Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/11469690.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Underage, Major_Character_Death
  Category:
      F/M
  Fandom:
      InuYasha_-_A_Feudal_Fairy_Tale
  Relationship:
      Higurashi_Kagome/Sesshoumaru
  Character:
      Higurashi_Kagome, Sesshoumaru_(InuYasha), Original_Characters, Jaken_
      (InuYasha), Rin_(InuYasha), Kanna_(InuYasha), Sesshoumaru's_Mother_
      (InuYasha), Kaguya_(Inuyasha), Kikyou_(InuYasha)
  Additional Tags:
      Action/Adventure, Drama, Heavy_Angst, Tragic_Romance, Lime, Blood_and
      Violence
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-07-11 Updated: 2017-08-31 Chapters: 4/22 Words: 13299
****** Black String Of Fate ******
by TaishoNoMiko
Summary
     Kagome is a hanyou who lives for revenge. Sesshoumaru is a Dai youkai
     who hunger for power. In the world where the darkness and dreams
     collided, they are bound by the black string of fate.
Notes
     Disclaimer : I own nothing
     There are compelling reasons for Kagome's behaviour in this story,
     but her true nature will come out in mid-story. I can't say anything
     else other than 'this story will unfold through the later chapters'.
     Makaze: Evil Wind
     Akaiittou: Red Blade
See the end of the work for more notes
***** The Death *****
The sun was at the top of the head, the wind blowing harder than usual. In the
forest path traversed by Sesshoumaru, not the song of birds is heard by him,
but the angry growl, and obscenities. Sesshoumaru was in his wanderings when he
heard the sound of clashing swords, a moment later the smell of rusty, tangy
and the sweetness of the blood hit his nostrils.
It was enough to arouse his curiosity to the surface. A hanyou woman with long
black hair tied in a high ponytail wore a mid-thigh blue kimono with red floral
motif and white obi embrace her curvy body is fighting in the meadow with
silver-haired Ookami. Sesshoumaru recognized him as Kuroichi Lord of the
Eastern land, his rival in expanding region.
Sesshoumaru stopped under a tree, he suppresses his demonic aura and focuses on
their fight. The smell of blood that pierced his sense of smell was coming from
the hanyou woman who was injured by Kuroichi's sword. Blood flowing from her
limp arm, she's weak now. Surprisingly, there is no fear that is reflected from
her beautiful face, only a sadistic grin adorning it.
She enjoyed the fight, Sesshoumaru's thought. Unwittingly both corners of his
mouth slightly raised, before back to his emotionless mask.
Somehow the woman who will die by Kuroichi has attracted his attention. He had
never seen a woman fight like that, she fought like a no-load. Even though her
opponent is a Dai youkai whom known for his ferocity when destroying all of his
opponents. Kuroichi never knew defeated or balance result in a battle, there is
only the victory in his dictionary. He will never hesitate to kill his
opponent, that's why he became a Dai youkai, the lord of the East region.
"Don't make me repeat the question again, you stupid old wolf," she said
harshly on the sidelines of their sword fights "Do you know a miko named
Kikyo?" a bit bitterness infiltrating her heart when she vocalizes the name.
Kagome's chest rise and fall, the fight was so exhausting even for a hanyou
like her.
"She is a whore, isn't she?" He asked with a challenging smile.
"Your answer is wrong," she swung her red sword, Kuroichi didn't have any time
to dodge.
His armor in the shoulder destroyed by her sword. Kagome almost managed to
decapitate his head. Kuroichi's dangerous growl out of his chest, his eyes
narrowed for a moment but then he laughed. His laughter echoed and it only
makes her more disgusted.
"You can't hurt me, hanyou" he said, followed by scornful laughter.
"Tch, you're too quick to think that you can beat me, you old fucking wolf!"
Kagome's claws smeared with blood that flows from her injured arm, then she
threw it towards Kuroichi.
The Dai youkai did not expect the arrival of the next blow, the attack makes
him rooted to the spot and he couldn't dodge. Youki flows through Kagome's
bloods, then the drops of blood droplets turn into hundreds of blades fly
aiming him, the attack was succeeded in wrenching the whole body of Kuroichi.
"Why males are always created with a higher ego, I really hate it! They always
looked at women as inferior to them, " she shouted, her voice quivering with
emotions. "You're going to die in my hand, idiot. In the hands of a woman!"
Kagome's voice full of promise to make it happen.
Her words made his blood boil, then he attacked Kagome blindly. He swung his
sword randomly, no matter which part of his enemy's body exposed to the
attacks. The female hanyou dodges when Kuroichi is swinging his sword toward
her head, she jumped backward only to retreat again when Kuroichi continues to
move forward. His sword easily destroys anything touched by it, large trees
around them, even a small hill can be easily crushed to pieces by Akaiittou.
One step back for Kagome is a step forward for Kuroichi, he attacks constantly.
His pride is at stake and he would not die by a lowly Hanyou, let alone a woman
Hanyou!
Sesshoumaru not completely hide, he could see them clearly, but they are filled
with a strong desire to kill so they aren't aware of his existence at all.
Akaiittou is one of the powerful swords, it was made from the claws of
Kuroichi's ancestors. On the other hand, the hanyou's sword is Makaze. Makaze
is the sword that had been owned by Tokushin, the Lord of the Northern land who
reportedly had been killed.
It is easy for Sesshoumaru to deduce what had happened, the hanyou had killed
Tokushin. That means his task would be so much easier, the obligation to
fulfill his ambition to control the whole territory of Japan. After the refrain
for some time, finally, Sesshoumaru can't stand to the ridiculous agreement
which his father made to the Lords of other regions. Why are there so many
rulers if indeed he was the strongest? The agreement was condescending him.
After the death of Tokushin there's only the Lord of the East and Southern left
as a barrier between Sesshoumaru and the infinite power but, what had happened
didn't make him entirely happy. Just by thinking of his duties carried out by a
Hanyou would be very bothering him and the most annoying fact is that the
Hanyou is a female. Her actions made him distracted, what actually she wanted
to accomplish? The woman will tarnish his conquest of the other rulers. The
creatures that he always despises, a hanyou, now creeping into his mind and
instantly made him feel the thirst of curiosity about her.
Did she kill Tokushin? Certainly she who had killed him, the absolute fact is
the Makaze in her hand. First of all, she killed Tokushin, now she's trying to
kill Kuroichi, then what is her purpose to kill the lord of the region? If so,
then she would come to him. At that time, he would be more than happy to
sentence her to death. Only for half a second, Sesshoumaru lifted one corner of
his mouth slightly.
'Maybe he can beat Tokushin but he will not vanquish Kuroichi, let alone this
Sesshoumaru'. He thought.
Kagome cornered this time, behind her is towering cliffs. She can no longer shy
away from Kuroichi's sword, their swords clashed. Both of the swords vibrated
because withstand the strength of each opponent. Kagome half bending her knees,
she pushed her sword against his opponent's sword. Slowly she pushed him back
after she takes a deep inhaled of air to fill her lung. Her youki power flows
through her sword, the black light explosion appeared from Makaze.
As a reply, Kuroichi's youki also flowed through Akaiittou, the red blinding
light swirling from his sword. The two demonic powers collide, produce a
powerful explosion when they throw their attack. A huge explosion dragged them
both tens of meters rearward, their body rolling on the ground like a lifeless
doll. Both of their swords flew high in the air before falling to the ground,
helpless, each broken into two pieces.
