.
"Looks like you are telling the truth, but how is that possible? There is one other yuki-onna hanyo in existence currently and he is from the same clan as you are. However he is in his early 30's if my sources are correct." She continued on.
Well that is interesting to know, but I could dwell on it later.
"Well you are certainly well informed. But just so you know my mother separated herself from the clan 100 years ago, so they don't even know that I exist." I answered truthfully. I immediately wish I didn't with the way she was grinning.
"Smart, handsome, unique, and great hair too.
I have certainly found myself a keeper. I had originally planned on killing you after having my way with you.
" She said while tracing a finger over my chest, leaving my very afraid.
"But now that I know what you truly are, you and I are going to be spending the rest of our lifetime together after I deal with that other hanyo. "
Now it would be a good time to run.
I released the built up yoki in a vast explosion of mist that sent Yuma flying off into the distance and covered most of the clearing in frost.
I had to struggle to regain my balance as I had put in enough yoki into that I would have run out before I got that shard stuck in my chest.
Not willing to stick around in case she came back, I made a beeline for the village incase Yura tries to prevent me from going through the well.
I needed to get to Inuko or Kaede as soon as possible.
(Yura POV)
After that hanyo sent me flying I quickly caught my self with some of my hair and returned to find the clearing covered in half melted frost and and there was still a thick layer of fog hanging around. Leaving no trace of him anywhere.
So he got I way, well it doesn't matter to me in that slightest. By the end of the night he will be mine and I will gladly teach him how to properly handle a woman like myself later.
After I deal with the old priestess and the other hanyo first.
Still I am quite impressed with what he did to this clearing.
From what I can gather any yuki onna hanyo his age that attempted anything like this would have passed out from exhaustion. However he wasn't an ordinary hanyo. While tracing his generous muscles, I felt a gem shard embedded right over his heart.
To think that one shard can increase his power to the point where he could pull this off and be able to run away at all is impressive.
With that in mind I pulled the shard out of the pouch and promptly discarded it as I felt the power coursing throughout me.
It felt so good! Almost as good about what I have planned tonight.
Anyway no more time to dwell on that. There is a silver haired hanyo that needs beheading.
(Y/N POV)
After leaving the forest and making sure that Yura couldn't find me, I went back to the village and found that it was deathly silent. That got me worried, especially with all the unconscious bodies that lie strewn about.
Yura had definitely been here, but considering the versatility of here abilities from what I saw she could be sitting in a tree on the edge of the forest and still be able to manipulate everything without anyone being the wiser.
Whlie sneaking past one of the houses, I heard a loud crash.
Before I could get a look at what happened, all the unconscious males of the village rose up and hovered towards the origin of the noise with weapons or farming tools in hand.
As I snuck closer to the center, I saw Inuko carrying an injured Kaede and bounding of to the forest. I tried to catch up to them, but they were gaining much more ground then I was.
So I spent hours trekking through the forest with the sun starting to set. I had to be careful with every movement, as not to touch any hair incase Yura finds me.
"There you are!"
Too late.
I tried to make a run for it, but I was once again wrapped up in a cocoon of hair and hoisted up into the canopy. There I was face to face with Yura once again.
"While this game of chase has been fun and all, I still have to get that silver hair." She said while raising Bensigumi. "So you're just going to stick with me until I can get it."
With that she whacked me with the hilt of her wakizashi. As everything began to fade to black, I prayed that Kagome was alright.
(Modern Era- Kagome POV)
"How long have I been out." I said while brushing the dirt off my clothes.
After I had just jumped into the well, Yura's sword came after me. I tried to dodge it, but I slammed against one of the walls and blacked out.
When I came to I found myself at the bottom of the well. I don't know how much time has passed or if I was even back in my own time as all I saw when I looked up was darkness.
I needed to get out of here.
"We've looked in this well over and over again and there has been no sign of them."
Wait I know that voice. It's Gramps!
Then that means.
"But I already told you this is where they fell in!" Sota said as he and Gramps appeared at the top of the well with a flashlight.
