The Demon's Ball

Sesshoumaru was quickly losing his temper. He wanted answers. NOW.

-------------------------------------



Shinji took a deep breath and exhaled heavily.

Suddenly, the air crackled. Shinji was shifting. The three lords watched as the inuyoukai’s dark black hair spread to the rest of his body. His face elongated into a muzzle and his ears moved to the top of his head. The youkai dropped on the floor and seconds later, rose on four legs. A large black dog stood in his place. It gazed at them calmly and waited for their reaction.

Sesshoumaru could only stare, the wolf had been telling the truth but what exactly was happening? He heard a whisper come from Kouga’s direction.

“Told you sooo,” the wolf sung out softly under his breath.



Kazuhiko was the first to ask.

“How?” he asked simply.



Shinji grunted as he settled down to a comfortable position on his stomach and readied a telepathic connection with the group.



*"My size? It’s due to Kagome that I can take this form. For some reason, she has the ability to control youkai."*

“Control youkai?” Kouga furrowed his brow.



The dog snapped his jaws in thought, *"I say control but I suppose it would be more accurate to say she can tame youkai. Inner beasts take a liking to her. They become..."* he chose his words carefully, *"competitive for her affection.*



Kazuhiko drew a sharp breathe, it was impossible.

“Is she—?" the words slipped through his fingers before he scrambled to reach them again, "Could she possibly be—?”

Sesshoumaru’s eyes widened in realization, “master…”

Kouga was still confused, “You mean the Emperor?”

Shinji narrowed his eyes, this was worse than teaching young Shippo.

*You are Lords, are you not? And to whom do the four lords serve? This isn’t the sort of thing that you should easily forget, Lord Kouga.*



“Shinji,” Sesshoumaru interrupted, “the Emperor’s line has been extinct for ages. We would have heard the call to serve if any of his family still remained.”



Shinji growled viciously, *Have you forgotten who betrayed him? What creature would call the very beings who wish to extinguish his existence for help? Tell me, my Lord, who would ask for the aid of a rabid dog?*



Kazuhiko stayed quiet. They were speaking of the Demon Uprising. The bat youkai personally remembered his great grandfather passing down the story. Once, demons were called guiding spirits. Spirits served a human master of great power who called them into being. Through his guidance, they began to evolve into higher life forms. The spirits loved him like a father and the Emperor loved them like his own children. And just to show them how much he cherished their company, the master held a festival once a year, where all the spirits gathered and were blessed before the throne.

Sadly, the animal spirit of an ape became jealous and bitter toward the master. And during the dance at the annual festival, while everyone was vying for the praise of their Emperor, the ape slipped past the crowd and murdered the man on his throne. The Emperor’s family called the occasion the Great Betrayal and took away their title as spirits, giving them the names of demons instead. Next to their bodies, their names were the most precious things bestowed on them by their master and they became enraged at the loss. They stormed Umbra and in their bloodlust, killed the royal family. Without their master, they were only wild, uncontrollable beasts. Over time, some of the more powerful demons learned how to subdue their youkai and coexist with others. However, it was a painful process. If that girl had the same powers as the emperor...Kazuhiko sighed. He could only imagine the consequences. Suddenly, the wolf broke the silence.



Kouga wanted clarification, “So does this mean Kagome shares his blood?”



Shinji huffed, *I do not know for certain whether she possesses his blood. All I know is that she is now very close to his levels of powers before the emperor's death. A human of that strength has been unheard of until now. And it has been a long time since our blood has reacted so powerfully. It is our nature to serve; it shakes within the core of our beings. Since it happened long before our time, it’s impossible for us to recognize the pull. But I feel it. And I believe you must feel it too. It has amplified considerably since she’s stepped into the walls of our capital.*



Sesshoumaru’s breathe quickened. He felt it. The desire to hear her voice. The desire to be praised, to hear the affection in her words, to have her near him, to feel her hands on him. His beast desperately wanted her to accept him and have all her attention. He wanted to please her.

‘This is bad, perhaps—‘ the thought of killing her flickered in his mind but was squashed when he remembered his promise. She was a charge of the Western Lands. He cursed. His honor would be tarnished if he allowed her to die.



