Encounters with Obakemono by tenchi no mai
Tengu
This was written in response to MontiK's challenge.
Theme: Tengu
Due: July 26, 2009
Required Word Count: 700
Actual Word Count: 4999
Universe: Canon
Bonus Karma for use of Konoha-Tengu
Rating: MA
Warnings: Inuyasha's language, innuendoes, and sexual situations (nothing explicit).
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 and my original characters, Shun and Hayato, are my intellectual property. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
'Italics' = thoughts
Tengu
'Ugh.' Kagome pulled herself out of a deep sleep as the first lightening of the eastern horizon signaled the dawn of another hot summer day. 'Although it's kind of chilly here in the mountains this early in the morning.'
Rising carefully so as not to awaken Shippo and Rin, who were still sound asleep, she began preparations for making breakfast. Quietly unzipping her backpack, Kagome searched for the large zip-lock bag that contained the packets of oatmeal and powdered milk. 'I think there is just enough here for everyone for breakfast today. Then that will be one more thing outta this pack.' For some reason her backpack had seemed heavier than normal the past few days. She had originally shoved the thought off, acknowledging the fact that they were making their way through one of the more mountainous regions of the countryside. 'I'll have to go through it again and see just what else is in there.'
Gazing around the campsite, Kagome confirmed that Sesshoumaru was already awake, and that the rest of the adults were beginning to stir. Nodding to acknowledge him, she began to stir up the fire, putting on some more kindling to get it going before she added some of the larger pieces of wood.
After setting up the metal grate and filling the battered pots with water for the oatmeal and tea, she sat back to enjoy the few minutes of quiet before Inuyasha began loudly demanding breakfast and Jaken started squawking about something or other. 'Uh-oh, speak of the devils.'
As though the mere thought had awakened him, Inuyasha jumped down out of the tree where he had been resting, and strolled over to the fire. After a quick look at the packets laying beside the fire, he jumped right in with his usual tirade. "What the fuck, Kagome! I ain't gonna eat that shit! I want ramen!"
Kagome stood up, placing her hands on her hips. "Inuyasha, you know we don't have any more ramen! You ate the last of it a few days ago! If you want something other than oatmeal for breakfast, go hunt for it!" She pointed off into the woods, then added, "And how many times have I told you not to curse in front of the children!"
"Keh." Muttering under his breath about 'no ramen' and 'stupid bitch who never brings enough', he stalked off to go hunt up some breakfast for himself.
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow as he watched the by now familiar scene play out in front of him. 'That baka hanyou never learns.' He took the tea Kagome brought him and watched as everyone else enjoyed the food from Kagome's time.
After everyone had eaten Kagome was getting ready to go with Sango to wash the dishes and fill the water containers when Inuyasha returned with several cleaned fish. Dropping them onto the ground beside Kagome, he handed her a couple of sharpened sticks to skewer them to be cooked over the fire.
Shaking her head, Kagome fixed the first one and dug the stick into the ground at an angle beside the fire so the fish could cook. Just as she was skewering the second fish, there was a stirring in the air, and with a flurry of wingbeats and loud screeching, a huge bird suddenly swooped down and grabbed the fish right out of her hand. Kagome quickly turned away and raised her other arm up to protect her face and neck as the bird beat her with its wings while trying to get a better grip on the fish with its talons.
Sesshoumaru jumped up to go to her aid, but before anyone could reach her, the bird took off with the fish and Kagome was left sitting by the fire staring at her now empty hand. "Miko, are you unharmed?"
"Kagome, that was my breakfast! How the hell could you let that bird take it?" Inuyasha came running, along with Miroku and Sango, as the bird disappeared over the treetops.
"Are you alright Kagome?" Sango was kneeling beside her, trying to check if there were any wounds.
"What was that? I never saw a bird do that before!" Kagome exclaimed, as she realized she was not hurt. "I'm fine Sango, not even scratched."
"That, Kagome, was a black eared kite. They are sometimes attracted to fire and smoke, and will readily swoop down to steal food from people. I've heard stories of it happening before, but had never actually seen it occur." Miroku was helping her and Sango up off the ground.