Makaze and Akaiittou are the swords that inherit the power of hereditary
ancestors. The strength of each sword almost equivalent, but the attack that
comes out of the sword also depends on how much youki of the youkai who wields
it. In this case, it seems the power of Kuroichi and Kagome were even.
After being hit by the blast, Kagome forced herself to stand up immediately.
But her knees contrary to her wishes, she fell again to the dirt. She's
weakened. The blood was still pouring from the incision all over her body, the
effect of the explosion. But her determination is stronger than anything in her
way, she rose again and attacked Kuroichi with her weapons that still
remaining. The most dangerous part of her body, her sharp talons.
She jumped, then tries to land her claws to Kuroichi's body, but the Dai youkai
could manage to avoid before her deadly claws tore him into three parts. The
claws wrecking the ground with a loud thud. Fragments of stones and soil
scattered out all the directions.
"I'm going to kill you bastard, that's for sure!" two threatening fangs came
into sight from her grin, Kagome's eyes glinting by the desire to shed the
blood of her opponent.
Kuroichi gave a deadly kick to her chest which she can't avoid. His attack made
she fell down and kiss the ground. Without wasting time she rolled over and got
up then turn to give another attack with her talons to the Lord of the Eastern.
This time, deliberately Kuroichi didn't shy away. Before Kagome's dangerous
claws can scratch the body of Kuroichi, he caught her right wrist easily. Then
with his left hand, he attacked her injured left arm.
She gasped, Kagome didn't expect Kuroichi's action. Unfortunately, her injured
left hand can't be moved at all. Kuroichi's greenish talons rip her flesh,
layer by layer, try to break the bones, and separates it from Kagome's body.
Their hands crossed, threatening growl come out from their mouths.
"With great pleasure I'll be tearing your damn mouth," he laughed triumphantly
"Whore's mouth is more useful than yours" his voice darken.
She laughed at Kuroichi's words, one corner of her mouth lifted in a wry smile.
Kagome's face more pale because of the pain that invaded her, but she still
compels herself to look strong in the eyes of her opponent. "I'll show you the
usefulness of my mouth"
Kuroichi's stranglehold on Kagome's left arm has been released, with his left
hand, he's ready to tear her head into pieces. But Kuroichi defeated, he was
slower than her. She dodges, then she catches Kuroichi's left hand with her
injured one. At the same time, she lifted her right arm, then bites Kuroichi's
right hand which gripping her right wrist. She was shaking her head strongly,
tries to tear his flesh.
Kuroichi roared loudly, he gave her a deadly gaze. Kuroichi twisted his wrist
so his left-hand could creep back into Kagome's injured arm. Again, his
poisonous talons pierced her flesh, much more powerful this time. She closed
her eyes, withstand extreme pain. Kuroichi is also trying to separate the
injured arm from her body, each of them struggling with the extreme pain that
they feel.
The red liquid oozed down to her jaw and neck, Kagome's fangs penetrating the
flesh, the veins, and pierced to the deeper layers of muscles. Misfortunes
clinging to Kuroichi, Kagome's the first could shred the flesh. She could feel
the bones meet with her sharp fangs. With one more force given by her, bones
creak can be heard by them. His wrist bones were broken and then separated from
the body of Kuroichi.
"AAARRGGHH!" heartbreaking cries comes out from the Lord of the Eastern's
mouth. Blood spurted in all directions. Kuroichi's eyes widened, he looked at
his severed right arm. The red liquid, viscous, and warm still kept flowing
from it. Splashes of blood wetting Kagome's face, she staggered backward.
Kuroichi's growled becomes louder.
Then several things happened simultaneously. Kagome throws the enemy's hand out
of her mouth, she spits, trying to dispel the taste of Kuroichi's blood that
still enveloped her mouth. At the same time, Kuroichi releasing his grip on
Kagome's left hand, then his poisonous claw which covered by the hanyou's blood
glows much brighter with a greenish tint.
The more his hand is glowing, the more toxins are gathered. The phosphorescence
poison was growing stronger just before the claws breaking through Kagome's
chest in the blink of an eye. The youkai's hand had pierced her stomach and
then moving up to the middle of her chest, creating a loud sound of torn flesh
and broken ribs.
"Ugh!"no screams were heard from her, Kagome spewing a plume of fresh blood
from her mouth into Kuroichi's face, hair, and his clothes.
The beautiful silver hair and silk kimono that he wore tainted by her blood, he
laughs among his short breath. "Even with one hand, I could beat you lowly
Hanyou!" He said angrily, his eyes glinting with fury and hatred to the Hanyou
who succeeded cut his hand. It will take several years before his right arm
could regrow.
Her face downcast, Kagome's eyes are hidden by her bangs. The dog ears at the
top of her head twitched, a sign that she didn't miss a single word that
Kuroichi had said.
"Look at my eyes!" Kuroichi's command "See my eyes when you're dying! Plead for
a quick death, maybe I'll be kind to you bitch!" his voice is heavy with the
emphasis on every word.
This is the time for me, but I would not die here, not without my revenge!
Kagome's thought.
Under the strong determination, she raised her right hand. With all of her
remaining strength, she used her sharp talons to tear her opponent's neck with
one quick swing. Kuroichi's head rolling under her feet while his body was
still upright standing in front of her. By disgust and hatred, she kicks the
head to stay away from her.
"No!" Kagome's voice cracking. she tried to laugh, but only moans in pain left
her mouth. She was tormented by the tremendous pain. Kagome's breath is panting
"I couldn't look into your eyes when your head lying on the ground, y-you damn
wolf!" the words haltingly out of her mouth.
Her face creased in the middle, the pain in her stomach started to spread. She
cut off Kuroichi's left hand apart from the arm, making his body collapsed on
the dirt. Crimson blood flooded around her, her breath getting panted as the
pain increasing.
"Dammit!" she spits again, the taste of her enemy's blood still lingers in her
mouth and she hates it so much. Kuroichi's left hand still break through her
chest. She was preparing herself for the extreme pain when she pulled the hand
out of her chest. She closed her eyes, she did not want to see the process in
order to prevent an excessive pain to be sent to her brain when she saw what
she did.
"AARGH!" her cries echoed in the forest when she pulled the hand quickly out of
her chest then throw it away.
What has happened is beyond his estimates. Sesshomaru's brow furrowed, he
approached the dying hanyou and exudes his aura. The stench of the death raids
his nostril, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he watched the pieces of flesh
lying on the ground. A Dai youkai, the Lord of the Eastern Land has died in the
hands of a woman. Very pathetic! He thought.
Sesshoumaru looked at her with a cold stare, she was also enveloped by the
smell of death. Toxins of the Lord of the Eastern blood line are the strongest
after him. Now the venom sizzling in the woman's abdomen and arms. Slowly makes
her flesh, organs, bones, and anything it touches melted. She is going to die.
Her legs limp, Kagome fell down when the pain increased. She dragged herself to
lean against a tree trunk not far behind. The pain was whipped up all of her
body in every gesture she made. Kagome glanced into her stomach, not only blood
flowing, but the yellow-green liquid and something like white foam now
decorates a gaping hole in her stomach.
Unusually, the wound was not healing quickly, "Fuck!" she cursed. The hanyou
managed to reach the tree trunk, then leaned back. Kagome closed her eyes just
before she felt a strong demonic aura of another youkai approached her. Whoever
it was, the youki is very strong. It seems Kuroichi bring an ally, he reneged
on the agreement to deal with me alone. Coward bastard! She cursed mentally.
