Here's the second chapter for this update! Enjoy it! I'm pretty sure this'll be a popular one.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Inuyasha... Can't cross that off the list yet...

Chapter 11: An Instinct for Conflict

Precious minutes had passed, and Inuyasha felt no closer to finding either the demon or the girl.

Thundering down one more of the numerous halls he had already passed through, he reached another door, not even pausing in his momentum to violently tear it open.

He was back outside. The yard was now bathed in the rapidly fading light of dusk. The heavy feeling of evil, that had settled over the house like a smothering blanket, had not lifted in the slightest.

The half demon strode further out into the garden, his bare feet cold upon the stone pathway beneath him.

The sense of danger was still there, but he was now acutely aware of someone watching him. With a heated growl, he pulled Tetsusaiga from its sheath. "Midori! Show yourself, you bastard!"

Cold, sinister laughter carried from around a corner, followed soon by the demon..

"So, you decided to show up after all. Though I must say... Kagome was not nearly as willing as you." He drawled casually, propping one twisted hand on his hip as he gestured vaguely with the other.

Inuyasha snarled, his body shaking with anger. His grip on the hilt of his sword tightened. "Where is she? I swear if you did anything to her I'll-"

"You'll what?" Midori interrupted. "We both know how successful your last attempt to kill me was." He smirked, seeing his comment hitting its mark. "You know, she's only here because of you. You failed to protect her."

Inuyasha let out a furious shout. "Shut the hell up! She may be here because of me. But it'll never happen again." He lowered into an offensive stance. "I'll take her back, and I'll do it right now."

The plant-like man laughed again, making a beckoning gesture. "Come at me, half-demon."

The hanyou charged forward, sword poised, and jumped into the air. Nearing Midori, he took a clumsy swing, missing his target by a spectacular margin. His swipe continued, the blade shattering the ground as he drove it into the earth.

"Well done, well done." Midori clapped, his tone sarcastic. "Too bad you missed."

Pulling his sword from where the stone pathway had been reduced to rubble, Inuyasha gave a short laugh. "Oh, did I?" He lifted his hand, palm up, and cradled within it was a small pouch.

Noticeably shocked, the demon's eyes fell to his hip, where the bag normally rested. His face set in a scowl. "Well, it seems I didn't give you quite enough credit."

"Your seeds." Inuyasha started, closing his fingers around the sack. "These are how you keep disappearing, aren't they?" With a smirk, he constricted his fist around the pods, crushing every one into powder. "Let's see how much of a challenge you are without them."

"It matters not." Midori sneered, straightening up and shaking himself loose. "Although I must admit, it has been a while since I've had a good fight. This should prove to be entertaining."

'Entertaining my ass.' Inuyasha let out a loud cry as he rushed the demon again., drawing the sword in a wide arch in front of him.

While he wasn't shocked when Midori leapt backwards, effectively dodging his attack, he was surprised at the speed with which a plant could move. Surprised, but prepared none-the-less.

He pivoted on the ball of his foot and continued the motion, stunning Midori enough to force him to lurch awkwardly out of harms way.

"What's wrong?" Slowing, Inuyasha's mouth curled in a brash smile. "Too fast for the cocky old demon? Maybe I should slow it down a bit." He shouldered his sword with a short laugh.

Midori gave a grunt of annoyance as he regained his balance. Summoning all of his strength, he lunged forward with incredible speed, almost instantly right in front of the hanyou.

Caught off guard, Inuyasha took a fist to the face. The blow sent him hurtling back into the forest from such a force. "Damn it!"

Colliding with a tree with an angry shout, he scrambled to regain his footing, racing back into the clearing and after the smug form of the demon.

As soon as he emerged Midori was upon him again, attacking with unbelievable agility. He fought using a very minimalist sort of style. His movements were clean and deliberate, his strikes precise, powerful, and gratingly efficient.

'Bastard.' He thought in aggravation. The half demon's frustration was growing with each passing minute he was kept on the defensive.