Inuyasha was still stomping around screaming about 'damn birds' and 'stupid wench' as well as 'no ramen'.
"Inuyasha, maybe you should keep guard over your other fish, in case it comes back. Kagome and I are going to go clean up the dishes and fill the water containers." Sango rolled her eyes at his temper tantrum, while continuing to gather up the spilled dishes and utensils that had gotten scattered in the scuffle.
A short time later everyone was packed up and ready to follow Inuyasha to where the latest report of a shard was rumored to have been seen.
'Well, that was an unusual start to the day. I'll have to write that up in my journal tonight.' Kagome settled into place towards the rear of the pack, in front of Sesshoumaru, as they continued towards the village that was on the other side of the mountain.
~*~
The rest of the day was uneventful, and late in the afternoon Sesshoumaru called a halt upon coming to a clearing in a grove of sugi trees. "We stop here for the night."
Grateful, everyone dropped their weapons and backpacks, then started the familiar routine of setting up camp for the night.
Very quickly wood was gathered, a fire was started, water was obtained, and Jaken was once again foraging for mushrooms and any sort of wild vegetables he could find. Kagome had just begun getting out the rice from her backpack when Shippo came running back into camp.
"Kagome, guess what Inuyasha and I saw while catching the fish for dinner?" Shippo was jumping up and down in front of Kagome, not about to give her a chance to answer. "A flock of konoha-tengu! They were diving and fishing downstream from where we were! Maybe the bird from this morning was the dai-tengu!"
"Here's the fish. Maybe you should cook them in a pan with a lid so a bird doesn't steal them from you again, Kagome." Inuyasha, after getting over his temper tantrum this morning, had made snide comments most of the day about the bird being smarter than Kagome, and stealing the fish from her.
"Very funny, Inuyasha!" Kagome took the string of fish and began preparing them for dinner. "Besides, aren't the tengu just a myth?"
Shippo pulled out several large feathers from his pocket. "The bird this morning was real. I found these feathers after he flew away."
"Uh, no Kagome. The tengu are the spirits of the mountains. They are shapeshifters and can be unpredictable and very dangerous, especially if you insult them." Miroku came over to the fire, dropping another load of wood. "They often protect shrines and temples."
"Yes, my father used to tell tales of them carrying off young children to devour and leading Buddhist monks down the path to hell." Sango glared at Miroku when she noticed his hand beginning to encroach upon her personal space. "Also that if the priest somehow managed to kill the tengu, it would return to its original form of a kite or kestrel when it died."
"The only tengu that I have ever seen are people in the festival processions. They wear tall geta with one ha instead two, elaborate costumes and red masks with a large nose." Finished scaling and cutting up the fish Kagome put it in a covered pot until she was ready to add it to the stew with the rice and vegetables.
"That sounds like a tengu." Sango was nodding her head. "They also sometimes carry a monk's shakujo and often wear a cloak made of feathers that can make them invisible."
"The tengu also carry a magic fan made of feathers that can change the length of their nose, or they can use it to produce violent, hurricane like winds. Somewhat like Kagura does with her fan, but without the attack of the blades." Sitting down next to Sango, Miroku leaned his shakujo against his shoulder, making the rings jingle in the still evening air.
"Keh. It sounds like a bunch of crap to me. It was just a big stupid bird this morning, and a bunch of smaller stupid birds earlier that were fishing for something to eat." Inuyasha dropped down onto the ground to sit between Kagome and Miroku.
"Inuyasha, you shouldn't talk like that. Just because you haven't seen a tengu doesn't mean they're not real. In my time no one believes there are youkai or hanyou, but we know it's true." Kagome stirred the stew and added the fish. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."
~*~
Unnoticed by the group sitting around the fire eating dinner, there was a large black eared kite up in the tallest sugi tree listening to every word spoken by the creatures on the ground. His dark eyes glittering with mischief, he decided to wait until later before stirring up some trouble, especially for the loud mouthed hanyou. 'Yes, this Hayato is not above causing problems for a group of travelers.'
~*~
Kagome had settled the kids down to sleep next to Ah-Un with Jaken nearby to keep an eye on them. "I'm going to go have a bath in the hot spring. Sango, do you want to come with me?"
