Encounters with Obakemono by tenchi no mai

Jubokko

This was written in response to MontiK’s challenge.

Theme: Jubokko   

Due:  November 29, 2009

Required Word Count:  700

Actual Word Count:   3,022  (Story Only)

Universe:  Canon – Feudal Era

Rating:  M

Warnings:  Inuyasha’s Language 

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are the property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz Media.   Only the plot to this story is my intellectual property.  I do not make any money from the writing of this story. 

‘Italics’ = thoughts

Kagome peered anxiously over her shoulder to check on Miroku again.  He now appeared to be semi-concious and was leaning back against Sango, who was supporting him as they rode on the transformed Kirara.  Miroku had been poisoned by Naraku’s saimyosho when the evil hanyou had unleashed an attack on them a few hours ago.  She was glad that Rin had been sent back to the Fortress a few days prior, but it would have been nice to have Ah-Un along to help with carrying her pack. 

Inuyasha was looking for a place to set up camp that would offer some protection from the coming storm, and Sesshoumaru had gone to hunt for their dinner.  They were too far away to easily return to Edo and Kaede, even though Miroku needed more help than either she or Sango were able to offer. 

“Sango, how is he doing?”  Kagome began to chew on her lower lip when she noticed he didn’t look any better.  She had used up the last of the EpiPens she had gotten for just such an emergency.  It was a much higher dose than was recommended, but demon poison wasn’t like a simple bee sting after all.  At least he didn’t appear to be getting any worse.  

Sango shook her head.  “He isn’t getting any worse, but he doesn’t seem to be getting any better either.”  She didn’t entirely trust some of the medicines that Kagome brought back from her time.  

A few of them seemed too strange to believe they could actually work.  Like these ‘pens’ that Kagome had used on Miroku.  The liquid in them was clear like water, but had a strange odor.  Then there was the fact that she had to stab him with them.  Some of Kagome’s medicines worked very well, like the little tablets for headaches, but she was still apprehensive about those pen thingies. 

Shippo stretched up to peek over Kagome’s shoulder, digging his little claws into the front of her shirt.  “Kagome, do you think Miroku will be alright?”  He looked up at her with tears in his eyes.  Miroku was one of his favorite humans, after Kagome of course.  

“I’m sure he’ll be fine once we can set up camp and let him rest comfortably.  Hopefully some tea will help.”  She didn’t want to worry the little kitsune any more than he already was,  although Kagome was sure he could sense the fear and distress in her voice and aura; no matter how young, he was youkai.

Inuyasha led them off the path they were on, and cut through a heavily wooded area.  “I think there are several caves up ahead.  We can stay dry in there.”  

Not five minutes later, they came upon a series of caves in the side of the small hill that looked out over a vast clearing.  There was lots of new growth, as though the area had been cleared only a short time ago.  However, close to the center was one fairly large tree.  It looked odd sitting in the middle of the clearing all by itself.  

Inuyasha helped get Miroku settled, then took the water containers and went to fill them.  Shippo volunteered to gather firewood, while Sango and Kagome tended to Miroku.  He had made several trips, gathering kindling to start the fire, then went looking for some larger branches to keep it going.

Kagome looked up, startled, from feeding the fire as Shippo came running back to the cave.  ‘That’s unusal, he doesn’t run on all fours unless something has scared him or Inuyasha is chasing him.’  Raising her gaze from the small kitsune, she narrowed her eyes and scanned the area anticipating ‘sitting’ the trouble making hanyou on his arrival. 

“Help me, Kagome!”  Shippo began calling when he got closer to the caves.  His fur was standing on end, and his tail was swishing and twitching around in an agitated manner, like it had a mind of its own.  

Kagome caught him as he leaped through the entrance of the cave.  “What happened?”  She was looking him over and noticed a small cut on one ear.  Pulling out her first aid kit, she cleaned it off and applied a bandage while Shippo told her a strange story. 

