Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

Pasts Uncovered	By : FlameWolf666 Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female Views: 4653 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own or profit from Inuyasha. This story is just for fun!

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Author’s Note: Jade gets to practice her healing powers which are sorely lacking. Of course, once she gets her sword, the group decides to set off again.

Chapter Nine: Practice Makes Perfect

    The next three days consisted of very strange training. Without asking me, the group took it upon themselves to help me strengthen my healing powers. One by one, they came up to me at odd hours of the day with superficial wounds. While I can’t say I really approved of their methods, I couldn’t argue the results. In the first day alone, I had already seen an improvement. I had gone from being winded due to healing one wound to being able to heal several without breaking a sweat. Though, I made it known I certainly did not want them to got to greater lengths harming themselves.
    Because of this, Inuyasha had begun seeking out enraged youkai to fight for the purpose of incurring injuries. When I tried to protest, he simply gave me a glare. “Having someone around that would be able to take care of sounds without the use of salves would be a godsend! Besides, all of us know what we’re doing as well as what the limits of our bodies are. We won’t willingly put ourselves in life threatening danger,” he assured, not exactly helping me feel much better about what was happening.
    Still, as I watched them only get hurt as much as they thought necessary, I reluctantly began to agree that they knew what they were doing. Besides, I fully trusted them to stop once things got a bit too dangerous. So, I simply healed the deep cuts and bruises without a complaint. Especially since this also helped me strengthen my skill. If I kept at it, I might even be able to heal broken bones or even more egregious injuries. Though, I would force my friends to stop far before it got to that point. I would just have to get the rest of my experience by helping villages.
    With it being the feudal era, there would be no shortage of injured soldiers that needed help. Not to mention all the illnesses that were prevalent around this time period. I would gain invaluable experience and help people at the same time. Yet, some part of me felt wrong about profiting off of other people’s misery. Unfortunately, I simply had to practice somehow. After all, I would have no clue of just how strong my secondary abilities could be if I didn’t try to exercise them. I may even be able to heal something as severe as Sesshomaru shoving his entire arm through the torso of his half brother. Feeling ill at the image the thought provided me with, shoved such gruesome thoughts to the back of my head as I looked up at the group that were very quickly becoming my family.
    Just moments before, they had been covered in varying injuries. Now, you couldn’t tell at all. It was a testament to how skilled I had become in a short amount of time. Just a couple days before, there would have still been at least a few marks left over or signs that they had been there. It was almost frightening how much power I could possibly have at my fingertips. It was almost like having some of the power of a God. Tightening my hands into fists, I made a silent vow to never misuse this gift. I would help those in need with no cost to the victims. In fact, most of the people I helped wouldn’t even know my name.
    Getting to my feet, I stretched my back and groaned when I felt my spine crack. It was almost time to pick up my weapon. A katana made from one of Inuyasha’s own fangs. As nervous as I was, I felt a small bit of excitement blooming inside the pit of my stomach. Despite how hard it would be to get used to the new blade, it would be a life-long partner. Something to depend on to get me through all the hard times that lie ahead. We would learn together, as odd as that sounds. “I think the old man should have your weapon ready by now,” came an announcement from across the clearing, bringing my attention to a certain half demon.
    Almost immediately, Kagome was on her feet; smacking him lightly upside his head. Letting out a yelp that was more from surprise than any injury, Inuyasha turned his head to give the teen to his right an admonishing glower. “Don’t insult him this time or he might make us pay for his work. Need I remind you we can’t necessarily pay the prices of a legendary swordsmith?” she pointed out, raising a challenging brow while both hands came to rest on the swell of her hips.
    Opening his mouth to protest, the hanyou simply let out a dismissive noise before turning his back on his companion. Watching the scene with a fair bit of amusement, I simply rolled my eyes and clambered onto the back of a transformed Shippo. Miroku and Sango followed suit, mounting Kirara as quickly as they could. Rising into the sky, I waved at the pair below us. “When you guys are done, meet us at Totosai’s,” I called down before me and the other two were heading off to the lava field.
