A soft gust of warm wind caresses the hair of everyone present, while the warmth of the sun bathes their bodies.
Sitting on the ground in a carefree manner is Inuyasha's group, while in front of them Koga's pack leans vigilantly on the rocks.
"Do you want to know where Naraku's palace is?"
"Inuyasha, don't look at the idiot like he's an idiot. That always offends them."
"Asahiko... Just shut up."
"Fine Miroku, but it has to be said, Naraku may be a rat of so well he hides, but his level of danger is no small thing."."
Snuggling further against Kirara's soft fur, Asahiko gives them his point of view on how stupid it would be to give up that information and seeing that they know it too, he closes his eyes, before falling silent.
"Even if we ignore what Asahiko just said, we don't know where it is either."
"Tsk, you guys don't know either."
"That scoundrel Naraku always places a force field around his castle, but if you want when we find it we can avenge your comrades... Just hand over the shards you have in both legs!"
Screaming out loud like the strategy-less idiot he is, Inuyasha swings Steel Fang and attempts to slash Koga, though in a move of extreme speed Koga easily avoids it.
"What's up beast, you were waving that sword faster last time."
"Grr!"
"Steel Fang is still heavy for Inuyasha."
"That's right, Shippo. It's also quite likely to stay that way for a long time, if Inuyasha keeps ignoring Totosai"
Talking between the two of them without caring about Inuyasha's embarrassment, both Sango and Kagome nod their heads towards Miroku and Shippo's words, before looking back towards Koga who is leaving.
"Get back here you cowards!"
"I don't have time for your game's beast!"
"I ordered you to get back!"
The whole group slapped their faces at the same time. Inuyasha's words were most strange and more so if we add that he is shouting with his sword still stuck in the ground.
"Listen well, animal, protect Kagome until she defeats Naraku. If anything happens to her, I won't forgive you!"
"Unbelievable, even when he leaves he's still showing that overconfidence."
"Umm... Looks like I haven't played him enough Sango. Well, if we meet him again, I'll get the chance."
Laughing softly in a rather sinister tone, Asahiko finishes his transformation and returns to his normal form.
"I don't understand, why the sudden fixation with him Koga?"
"He's a wolf, I'm a fox... Simple nature and it was already getting repetitive teasing Inuyasha."
"Because I think only the second part is true?"
"We'll never know, now full speed ahead to the next adventure! "
Christopher/Asahiko pov.
Night had come and we were still in the forest. We seem to be heading towards a specific place, although I wasn't told where.
"What a bore, when do we get there?"
"When we have to get there furball. Sorry, keep that thing away from me... Kagome help!
"It was just a joke before, but now that you've insulted my beautiful tails, your luck is cast tanuki."
No one messes with my tails, now this tanuki is going to get it the hard way and I'm going to enjoy it. Wait, what, but what's going on there... Now I understand the pain of betrayal.
"Miss Kagome, maybe you should let them go."
"Your excellency is right, Asahiko looks ready to have a mental breakdown."
"Kagome you are cruel..."
It went better than expected by acting like a poor bastard, still as he managed to tame my tails, that doesn't matter, now I just have to give him the final blow and he will show me an expression I can hardly get out of Kikyo.
"Kag!"
"Shut up!"
"What's wrong Inuyasha?"
For a few seconds I wanted to turn around and punch Inuyasha for interrupting my fun, but the seriousness can be seen plastered on his face, so I better wait for him to answer Miroku.
"I can smell Naraku, he's coming from over there!"
"Wait Inuyasha, don't run!
"Your excellency waits for me!"
"Because they all run off into what is obviously a trap. Haaa... What's the difference, come with me!"
Speaking only to myself, I watch as Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango start running towards a specific direction. Smacking my face with one of my tails at their clearly impulsive action, he used another tail to grab Kagome and finished speaking with a crestfallen face.
"Move forward Kirara!"
"She's not a horse, you idiot furball!"
"Shippo, maybe you should stop... We're meeting him alone."
Assimilating Kagome's words, the little tanuki's face slowly turns pale and noticing my clearly sincere smile, Shippo hides even deeper in Kagome's arms.
"Why are you looking at me like that, I wasn't going to do anything to him."
"Sure..."
Accepting Kagome's answer that obviously has no shred of doubt, I pat Kirara's head as an apology for my previous words and she at last starts to move forward.
Five minutes later...
The once peaceful forest, despite the surrounding darkness created by the night, has now taken on a gloomy and mysterious aura, as if a dangerous predator is lurking.
"Look, there in front is everyone!"
"That 's him!"
"Well, if it isn't the stalker!"
Looking to where Shippo is pointing and ignoring Kagome's surprise, I waved my right hand unsurprisingly and spoke to the already certified stalker. Naraku is sitting in the driver's seat of a rather gloomy carriage, in the back area of the carriage instead of a place for passengers there is a box made of metal bars and a cloth covers a quarter of it.
"Hehehe, it looks like the whole group is already there. But I'm really surprised, I didn't expect to see you here and now."
"What can I tell you, I'm fickle as water and free as the wind... If something interesting is going on, I'll be there."
Describing my behavior quite aptly, I watch as Naraku's puppet wobbles in place and starts muttering something along the lines of "He tricked me" "If he's here, why can I feel his energy in the barrier" "Am I wrong?"
If Naraku were a normal person, I'd think he'd lost his temper and started mumbling without realizing it, but he's not, so it's more likely that he's warning me that he has Kikyo in his grasp.
Well, maybe there is no subliminal message and she seriously lost her temper for a few seconds... Still, how did Kikyo manage to use the remnants of energy inside my tail hair? Smart and dangerous girl.
"Stop ignoring me already! And what the hell is that thing!"
"Always so impatient Inuyasha, though since you ask, I'm going to tell you. This is my new creation... Juromaru!"
Recomposing his usual confident voice, Naraku points towards the person resting on the ground who seemed to have his limbs bound with iron chains. He was a completely normal male human, he has fair skin, dark eyes, wears the common clothes of the time and the unnatural thing about him would be his light pink hair.
*Clanc* *Clanc* *Clanc* *Clanc* *Clanc*
With the clanking of the chains holding the limbs of the one called Juromaru, he rises from his resting place and the whole atmosphere around him seems to change.
"I will now release the chains to you Juromaru. Go and finish them all."
He stalker quickly appears behind the new guy, plus thanks to the fact that none of them were given the genius idea to interrupt him, Naraku easily with a swipe of his hand shatters the chains and tries to leave, though that puppet's head flies off in an instant.
"It has attacked its creator..."
"What does that matter, Miroku? It's time to finish him off!"
Without analyzing the opponent and without time to consider anything, Inuyasha heads headlong into head-on combat with Juromaru.