“So, a tree grabbed you, bit you on the ear, then let you go, after complaining that you were not human?”  Kagome drummed her fingers on the top of the first aid kit while looking directly into Shippo’s eyes.  He didn’t appear to making it up. 

“Yes, Kagome.  He said that I smelled human, but tasted like a demon, and he let me go.”  Shippo had begun to calm down, but still hadn’t gotten his tail back under control. 

Kagome smiled at him, and held out her hand.  “Come on Shippo, I haven’t seen any trees that eats humans in this area of the country.  Let’s go get some more wood for the fire, we won’t go too far, just to the edge of the forest.  Inuyasha should be back any minute with the water, and I’m sure Sesshoumaru will return soon, too.” 

“Sango, will you be okay until we get back?”  Kagome turned before exiting the cave, watching as Sango wet a towel with the last of their water and put the cool compress on Miroku’s forehead. 

“We’ll be fine, but hurry back, it doesn’t look like the storm will hold off for much longer.”   Sango cast a worried glance at the sky before returning her attentions to Miroku.

~*~

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru arrived within minutes of each other.   Inuyasha had brought back the hilt of a sword and a broken piece of armor along with the filled water containers. 

Sesshoumaru had a small deer, which he dropped to the side of the fire.  He stepped outside the cave and sniffed around.  “Inuyasha this is an old battlefield, you should have been able to have sensed this and kept moving.” 

Inuyasha dropped the broken artifacts on the ground and folded his arms into his sleeves.  “Keh.  These caves were close, I’ve stayed here before.  The storm is going to start soon.”  He slyly slid his eyes sideways to look at his half-brother.  “You ain’t afraid of ghosts, are you Sesshoumaru?”

“No, this Sesshoumaru is not afraid of ghosts, Inuyasha, however there are more things than etheral specters to beware of.”  Sesshoumaru was looking around the cave noticing Kagome’s first aid kit and pack.  “Where is the miko?” 

“She went with Shippo to gather some more firewood.”  Sango looked up at the demon lord.  “He had come back upset and said that a tree grabbed him, bit his ear, then let him go when it found out he wasn’t human.”  She shook her head.  “The stories he comes out with sometimes.” 

Inuyasha snorted.  “If the stupid brat was afraid of the storm and didn’t want to go by himself, all he had to do was wait for me to get back.” 

“I don’t think he was afraid of the storm, and it does not sound like a prank to me.”  Sesshoumaru was thoughtful as he considered what the kitsune had said.  “It appears he may have had a run in with a jubokko.  Another reason you do not set up camp on an old battlefield or execution ground.” 

“A jubokko?  What the hell is that?”  Inuyasha glanced out the entrance of the cave, expecting to see Kagome and Shippo returning with more wood for the fire. 

“A jubokko, or vampire tree, is a type of spirit which is said to feed off the blood and energy of humans.  They are born by growing near a place where the blood of many people has been spilled.  The most common sites are battlefields or places of execution.  The blood is sucked up in great quantities by the roots of certain types of trees and they become demonized.  

The tree develops a taste for human blood and will snare and entrap any unsuspecting human that passes too close by.  It must feed on the blood of humans in order to survive, and it will drain its prey of their life force.”  Sesshoumaru exited the cave and began tracking the miko.  “I must find the miko, she is in grave danger.” 

“I'm coming with you Sesshoumaru.”  Inuyasha ran after him, unsheathing his sword as he followed Sesshoumaru into the woods.  He suddenly remembered his enounter with Ninmenka, and doubled his speed to catch up with Sesshoumaru.

~*~

Kagome had decided to gather as many fallen branches as she and Shippo could and began piling them up.  They would carry back as much as possible, then send Inuyasha to retrieve the rest. 

She kept looking back towards the clearing and the caves.  They looked further away than she remembered walking, and the clearing actually looked smaller.  Shaking her head, Kagome figured it must be the angle she was viewing it from, somewhat like an optical illusion. 