He looked to the other lords and met an annoying sight. Kouga and Kazuhiko seemed to be taking it fairly well. In fact, they were calmly discussing whether they should keep her at the capital permanently. Kouga sniffed loudly.

“Nah, I don’t think Kagome will go for that. She’s always gotta be moving and helping people. It’s her ‘thing’.”

“Well perhaps she would stay if we gave her some kind of duty or job here.”



Sesshoumaru growled at them for silence and turned back toward Shinji. The black dog comfortably cleaned his paws and waited for quiet. Sesshoumaru, however, was less patient.



“That still does not explain this form you’ve adopted. Why are you in that ridiculous size?”

The black hound stood up and looked at himself. He then turned back to Sesshoumaru and cocked his head to the side.



*Do you not like it, little brother?*



The taiyoukai scoffed at Shinji’s antics. He heard his fellow lords whisper quietly behind him.

“Yes, well it does make him look a bit fat, doesn’t it Lord Kouga?”

“I dunno, looks okay to me. I think its just his fur making him look that way.”



Shinji wagged his tail and barked in amusement when he recognized the scorn rise in his step-brother’s face. It had been too long since he saw that expression.

*Sorry Sesshoumaru.* Though his tone sounded anything but apologetic, *I suppose you want an explanation.*



Shinji sat and indicated with a nod that everyone should make themselves comfortable. *It’s a long story.*



----------------------------------------------



Totosai was the one who had formally introduced them. Kagome was looking for weapon’s training and Inuyasha was being less than cooperative.



“Why do you need more training?” the hanyou lazily scratched his chin and yawned, “Naraku’s gone and Sango already taught you the basics.” He was seated comfortably under the shade of a tall tree and wanted nothing more than to sleep.

“What don’t you understand about the duties of a wandering priestess?” She was losing her patience, “You want me to die out there?”

The half demon rolled onto his stomach, “No way,” a muffled groan escaped, “forget about it. I’ll protect you.”

Kagome scoffed. She raised an unimpressed brow at his claim. He was sprawled out before her and she wanted only to step on his head and grind it into the ground. Luckily for him, she suddenly remembered the old sword smith.



“I’m going to visit Totosai, tell the others I’ve left for training,” she turned to leave but was stopped when a hand wrapped around her ankle.



Inuyasha kept his body turned away. He didn’t want her to leave. He had watched her increase in strength everyday and he was scared. If Kagome could protect herself, where would his place in her life be? The hanyou didn’t want to admit that he feared losing one of his closest friends. He wanted her to depend on him.



The grip on her leg tightened briefly before he released her. He folded his arms under him in diffidence; keeping his eyes turned away.

Kagome watched her friend’s unusual behavior. She understood. She leaned down and delicately fingered his ears. They twitched at her actions and she scratched behind them. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. She smiled softly.



“I’ll be back before you fall asleep,” she rubbed his head. “So don’t forget to tell the others. I’m depending on you.”



He made a soft noise at her request and turned away. Kagome smiled again and hefted her backpack up. Thinking again, she put the bag down and placed it at Inuyasha’s side.

“Watch over my bag for me, okay? There’s some really important stuff in there. When you get hungry you can take something out for yourself.”



Inuyasha peeked an eye open before shutting it quickly. He knew what she was doing. If she left her things behind, she’d have to return for them. It was a silent promise to come back. Sometimes the girl was too perceptive. It was annoying. However he satisfied himself with the knowledge that he’d get to overindulge himself that night.



Without bothering to look, the hanyou blindly reached behind his back until he felt the bag. He seized the strap and pulled it towards him, shoving it under his head as a pillow.

Kagome rolled her eyes at his stubbornness. She could tell he was pleased but she knew he’d never admit it.



She took one last look over herself. She was only wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top. She silently wished she’d grabbed something more appropriate from her bag before she’d surrendered it to her friend and lost the chance.



‘Oh well,’ she shrugged as she tied her hair up, ‘it’s better to travel light anyway.’ She grabbed her bow and shouldered her quiver. The container was only half full so she notched a short sword to her belt. If she traveled efficiently, she could be at Totosai’s in a few hours. She only needed to ask him whether he, or anyone he knew, would be able to train her.

Without another backward glance, she set off.