"You must've been dreaming." Gramps said as he shone the flashlight down on my. I had to cover my eyes for a second because it was too bright.
"It's the truth!" Sota cried out before the both of them gained shocked expressions when they saw me.
"Gramps! Sota!" I called out to them with tears starting to appear in my eyes.
I was finally back home.
But Y/N was still stuck in the pass.
"Kagome hang on, we'll get you out in a second!" Gramps said before he turned to Sota. "Were did you put the rope?"
"Right here." He replied as he ran somewhere in the wellhouse and came back with a coil of rope.
After I climbed out of the well, I raced passed them and out into the courtyard.
The sun had nearly set and was greating a beautiful backdrop over Tokyo. A sight that I've always taken for granted, but now something that I didn't know that I would miss so dearly.
I wish that Y/N could see this.
"Kagome, you and Y/N have been gone for 3 days. We've all been so worried about the both of you." Grandpa said worriedly.
"Sis, what happened and where is Big Bro?" Sota asked.
With that one question I burst into tears and flung myself onto Gramps.
I couldn't take it anymore!
Here I am back home with my family.
But Y/N is still stuck over 400 years into the past.
He promised that he would be back, but it is almost nighttime and he still hasn't returned yet.
If anything were to happen to him, then it would tear us all apart.
Especially myself...
"Kagome, can you please tell us what happened and where Y/N is?" Gramps asked me gently.
"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you." I said between sobs. My family might believe that I've dealt with yokai, but how about that me and Y/N time traveled and that he is a hanyo.
After a few moments, Gramps gained a look of realization.
"I believe one of those things was something that Y/N meant to tell you those 3 days ago?" He said, as I froze.
He knew, but how?!
Y/N said he never told anyone, so how did Gramps know?
"If you wish to know then you have to tell all of us what happened, alright?" He said, as if he was guessing my thoughts. After a few moments my sobs died down and I gave my answer.
"Alright, I'll tell you everything." I said, getting him to nod.
"Sis, Grandpa can you please tell me what is going on?" Sota asked, clearly lost on what's going on.
"Everything will be clear in a bit Sota. But first we need to call your mother, she should still be searching the city for Kagome and Y/N." Gramps said with the two of us nodding.
With that we began to walk back home.
I hope that Y/N is alright, because if he isn't back by nightfall then I'm going after him myself.
(Sengoku Jidai- Inuko POV)
The sun was setting as I was finishing digging a hole up for Kaede.
It had been a long day.
First I wake up after Y/N was knocked out last night by somehow absorbing the power of that girl's shard and I had my hand frozen by him unintentionally.
I don't blame him for that considering that his power went crazy due to the shards, but it still hurt a lot!Still it was easily treatable and I was able to take off the bandages this mourning.
Then I the girl and Y/N decide to head back to their home land.
I wasn't worried about Y/N, however without the girl I can't locate any of the shards.
Without her then I can't find them all and finally become a full yokai.
When I tried to collect her shard, she said that accursed word and I fell face first into the rocky lakeside.
After that I find the village empty and then I'm attacked by possessed villagers along with finding an injured Kaede. Not only did I have to not harm them, but also I couldn't see the hair that they were being controlled with.
With Kaede not doing so well, that meant I had to track down the girl to help. Considering I don't even know where her homeland, it was going to be extremely difficult.
Then I was nearly decapitate by said hair and had barely managed to escape.
Now I was digging a hole for perhaps the only other person I care about somewhat besides Y/N to hide her.
While I despise Kikyo with every breath I take for what she did, Kaede seems to have no knowledge of what her elder sister did. Which I would like to keep it that way for now.
Speaking of which, I now have a hole big enough for Kaede.
Gently, I moved her into the while and started to bury her.
"Okay, this is it you old woman. The least I could do is give you a decent burial." I said as continued to cover her in dirt.
"Fine. Only that I'm not dead yet." She said just as I finished burying her.
"I know." I replied as I covered her with leaves. "I'm just burying you to hide here. I'll come back and dig you out once this is over, if I don't forget."
"Are you sure?" Kaede said as she was now buried up to he neck in leaves and dirt. "You had better not forget."