Previously, she thought that Kuroichi is the strongest youkai she had ever met,
but it turns out that she was wrong. The mysterious figure walked closer, now
the demonic aura owner stands in front of her. She opens her eyes then looked
up, the youkai not to lose the least grace as he stood among the pieces of
scattered bodies and pooled of blood. Her vision began to blur, either because
she is in pain, or because she is dying!
The figure who stood a few feet away from her was dominated by white. He is so
tall and graceful. He looks very lethal from the overall appearance and from
the strong demonic aura that emanated from him. Despite the blurred visions,
she could see two golden eyes, magenta lines on both cheeks, and a violet
crescent mark on his forehead. One of the signs stating that he is one of the
Dai youkai. In other words, he is one of the Lord of the land.
The four lords of the region of Japan had some similarities, marks on their
face and silver hair that is solely owned by the descendants of the Dai youkai.
The appearance of youkai before her and his strong demonic aura are sufficient
to establish that he is a youkai who entered criteria as her prey.
Unfortunately, it seems she will not be able to finish her missions, Kagome
smiled bitterly.
Kagome turns away, then gritted her teeth "What are you waiting for?" She asked
rudely "If you want to avenge Kuroichi's death, just do it quickly!" Her voice
is shaking. The answers that she was waiting for did not come, the youkai
remained silent with his probing eyes.
Kagome leaned her head, she tried desperately to keep breathing although her
lungs had started to surrender by the poison of Kuroichi. The hissing sounds
came out of the gaping wound in her abdomen. Dammit! The wound will not heal,
the poison is too strong. she laughed bitterly, as her gaze turns black.
Her breath is getting shorter, the good news is she can still feel the pain,
that would mean she's not dead soon. But, the bad news is the death that
awaited her would be a very slow and highly painful death. The poison was
slowly eating away her body, pulverize her, like a candle that slowly eaten by
the fire. She smiled at the thought soon she will meet with her beloved mother,
after so many years wandering alone.
"Why are you smiling when the death embraces you?" the youkai asked.
"There's nothing left for me in this world" her voice's not more powerful than
a whisper, it took all of her strength to get those words out of her mouth.
Her mission's almost complete, the goal's almost reached. But she was not sure,
there's still remaining half of the possibility, the possibility that she
hated. If she was wrong, of course, she will not die peacefully, she will not
be able to meet her mother with a smile. She can't die right now, there are
still the other enemies should be pursued. She can't, not until she's
absolutely sure had killed the bastard.
'I must live!' Her thought.
Her heart beats faster when the poison was spreading through her heart, groans
full of pain tucked away from her lips because the extreme pain that assaulted
her. When she wants to live, that's when she's dying. There is no joke that
Kami-sama prepared for her crueler than this. She growled, there are no more
words coming out of her mouth when she shrouded by the pain that she had never
felt before.
The pain that she felt was like the branched thorns pierced brutally in every
inch of her body. Afterward, the spines branched withdrawn slowly, and it
continues to repeat itself. Thus leaving the pain that made her wish the death
would soon take her.
In the end, the last breath had left her, her heart stops beating. The light of
life slowly left Kagome's eyes. Sesshoumaru stared at the lifeless body, he
narrowed his eyes, the pale green dwarf creatures swarming around her. They
tried to bring her soul into Yomi, the underworld.
Sesshoumaru could feel the pulse from Tenseiga, he stared at his sword for a
moment then walked closer. The pulse is getting stronger and harder as he steps
closer to the female hanyou's body. His sword is screaming and begging to be
used. All the kinds of questions with the first word 'Why' filling his head.
Somehow, Sesshoumaru couldn't resist to not knowing the answers, curiosity
mastered him.
There is only one way for Sesshoumaru to find out the answer he was looking
for. The Dai youkai had decided what he would do. The sound of metal rubbing
against scabbard is heard, Sesshoumaru unsheathing his sword. The sword that
could save thousands of lives with one swing outstretched over the corpse, by
one swing he slashes the creatures of the underworld.
With Tenseiga, he restores her life.
The darkness welcomed her, pitch-dark, and desolate. In the void, questions are
gripped her mind. Is this hell? Couldn't she join her mother in a better place?
Even in death, why there is no happiness for her? Whether in the afterlife also
had the different places for humans, Hanyou and youkai? If she can't get
together with her mother in the hereafter, what should she expect? Excruciating
eternity in the mortal world or forever lost in the cold void like this?
Suddenly, she was enveloped by a blinding white light. Again she drowned, but
not in the dark. This time, she is immersed in the warm white light. In strange
ways, the light made her feel a tiny drop of happiness that she longed for.
Slowly but sure, Kagome's chest moving gently up and down with every breath
that she takes.
Sesshomaru holstered his sword before he turned to walk away.
She is still not fully conscious, but the severe injuries on her body starts to
recover. No residual toxins that contaminate the hanyou's body, her weak
heartbeat start to sound, the blood began to flow through her body. Her eyes
opened slowly, Kagome's vision is still hazy. The scintillation light of life
had returned to her eyes, although both of her grayish-blue orbs still emits by
fear.
Kagome's face was very pale as if there was not one drop of blood was flowing
under her skin. The smell of blood from her enemy, made she recalls what had
happened. Kagome touched her stomach, there is no more flesh which corrupted by
the poisons, flowing blood, or a gaping hole. Sometime later, her vision
returned to normal, triangle ears on top of her head twitched towards the voice
of the trampled leaves. She cocked her head to look at the youkai who went
away.
"Wait!" she wanted to scream, but the sound that comes out of her mouth was
only a whisper. "Did I just die?" she asked, more to herself.
His long silver hair and mokomoko in his right shoulder played by the summer
breeze. Sesshoumaru paused a moment but did not look back before continuing his
steps. Kagome sure that the youkai could hear her clearly even though her voice
just a whisper, she knew he was just choosing to ignore her.
Everything is too weird for her, Kagome could sniff the smell of his sword over
her body? And the strangest part is, that she was sure she had just died after
the fatal wound, but what he did to her? Did he save her? No, not save her, but
resurrect her. If that's true, is he a Kami who gave her one more chance to
live?
No, he's not a Kami, definitely! The smell of inu youkai pierced her nostril,
proof that he is just a youkai, nothing more. But his smell, there is something
strange with his distinctive smell. She sighed heavily when she thought about
her second chances of life. I'm alive! Indecision pervaded her heart, the
grayish-blue orbs covered by the emptiness. Another force takes over Kagome
when she blinks. In a flash, her vacillation has vanished, her fear has gone.
Kagome's mind had shifted as the sun has skidded to the west side of the
horizon.
The wind whispered, thick clouds in various form drove slowly in the beautiful
blue sky. Kagome couldn't see the beauty of nature when her head covered by the
fog of hatred to herself, the desire for revenge, and an endless anger
undermined every inch her heart. The wonderful world that lay before her only a
battleground for Kagome, a place where the injustice entrenched. A perfect
place to breeding of greed and hatred. The world where she lives will never
stop decorated with fight after fight.
She took a deep breath to keep the smell of youkai who had just helped her into
her memory fixedly. Kagome's strength is slowly filling her body. A bitterly
laughed slipped out of her mouth as she stood up. Once again, she had to face
the cold world that embraces her. A devilish smile on her face made two fangs
appeared when she thought of her Savior.
'He would regret having helped me because he is the next target!'
***** The Death *****
Chapter Notes
     Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, InuYasha belongs to Rumiko
     Takahashi-sensei!
~Flashback~
12-year-old Kagome was lying in a meadow, her big grayish-blue eyes looked at
the blue sky, melodious sound of bird song accompanied her. It's her favorite
place, not too far from where she lives, quite hidden because it is located on
between two hills. There are hundreds of blooming flowers around her, sweet
fragrance caressing her nostrils. The meadow full of flowers, shaded by the
blue summer sky without clouds, one word that can describe the scene in front
of her, beautiful.