“Shippo, don’t wander too far.  Stay within my sight.”  Kagome called out to the little kitsune as he ran over to pick up a small pile of branches.  She smiled as she watched him trying to drag back a branch that was easily more than twice as big as he was. 

“Hey, Kagome, some day I’ll be as strong as Inuyasha, and I’ll be able to protect you too.”  Shippo was almost back to her  when a thorny vine suddenly wrapped around him, hauling him back against the trunk of a nearby tree.  

“Shippo!”  Kagome screamed and began running towards him. 

“Kagome, don’t come any closer.”  Shippo was struggling with the tightly wrapped vine.  “It will let me go in a minute.” 

“Let go of my son!”  Kagome stopped a few feet away and nocked an arrow in her bow.  “What are you?  And why did you grab Shippo?” 

The tree shook as though it was laughing, the branches sweeping to and fro from an unnoticeable wind.  “My name is Yemon and I wanted to meet the human whose scent I detected on this kitsune.” 

~*~

Sesshoumaru swiftly followed the miko’s scent.  He knew he could not be mistaken, yet the trail suddenly divided and went in two separate directions.  He was quite some distance from the cave; he didn’t think the miko would have gone this far in search of wood for the fire. 

As Inuyasha came crashing through the trees behind him, Sesshoumaru motioned for him to stop and be quiet.  Listening carefully, he turned and began to retrace his steps. 

“Sesshoumaru, where are you going?  The trail leads this way!”  Inuyasha shouted at his half-brother as he continued to backtrack along the way they had just come. 

“The jubokko has altered the flora around itself.  It is trying to make us lose the miko’s scent.”  Sesshoumaru stopped again to listen carefully and scent the air.  He finally caught the faint sound of the miko’s voice and was off in an entirely different direction. 

A few minutes later he approached the jubokko that was holding the kitsune to its trunk.  The miko had her bow raised and a arrow nocked, as she stood her ground, shouting at the tree. 

~*~

“Why would you want to meet me?”  Kagmome yelled at the tree.  “If you don’t let Shippo go, I’ll purify you!” 

“If you purify me, you will also purify the kit.”  Yemon continued to keep his grip on the kit as he sensed a youki and a hanyou quickly approaching.  “I wanted to meet this human that has been touched by a kami.” 

“What do you mean?”  Kagome asked Yemon as her grip on the bow began to waver.  It didn’t appear as if the tree was going to hurt Shippo, the vines weren’t wrapped as tightly around him now that he had stopped struggling against them. 

Could this tree have some of the answers to the questions she had, or was it a ruse to get her to come near enough to grab?  She vividly remembered how Inuyasha had become ensnared in the thorny vines of Ninmenka, the tree with the human faced fruit.  It had wanted to drink his blood when he was in his human form one time on a night with a new moon.  She wasn’t going to take any chances by getting too close.  

Ever since she had been injured falling from Kagura’s feather and apparently was treated at the Mitsumine Shrine, no one in the pack would talk about the event.  None of her questions had been satisfactorily answered, and she had finally stopped asking.  What could this tree possibly know? 

“It is in your scent and your aura.  I can see his mark, you have been blessed by a kami.”  Yemon didn’t want to drink her blood, he knew it would purify him instantly with only one drop, he was just extremely curious and wanted to meet her.  It wasn’t everyday that you met someone touched by a kami. 

Kagome lowered her bow and looked suspiciously at the tree.  She wanted to ask him what he meant, but she could sense Sesshoumaru and Inuyahsa approaching at a fast pace.  “How is it in my scent and aura, and what kami are you talking about?” 

“You have some of his scent of immortality, and his gold and white brilliance are mingled with your own aura.  I speak of the Mountain Prince, Takehiko.”  Yemon chuckled as he watched her reaction to his statement.  “You did not know?” 