    Swearing came from the ground while the pair rushed to catch up, barriers falling over us just before we crossed over into the the lava fields. Looking over to Sango and Miroku, I shared a smile with the pair before returning my focus to the front. While the sight of the ground so far below still caused my stomach to do cartwheels, I knew I was more than safe in Shippo’s hands. “You know, I haven’t had time to say it but... I’m proud that you told the others the truth,” the young kitsune informed, taking me completely off guard.
    “Weren’t you the one that wanted to help me come up with a ruse so I could fool them,” I questioned incredulously, feeling the tiniest bit of rage well up inside me. For a few moments, he fell silent, seeming uncomfortable with the line of questioning.
    Glaring down at him, I simply waited while his pink, balloon body twitched underneath me. “I... uh... I was planning on telling them once you weren’t paying attention,” came a confession that made my blood boil. Yet, on some level, I could understand his reasoning. He had known these people for far longer and had much more of a right to consider them family than I did. Of course he would want to protect them from something he perceived as possible danger. Sighing, I felt my initial anger fade as I petted his squishy body.
    “At least now you know I mean no harm,” I sighed, leaning back and closing my eyes as we began to descend.
    “For the time being at least. Things can change once the pressure’s really on and Naraku has pulled nastier tricks on us before,” he responded, pausing close to the ground to allow me to hop off.
    I had no response or argument to what he had said. I had seen for myself just how devious the spider hanyou was. With all these people had been through during the long years of hunting the beast, it was understandable there would be more than a little suspicion. Thankfully, Totosai chose that exact moment to come out of his gruesome home, distracting me from my inner musings. From the grin on his wizened face, it was obvious that the weapon forging had gone well. Moving my gaze to his outstretched hands, I took in the polished sheath with a sense of awe. It was a deep ebony color, polished to the point it could easily act as a mirror. The hilt poking out was even better, wrapped in what looked to be jade dyed silk, the metal parts a shiny brass.
    Closing the distance rapidly, I allowed my eyes to rove over the masterpiece. I hadn’t even uncovered the blade and I was already thoroughly impressed. To the point where I was almost afraid to touch it. Going to one knee in front of the swordsmith, I bowed my head and held up my hands with the palms out. “I can’t thank you enough for going through all this trouble. What is the name you have given this fine blade?” whispered out of me, while the others landed behind me.
    “It is called Enjō-sha. Take good care of it,” the elderly demon responded before placing it in my waiting hands.
    The moment the smooth wood of the hilt met my skin, I felt a pulse go through both me and the weapon. Sucking in a breath, I got to my feet; drawing the katana while a familiar warmth began to fill my body. Without me even focusing on it, fire surrounded the blade as a female voice filled my head. ‘So, you are my new mistress? You will have to be tested to see if you are truly worthy,’ came a declaration before my flames pulsed into an erratic peak. Widening my eyes, I grit my teeth as I forced myself to regain control over my own powers. A task that was not made easy by my new katana.
    Sensing my struggle, Inuyasha instinctually took a step forward before stopping himself. Laying his ears against his skull, he stopped the others of his pack with an outstretched arm. “If we interfere, the blade will never trust her. This is her battle to fight,” the hanyou declared, not looking too pleased with the situation himself. Glancing at her crush, Kagome furrowed her brow before returning her focus to me. A large part of her wanted to help her new found friend but her more rational side agreed with Inuyasha. As painful as it was, all they could really do was watch.
    Oblivious to the inner conflict of my cherished companions, I was using all of my focus to regain control. Unfortunately, my new weapon was struggling against me. Gritting my teeth while sweat popped up on my brow, I tightened my grip on the hilt; vaguely aware of my long hair beginning to float up into the air. After what seemed like an eternity, the flames around the masterfully crafted blade began to die down. Slowly, ever so slowly, my own powers began to ebb back into my body; burning my hands on the way. Wincing slightly, I ignored the pain; holding on even when the fire around the katana had disappeared completely.
    Letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, I slid Enjō-sha back into its hilt. Just before my hand left the hilt, I felt an outpouring of approval that was of little comfort. Especially since both my hands felt like they had been dipped in lava. Look down at both my palms, I let out a hiss through my teeth when I saw angry, red blisters. Despite being exhausted from the effort of drawing my flame powers back into myself, I began to draw out my healing powers. After a few moments, a soft, green glow surrounded both my hands, the pain in both appendages gradually disappearing. By the time the agony was completely gone, my eyes were rolling up in the back of my head and I was passing out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A Few Hours Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Nuzzling into the soft warmth around me, I did my best to ignore the throbbing pain in my head so I could continue to sleep. “Just a few more minutes,” mumbled out of me while I rolled over to face away from a source of light that was beating at my closed eyelids.
    “Well, at least we know she’s alive,” pointed out a familiar, gruff baritone that had my eyes open in an instant. When I saw a tree inches from my face, all my illusions about my current situation being a dream drifted away like the smoke from the campfire.
    Groaning, I reluctantly sat up; holding my pounding head in both hands. Right now, it felt like there was a band of sadistic miners trying to blow it apart from the inside. Even the slightest movement was enough to bring a wave of unimaginable agony. Hissing through clenched teeth, I closed my eyes again to prevent the light from the fire from making it worse. “What happened?” husked a voice that didn’t remotely sound like it had come from me, making me jump slightly.
    “We don’t really know. My best guess is that you used too much healing energy when you took care of the burns on your hands,” Kagome responded, keeping her voice low out of consideration.
    Crinkling my brow, I dug around in my mind for what she was talking about when the memories all came flooding back at once. I had been burned pretty badly. So badly that I likely wouldn’t have been able to use my hands normally if I had just gone to a healer. “Guess that means I have to train more,” sighed out of me while my head continued to try to fly apart. I was so wrapped up in my misery that I didn’t notice the young priestess wander over to her giant, yellow backpack. It was only when I felt something nudging my knee that I lifted my head, cracking open one eye by the barest margin.
    There in front of me, as if brought by the kami themselves, was a bottle of Ibuprofen. Taking the blessed container into my right hand, I mouthed a thank you while fumbling with the top. After a few tries, I managed to open the stubborn thing; pouring out two circular, brown colored pills into my palm. Popping them in my mouth, I noticed Kagome was also offering a canteen. Smiling, I took a small swig of the cool liquid inside. In a few short moments, the pain would be alleviated and I couldn’t begin to express my gratitude. “We gotta wake up early and hunt down more shards. Have ta get ‘em before Naraku does,” interjected a certain, surly hanyou, effectively popping the atmosphere like a soap bubble.
    Grimacing, I looked toward Inuyasha with apprehension. As far as I could tell, we were still heading toward the west. It would only be a matter of time before we ran into his half brother. As handsome as the youkai was, he was extremely dangerous. Not to mention the fact he hated his younger half brother as well as humans. Undoubtedly, the first encounter would be be a doozy. Shuddering at the thought, I scooted closer to the fire and, subsequently, the group. Staring into the dancing flames, I reached out to scratch Kirara between her ears when she curled up in my lap.
    If things were bad enough, it was likely I would have to join the battle. While I would do anything to protect the pack, I was honestly scared by the prospect. Someone like me was nothing more than an insect to the mighty daiyoukai. There was a very good chance I could be killed. Gathering what courage I had within myself, I resolved not to let fear rule me. These people were practically my new family. I couldn’t allow anything to happen to them. Pursing my lips, I moved my eyes to the katana resting on the sleeping bag Kagome had lent me. If I wanted to be of any help, I would have to step up my training efforts. Not just fighting but also healing, in case one of the pack got injured. Tomorrow, I would have to keep an eye out for villages as well as wandering warriors and salesmen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Next Day~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    On my insistence, we were walking instead of flying; something both Kirara and Shippo seemed thankful for. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was surely and irritable. Ears flicking, he kept glaring back at me while muttering obscenities to himself. Something I couldn’t really blame him for. Like the others, he was anxious to get the rest of the shards before Naraku did. Flinching slightly, I lowered my gaze to the ground while guilt nibbled at my heart. If it wasn’t for me, they would be in the air and likely very close to the next shard. I was so deep in my own misery that I practically jumped out of my skin when I felt a hand settle on my right shoulder.