The wildflowers that she collected on that day was more beautiful than usual,
consists of several colors and shapes. She lifted her favorite, the little
white flower, Jasmine. She put those small white flowers in her sleeves, so her
scents could resemble her mother's scents. For her, Jasmine's fragrance much
like her mother's scents, and the scents always reminds her of the warmth of
love that her mother's gave.
Sometime later Kagome half running towards her house, she was whistling
cheerfully. Her right hand is full of firewood, while the left clutching a
bunch of flowers. The ball of fire in the sky has reached its peak, the heat of
the sun has begun oppressive when Kagome arrived at the kitchen garden located
in the courtyard of her house.
The young hanyou knew that she was late coming home for lunch, but she also
knew that the older woman wouldn't get angry if her mother knew that she paused
to enjoy the beauty of nature. Her mother would only put on a sad or worried
face, but didn't scold Kagome. She would apologize to her mother, the miko
would smile, forgive her, then gave her a warm hug. Always like that, a pattern
that repeats. Her mother was never angry with her, never.
Kagome stops when she was only a few steps away from the doorway, she could
sense that there's something wrong. The atmosphere is too quiet, no figure of
the woman who dressed as a miko waiting for her in front of the house with a
worried face as usual when she's late. She brushed off the bad feeling that
surrounded her then continued to walk.
"Okaa-San..." she called with melodious sound.
Her cheerfulness vanished without a trace, the dog ears on top of her head
stiffens. For a moment she froze in the doorway before she goes into the hut.
There was no response from her mother, there was just the sound of wrenching
moans from inside of the house.
"OKAA-SAN!" she shouted in panic, then she ran into the hut. Her panic gets
worse when the smell of blood invades her senses of smell. Then, what she saw
will never be forgotten for the rest of her life. Kagome found her mother lying
on the floor and covered in blood, her kimono torn apart in such a way.
She slowly approached and knelt beside her mother, the miko named Kikyo. What
caught her attention is the flowing blood from the five holes in her neck. With
her shaking hands, she grasped her mother's hand, then she put it on her cheek.
Her mother's hand no longer warms, that little fact made her heart sinking into
the sorrow. She looked at her mother's pale face intently, sadness, pain, and
despairs were written on it.
They stare each other with a poignant gaze. The tears rolling down on Kikyo's
cheeks, her breath wheezing. She was fighting desperately to cram the air into
her lungs. Her face contorted with grief as she stared at her daughter's
grayish-blue orbs.
There was nothing more tortured her than to see her daughter's sad face, not
even the pain that she felt at that moment. What's the most she feared was not
the death itself, but to leave her daughter alone. She didn't want her daughter
to suffer, all that she wanted was her happiness. Kikyo's lips trembled when
her mouth open as if she wanted to say something.
The young girl wasn't sure what she should do but waiting for her to say
something. There's nothing Kagome could do, her mother's injuries were fatal.
She finds it hard to breathe, her chest feels very heavy as if there is a big
rock breaking through it. Kagome shall lose what won't return, forever. Her
breath caught in her throat, only one word that comes out of her "Kaa-San..."
Kikyo laboriously tried to smile, she tried to calm her loved ones, even though
she knew it would be futile. Her heart's crying in vain, there is nothing more
depressing for Kikyo than to see Kagome's grieving face when she's dying. Kikyo
will leave this world with tormented, thinking of her beloved will be all
alone, in a world where youkai and humans resent her. Her daughter will be
hunted, and the worst part is, she can no longer protect her.
"Kago.." She coughed, it made more blood oozing from the holes in her neck.
There was a whistling sound every time the miko tried to draw a breath, "Ka-
kagome please .." her voice stammering, she struggles to get the words out of
her mouth.
Kagome's eyes began to sting "Okaa-san .." she begged.
"Stay, a-live, be ha-ppy, I..." Kikyo's sentence not finished as the last
breath has been exhaled, her heart no longer beating, her time in the world had
run out.
The girl was very shocked, her hands fall to her side, limp. "KAA-SAN!" Kagome
called in despair, tears profusely left her eyes. She embraces her mother's
body, her own body shaken by the cries that unheard by anyone.
"Please don't leave me alone Okaa-san..." her voice trembled. Kagome pulled
away to look at her mother's face, then stroked it very gently. She whispered
in her mother's ear, "Wake up..." she paused "Please, please, please" her voice
getting hoarse. Her hands grabbed her mother's haori tightly, then Kagome shook
her body.
She knew it's meaningless, the beloved miko's soul had departed from her body.
The woman in Kagome's embraces wasn't her mother, she's nothing but an empty
shell, dried without life, cold without the warmth of love. She wiped the blood
that adorns her mother's face which begins to thicken and dry up in some
places. "Wake up." the tears still flowed freely, she looked at the pale face.
She sobbed, then pulled away slightly, Kagome closed her eyes. She refused to
see her mother's face, she shook her head to deny reality. "Kaa-San..." she
keeps calling her mother repeatedly.
No answer. She got up and sat, silently looking at her mother's body
How do I live without you? You're the only one who loved me. Why did you go so
soon? Why don't you take me with you? I want to always be with you. I love you
so much, how could you ask me to stay alive when you, my breath has been taken
from me? How can you ask me to be happy if my happiness is you? Why are you so
cruel to me Okaa-san? You left me...
"Kaa-San.." Kagome shouted "Wake up!" she no longer able to refrain, she hugged
her mother "I beg you..." she sobbed, the young girl was choked with the tears
that did not subside.
Her head rested on her mother's chest. Kagome's heart getting shrinked when she
realized that there was no more heartbeat could be heard, the rhythm that has
always been her lullaby. No longer a warm hug her mother gave to her, no longer
a loving smile for her. The sweet smell like jasmine flowers and tea of her
mother will be missed, as well as her soothing words. Kagome would miss all of
her. She raised her head, her mother's eyes still open, but the two hazel orbs
were looked so empty, cold, and die...
Having tired of crying, for some time she froze as she hugged her mother's
body. There is no power that resides in her body. There is no spirit of life
left in her, but her mother needs a decent funeral. Hence, Kagome forcing her
body to move. First of all, she had to clean the bodies. Kagome muster up
courage to staring at the wound yet the pool of blood made she couldn't help to
look away. She did not want to see those wounds, she did not want to imagine
the pain that it caused.
Kagome grimaced, forbear from crying again. She closed her eyes, then took a
deep breath, trying to calm herself. It's not the calm feeling which she
gained, but the rage burned within her. Her eyes were fatigued from crying, her
heart had been dying from grief. The strongest emotion taking over, all of her
misery had been replaced by the wrath. All the bad things she had experienced
since she was little, the harsh reality of what she really is, and the hell
that she must through right now is also brought by destiny. How can she not
hate the fate?
Without thinking Kagome run away into the woods, although she didn't have a
purpose, what she knew was to follow her footsteps. Her inhuman speed
increasing when the tears force its way out of her eyes. She stopped at the
edge of a river, her chest moved up and down. An enormous rock by the river
become the target of her fury. She desperately tries to dismember the innocent
rock by her deadly talons. Nevertheless, the rock is not easily destroyed.
There is no pain that she felt even though the blood starts flowing out of her
fingers, she didn't stop until it's crushed into strewn gravel.
If only the pain in her hand could replace the pain in her heart.