------------------------------------------



Kagome walked barely an hour before she heard the familiar sound of clashing swords. The noise set her on edge. She could hear the metal sing, it rang clearly against the quiet of the forest. She slowly considered her options: she didn’t want to waste any time, but someone could be in trouble. A brief desire to walk away and pretend she hadn’t heard anything flickered through her mind before it was crushed under the weight of a burdensome conscience.



She groaned and cursed.



Quickly, she moved toward the direction of the battle. It was an enclosed area of large pine trees, she noted that some of the lower branches had been newly severed.

Lifting herself carefully, she hauled herself onto one of the lower branches. She managed to make it up several more until she was nearly two stories high. She took her time and plucked her way to an outward facing limb. She pushed some branches out of the way to take in the situation.



Shinji was having a hell of a day. Though it was normal that demons attack him every now and again; things were just recently getting out of hand. Being champion of the Battle Royale made him into a valuable trophy to anyone looking for a fight. That was why he always tried to keep a low profile during his travels. However, word had gotten out that a black inuyoukai was returning to the Western lands on business. He’d been ambushed three times already. He wiped his brow, wishing he shared the same blood as his father Inutaisho; then he could have orbed to his destination.



The inuyoukai cleared his eyes, the sweat making his hair stick close to his skin. He was encircled by a group, ‘twenty-six left,’ he counted silently.



Kagome bit her lip. These situations were tough. It was clear that there was a single fighter who was being targeted by the group but it was difficult to jump in. She didn’t know who could be in the right or in the wrong. For all she knew, the man could be a kidnapper or a thief.

Something glinted in the sun and caught her eyes. She squinted, trying to make out what it was. The demon under attack was wearing a necklace. She leaned out further on her branch for a closer look. Her eyes widened.



‘Damn,’ she cursed her luck. She had kind of wished that she didn’t have to fight on the side that was vastly outnumbered. However, she knew the royal crest of the Western lands meant she’d have to suck it up and help the guy out. She let out a heavy sigh and drew her bow, knocking an arrow and pulling it back. She took aim.

Why was she always fighting on the side with the least chance of winning?



Shinji violently lashed out, taking down another enemy. ‘Twenty-five,’ he turned to his next victim. However, when he readied his hand to strike out, he was surprised to find that the number of opponents was drastically reduced.

‘Eight,’ he cleared his eyes, for some reason there seemed to be a lot more dust in the area than before.



Kagome sighed, ‘Barely an hour into travel and I’m already out of arrows.’ She looked around and plucked a pine cone from the branch above her. She looked at the poor substitute and shook her head, ‘What am I thinking?’ She let out an exasperated sigh before she charged it and whipped it toward the fight.

The shabby weapon softly thumped against the nearest demon’s back. He turned to investigate found the pine cone which had landed harmlessly on the ground. He looked at it’s softly glowing spines and picked it up. He examined it carefully, turning it around and around in his hands before gazing up in the direction it came from.

Kagome swore and ducked down.



The demon smiled wickedly as he saw something move within the trees. The branches shook and rustled. He kept his eyes on the spot and waved at a couple of his friends. They rushed over and watched as he pointed to one of the taller pine trees. They nodded in silent understanding and stepped forward. Their leader laughed and clenched his fists, crushing the pine cone still in his grasp. Suddenly an intense wave of purification swept over his body. The peaceful glow erupted from its confines as it was released from its shell; bursting free in an aggressive display of power. It engulfed his body along with his two comrades, burning them away into nothingness.



Kagome watched speechlessly.



Neat. She’d have to remember that for any future confrontations. However she doubted she’d ever be in a similar situation anytime soon.



There were only five opponents left. She watched the regal figure in the center cut into his enemies with turbulent ease. His expression was stern and brutal. She weighed her options.



‘He should be able to handle the rest,’ she half-hoped she could escape his attention. She didn’t need any trouble from relatives of the Western lands. He looked like a noble and if he was anything like Sesshoumaru, he probably wouldn’t be extending his thanks and gratitude for her help. She clambered down the branches and was almost down when she scratched her leg on the rough spines that protected the trunk. She cursed as she watched a trail of blood trickle from the wound. She jumped to the ground and looked at the cut. It wasn’t a bad one, she wouldn’t have noticed it if it weren’t for the thin crimson line that traced the path. She scratched her head and decided not to bother cleaning it.