‘Takehiko.  The name somehow sounds familiar, but I don’t remember ever meeting anyone by that name, especially not a kami.  I’m sure I would remember if I met a kami.’  Kagome glanced behind her as she heard the inu brothers come crashing through the trees and skid to a halt on either side of her.   

Sesshoumaru instantly stepped in front of Kagome and began to unsheath Tokijin.  Inuyasha jumped forward with his transformed Tessaiga, slashing at the tree.  “Let go of Shippo!” 

“Inuyasha!”  Kagome screamed at him.  “He isn’t hurting Shippo.  Stop right now or I’ll say the word.” 

Yemon set Shippo down and waved his thorny vines at the hanyou as the kitsune ran to the miko, clutching onto her hakama.  “Hanyou you should learn to be less rash in your decision to attack.  The miko is correct, I was not hurting the kit.” 

“Then you were going to hurt Kagome!”  Inuyasha still had Tessaiga raised in an offensive posture, waiting for his chance to slash the tree to a pile of kindling.  

“Again, no, hanyou.  I only wanted to meet the human.  I have no ill intentions towards her.  The true reason is I have something to offer to the miko.” 

“I don’t believe you!”  Inuyasha was being as confrontational as ever, hardly waiting for the answer before raising his fang again.  

“Inuyasha, be quiet and let the jubokko have its say.”  Sesshoumaru allowed Kagome to stand in front of him, while keeping one arm around her waist, and the other hand on the hilt of his sword.  He knew of only one thing that a jubokko could offer to a human, besides a quick trip to the afterlife. 

“What are you offering me?”  Kagome asked curiously, as she leaned back against Sesshoumaru’s armored chest, knowing that he would keep her safe.   

“I will give you permission to take two branches from me.  You will peel the bark and make a healing tea for your poisoned friend.  You will then give me a drop of your blood, and the hanyou will find out why I could not attack you.  Afterwards you will take the peeled branches and have a bow and three arrows made from it.  The arrows will instantly purify the most powerful of demons or hanyous, even if the archer has no holy power of their own.  The bow, in and of itself, will be able to be used as a purifying weapon as well,”  Yemon watched as the miko thought over his offer.  

Kagome stepped forward to see which branches Yemon wanted to give her.  He leaned down and told Kagome to take the two straight ones from the middle section of his canopy.  The branches were fairly thick near the base, and she had to wrap both hands around them to get enough leverage to cleanly break them from the trunk of the tree. 

“Now, miko, your blood please.”  Yemon rose back up and shook his branches to settle them back into place.  He held out one of his vines and waited for the miko to prick her finger on a thorn.  “You will meet another jubokko in the future.  His name is Yomeiju, and he can consume humans and demons alike.  However, he will be devoured by the great evil that you hunt, before he, himself, is consumed by another immense wickedness.  When that happens you will know the final battle is drawing near.” 

“Why are you telling us this?”  Kagome reached for the vine, looking for a small thorn and piercing her finger on it. 

“Forewarned is forearmed.  To be prepared is half the victory.”  Those were his final words, as Yemon burst into a shower of sparkling ash, which slowly settled to the forest floor.  The surrounding plantlife gradually faded away, and Kagome found herself standing in the middle of the clearing as the rain began to drizzle down from the waterlogged clouds.  

“Keh.  Shippo, help me get this wood over to the cave before it gets too wet to burn.”  Inuyasha sheathed Tessaiga and picked up an armload of branches before turning and heading for the cave. 

“Sesshoumaru, will the bark from the tree heal Miroku?”  Kagome had picked up the two large branches and waited for him to answer her. 

“Miko, any branch taken from a jubokko tree, with permission, is a powerful item that can be used to heal and purify by nearly anyone.”  Sesshoumaru placed his hand on the small of her back and began to lead her over to the cave. 

Kagome was silent as Sesshoumaru guided her through the dark across the uneven ground towards the cave.  She had a lot to think about, as well as more questions now than before she met the jubokko. 

~*~

Fin.