She fell on the banks of the river, her kimono is wet, water licking the wounds
in her hands. She wanted to cry, but this time she could not. Kagome bowed,
looking at her reflection in the river. Her gray blue eyes enveloped by the
fear and sadness. Ears atop her head pinned to the head, she looked at her claw
hands, then dipped it into the river. The coldness of the water just soothing
her hand, but not her soul. She raised her hand and see the laceration slowly
begin to dry and then close completely until no traces at all, the gift that
she condemned.
Nevertheless, she remembered her mother's last words. The message to be happy,
to stay alive. A request which she can't fulfill. How could she be happy when
the last memory of her mother's is her slow and painful death? How cruel people
who did this to her. He or she, whoever it was let her mother bled to death.
Again her memory was torturing her, and it made the anger and resentment
residing in her mind.
Kagome closed her eyes, for a moment she was like a lifeless before something
took over her body. Her eyes were open, she was looking at her reflection in
the river. Her gaze turned cold and sharp as her hands clenched tightly, the
claws pierce the skin and penetrate the flesh in her palm. Blood flowed freely
from her hand, then dripped into the river.
The drops of blood that fell into the river break up the reflection of Kagome's
face, it made her snapped out of reverie. She's staring at her bloody hands,
she is really conscious of its power. She's not 'the meek Kagome' anymore, the
power that she had been regarded as a curse has become a blessing. The sharp
claws, sharp eyesight, sensitive sense of smell, and all the inhuman strength
that she had she could use to her new purpose in life. The revenge. She must
avenge anyone who had killed her mother cruelly. No matter what happens, even
if her life is at stake.
In the past, she's always scared to see her own reflection because all she saw
was a beast. All that she wanted just to be like her mother, human, flawless,
and gentle. But not anymore, she is grateful for what she is and the power that
she had. Not her fault if she is a Hanyou, neither her fault if her mother was
a Miko who fell in love with a youkai. It was the villagers' fault who drove
them out of the village. It was the youkai's fault who take her existence as an
abomination. For them, whether the human or the youkai, the Hanyou was just an
aberration.
She got up, ran back to her house to give her last respects to her mother. She
stopped for a moment in front of the small hut, she swallowed hard before
continuing to walk, she tried to suppress her emotions and let logic taking
over. The young hanyou sniffed, there were no scents from the bastard left
behind. Kagome eyes probing, examining the ravaged rooms, the evidence of her
final resistance. Both corners of her mouth slightly up, proud of her mother
who will never give up easily. Her thoughts turned to the clue that she had to
find, no matter how small it is. But before that, she had another obligation to
fulfilled.
She unfurled a blanket beside the fireplace in the front room, side by side
with a small cloth and a basin. Without an effort she carried her mother,
slowly and carefully, she cleansed the wounds with a small cloth dampened with
water. She cringed every time her eyes caught the injuries in her mother's
body, bruises, and cuts that still draw blood.
Overcast is hanging in Kagome's face, her eyebrows getting furrowed in the
middle every time the fabric touched the wounds. Very gently she patted the
cloth as if not wanting to hurt her mother furthermore. She wiped her arms
alternately, right then left. Her breath caught as she realized there was
something in the palm. There are several strands of long silver hair, just like
his father!
Is the hair belonged to her father? Is he the one who had killed her mother?
The hair's the only clue that could bring her to the bastard who will die in
her hands, and the death will be slow and painful, she'd promised it. Kagome
immediately put the hair in a small folded piece of cloth and then store it in
the sleeve of her kimono. She will keep it carefully, a small piece of evidence
to pursue the killer, although she had to go to the end of the world.
As a final tribute, she had put the clean Miko's garb on her mother. She
slipped her left hand under her mother's neck and with her right hand, she
lifted the lower body. Without efforts, Kagome stood up, then walk out. Along
the way, she looked at her mother's face. Though she's not smiling, her
mother's face looked peaceful, and it made the pain in her heart was slightly
reduced.
She put her mother carefully in a six-foot hole. After a while, the body had
been covered with soil from the neck down. She gave her mother last kiss on the
forehead before the soil covered her entire body. A small smile appeared on
Kagome's face, at least no more sorrow, distress, and pain for her mother.
There will only be peace for her in the afterlife.
"I-I love you so much Okaa-San..." her words faltered. Kagome put some flowers
which she had learned that morning on the new mound, then she pressed sacred
sutras onto a tombstone to prevent any youkai eat the bodies. "Wait for me" she
whispered softly in a broken voice.
Even though it would be difficult, she just wants to remember the good times.
She couldn't live in a place that will always bring the shadow of her mother's
death. All the good things she had ever expected to happen in her life have
been buried along with her mother. After all, she will not be able to occupy
the house full of memories, so she burned it.
Kagome stood tense, her eyes were empty when she watched the fire licked their
little hut, black smoke billowing into the sky. Her dreams flown with the
ashes. The embers were splashed in an instant before vanishing, just like her
hopes. The sound of creaking wood engulfed by the fire, like the sounds of her
broken soul. The dark charcoal left over from combustion is the depiction of
her jet black heart. Red of the flames and black of the smoke symbolizes a way
of life that must be taken by the hanyou Kagome, the life which full of hatred
and the bloodshed.
***** Alter Ego *****
Chapter Notes
     Disclaimer: I do own nothing.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Unlike humans, for youkai, the territory of Japan long before the feudal era
was divided into four parts; The Northern Region and the Eastern Region are
dominated by the ookami youkai. And the inu youkai controlling the Southern and
Western Territories.
The duty of the lord of the regions is to regulate all youkai who live within
their jurisdiction, whether youkai middle class or mononoke which no smarter
than savage animals. However, wildness is the youkai's natural instincts,
that's why they need a leader who can prevent them from the futile wars that
will only lead them to the destruction of their own race.
Not only youkai, some Lords also supervised many human villages. In the
southern region controlled by Takigawa, and the West led by Touga or Inu no
Taisho, youkai and humans live side by side in peace. The Dai youkai ruled
fairly, both for humans and for youkai.
Under the rule of Takigawa and Touga, there will be no youkai attacking blindly
the villages they protect, and vice versa, there will be no youkai been
attacked by the owners of spiritual abilities such as hoshi or miko for no good
reason. In fact, clashes between human clans also rarely occur within the
sphere of territory they protect because the Daimyo or the clan leaders obey
them both.
Although it cannot be said that there is a very good relationship between the
four, the Lord of the regions always respects each other. Beyond anyone's
expectations, with the great power that they had, there are only a few minor
incidents that had happened in their territorial boundaries that will not have
a major effect on both sides.
For centuries, there was no direct clash between the four lords. However, the
time had rolled, and the power had to shift. The split between the lords of the
region began to emerge after the deaths of the lord of the Northern and the
Eastern Regions. Their almost simultaneous deaths are the cause of the tension
between their successors, Tokushin and Kuroichi. Fortunately, such
circumstances did not last long, Inu no Taisho quickly suppress the turmoil
that exists. In order to calm the situation, he bound the other three with an
agreement. Agreements that make regional rulers do not disturb one another.
The situation was under control, but the peace only lasted for a moment. Inu no
Taisho, the originator of peace, has breathed his last. With that, the power
falls to the only son he has, Sesshoumaru.
Takigawa shy away from what was happening to the East and the North. Tokushin
and Kuroichi underestimated the leadership of Sesshoumaru, therefore, the
atmosphere of the East and North increasingly heated up. Starting from a small
incident on the border, the feuds broke out. A strong desire for power began to
dominate them, with bluntly, they reveal themselves as rivals. And now, the
covenant is forgotten, and the old unwritten rule is upheld by the four Dai
youkai, the ancient rules of who is the strongest who will survive and be the
ultimate conqueror.
