Ch52 The Midori Pearl
(Inuko POV - Mikage Creek Bank - 5 minutes later)
Kaede finally decided to take a break around a creek bank that she recognized, supposedly it runs alongside the village eventually. I was glad that she did admit her hand was bothering her, she had been going nonstop.
Looks like she was just trying to get back home as soon as possible.
Although shortly after we stopped I jumped away from here when I picked up the scent of a yokai nearby.
This was a new one for me, it smelled like some kind of snake mixed with freshly forged steel. Took a minute before I found some tracks that lead into the creek, quite a large sized one too.
However the trail ended there, probably at most a day old.
Whatever it was probably moved somewhere further down stream to hunt. Still better tell Kaede about it.
None of my concern yet such a yokai could pray on any humans among the creek.
"So there is nothing here?" Shippō asked while I shook my head.
"Not anymore there is, just moved somewhere else along the creek. Got its smell, so I should know if it comes back." I said as I jumped into the treeline, heading back to Kaede.
"So you were only smelling at shadows like dad was." Shippō said as I came to a stop. "He did the same when mom died, smelling shadows and carrying me around."
He looked a little sad at that and his ears drooped a bit as I sighed.
I think I know what he was getting at.
"Just was checking for something that I wasn't sure about for Kaede. If it was anything familiar she can handle it with us." I sighed out while shaking my head. "As soon as Kaede is back to her village."
"You worried she would end up like Kikyō?" Shippō said while shaking his head. "Well she won't, Kaede will be alright."
Hate to say it, but he partly got me there.
"That I can believe with how stubborn she is. Got that from both me and Kikyō when she was around your age, compared to human years anyway. Plus I have been looking forward to cutting something open." I said, getting him to nod.
"I think I can see it." He said with a grin before I flicked his ear. "Ow."
"Don't get cheeky with me kit." I said as he rubbed his ear. Before smirking. "Still thanks for the effort Shippō."
He just nodded with a huff as a laughed before I started to resume jumping from treetop to treetop. With him looking a little concerned.
"But are Y/N and Kagome going to be okay?" Shippō said, getting me to smile.
"They're with the hairy bitch, of course they will... for this era anyway. Besides we'll see them soon enough." I said, getting him to nod as we continued back to Kaede.
Silently hopping that they would be alright, of course if it was just the omukade they should be alright.
But if what Myōga said was correct I do hope they will be okay...
(Kagome POV - Middle of the Forrest - An hour later)
It had been a while since our first fight with Mittsume Jōrō, but no signs of her at least near us. Of course there was a few screams rung out around us, but it has been awhile since the last one...
Myōga had reassured us that we were not that far from the waterfall he mentioned, the area was starting to get kind of rocky too.
Still there was no sigh of any other bandits or the kid they had taken hostage...I really hope that they are alright...
"Where the fuck is anyone, I know this place is pretty big but someone should have turned up by now!" A loud voice shouted out, breaking the silence.
Seems like we found someone, it didn't sound that far from us.
"Yura can you please get us closer." Y/N asked, getting her to nod as he reached for Shusūi and I gripped my hama-ya as her hairs wrapped around us.
"Give me a moment master." Yura said before she pulled herself in the treetops. We were pulled along her hairs for a moment before coming to a stop.
Being let down as Yura jumped down as we had reached the halfway point to the village, a stream running along rocky banks and not too far in the distance we could see the waterfall.
And three bandits camped out near some rock outcroppings. One with a bow standing next to a young boy who looked a little older than Sōta others his arms bound by ropes.
"Give them a bit more time, this village had been through Yomi and we already lost Zan. We move from this spot and we are dead. Either from the boss or the village." One with several scars on his chest said, getting the only bald one to seethe.
"This whole plan has gone to shit!" He growled out before drawing a tanto and marching to the kid. "Let's just kill him!"
The kid cowered and I went to notch an arrow, but the other bandit did it and fired and arrow. Getting the bald bandit to yell out in pain as it nicked off part of his ear, clutching it.
Me and Y/N winced at the sight.
He deserved it but still.
"Killing the kid won't solve anything and this part of the forest is quickly become a cursed ground for bandits and on the other side is a hunting party after us.
We wait a little more time for the others, if not we head back around the village and release him for a distraction.