"No, Kagome, I had a bath the other night, maybe next time." Sango was unrolling her bedding as she spoke.
"Oh, okay, well I guess I'll go by myself then." Gathering up her bathing supplies, towels, and her nightclothes, Kagome started towards the hot spring.
Sesshoumaru stood, calling for her to wait. "I will go with you to make sure there is nothing unexpected at the hot spring." Quickly putting a barrier around the sleeping children, he followed Kagome to the hot spring.
After checking the hot spring itself, and the surrounding area, he stationed himself halfway between the campsite and the hot spring. This way he was close enough to hear if there were any problems in either place, and could intervene if necessary.
~*~
Hayato smirked as he began to implement his plan to get some time to become better acquainted with the young miko. She certainly was one very interesting human from what he had heard and seen so far.
As a dai-tengu, he was glad he had the ability to speak telepathically with humans in addition to his talent of shape shifting. This would work out perfectly.
Tapping into the slayers mind he began to call her. 'Sango, help me. Sango, please help me.'
"Kohaku?" Sango was suddenly wide awake and searching the surrounding treeline. Seeing a flash of movement, she quickly followed. "Kohaku, wait for me. I'm coming, wait for me."
Hayato led her into the forest, quite a distance from the campsite. He had already enchanted one of his Konoha-Tengu from the images he had seen in the slayers mind. His little servant should be able to keep her busy for quite a while.
Wrapping his large wings around himself in his humanoid form, he instantly teleported back to just inside the treeline by the campsite. 'The lascivious monk should be even easier to distract.'
Shifting into the slayers form, he made sure he was behind the monk, who was just returning from taking care of some personal business. Whispering into his mind, he called to him. 'Miroku, come with me. I want to be alone with you for a while. Miroku?'
The monk spun on his heels, to face a vision he had only dreamed of. Sango, in a thin sleeping yukata, was beckoning him to follow her. With a sultry look and a kiss blown through the air towards him, she turned and led him away from the campsite.
'I knew the monk would be easy, but this was outrageously effortless!' Leaving Miroku with another enchanted Konoha-Tengu, Hayato tranported himself back to the campsite. ' Now to take care of that unbearable hanyou.'
Swiftly shifting into the shape of several of Kikyo's shinidama-chuu, he flitted through the campsite, weaving around the trees, until he caught the attention of the hanyou. Leaping down from his tree, Inuyasha didn't even spare a look around before tearing off after the writhing soul stealers. Leading Inuyasha at an abnormally swift pace, he lured him far away from the campsite, before leaving him to follow some more of his enchanted Konoha-Tengu. 'I'll meet up with him in a few hours to finish wreaking havoc with his mind.'
Instantly transporting himself to the hot spring, he landed in one of the nearby trees, and stood still for a few minutes, watching the miko. She had apparently just finished her nightly ablutions, and was relaxing back against one of the large stones that formed an arc around the deeper end of the hot spring.
'She certainly is a beauty, but her mind is difficult to decipher. There are so many visions of which I have no knowledge. Yes, she is one very interesting human female. Now, how to go about this without unduly alarming her.'
Continuing to watch her, he also kept an eye on the dog demon standing guard halfway between the hot spring and the campsite. Crossing his arms on his chest, Hayato leaned against the trunk of the tree while still debating his approach.
Being an almost elemental form of youkai, his aura should not cause a disturbance to the dai-youkai. At most it would resemble nature itself, probably an avian creature, of which there were plenty in the forests of this mountain. This should allow him enough time to explore the exotic creature who unknowingly awaited him in the hotspring.
Hayato cocked his head as he delved into the miko's mind, catching the daydream she was invoking. 'What's this? She has an attraction to the dog demon?' Following her line of thought, he was suddenly smirking as his plan to approach the miko came together. He would not go as himself, as much as he wanted to. He would go to her as the inu youkai lord.
Swiftly transporting himself to just inside the treeline surrounding the hotspring, Hayato shifted into the form of the dog demon. Putting up a thin barrier between the hotspring and the youkai lord, he took one quick look over his shoulder to make sure the inu youkai was still unaware of his presence. The barrier should help keep his aura diminished, as well as muffle any sounds coming from the hotspring.
