The moon was high in the sky and watching down upon the separate yet simultaneous battles below it. It cast it's soft glow upon the weapons as they flittered through the air, sprayed glitter across cascading hair and fluttering cloth, and illuminated droplets of sweat upon tiring faces. The fights had worn on deep into the night, brother against brother, the sibling rivalries were vicious and unstoppable.
Inuyasha was driven to his knees in pain; several times the poisoned claws of Sesshoumaru slashed into his skin and now in a tight locking grasp, they were digging into the wrist of his sword hand. Teeth grit, muscles tensed, his fingers quivered upon the hilt of the Tetsusaiga as his demon brother loomed above him tirelessly, "I can't believe my luck!" he thought desperately, "First Kagome gone and now . . . "
The sorcerer stood in midair with long flowing black gown swirling around his legs, and his dark staff was lifted high as a rain of lightening bolts showered down from the orb at it's crown.
Dodgers twisted that lanky body into acrobatic flips, green sleeves on long limbs barely escaping the electric streams of deadly light.
"Ha-HA!" that loud, squeaky voice shouted out arrogantly as the shimmering blade of morning blue and sky gold sliced into several bolts of lightening while bulky leather boots landed, and the child forced back some of the attack, letting the electricity slide across the slender sword. Sucking in large mouthfuls of air, once again the kid had evaded a magically influenced death, yet that was all the foreign fox could accomplish through out the entire struggle the entire night.
Meanwhile, the pointed ears of Inuyasha folded back to avoid the words of his brother, eyes squeezing in pain, and at last he drew up enough leverage and strength . . . A foot shot out and caught Sesshoumaru off guard enough in the torso just as the half-demon swung the sheath of the Tetsusaiga at the grasping clawed hand of the demon, freeing himself from the painful grasp.
"Tell me what you know of Tristan! What happened to Mitsukaru and the others, witch? My blade shall taste your flesh by night's end if you don't tell me what you know!" bulky boots pushing against the earth, bent knees springing, the fox tailed traveler leapt into the air at the cat eared magic wielder. Wide yellow eyes flashing with the radiance of the previous lightening attack, they met the narrow violet-tinted ruby gaze of the hovering sibling as Dodgers quickly closed the gap between them, swinging the glittering sword at that pale slender neck.
Letting a red lock of hair slide across that powdery white face as the hair took a violet glow in the starlight, the sorcerer watched as the warrior neared then lowered that black staff between them to catch the tip of the blade in the twisted claws surrounding the magical orb and Amarin held Dodgers tightly in place remaining in midair as they locked stares with faces nearly upon each other's, "I will tell you all you wish to know . . . " a cold, melodic voice answered, "As soon as you leave these lands. You have never strayed this far east before, and I wish you to do so never again. I occupy this half of the human's world, I suggest you return to your half if you ever wish to see your mortal pets alive again. I will not have you following me around like the nuisance you truly are and ruining everything I have worked for like you always do."
With no time to nurse his pain-burning hand, Inuyasha clasped his free hand over his wrist and used both arms to pull the miraculously large sword through the air as both bare feet pushed himself after his falling brother in hopes of catching him with the blade unprepared.
But his pain weakened and slowed his attacks even more then they already were compared to the speed of his full blooded demon brother, and even falling backwards as caught off-guard as he had been, Sesshoumaru still had time to sidestep the attack, looking rather dispassionate.
Golden eyes widening as his brows bunched together in frustration, Inuyasha half shouted and half growled, "Ohhh Perfect!"
"Nuisance?!?" Dodgers screamed into Amarin's face, remaining in midair while attempting to push the blade through the staff in a vain attempt to overpower the magical brother, "Your half? Drrg, I'm not leaving just because you're here! Just get over it and get outta my way, I have friends to save!"
"I am afraid we cannot occupy the same area at the same time, brother. Battling each other is futile, you should know this by now--"
"SHUT UP!" a hasty shout and the violent rip of the fox kid's blade from it's prison in the staff's crown shot loudly out, and Dodgers lifted the sword high above that silver fur covered head, eyes wild, ears folded, the toes of bulky boots pushing off the butt of the magical staff just enough to keep their owner in the air long enough for a good solid strike.
A golden talon with flames reflecting from it's scale caught the fang-blade as Sesshoumaru's current arm replacement, a phoenix talon, blocked the Tetsusaiga's attack, and the faint curve of the corner of his lips formed into a confident smile, "Why don't you save your strength, Inuyasha. The human in you can never carry this magnificent blade to it's full potential . . . And your friends are not here to help you this time."