He's more valuable to us alive." The bow wielding bandit said as he stood between them and the kid.
Causing the other two bandits to back off as we stepped back int9 the treeline.
"So Mittsume Jōrō hasn't been here yet and the kid is alright for now." I sighed out as we began to move towards the outcropping.
"But not too long, for all we know she could be close by." Myōga said.
"The bandits shouldn't be too much of a problem for use master, except for the one with the bow." Y/N sighed out. "Will be a little bit trickier to deal with."
"But we'll manage, still what to do with them afterwards?" I sighed out.
Despite everything it was still perhaps another hour travel to the village at least. They said there was a hunting party yet if we did bring the bandits to them it would also lure Mittsume Jōrō back towards there if she wasn't already on the way here.
Leaving them here would result in the same and letting them go now would only leave them targets to her.
Granted they did kidnap and hold a hostage and deserve whatever is coming to them, but leaving them to be hunted down to someone like Mittsume Jōrō is just another thing coming.
"I think I have an idea, but dragging them along will only slow us down and I think we should focus on the kid first." Yura said, and looking back at them he tried to hide away from them.
"That three eyed wretch is already after all of us, we could hold out here after getting the kid away. The perfect conditions for master."
Yura did have a point here, but it seemed like me and Y/N had another idea as we looked at each other and nodded.
"Save it for when she shows up, let's just get him away from them for now." Y/N said as we quickly made a plan to deal with them.
(About a minute later)
I steadied my breath as I hid in the brush, notching an arrow as the bandits began to notice the mist forming atop of the stream. With it covering a thin yet thick layer atop of it as far as they could see.
Unaware that he was actually approaching from the opposite side of myself, a hand running in the stream and being covered by it.
Looks like they were behaving exactly like we thought. The one with the bow stepping towards the kid while notching an arrow, the other two drawing tantos.
"You two take the sides, I'll stay back. This has to be some kind of yokai." He said while standing over the kid.
"Got it." The scarred bandit said as he drew to the side towards the stream. The other one just snarled as he came towards my direction.
Okay just needed to distract him.
As he got closer to the treeline I released the arrow, intending to strike a tree or the ground to grab his attention. Only for it to deflect off a tree trunk and the very tip of the arrow to burry into the middle of his foot.
He slowly looked down and would have let out a scream if Yura's hairs didn't wrap hairs around his mouth and arms, pulling him into the trees.
Not what I had in mind but it worked.
I began to approach the kid and the now wielding bandit as the scarred bandit was struck with a ice sphere, freezing his arms in place before he was dragged above too.
The bow wielding bandit released an arrow into the mist, cracking an ice barrier upon impact with the mist starting to dissipate.
"Show yourself!" He yelled out as the kid began to look around fearfully. Until he focused on me hiding behind the outcropping.
He looked surprised as I placed a finger to my lips and gave him a reassuring smile, the boy getting the message as the bandit fired another arrow into the mist.
I began to creep up to him as he reached for another arrow, only to steep back as he dodged a slash from Shūsui.
Y/N slashed again and managed to clip the bowstring, the bandit growing as he reached for an arrow. Before being smacked down to the ground
as I struck the back of his head with my hama-ya.
Groaning in pain before being wrapped in Yura's hairs, the arrows being emptied from his quiver before he was strung with the others in a tree. Struggling while Yura jumped down.
"Well that went well, nice touch with the bandit there Kagome." Yura said, getting me to nod while I tried not to look at here.
I had on.y meant for a distraction, not to aim for his foot.
Not ashamed of the latter though...
Me and Y/N approached the kid as he looked at us with a mix of fear and curiosity.
"It's okay we're here to help, we will get you back home soon." Y/N said as an mist began to generate from his hand to form an icy claw over two of his fingers.
"Are you a hanyo?" The kid asked, getting Y/N to nod.
Took a few seconds, but he was cut free and Y/N dispelled the ice as the ropes fell to the ground.
He looked at the string up bandits in fear as he stepped back before bumping into me. He was startled bit, calmed down when I gave him a reassuring smile and bent down to his level.
"Don't worry I promise that we will make sure they never bother you again. My name is Kagome and they are Y/N and Yura." I said, gesturing to them. "Now what is your name?"