Hayato stalked to the edge of the hot spring, then began removing the armor and swords. Once he was undressed, down to only his hakama, he decided to make his presence known. "Miko, may I join you?" He whispered in the demon lords rich baritone voice, grinning at her reaction.
Shocked out of her daydreaming, Kagome sat up straight, crossing her arms over her naked breasts. Eyes widening, she was completely speechless as she watched Sesshoumaru untie his hakama. Quickly closing her eyes and turning her head away from the delicious sight of his body, she blushed a deep shade of crimson. "Sesshoumaru, no, you can't..." She felt the water begin lapping at her as Sesshoumaru was obviously not listening to her and had entered the hotspring.
Hayato's grin widened into a proper smile, as he watched the miko. 'Can she truly be that innocent? Is it possible she's a virgin?' Wading over to stand right in front of her, he leaned down and put his hands around her waist, picking her up until she was set firmly on her feet. With her eyes still tightly shut, and blushing madly, he could feel her trembling. Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her confidently to his chest, then leaned down to nuzzle his nose into the juncture of her neck and shoulder to inhale deeply of her scent. As he pulled back with a look of wonder on his face, his first thoughts were to change the original plans he had for the miko. 'Even I cannot abuse such purity. However, to be allowed a few innocent kisses isn't too much to ask of the miko.'
Leaning down again, Hayato nuzzled her temple with his cheek, then whispered into her ear. "Just a few kisses miko, that is all I ask of you."
Kagome blushed an even darker shade of crimson as his voice ghosted over her ear, bringing her dreams to life. 'Can Sesshoumaru really desire me, like I have longed for him these last months?' Uncrossing her arms from in between them, she slowly wrapped them around his waist, the skin on skin body contact igniting a flame inside her. "Sess...shou...maru..." Kagome stuttered as she tried to speak without sounding like a complete fool. "Are you... sure that this... is what you want?"
"Yes, miko." Hayato leaned his chin on top of her head. This was going to be more difficult that he had imagined. His self control was going to be tested to its limit. The feel of her in his arms was exquisite. Her skin was so soft where he was rubbing her back with his fingers. He was doing his utmost not to scare her, but the physical feelings were almost out of control. It was like a lightning bolt had hit close by. His skin was hypersensitive and he was reacting to every little move she made.
Afraid to wait any longer, he reached up with one hand to cup her chin and tilted her head so he could kiss those rosy lips. "Miko, look at me." Her eyelids slowly opened, and he gazed into the most beautiful cerulean eyes he had ever seen. They gradually closed again as he bent forward to touch his lips to hers.
The first kiss was a brush of lips, almost butterfly light and tender. The next one wasn't much more than a gentle meeting of lips with only a slight preassure. As she remained docile in his arms, Hayato took his chance and deepened the next kiss to a firmer touch of his lips, tilting his head to better access her luscious, yielding and addictive lips, as a soft squeak escaped her throat.
Deepening the kiss further, he brough his hand up to the back of her head, and ran the tip of his tongue across her bottom lip. 'Kami she tastes absolutely heavenly!' Not expecting her to respond, Hayato was shocked when the miko's lips parted and he was able to deepen the kiss even further. Grinning he plundered her mouth with his tongue enjoying every second. Pulling back to look at her upturned face for a second, he admired her long black eyelashes as they rested against her cheeks and her passion swollen lips, then leaned back in to continue the kisses.
~*~
Sesshoumaru was getting anxious. The miko rarely took this long to bathe. He had heard her voice, soft as it was, but she often spoke to herself, or sang aloud, so he wasn't truly worried. She would have called at full volume for him if there was a problem. Deciding to take no chances, he unfurled his jyaki and spread it through the surrounding area, searching for any disturbances.
Meeting a barrier his eyes widened and he sprung into action, drawing his Tokijin as he ran towards the hotspring. Quickly destroying the thin barrier, his eyes widened further as he took in the scene before him.
Sesshoumaru's eyes then narrowed. 'Tengu!' As enraged as he was becoming watching the miko and himself kissing in the hot spring, he was, at the same time, wondering if she would truly allow the same intimate caresses if he was to come to her in a similar manner. "Miko! Remove yourself immediately from that shape shifting Tengu!"