Anyone who can defeat the other lord of the region, in the sense of killing
him, of course, will expand his territory, and increase his strength. And the
old, almost forgotten facts make the situation worse, though for thousands of
years the ruler of the region and the owner of the chosen sword are inherited
from generation to generation, but in reality, the real ruler of the region is
only seen from the ownership of the four legendary swords.
Therefore, the weapons that had the great power are contested. The four swords
which became the containers where the strength of the predecessors gathered
were; Makaze, the evil wind from the North. Akaiittou is also nicknamed the red
sword of the East. Yoarashi, the black thunder from the South. And the last but
not least is Tenseiga, the heaven sword of the West.
Despite not wanting to waste an opportunity, the Dai youkai really took their
time. The four are thinking carefully about the best tactics to defeat the
opponents. And, as their heads are busy strategizing, the stupid small fries
keep coming after their sword.
The news about the schism of the Dai youkai certainly aroused the interest of
anyone who heard it. They who smart enough to understand whom they challenge is
not only the lord of the region, but also the accumulation of the powers of the
former rulers, just sit back and watch the progress. While the rest, those with
a little skill, but a lot of arrogance, one by one came to seize one of the
four swords.
The challengers who come only leave a name. Certainly, the news shrank the guts
of anyone who heard it. The longer the number of challengers becomes conical
before they disappear altogether. However, that fact does not diminish the guts
of a certain hanyou-woman who lives by the fire of revenge within her chest.
That afternoon, along with Kagome who walked with a shaky step and head bowed,
the forest was silent. With one light jump, she moved to the nearest tree.
Almost on the highest branch, she leaned her tired body and closed her eyes.
Time had stretched after her final battle with Kuroichi, her body almost
completely recovered.
Kagome opened her eyes, a pair of grayish-blue peering at the shadows of
twilight. Her right hand crawled to her left chest, for a moment she perceived
every heartbeat. Still hurt. But, the pain that she felt was not because of the
physical injuries.
Her courage and determination seemed to sink with the sun on the western
horizon. No more Kagome the tough hanyou, there is only fragile Kagome whose
heart, body, and soul have been gnawed by the despair. Her mission was
exhausting, and again, she was swayed in uncertainty. After all, the only
certainty available to her and to all living beings on earth is just one thing:
the certainty of death.
Yes, the death. The death that just came to her! And after the death that she
went through, all she felt on the inside was the very stifling void. All the
time, the driving force of her body is the vengeance and anger. Although the
two negative feelings she nurtures are increasingly destructive, at least, her
life was not empty. That's what she thoughts, the only justification for what
she had done so far.
However, for some reason, after she rose from the dead, the fire of revenge in
her soul was slightly extinguished. Replace with self-loathing, her desire to
tear the throats of her enemies faded. She's sick of being a killing machine,
and what's most nauseating to Kagome is to be what humans accuse her of, a
monster.
A monster, a nickname that suited her. She had no gratitude to all the Kamis
who has created her, and no thanks to youkai who has given her a second chance
of life. Not that she hopes the death came to her soon, at least, not now!
Unlike her a few years ago, with all the uncertainty surrounding her at this
moment, she did not want to die, not until she was certain that her mission
accomplished.
And after her mission has been achieved? Kagome could not answer that.
If someday, an irresistible death comes to pick her up, is there anyone who
will miss her? Is there someone who will grieve for her? She knows the answer
with certainty, not a single drop of tears that fell because of her death.
After all, she's just an aberration. She is like a fly between the butterflies.
No matter where she was, there was no place for her, neither among humans nor
among the youkai.
She is just a mockery of the Kamis who lack the entertainment to watch.
With both eyes still closed, Kagome stretched her legs on the tree branch, then
crossed her arms over her chest. Her stomach has already protested, but she is
still too weak to look for fruit or hunting small animals. Even for her body,
Kuroichi's poison is too strong. If it had not been for her helper yesterday,
surely, she would have died. Remembering the mysterious youkai, one thing that
Kagome believes, he is one of the Lord of the region.
The flow of thoughts brings Kagome back to remember the beginning of her hunt.
Tokushin, the Lord of the Northern region was her first target. Her first
search_two years ago_was not easy, the distance traveled was also not close.
She spent months before successfully meeting Tokushin. Initially, her quest was
a suicide mission, a small hanyou challenged the Lord of the North only armed
with guts.
The first journey had taught her the hard way. Along the way, countless youkai
were trying to eat her, kill her just for fun, and there are even some who try
to rape her. But that was the way she had to go through. And with that, she
also learned how to fight and survive. An expensive exercise that risked her
life.
With all the experience as a teacher, she had gained a natural fighting way.
Now she knows how to quickly read the fight, how to find enemy weaknesses, and
gave a fatal attack to immobilize the opponent in an instant. The claws, fangs,
speed, power, her sensitive hearing, and her super sense of smell, all the
things that she initially regarded as a curse now became a gift. All the
advantages that Kagome possess, she uses for one core purpose, survives and
vengeance.
Not a few powerful youkai she met on the trip, and not infrequently she was
dying after a battle. Cracked or broken limbs, puncture wounds, and various
types of injuries had been obtained by her. In severe conditions, she would
hide for days or even weeks to recover her body at where she considers safe. To
fill her stomach at the time, Kagome will eat anything is around, even if it's
only the leaves, raw fruits, or the poor little animal that accidentally
passing nearby. Basically, she would eat anything within her reach.
After her body recovered, she went on her way. A fortune for her, meeting the
Dai youkai is not as difficult as meeting the Daimyo from human circles; there
is no guard for the Dai youkai because they are the guardian of the territory.
Due to the unwritten invalidity, anyone can challenge the Lord of the region.
It means any Dai youkai who becomes the Lord of the region should be ready to
serve an almost endless battle. And for the challenger itself, his or her life
is the absolute requirement at stake, there will be no balanced outcome or
second chance. There is only one result: The victory, or the death.
Respected and feared, by humans as well as youkai is not the only advantage.
For some souls, having the title as the Lord of the region also gives pride
that more valuable than the life itself.
In Kagome's life, there is no black nor white, no pure evil or the good, only
gray. There is no single thing in the world is really good or really bad, they
become vague. Because wherever she stood has always been the same, a
battleground, a place for the blood spilled. Had the fight been part of nature,
then everything she had done was on the right track.
Undoubtedly, pursuing a devil for vengeance made her bathed in the blood of the
demons that she had slaughtered. Over time, she will become the devil herself.
The cursed creature who always brings misery to whomever she encounters in her
life. Besides, what could she expect from her life other than take revenge?
Until now she can not answer it, she did not dare to hope anything other than a
quick and painless death when her end had arrived. Perhaps it's the only
purpose in life that makes sense to her, as reasonable as waiting the dawn to
break.
The reddish orange line at the edge of the sky was gone, the night blankets had
stretched, the stars appeared, and the darkness enveloped. In the midst of a
piercing silence, the fragility begins to dominate. The fragments of her soul
that she attaches during the day are now scattered into pieces of dust that
will be blown by the whispers of the wind. The emptiness of the night was so
excruciating, the despair of an uncertain life increasingly killing her slowly.
"I'm alive."
Silence.
"I'm strong, I do not need anyone," Kagome whispered the words to herself over,
and over again.
"You're alive," the soft voice of a small child suddenly sounded.