After a few evasive minutes of shrugging punches, Inuyasha discovered a pattern. Every so often his opponent would relinquish the strength behind one drive to heighten another.

Taking advantage of Midori's own momentum, the hanyou took the brunt of a weaker hit. Firmly grasping the youkai's fist, he twisted, pitching him over his shoulder.

With a groan of anguish, the demon struck a large stone statue, slumping lifelessly to the ground on impact.

Inuyasha sniffed haughtily as he surveyed the damage done. Stepping closer, he poked curiously at the seemingly unconscious form below him.

Sensing no movement, he smirked, placing the tip of his sword at the hollow of Midori's throat. "Sorry to disappoint you, but even a half demon like me isn't that stupid."

One piercing eye opened, the slit of its pupil narrowing even further. "I must admit, you are not as dumb as you look."

Inuyasha growled, bracing himself to drive the blade into the body on the ground. "I'll take that as a compliment."

But before he got the chance to move, Midori rolled, leaping into the air once he was out of Tetsusaiga's reach. "You're proving to be quite a nuisance, half breed."

Jarred slightly as the sword was knocked sideways, Inuyasha turned to regard Midori. The demon had landed a few yards behind him, a new wound cut across his shoulder. Inuyasha smirked imperceptibly. He had an idea...

"Though you're bitch put up more of a fight than you have thus far."

Rage pulsed through him, fists clenching around his sword until his knuckles turned white. "You can call me whatever you want." His voice was low, wavering as his anger rose dangerously. "But don't you ever speak about Kagome like that."

Inuyasha shot forward, lifting his sword to run it through his opponents midsection. Just as he'd expected, the demon slipped past him, sidestepping the radius of the hanyou's swing.

"Ah. Struck a nerve, have I?"

Chest heaving, the half demon fought to keep his emotions in check. He couldn't let himself get reckless now. "What have you done with Kagome? What do you want with her?" He paused, turning to fix Midori with a glare, his face set with determination.

Crossing branch-like arms across his chest, the demon regarded him passively for a moment. "And why would I share that with you?"

"Because I asked." The hanyou responded simply, focus locked on his rival. "I don't care one way or the other, because you won't get the chance to go through with your plan." He sunk the tip of his sword into the ground. "Tell me or don't. I intend to kill you either way."

The youkai's eyes widened slightly, observing the silver haired young man, before he threw his head back. Loud, unrestrained laughter broke from the tree-like frame; a strange, hollow sound.

Sobering slightly, the demon reached up, his limbs creaking as he tapped one gnarled finger on his chin. "Such an honest answer." He mused quietly, frowning in thought. "I suppose I could indulge you. But only because you asked so nicely."

Inuyasha waited patiently, deciding not to dignify that comment with a reply. "Well?"

"As you most certainly know, Kagome possesses great and unusual power. Not regarding the Shikon jewel, but rather her abilities as a priestess." He paused, allowing the hanyou to dwell on what he was saying.

Giving a curt nod, the half demon soundlessly urged Midori to continue. He did not like the way the youkai spoke the girl's name. There was something openly provocative about it.

"Those abilities make her the perfect candidate."

Inuyasha blinked, bothered by the demon's choice in that particular word. "Candidate?" He repeated warily, turning fully to confront the man as he spoke.

"My master requires a new body. One resilient enough to withstand and contain his immense power. Your woman will bear my lord's next form."

Appalled, the hanyou reacted violently to this new information. "Kagome will never carry any spawn of yours!"

Using his sword to lever himself forward, Inuyasha lashed out with a renewed energy. 'That bastard... How dare he even think of using Kagome...'

Midori smirked, readying himself to dart backwards, but found himself caught, held in his spot by his own body.

So it had worked... Letting out a triumphant shout, the half demon hoisted his sword above his head, preparing to drive it straight into the demon.

By distracting the youkai, he had given the man's body a chance to take root in the soil beneath him, severely reducing his chance of escape.