Slowly Kagome turned her head towards the familiar voice calling out to her. Raising hazy, lust filled eyes to meet his, she gazed at Sesshoumaru, then turned her head back to look at... Sesshoumaru... as he leaned in to steal another kiss from her rosy, passion swollen lips. Her befuddled brain was slow to respond. "Oh, this is too weird, I've got to be dreaming. Two Sesshoumaru's?'
Hayato quickly moved in front of the dazed miko, hiding her nakedness from Sesshoumaru's sight, while giving him a wicked grin.
"Miko, I will not repeat myself. Remove yourself from the hot spring and get dressed!" Sesshoumaru was impatient to take retribution on the Tengu for accosting the miko in such a manner, but was unable to attack him until Kagome was a safe distance away. "Now, Miko!"
When Hayato heard the miko leave the water, he waded across the hot spring to where he had dropped his clothing and quickly dressed.
Kagome dried herself as best she could and quickly donned her sleep pants and tank top. Still befuddled and confused, she watched as Sesshoumaru faced off against himself, Tokijin drawn and crackling with more blue demonic energy than she thought possible.
Sesshoumaru maneuvered himself between Kagome and the Tengu, never removing his eyes from the creature that was so bold as to challenge him outright. "Tengu, show youself!", he commanded. With a brief swirl of jyaki the Tengu stood there in his humanoid form.
Now Kagome knew from the last three years spent in the Sengoku Jiadi that any youkai able to assume a humanoid form was considered a high demon, and that all of the high demons, like Sesshoumaru, were absolutely, dazzlingly and flamboyantly good looking, if not downright devastatingly handsome. Her mouth dropped open at the sight before her.
There stood a man, no a male, as tall as Sesshoumaru, with short spikey brown and blonde hair, glittering dark chocolate eyes, and markings that looked a lot like the feathers Shippo had picked up that morning. Dressed in black hakama and a brown haori with the same design of feathers as his markings, he was grinning wickedly at Sesshoumaru. "My name is Hayato. I am the Dai-Tengu of this mountain. The miko has not been injured." With those words, he looked over at Kagome and blew her a kiss. "I will watch over your tachi until you leave my mountain. None shall come to any harm." As he finished speaking, he wrapped his huge wings around himself and instantly disappeared.
"Hn." Sesshoumaru sheathed Tokijin, and slowly walked over to the miko, still disturbed by what had just taken place. Trying to make up his mind, he couldn't decide if he was more upset by the miko kissing someone who wasn't really him, or the fact that she seemed to enjoy kissing this other demon. He would have an answer one way or the other. Anger now radiating off him, he demanded, "Miko, explain yourself!"
Kagome's brain instantly short-circuited. "What!", she screamed. Usually she had this type of confrontation with Inuyasha, never with Sesshoumaru! "I don't have to explain myself to anyone! Not even you!"
Stepping closer, Sesshoumaru grabbed her by her upper arms, careful to keep a light grip with his claws retracted. "Miko, answer me."
Kagome faltered in her desire to remain unresponsive. 'Damn these Inu's and their need for dominance!' Sighing, she tried to calm down before answering. "Sesshoumaru, I thought he was you."
Sesshoumaru's jealousy also began to abate somewhat. "Miko, you would allow this Sesshoumaru to take such liberties with your person?" Looking deep into her eyes, he gave an internal grin, he had his answer right here in his hands. Tightening his grip slightly, he allowed his claws to just barely touch her skin. "Kagome, answer me!"
She wanted to pull away from him, he could still be frightening at times, but she also wanted to lean up and kiss him, which was just as scary. "I don't... know... I...", she stuttered, then looked away before finally whispering, "Yes." Her brain suddenly snapped back into action. 'Wait a minute, did he just call me by my name?'
Sesshoumaru grinned at her, then wrapping his arms around her waist, he picked her up and hugged her to his chest. Burying his nose in the juncture of her neck and shoulder, and inhaling deeply, he realized the Tengu spoke the truth. Hayato had done nothing more than kiss the miko. His scent was still on her, but Sesshoumaru knew how to remedy that.