She brushed the fallen pine needles out of her hair and gathered her things to leave. As she lifted the bow to her shoulder, she heard the sound of rustling fabric. She twisted around quickly and saw the youkai who was fighting earlier.



He had a dazed feral expression as he stepped toward her on wavering legs. His robes were weighted down and dripping with blood. The liquid ran like water traveling from his hands, down the very tip of his sword. She froze, not entirely sure whether she should help or make a mad run for it.

------------------------------



Shinji felt the heaviness in his limbs as he dragged his sword through the demon’s torso. He ripped it out with a fierce jerk and watched as his final opponent slid to the earth. He hadn’t missed the sight of three enemies disappearing with a flash of holy power. Someone had helped him. His breathing was heavy and his body felt numb. All he smelled was blood all around him. It was overwhelming. His beast was crushing him, high off the scent of victory. Suddenly something pushed him over the edge. It was the faint smell of human blood. Female. It was so close.



It was an irresistible pull that led him to her. He found her underneath the pine trees and could sense she had been the one that used her holy powers. Though she certainly wasn’t wearing any sort of outfit that a priestess would. The smell of her magic was slowly disappearing and it looked as if she were about to leave. It confused him that she hadn’t approached him for reimbursement. He hated owing people; she had to be repaid for her help.



He took a step forward to approach her. But his vision flickered and he stumbled. Hearing him, the girl’s back straightened and she turned to face him. He could barely make out the shadow of her face before darkness swallowed his mind. He felt a well of remorse swell up in him. He had wanted to repay her but he was helpless as his exhaustion set in. He desperately tried to contain his youkai but it had already awakened. The beast’s survival instincts would undoubtedly lash out and destroy anything it believed to be a threat. A priestess would certainly fall under that category.



He crumpled under his weight and fell to his knees. He pressed his eyes closed and shook his head but his vision didn’t clear. His hands ripped at the grass underneath him as his claws extended painfully. His ribs cracked as they moved and grew to adjust to his changing body. His face was numb as his body grew to immense proportions. The pain of trying to suppress the shift was immense, he didn’t even notice the coat of fur that now covered his canine body. Shinji struggled to draw in enough air to warn her, to tell her to run, to knock him unconscious, to do anything she could to escape him. But the transformation was taking a toll on him; squeezing his lungs and making him choke on the words. He anxiously looked up with still blind eyes; he could only hope she had already left.



But suddenly he felt a gentle and caressing touch grace his leg and his hopes for her were dashed. He knew then that she would die. His beast had been released only a handful of times. The last time it had happened was during the Great Battles. He had watched helplessly as both friends and enemies fell to his wrath. It was because of that day that he chose to surrender his title as commander of the Umbra Royal Force. The four lords had tried to convince him to stay but he couldn’t escape the memory of tearing through the flesh of his comrades and subordinates. Demons who had both trusted him and admired him, who had personally trained under his command since the first day of their initiation, who had once cheered and smiled for him and congratulated his success; every happy memory of them was replaced. All he could remember now was the sight of their cold, lifeless gaze staring back at him while he had watched powerlessly, his beast leisurely taking in the aftermath while mopping the blood from its face. He could still taste the coppery tang as it dripped off his saturated muzzle and flowed into his panting jaws. He would never forget it.

-------------------------



Anger, regret, and frustration slid off the inuyoukai’s form. Kagome watched silently as the demon’s shoulders shook with exertion. His sorrow was suffocating. It was like drowning under a sea of nightmarish regrets. She took a step towards him, hesitant at what to do but knowing she had to do something to keep him from losing his sanity.



At that moment, the demon raised his unseeing eyes. Kagome felt a chill run through her. A rush of adrenaline struck her as her legs shivered, wanting to move her as far away from the youkai as possible. She pushed herself forward again, forcing her legs to work. She placed her hands lightly on him and he froze. Hackles rising and teeth bared, his blood red eyes moved to meet her gaze. She could feel him tense up, ready to strike out at her at any moment.