Struggling to pull himself free, Midori leaned just enough to miss the brunt of the blade, sacrificing his left leg to the hanyou's swing. His other foot tore itself from the dirt as the force sent him collapsing sideways. "That was very clever, Inuyasha. Pity you didn't hit anything vital."

Glancing from Tetsusaiga, which was now smeared with green fluid, to the crippled form of his enemy. "You're missing your entire leg, and you don't consider that vital?"

Lurching upwards, the demon teetered on his unscathed limb. He chuckled bitterly, gathering the stained folds of his robe to reveal his rapidly reforming thigh. "Not at all."

Inuyasha growled, the man's new leg already settling itself upon the ground, flexing as Midori gave it an experimental stretch. "Well, then I guess I'll just have to destroy you in one hit!"

With that he was moving again, rushing the demon as he brandished his sword.

The youkai sneered, easily shifting past his advances. He appeared to be even faster now...

Midori's speed had increased, and Inuyasha could not detect his ominous presence once he had left his field of vision. But if he concentrated hard enough, he could just hear the fleeting steps of the demon, moving in a wide circle before stopping behind him.

Inuyasha froze, listening carefully as Midori crept nearer. Tossing his sword from hand to hand before reversing it, he directed the tip at his own chest.

Seeing this odd behavior, the plant-like man paused. "What are you doing, half breed? Are you really prepared to end your life now that you have come this far?" On that note the demon charged toward the hanyou's unguarded back. "I would much rather have the privilege of doing that myself!"

One silver ear twitched. The half demon smirked at Midori's smug attitude. With an enraged cry, he drove his sword backwards, between his arm and side.

His smile widened in satisfaction, feeling the blade meeting resistance that could only be muscle and wooden tissue. "You may be fast, but you can't avoid what you can't see coming."

Midori made a pained grunt, stumbling backwards and dragging himself away from the rapier that impaled him. Placing a hand over the gaping wound in his abdomen, he snarled. "Bastard. You will pay dearly for that."

Inuyasha's face lit with a full blown grin, the half demon standing up and facing his opponent. "Let's see it then."

Midori's voice rumbled deep in his throat, and he sprinted towards the hanyou; teeth barred. In a last ditch attempt, he poured on the speed, retreating into a large hedge that lined the area..

Inuyasha laughed again. 'He's running! He's actually running away.' Closing his eyes tightly, he clenched his fist. He could hear heavy footfalls, more clumsy than before with the ache of a fresh wound. They gave him a wide berth and approached from behind again.

The hanyou quickly switched the blade's position again, turning to meet the demon head on. "It's over!"

He drove the hilt of his sword into Midori's face. Then, jumping back a few paces, he lifted the sword over his shoulder, watching his enemy cradle his beaten skull.

"You used deception to overwhelm your opponents. You aren't fast or powerful. You're nothing but a coward!"

Midori was astounded. "Incredible. I must admit you were indeed a powerful adversary." He said it in such a way that made Inuyasha think he was going to stand up, but then he doubled over, coughing up what might have been blood if not for its sickly green color.

The demon wiped his mouth on his sleeve and gave one last, defiant smirk. "Be sure to tell the girl that I enjoyed her very much."

"That's it!" Inuyasha was seething as he gathered his strength for the final blow. "I'll make sure there's nothing left of you!"

He hurled the blade at the ground, slicing through the wind-scar and sending a wall of energy to crush his opponent.

Without so much as a shout from the defeated youkai, the atmosphere once again became still, nothing left to show for their latest encounter but a gaping crater carved into the earth. The heavy sense of dread that had held the manor lifted, making Inuyasha feel physically lighter.

"Finally." The half demon finally let his muscles relax, dropping forward to lean heavily on his sword, panting. "Stubborn bastard."

On the now clear breeze sifting through the garden, the young man caught a hint of Kagome's scent, immediately straightening. "Kagome!" He cried, sheathing his blade. "I'm on my way, just hold on!"

There you go! So how'd you like it? Relieved? I wouldn't be yet... we still have to check on Kagome...

Thanks for reading! Please review!