With a simple nod, I began to walk away and search for a way too where ever that girl and Y/N went.
"Don't you forget, Inuko!" Kaede hollered from behind me.
"I know, I know." I shouted back.
With that I began my search. I didn't know where to start, but from what I saw before I tasted rock they were going in the direction of that accursed tree. So that was a good place to start as any.
As I was making my way there I picked up a familiar scent.
It was Y/N and he wasn't that far from me. In fact he wasn't that far behind me.
But that didn't make sense, he was supposed to be back to his homeland. While he did promise to be back, it just seemed too soon.
Besides there was another scent with him. One that practically reeked of hair, blood, and death.
"There is no use in hiding. I can smell you from here, so reveal yourself." I shouted out.
After a few moments of silence, I received my answer.
"Very well then." A voice called down before what appeared to be a scantily clad kunoichi appeared from the canopy along with an unconscious Y/N.
"What have you done to him you bitch!" I snapped at her once I saw Y/N.
"There is no need to be so rude. I haven't done anything to him yet, I just need your hair first." She said, causing my anger to rise even more.
So not only was she the one behind all of this and after me, but that she was planning on raping Y/N.
This bitch needs to die.
However before I could do anything I was soon tied to a tree again.
"I don't think so." The woman said as she approached me. "You're not going anywhere. Your going to stay here while I take your hair and administer some pay back."
"Why do you want payback, I haven't even met you before!" I demanded from her.
"I was one of the yokai after the Shikon Jewel 50 years ago. Before I could go after it however I found out that you stole it and was promptly destroyed." She said while drawing her wakizashi.
Well that would make sense, there had to be a lot of yokai upset when it was destroyed. However now that it was back and shattered, they are now probably fighting all over Nippon for the shards at this point.
Anyway I tried to struggle out of these bonds and I actually managed to break some strands holding back my left arm.
"I don't think so." She said while pulling beck her wrist, once again binding me.
However before she could approach me again we heard the sound of something breaking.
The next thing I knew that the hair surrounding me was suddenly frozen over.
The woman turned behind her and I took the chance to escape and knock her to the ground.
Before she could get up, she was completely encased in ice.
"Took you long enough." I said to a panting Y/N.
"Sorry about that, but I just woke up." He said as he struggled to stand up. "Do you mind if you can give me a lift?"
"Alright, but just this once." I replied as he climbed onto my back. "Besides I thought you were already back to your home land by now along with that girl?"
"Kagome is back there, but we were ambushed by Yura over there. I managed to get her back home, but Yura came after me after getting Kagome's shard." Y/N said while catching his breath.
Well that's just great, the woman he called Yura has the girl's shard in her possession. This is going to be even more difficult then I thought. But there is another matter to deal with currently.
"Are you alright, because your panting up a storm?" I asked him.
"I'm fine, but I used almost all of my energy to escape her cocoon and to freeze her. I should be fine soon. However we need leave now, because I don't know how much longer my ice can hold her." Y/N replied.
With that I jumped up into the canopy and began traveling through the trees. I am not willing to take any chances with her quite yet.
"We need that girl, so how do we get to your homeland Y/N?" I asked.
What he said next caught me completely off guard.
"It's through the Bone Eater's Well." He said simply.
I nearly slipped on the tree branch beneath me before I corrected myself. How is that even possible!
"You better explain!" I demanded. After a few moments of thought he answered.
"Alright, but first lets just put some more distance between us and Yura." Y/N said.
"Fine." I said before continuing our journey through the canopy.
I hate to say it, but without that girl with even with Y/N helping, defeating Yura without being able to see her hair is going to be extremely difficult if my previous brush with her was of any indication.
(Yura POV)
Well that was rude of Y/N to do.
Speaking of which that was a very fitting name for him.
Despite being frozen I heard a bit of what they talked about and it would be interesting to see Y/N's homeland.
However there is no time to dwell on that, my targets are escaping.
There is no use in them hiding, because it will only be a temporary reprieve.
Once I set my eyes on something I want, it is only a matter of time till it's mine.
(Chapter 8 end)