At smoothly as possible, she moved her hands until they were wrapped around the dog’s mammoth leg. It was like hugging a tree trunk but she pressed herself as close as she could manage. She tenderly embraced him; hushing his growls with soft and comforting promises.

“It’s okay,” she pushed her head deep into his black coat and nuzzled him soothingly.



He watched her silently, his tail rigid with anxiety.



Kagome quietly continued to run her hands in his fur.

Before long the dog had calmed. He gazed down at her with moderate hostility, still reluctant to drop his guard.



Kagome paused as she felt his muscles loosen under her arms. Immediately the demon let out a subdued growl and lowered his head to her. He nudged her curiously with his nose, succeeding in pushing her to a heap on the ground.



Kagome let out a small yell as she dropped to the dirt, too surprised to catch herself. Before she could recover from her shock, she found herself face to face with a huge salivating tongue. The fearsome sight, coupled with the dog’s playful thumping tail didn’t relieve any of her dread. Suddenly he licked her, dragging his velvety tongue up the length of her body. She let out groan as she felt the sticky warmth coat her face.



The youkai, sensing her distress, flattened his ears against his head apologetically.

Kagome jumped when he went to the ground, pressing his belly flat against the earth. He gazed at her pitifully before averting his gaze in shy nervousness. Awkwardly, he threw restless glances at her from the corners of his eyes.

Kagome raised an eyebrow up in confused amusement. She remembered her neighbor’s dog doing this when he wanted attention. She slowly lifted herself off the ground and took a step towards him. His gigantic tail began to wave anxiously in the air.

Steeling her nerves, Kagome briskly strode towards his huge head and grabbed onto his muzzle.

Suddenly she was lifted up with a toss of his mighty head. Kagome used all her strength to cling to him as she was hauled up into the air.

Her legs dangled helplessly as she scrambled to keep herself from falling when he stood. She yelped when she felt him open his huge jaws to let out a huge gaping yawn.



The dog looked at her questioningly with sleepy eyes. He laid back down and tipped her gently between his paws. He leaned himself down in a tired haze, careful to avoid crushing her.



Kagome watched as his eyes dropped closed. She sighed in relief. Cautiously, she crawled to her hands and knees, hoping to creep away before the beast awakened.

Shinji’s eyes snapped open and growled at the girl, he hadn't thanked her yet. She needed to stay.



Kagome froze. Though she knew he wouldn’t hurt her, she still had things to do and people to see. She glanced back at him worriedly; his growls had had a fog of weary exhaustion surrounding it. She sighed, she couldn’t leave him out in the wilderness all alone.

Kagome sat back down and leaned against the dog’s fluffy coat. She was drained anyway so she might as well get some rest.



He watched as she returned to his side before he laid his head back down. He was so tired. His fatigue was catching up to him and he could only bow to its tight embrace. He turned to his new companion and gave her one last nuzzle, rubbing her with his scent, just in case she tried to run away again.

Kagome was knocked over when the dog began to coddle her again. She had to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. She snorted at his look of content and began petting his head.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll stay,” she ruffled his fur, “I’ll stay so stop it already.” She laughed, trying to push his huge snout away as it prodded her side.



He sneezed and wrapped his head around her, not wanting to chance her escape. He moaned and within moments, was lightly snoring.

Kagome quietly laughed and gently patted his neck, “You’d make a great pet if you were only a little smaller.” She chuckled at the idea of having a demon as a pet. Smiling, she settled into his warmth, sinking into his deep black fur.



Somewhere in his sleepy mind, Shinji heard her. His youkai purred at the thought of being with her forever. He felt a vague sensation of wonder at the girl’s comforting presence.



Kagome relaxed and let out a sigh. It was still early in the day. She’d take a break for now. She silently apologized to Inuyasha, knowing she’d break her promise to him to get back before his bedtime. However she doubted he’d mind since she’d left her entire supply of junk food with him. The hanyou would drift off happily into dreamland the moment his stomach was full.



Comforted by her thoughts, she allowed herself to close her eyes.



And so both the girl and the youkai rested. Both dimly aware of each other’s presence as they slept dreamlessly under the shade of the pine forest.

=================================================









Thank you for reading, rating and reviewing. See you next time,



KPO4