Staggering forward to rest his weight tiredly into the phoenix claw his brother possessed, Inuyasha stopped for a moment with both hands hopelessly clutching the fur lined hilt. Eyes shut, breaths heavy and ragged, a slow yet powerful rage rushed up from his heart to his hands leading up to a violent twist until a clawed finger suddenly snapped at the joint and Inuyasha pulled his sword free, standing back with the curved blade pointed to the air above, "You've got it all wrong. I'm just going to get you out of my way, that's all!"
With a loud hiss, the sorcerer flew backwards, extending a sudden beam of violet red light from the orb of the staff like a blade of pure magic just at enough of an angle to block the oncoming strike for his skull. The rays of the moon cast a gentle glow of violet across his cascading locks of scarlet and black as he jerked back with the sudden motion.
Forcing Amarin as close to the ground as the lightweight could, Dodgers strained to force the enchanted sword past the blade of magical light when suddenly an odd realization came to mind, and the kid shouted out towards the neighboring battle, "Hey--Mister Inuyasha, Listen! There is no time for score settling now, apparently we've all been fighting each other too many times before! We each know every move our opponent's going to make!"
As the red rim of the elegant robe touched the ground, staff pressed forward, Amarin pulled back his free hand and chanted for a moment before throwing forth a stream of flame which the loud mouthed fox tailed traveler seemed to very expectedly sidestep, never missing a beat or a word, "And even Amarin himself said our battles are futile! He'd never know what to do with your sporadic attacks, I'll hold your opponent at bay--not knowing whether he is more powerful then myself or not. You defeat my cinch of a sister for me, if all else fails, we can push your opponent aside later and get on to business!"
"Shut up, kid, your ruining my concentration! What are you babbling about?" Inuyasha yelled as he rather ungracefully ran in a half circle, swinging the great Tetsusaiga at the graceful demon who flowed from side to side effortlessly.
"Ignore those strangers and listen to me! I will not have you entertaining that thought any longer, I have no wish to destroy your new play-mate just to get to you!" Amarin's cold voice took a harsh tone as the sorcerer hovered forward, orchestrating a pair of flame puppets in the form of cats which danced in rhythm with the swaying of the sorcerer's staff.
They leapt and burned and twisted and intertwined as the felineish flames chased the retreating Dodgers who was making a determined dash for the other battle, "Just think about it! It makes sense! We can settle our scores later, right now my Mitsukaru, your Kagome and all the others need our help, Mister Inuyasha Sir! Just trust me!"
With a speed to rival even Sesshoumaru's, the child had double-fore flipped over Inuyasha's back and past the large blade of the Tetsusaiga just in time to land with the kid's own glittering blade downcast, back arced, head leaned forward, and the severed phoenix arm laying at the feet of the fair demon right before Inuyasha's very eyes.
Inuyasha blinked as the scene seemed to suddenly materialize before him, but without much more time to react, he was forced to turn hearing the crackling of fire rushing up from behind. He leapt into a high arc, turning in midair to see the flame cats aimed at the child fox who had suddenly engaged Sesshoumaru in melee combat. In the same gaze, he noticed the sorcerer pulling the invisible strings of the flame puppets with the rhythmic movements of the staff's crown. So upon his decent, Inuyasha swept the Tetsusaiga across the ground slicing the flames in half and as they scattered to slowly piece themselves back together, he was already dashing for the sorcerer and his blade met the orb in a sudden clash. The figures in the flames faded and dissipated.
A line of light slashed out from between the fair demon's clawed forefingers of his one true hand, it was whip-like and slithered out demeningly at the child to swat the fox away just as Sesshoumaru shot himself up into the air after Inuyasha's retreat. His movements were so quick, so smooth, it was effortless. "Out of my way, child."
"Notta chance, Fluffy!" Yet, just as the whip had snapped at the air the fox kid was occupying, the child was gone. Instead, streaks of morning blue and sky gold slashed before the demon's eyes with the rude remark. The kid whipped that blade through the air in motions too fast for mortal eyes, leaving streaks of light behind as an after image of the sword's vicious movements as it twisted and danced.
Cold amber eyes narrowed as the nusence of a child crossed Sesshoumaru's line of view, blocking his path to the retreating half-breed with movements quick enough to match his own. Pulling himself back, he slapped the whip forth once more, teasingly toying with the child's little blade before snapping forward to forcefully pass.