When Sesshoumaru first picked her up, Kagome instantly put her hands against his armor to try and keep a distance between them. When he did nothing more than nuzzle against her, she began to relax, then raising her arms gripped the top edge of his armor to keep from getting impaled on the spikes.
After covering most of Hayato's scent with his own, Sesshoumaru noticed the grip Kagome had on his armor. Setting her down he kept one arm around her, and with his other hand he released the buckles loosening his bone armor and shoulder guard, then dropped them to the ground. Untieing the padded body armor, that was the next piece to join the growing pile of accoutrements and weaponry.
Picking her up again, he held her close as he suddenly sat down indian style on the ground, causing her to wrap her arms around his neck and to straddle his lap. "Now, miko, where were we?" He gazed into her eyes, trying to read her level of discomfort with their position.
Kagome gazed back at him fascinated, as she watched his eyes slowly warm to a dark honey color from their previous frozen citrine. After gently running the tip of a single finger over the stripes on his cheek, she shyly leaned up and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.
Raising one silver eyebrow at her, he grinned. "Kagome, surely you can do better than that, or do we need to remove our clothing and get back into the hotspring?"
Blushing brightly, Kagome buried her head in his shoulder, wondering if she would ever be able to face him again without blushing.
Putting one crooked finger under her chin, Sesshoumaru lifted her head until he was able to gaze into her eyes again, then leaned forward and gently kissed her. "I guess we will have to work up to that." After a few more tender kisses, he decided not to push her any further tonight, there would be plenty of time for that later.
"Miko, let's gather our belongings and head back to camp, I'm sure the others will begin to worry soon." Standing her up on her feet, Sesshoumaru then joined her and quickly donned his armor and swords. Picking up her towels and bathing supplies, Kagome quietly allowed Sesshoumaru to lead her to their camp with a hand on the small of her back.
Sesshoumaru watched her settle herself in her sleeping bag for the night, then took up his normal position, sitting under a tree, but much closer than normal to the miko and the children, who were still soundly sleeping inside his barrier. "I will keep watch, the others will probaby return shortly."
"Thanks Sesshoumaru." Kagome shyly smiled at him, as she wondered if and when this unusual closeness would continue, and where it would possibly lead.
Sesshoumaru watched the miko sleep, already missing the feel of her in his arms. He would have to somehow arrange for time alone with her each evening.
~*~
Several hours later, from opposite directions, both the taijiya and the monk stumbled back into camp. Both appeared to be confused and smelled strongly of Hayato. Shaking his head, Sesshoumaru reasoned they were suffering from tengu-kakushi, a form of strong confusion brought on by the magics and trickery of said dai-tengu. Now to wait for Inuyasha to show up.
~*~
When dawn broke with no sign of Inuyasha, the tachi decided to have breakfast, then break camp and continue in the direction they had been headed. Inuyasha would follow them and catch up when he returned from where ever he had disappeared the night before.
Sesshoumaru was in the lead, keeping a close eye on the miko as well as the large black eared kite that was riding the thermals above them. He was not looking forward to a repeat visit from the dai-tengu, and was anxious to get down from the mountain before nightfall.
Late in the afternoon, as they followed the trail down onto the flatter land to the south of the mountain, they found Inuyasha. He was sitting under a tree, leaning back against the trunk. Totally confused, and looking the worse for wear, he was unable to answer any of Kagome or Miroku's questions about where he had been or what had happened since he disappeared last night.
Miroku, having regained his sense of humor, slapped him on the back and laughed. "A classic case of tengu-kakushi if I ever saw one."
Sesshoumaru was content to let Miroku take charge of getting Inuyasha to follow them towards where they would make camp tonight. 'Maybe this experience will teach Inuyasha to have some more respect for the youkai we meet, but I somehow highly doubt it.' Leaving that train of thought behind, he began to consider how to go about spending some time alone with the miko tonight.
Looking up as he heard the kite screeching high overhead, he watched as the large bird disappeared back towards the mountain. Although when he thought about it, he was left with the distinct impression that Hayato was somehow laughing at them.
~*~
Fin