The kid looked at Y/N and Yura before ducking behind me as he glimpsed the latter.
"T-Tatsu, my name is Tatsu." He said before ducking behind me. "Please keep the creepy lady from me."
"You have got to be kidding me." Yura said while I held back a chuckle.
"Nice to meet you Tatsu, don't worry about her. She's actually...well a little better than what you're probably thinking. But you can trust her around us that is." I said, with Tatsu looking at her for a bit before nodding.
She huffed at that while Y/N shook his head as I stood back up.
"Hopefully we'll be able to get you home soon, maybe we be able to see the others from your village soon." Y/N said, getting Tatsu to flinch as tears started to well up in his eyes.
Both me and Y/N looked at each other and nodded as I went to comfort him.
"Tatsu what's wrong? I'm sure they are worried about you too, you can tell us what's wrong if you want. But it is not safe out here for long." I asked.
He was silent for a few moments before nodding.
"T-They are going to be mad at me. Uncle and grandpa warned me not to leave the village alone even to the hokura just outside. B-But it was fixes and I went to pray that everything will be okay. H-He yelled at me, but they attacked and..." Tatsu said before whipping his tears.
Ah, I think I get it now. I suppose Y/N, Sōta, and myself at one point.
But nothing quite like this...
So how do I put this to him...
"Of course they are going to be mad, you snuck outside the village when you weren't supposed to. Knowing kust how much trouble has been happening lately." I said, getting him to look down.
Deciding to go the blunt and honest while trying to raise my voice.
"While they will be mad for that, they are more concerned for your safety.
Your uncle saw what happened, and of course they would be worried for you, they said there was a hunting party looking for you Tatsu.
We'll get you back soon enough." I said, getting him to look at me and nod. I promise you will be okay."
"Promise?" He asked, and I smiled at him.
"I promise, but you have at face your uncle and grandpa when you get back." I said.
Tatsu looked a little dejected on that, but nodded grimly.
"Good, but why did you decide to sneak out anyway?" I asked him.
"It was destroyed by omukade recently, used to pray with my family for the conflicts to end. No one had anytime to come with me, it wasn't supposed to be long..." Tatsu said, getting me and Y/N to sigh.
"Next time just wait until the time is right, you waited until everything will be over. I can promise you that it will be soon." Y/N said with a smile, before shaking his head with a sigh. "Of course there is still an omukade to deal with first."
At this Tatsu freaked out and the bound bandits began to shake, sounds muffled by hairs keeping their mouths shut.
"Don't worry we won't let her get you." I said trying to reassuring the boy.
"Still what should we do with the deadweight? If it was me I would just leave them here, but do you two have a different idea?" Yura asked, flexing her fingers.
Causing the bandit to struggle out even more as they were lowered to the ground before pulled back up rapidly.
Dipping them down again only caused their struggles to increase.
Pretty sure Yura was trying to hide a smirk...
"How about we give them a choice, either they come this way to the village or we let them go in the direction of Mukade Jōrō who is hunting down the others. What do you think Kagome?" Y/N asked me.
Honestly that could work, considering the village is looking or Tatsu and bringing them with us will benefit them.
If not, at least they have a chance of not being killed by her either way.
"Yura can you please unbide their mouths so we can get an answer. I think that is a good idea." I said as Tatsu hid behind me while I reached for an arrow.
We were going to give them a chance to run, otherwise not giving them anymore to waste.
"Fine, but if any of them attack they are omukade bait." Yura said as she flexed a finger.
That we can agree on.
"I'll take my chances, take them to their deaths! I'll live longer!" The bald bandit shouted as the other two looked at him.
"Not even a moment, honestly we'll take the village." The scarred bandit said while the atcher compatriot sighed.
"Yura please let him down." Y/N said, the bandit letting out a scream as he crashed to the ground. "I meant gently, just give him a tanto and take the others with us."
"It should be a straight line from that rock formation." Myōga said, pointing at it as one of Yura's hairs flicked the tanto at the bandit.
Yelping as it landed next to foot I shot earlier, he glanced at us and saw me notch the arrow.
Promptly picking it up and began running/limping away.
"I'll see you all in the pits of Yomi! Of course it will be a long time!" He said, hobbling for the treeline.