Boot toes danced forward, and Dodgers evaded the oncoming weapon attack without even the aid of the blade because it was preoccupied. With a quick jab which followed the graceful swashbuckling display, the tip of the blade snatched the large scarf of fur thrown over the demon's shoulder as his arm was outstretched in his final attack, and Dodgers pulled backwards to dance teasingly whipping it in the air like a ribbon at the end of a stick, "Nyeahh-Haaaaaa!" Dodgers had been correct, Amarin had not known how to deal with the wild attack of the half-demon, and Inuyasha seemed to thrive off of the unexpectancy of his attacks as he battled, pushing the feeble magic user back with strong swipes of the Tetsusaiga against the defensive staff, "Ha! The kid was right! You're no challenge!"
Feet sliding backwards as the small child of a magician was pushed back with each strong lash of attack, a half grin curled the side of those thin dark painted lips as sooty lash shaded eyes narrowed knowingly. The orb began to cloud with darkness with each thrash, and the small sorcerer mumbled quiet yet beautiful foreign words, then suddenly that soft melodic voice shot like ice with a wicked shout, "FERAL CATS!" and a blast of dark winds shot like knives into the attacking half-demon, with black streaks like cats scratching into his mortal skin to violently suck the air from with in him causing a great and painful attack which pushed the red robed swordsman away from the frail sorcerer.
Inuyasha screamed, weakly grasping his torn wrist with his other hand as he braised himself against the wind, feeling the air ripping painfully at his wounds.
Seeming to have never been so insulted in his life, the emotionless expression upon Sesshoumaru's face . . . only gave a slight hint of annoyance with the rude taunt as the fox tailed child danced backwards, leaping into twirls and swinging the fur arrogantly in one hand.
Immediately, the unammused Sesshoumaru closed the distance between the two, a glow of green leaking from his hand until poisoned claws met the child's smirking face, raking across it before hastily snatching the fur with his only hand once the kid cringed in pain, "Dokkasou!"
As a streak of red clouded Dodgers vision, pain engulfing the kid's face, Dodgers noticed the fur being removed from that gloved hand--and the demon had fallen into the trap. The smirk returning to the blood striped face, yellow eyes narrowed knowingly in the instant the fur was being removed for the poison had not effected the kid any more then a set of mortal claws would effect a demon's face, and the shimmering blade found it's mark into Sesshoumaru's torso.
The two remained holding the pose for a moment, the tall adult looming over the child at an angle while scooping the fur up into one hand, arm out stretched in midswipe, and the kid half stooped, shoulders hunched from the flinch of pain at the initial strike of claws, and sword stabbing up into a side-gap of the fair demon's armor just under his out stretched arm.
The Tetsusaiga pushed its way through the center of the storm, slicing through the wind as a determined Inuyasha found the strength within to rush forward and in the burst of his own scream, the blade met the end of the wind and the torso of the child manipulating it. In a terrified gasp of disbelief, the child pulled both arms and staff over himself in a vain defense, casting what quick burst of magic he could to defend himself from a death's blow, protecting his skin from peircing, as the great sword drove the child into the ground unceremoniously.
Inuyasha stopped, hunched over the small child who lay crumpled upon the ground under his own staff, his grace torn from him and his beautiful gown ripped and dirtied. He stood and ran one arm across his own forehead before turning to see how the young fox tailed kid was faring. "Everything worked according to your plan . . . " were the unfeeling, faint words of the dog demon before the kid ruthlessly ripped the bloodied blade from his side leaving him to drop to his knees.
"Not everything . . . " that loud, arrogant tone harshly scolded as Dodgers twirled around and in the swing of motion slapped the demon to the ground with the sword, leaving a great gash upon his collar bone, "You'n that stupid sister of mine have made me late for a rescue date!"
That yellow gaze swung around to gaze from under sweat matted, silver bangs as Dodgers looked to the red robed Inuyasha, "It's almost dawn! Let's hope Shippou got everybody to safety, drrg we've wasted too much time here!" then those bulky leather boots slapped the ground as they found the road once more, and the kid ran after Shippou and Kirara's trail leaving the defeated upon the battle field.
Inuyasha took a moment to examine the scene around him, rather shocked that the youngster's plan worked despite how outrageous it had sounded; then he ran after the kid. They did take too long here, but maybe Kagome will still be all right . . .