Kagome was not surprised at all, she was accustomed to the sudden appearance of
her best friend. In the painful years she had spent in the solitude, the sky
became her roof, the forest became her home, the tree became her bed, the
whistling wind became the accompanying music in the loneliness. Five years of
life in the struggle, only one friend she had, a friend she never expected to
get. An odd friend to her who is no less bizarre. Kanna, a small youkai who had
no aura, or smell, appeared on a tree branch opposite her. With a blank look,
the white figure was watching carefully a small round mirror with the silver
edge.
"Half alive," Kagome added.
Suddenly the white-haired youkai lifted her head and looked at Kagome intently
for a moment before turning to look at her mirror again. Some time passed in
comfortable silence. Not much can be said of their friendship, both are more
often seated and immersed in their own thoughts. Even so, occasionally they
also have a short conversation full of meaning.
"Revenge will not bring happiness," Kanna's voice was so low, it was almost a
whisper.
"Too late."
"Not yet," her dangling legs swinging.
"If that's true," Kagome added. "It's too far for me to stop." She closed her
eyes and took a deep breath. 'And it's too hard for me to forget,' her jaw
hardened at once. "Not after I've met who's left, and then I can grant her last
wish." For an instant, Kagome remembered her mother's last request, a memory
that made her chest feel hurt.
Different from the topic being discussed, Kanna said, "the sword has been ...
broken."
Her friend's words made Kagome out of her reverie, she understood what Kanna
meant was Makaze. Oh, yes, she didn't forget that her best friend knows about
certain things, and there is no doubt about the truth. The dark-haired hanyou
said, "I'll finish what I started," she added confidently, "with or without a
sword."
Kagome has promised herself. No matter who he is, she will not stop hunting
him. No matter how, the grudge must be avenged. Until the promise is fulfilled,
there will be no peace for her.
"You'll get more than that," Kanna said in a monotone voice.
Hearing that, Kagome looked at her friend with a questioning look. "Is that
about the sword?"
"Immediately," continued the little youkai.
'Another mystery to solve,' Kagome thought. Somehow, she felt that Kanna's
words were like a riddle and a hint at the same time. Even so, she did not
mind. After all, she had long understood that her life was simply a shift; From
one puzzle to another. From a battle to a war. From distress to misery. It's
like an endless pattern that will be repeated constantly. Thinking deeply about
it only triggered a whirlwind inside her head.
She really wanted to ask, how did Kanna know about it? Of course, from her
mirror. From Kanna and her mirror, Kagome learned that her mother's killer was
a Dai youkai who controlled one of the regions and Kanna also told her that she
would meet her father in the journey. But, which region? Can't she say one
definite region? And then, why does not the mirror tell everything at once? For
example, who is her father really? Or who's her mother's murderer? Behind what
her best friend had said, why did Kanna look like she was hiding something?
Something bigger, which Kagome probably did not want to know.
However, five years is more than enough for Kagome to know her only friend. The
question is not useful, Kanna will not speak without her will and her ability.
All she has to do now is keep looking for the next target, and the next target
has been locked. The mysterious youkai who had helped her.
When Kagome did not expect that his friend would speak again, "West," Kanna
said with her subtle voice.
Kagome grinned, revealing her two fangs. "At dawn, I'll head West."
"Who helps you is the Western Lord," Kanna's index finger moved very slowly at
the edge of her mirror frame
"Next target," Kagome said nonchalantly.
"He's very strong, do not underestimate him."
Kagome's grin faded. "No, I never underestimated my enemies." Only two remains.
"He's heading south."
The next sentences from Kagome became the end of their conversation that night.
"Well then, with one paddle two islands will be exceeded. I will find the
Western and Southern Lords in one place." Contrary to the words that came out
of her mouth, little doubt slipped out in her mind. The doubt that comes from
the fragility that has long been locked. The part of her that is hidden in a
small rusty corner of the heart.
She will return to the area where memories of love and misery come from.
However, the fragility that only emerges for a moment is not enough to stop
her. She remains the hanyou Kagome, the courage is her breath, the
determination is her core to live, the toughness is her other name. Nothing
else could hurt her, because of Kagome, no longer have something worth to
mourning.
Kagome closed her eyes, to get rid of the heart-wrenching memory of hers, she
focused her attention on the distant owl's voice, the friction of the soil and
the rock as the snake crawled below her, the swirling night breeze, or on
anything which can divert her mind and bring her into the dream world.
However, no matter in the real world or the other, the peace that she achieved
was only a blink of an eye. Bad memories always succeeded storming in, even her
subconscious was raped by the sorrow.
On the other hand, Kanna seemed fascinated by her own reflection. However, not
the reflection of herself that she saw, but the unexpected future that awaits
for her hanyou friend. Her dangling feet began to sway slowly, and suddenly, a
scarcity occurred, though for only a second, a thin smile was sculpted on her
face.
Chapter End Notes
     Notes: I'm really sorry for the long wait, but I won't abandon this
     story. From now on, I'll try to post a chapter once in a month.
***** A Deviation *****
Chapter Notes
     Disclaimer: I own nothing.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
The sun shone brightly, its light penetrating from the sidelines of the leaves.
Sesshoumaru walked between the woods of the Southern Territories, his last
destination. He could have flown through the clouds, but, besides carrying a
conquest mission, he was also on a quest mission. Sesshoumaru is looking for a
sacred object hidden by his father. And the thing he was looking for hidden
somewhere in the South.
Sometime later, he could hear the faint murmur of a woman's voice and the sound
of splashing water in the distance. Sesshoumaru doubted the sound he heard
coming from a human being because, he is in the deepest forest, away from the
human-inhabited areas.
The closer he walked to the water source the more he recognized the scent.
While he suppressed his aura, he could hear the woman mumbling something.
Sesshoumaru was not surprised to find his guess was true. His sense of smell is
never wrong after all, the woman he sees now is the woman who killed Kuroichi,
a hanyou who revived by Tenseiga. Still, very clear in his memory, a layer of
blue light illuminated Tenseiga as he used it.
'She wasted no time, after Kuroichi, now she's targeting Takigawa, the Southern
Lord,' thought Sesshoumaru.
.
Kagome was on her way as she passed a small hot spring. The pool was so
beautiful, some big rocks surrounded it, a thin layer of smoke billowing on the
surface, the pool was so clear that she could see the rocks at the bottom. The
natural hot water seemed to call her to rest for a moment and relax her stiff
muscles. Kagome's right foot was already stepping but then stopped, for a
moment she stood in her place.
"Soaking in a hot spring won't make the sun rise from the West, will it?" She
told herself.
Kagome approached the hot spring, she opened her blue kimono before dipping her
foot into the water. She concentrated to check her surroundings for a moment,
was there an aura of youkai or the smell of another human being around her?
Once she's sure there were no dangers lurking then, she took off all her
clothes, and then draped it on the nearest stone by the pool.
Kagome sat by the pool and dipped the tips of her toes slowly. She whimpered
softly as she felt the warmth of the water massaging her slightly tired feet
after running all day. Then she went into the water, walked into the middle of
the pool and began to wash her body. She moaned as she moistened her now-loose
hair. Finished cleaning the body, she shifted to the edge of the pool which
water reaches only to the waist.
Kagome sits on the small rocks at the edge of the pond, now the water above her
chest. She leaned her head back and looked up at the thick white clouds in the
blue sky. Her arms outstretched, she kept drawing the circle on the surface of
the water with the tips of her fingers. Kagome closed her eyes and enjoyed the
very rare peace she got.