"Either he is braver or dumber than I thought." The archer bandit said, getting Yura and I to nod.
"Still if we need to make it before the walking death wish brings that three eyed wretch down upon us." Yura said.
Jumping into the outcropping and swinging the bandits across the stream as me and Y/N began to follow after her.
"Tatsu please stay in front of us, you'll be safer there." I said as we crossed the stream.
"Okay." He said, getting me to smile as we approached the treeline on the otherside of the shore.
Until I began to sense something.
It was faint but getting pretty closer.
Wasn't the Shikon jewel shard, I can still sense it was still in the direction of the village. And that seemed to be moving slowly around the same area.
No this one was getting closer and seemed to be fluctuating between...one and two shards...and it was getting closer...
Oh this was bad, how did she get her hands on more of them!
I came to a stop and began to notch an arrow.
"Kagome what's wrong?" Y/N asked as stopped next to me, place a hand on Shusūi.
"It's Mittsume Jōrō, I don't know how but she has another shard or two on her and I can't tell the difference." I said, my tone filled with dread.
Even with just one shard she would be so much dangerous.
"Yura can you please get them and Tatsu to a safe place." Y/N said as we saw the bald bandit reach the treeline on the other side of the shore.
"So long suckers!" He yelled, before a section of her body slammed him into the ground. Wrapping around the bandit and dragging him into the brush. "Help me suckers!"
His screams died out and were replaced with a vicious crunch, Tatsu clutching to my leg.
"Master, if that three eyed wretch has multiple jewel shards on her, are you sure about leaving this to the girl and yourself." Yura said, drawing Benigasumi.
"I'm sure, as soon as you get them to safety, the better it will be for everyone." Y/N said with a small smile.
"Besides she is after the both of us. We can hold her off for a minute." I said before looking at Tatsu. "You need to leave with Yura."
"Please don't!" He cried out, sounding fearful and worried.
Honestly right now I was not too keen on fighting Mittsume Jōrō. Especially if she has jewel shards now.
But I will never back down to her or any other omukade we come across.
Not just for my own fears too.
"Tatsu we will be alright, but if you are here the omukade will get you. I promise that we'll be back." I said, getting him to nod.
Before letting out a startled yelp as he and the bandits were pulled into the tree line suddenly by Yura's hairs. The ones around our bodies unwinding as she shook her head before gaining a determined expression.
"I won't be long, just be careful you two." Yura said before she pulled herself into the treetops and out of our vision.
Looking back with a sigh, I kept the arrow notched as we began to head to the stream while hearing some rustling from the other side of the creek. Dreading what to expect if she really had two jewel shards.
If Mittsume Jōrō was like her grandmother with the whole Shikon Jewel than it was going to be difficult to put her down.
Nowhere near there, yet still difficult.
"Ready for this Kagome?" Y/N asked me.
"Not quite, especially with the shard or shards. I can't tell honestly. But it was bound to happen." I said, getting him to nod before noticing something. "Thought that you would have run already Myōga?"
The old flea shook his head as he looked ahead.
"Lady Inuko's orders andaside from Yura this is probably the safest place in the entire forest." Myōga said before we all heard a loud crack. "Incoming!"
My eyes widened as a tree was flung towards us, barley ducking out of the way as it crashed and rolled into the rock outcropping. Us running to the stream as Mittsume Jōrō emerged from the treeline.
With myself blanching in disgust as she snapped up a what looked like a bit of an arm before she began to rise up.
I released the arrow and made a run for it to the stream with Y/N.
Unfortunately it only grazed her, doing very little as she twisted out of the way. Did take some satisfaction and her growling out in pain.
"That hair yokai is not here, but it doesn't matter. I'll make her pay and you frosty halfbreed pay for that injury and everything else!" Mittsume Jōrō roared out as I reached to grab another arrow.
A pit forming in my stomach as I saw her grin as she tore open a pouch that hung around one of her arms. A small, light green sphere falling out and I could sense it to be what I thought to be a pair of Shikon Jewel shards.
Instead it was that and something mixed in.
Whatever it was had both Y/N and Myōga shocked.
"Kagome you said that you sensed the Shikon Jewel from there?" Y/N said as he began to step into the stream.