    Turning my head, I saw Kagome giving me a sympathetic smile. “Don’t take it too hard. ‘Yasha may be acting like a jerk but, deep down, he knows that you need the training. Its just that we’re all really on edge. Naraku has most of the shards and we need to do what we can to prevent him from completing the jewel,” whispered an explanation while the teen gave me a one armed hug.
    “Besides, I already sense a cluster of shards near-by so walking isn’t really setting us that far back. We might even come across someone that needs help in the process so don’t beat yourself up too much,” she continued while Shippo hopped up on my left shoulder to wrap his small arms around my neck.
    Nodding, I raised my head to peek at the hanyou leading the group. As much as I wanted to agree with what she said, Inuyasha’s opinion weighed much more heavily. Likely due to the crush I still harbored for him from my teenage days. Yet, despite my feelings, I had given up on him the moment I found out this place was real. That these people were real. I had no right to fight Kagome for his affections. Not when she had spent years by his side, sticking with him through good times and bad. Not to mention, from what I saw in their eyes, it was no longer a one-sided romance on her part. In his own, gruff way; the half-breed genuinely cared for the young miko.
    Looking around the group, I couldn’t help but notice almost all of them were in pairs. The only exceptions were me, Shippo and Kirara. Rubbing my upper right arm, I found my thoughts wandering to fears I had tried my best to bury since realizing it was unlikely I would ever return home. After Naraku was gotten rid of, it was very likely I would be alone for the rest of my days. Just the thought of it filled me with fear as well as anguish. Letting out a forlorn sigh, I shook my head to bring myself back to the matters at hand. It could be a while yet before that happened and I couldn’t allow myself to become distracted.
    Thankfully, it wasn’t too long before we reached a village that needed help with demons. Helping the injured while the others fought helped to take my mind off things that really didn’t matter. The people that lived in this time were having a much harder time than I ever would. While I was in this time, I might as well do what I could to lend a hand. Placing my hands over a fairly severe burn, I concentrated my healing powers into my hands. After a few moments, the wound had disappeared; not even leaving a scar. Silently accepting the humble thanks, I motioned for the next in line to come forward.
    By the time I was done, I had reached my limit. My head was fuzzy and there was a disconcerting ringing in my ears while my vision became blurry. Getting unsteadily to my feet, I gave a tired wave to my friends as they came back with a triumphant air around them. Walking towards them slowly, I was a bit worried to notice my sight was graying around the edges. Feeling a familiar tingling fill me, I fought to hang onto consciousness until I had reached the group. I hadn’t gotten too far before Inuyasha and Kagome noticed there was something seriously wrong. Rushing toward me, the pair stood on either side to support me while I swayed.
    Frowning slightly, the hanyou to my right motioned to Miroku. As soon as the monk was close enough, he whispered in the man’s ear; sending him off into the village at a fast clip. “Ya used to much of your power,” hissed a reprimand while Sango, Shippo and Kirara quickly closed the distance.
    “We gotta get her inside and comfortable! She won’t be safe on the road in this condition,” barked a gruff order while my vision continued to gray and blur.
    Barely aware of anything, I stumbled while they led me to the closest porch and forced me to sit down. As soon as my butt met the rough wood, Miroku was back with a smile on his face. “With how much Jade has helped, the village mayor is more than happy to have us at his house for as long as we need,” he announced while Sango looked up at him with appreciation. Not even able to muster a thank you, I allowed Inuyasha and Kagome to lift me to my feet; leaning into the hanyou as we made our way to the grand mansion in the center of the village.
- 8
- 9
- 10
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