Sesshoumaru kept walking closer before stopping a few feet from the pool. He
saw the woman's head resting on a rock, her long black hair created a beautiful
halo around her face. Sesshoumaru's attention drawn to her peaceful face, her
eyes closed, her skin looks so soft, and then his focus shifts to another
beauty on her rising chest. The water and thin smoke cannot hide the other
beauty of her body from the vision of a Dai youkai like Sesshoumaru.
What Sesshoumaru saw in the hanyou was a stark contrast to what he saw first;
her face softened, her smile broadening, her blue eyes now shone with warmth,
her cheeks flushed, her full lips now pink. Among the hot spring surrounded by
green lawns, shady trees covered with soft sunlight, she was the culmination of
the natural beauty that surrounds it. Her figure looks so weak, but beautiful
nonetheless.
"Damn it!" Kagome gasped when she realizes that someone is nearby.
Kagome cursed herself for her carelessness and for not being able to smell the
intruder's arrival. She wonders, is her sense of smell starting to dull? Or
maybe she too carried away in a peaceful atmosphere so her vigilance loosened
and could not detect his aura? Kagome takes a sniff, a moment later, she knows
that the answer is the latter.
With a glance, Kagome could recognize the intruders. He is the youkai who had
helped her, who was also her next target. One thing she noted, he managed to
conceal his aura well. Not just well, but it's good, too good until it feels
scary!
Kagome immerses herself in the water to hide her naked body with her arms
crossed on top of her chest. However, she is a woman, and the youkai who is
just a few steps away from her is the opposite sex.
Anyway, what is he doing here? And the main question is why the man did not go
away when there is a naked woman in the pond! What he did was simply turn his
gaze into the middle of the hot spring indifferently.
Kagome gives him a menacing look, but Sesshoumaru unaffected. Slowly he
approached the hot spring. Kagome growled and jumped out of the pool. She hid
behind a rock where her clothes draped. Unfortunately, the stone is only
covering half of her body. With her back facing the intruder, she wore her
kosode, kimono, and tied her obi quickly.
Sesshoumaru watched as the woman hurried out of the water and scooped up her
clothes, and then jumped behind a stone that failed to cover her upper body.
Although her face looks young, her body has the perfect curve of the adult
woman that all males want.
Kagome's back was hot with his gaze, her face flushed, but she was trying to
conceal her embarrassment. After she finished dressing, Kagome jumps closer to
Sesshoumaru. Her chin lifted, "You, what are you doing here?" Instead of
answering, the man looked away.
Her blushing cheeks did not escape from Sesshoumaru's eyes, the pink hue spread
to her neck, and disappeared behind her kimono. The kimono she wore was
incapable of covering her slim waist, and the length of the clothes was
incapable of covering her beautiful thighs and legs.
Without responding, the man continued to approach the pond.
Shit! "You just ruined my most private time, seeing my body, and now you're
ignoring me?" Her tone irritated. Kagome's face flushed with embarrassment and
anger when the man she was talking to decide to leave. "Wait, I want to talk to
you," Kagome said as she sped up the pace.
Sesshoumaru stopped right at the edge of the hot spring. He pulled Tenseiga
which still in its holster, holding it right in the middle horizontally, and
then stretched out his hand. After a few seconds passed without any reaction
from the sword, he slipped the item back into his obi.
What he was looking for was not in that little hot spring. Sesshoumaru
convinced that the sword was dwelling somewhere close to the water source.
However, based on the leads that he holds, that pool is not included in the
criteria: A place where the three waves meet. There is no kekkai that protects
the place, the item was not hidden there.
This time, he did not think his actions through. What distracted him at the
time? Is the woman's voice? Her body? Or, her smell? Indeed, without tainted by
the smell of her opponent's blood the way it once was, her scents were so
tempting.
Sesshoumaru took a deep breath silently, trying to shake off the thoughts he
considered ludicrous. Without feeling the need to stare at the figure who
became his interlocutor at the time, he orders, "Speak!"
Kagome stammered without knowing why, "I-I..." She cursed mentally.
"This Sesshoumaru did not need any gratitude from you," Sesshoumaru said before
turning and leave her.
Kagome grunted with annoyance. She felt foolish for being nervous in front of
that mysterious youkai, so she said, "I won't thank you!" With one leap, she
stood in front of the silver haired man. "Saving me was your decision, not my
request," she said firmly.
The Dai youkai's intonation was flat as he said, "I'm not saving you, but
reviving you."
Sesshoumaru noticed how she looked at him sharply. A grin in one corner of the
face reveals her fangs. The water dripping from the ends of her loose hair to
her smooth crème skin. "What do you want, Hanyou?" For a second, Sesshoumaru's
eyebrows slightly wrinkled before returning to his old-expressionless-face. "Do
you want me to take back what I gave you?" He asked coldly.
Kagome chuckled before throwing a question in a mocking tone, "Do you think
you're a God, huh?" She who underestimated now began to feel furious. "Pull
your sword!" She challenged.
Sesshoumaru unaffected, he did not even look at her and his answer was, "I'm
not interested." Then, he walked away.
Again, Kagome was blocking his way. "Do not underestimate me!"
While throwing a deadly stare, the youkai said, "Get out of my sights."
Stubbornly she refused, "I will not leave until you fight me!"
"I'm just fighting a formidable enemy." With that, Sesshoumaru passed her.
"You'll regret having belittled me!" Kagome smiled cynically, she flicked her
claws.
Insult detected from his straight tone, "Even with a sword you will not be able
to defeat me," he said.
"I'll prove my word to you." When the last word spoken, Kagome was already
jumping to attack.
Sesshoumaru's hand grasped the hilt of Bakusaiga. "I do not have much patience
for you, Hanyou."
Kagome noticed he drew one of his swords. Different from the one he had used to
save her, the smells of various kinds of blood wafted out from that sword. The
sword in the man's grip was a sword to fight!
"You must know your place, a hanyou like you is an aberration!"
Kagome laughed dryly. "Nothing I've never heard before."
Sesshoumaru's voice volume increased, "You're not supposed to be born."
"Can I choose to be born as something else if I'll reincarnate someday?" Kagome
spouted the rhetorical question with a joking tone, but both corners of her
eyebrows dropped down. Her face could not cover what she really felt. "Oh, I
know, one thing is certain, reborn as whatever I'll be," she shrugs, "I don't
want to be a pompous ass youkai like you!"
"You should perish!" Sesshoumaru brandished his sword, then, a blue energy
explosion hit Kagome and threw her backward.
Without turning around, Sesshoumaru puts the sword back in its sheath and
resumes the journey. His pace was steady as he pierced the woods, but his mind
was far behind where he had just left. What was the reason she is hunting down
the Lord of the region? The question has not answered. Why has he not just
asked? The thought rejected by Sesshoumaru, his pride is too high to show his
curiosity.
'The lowly creature like her did not deserve any attention.' Sesshoumaru kept
repeating that one sentence in his mind. In the past, he did not have to
convince himself like that, but now things are different. The woman had
cultivated her curiosity.
However, no matter how hard he tried, Sesshoumaru could not deny himself at all
times. Many times the woman's face flashed in his brain. Her peaceful face as
she soaked in the pool, gazing up at the sky with a smile. Her blushing cheeks,
plump lips. But, what bothered him the most is her gaze. Her grayish-blue iris,
so deep with mystery. Although he would not admit it, like it or not,
everything about her has tickled something inside of him. Something that even
Sesshoumaru cannot name it.
Sesshoumaru's steps stopped, he closed his eyes for a moment to drove the
unimportant thoughts out and focused on the leads that he had to find the
object he was looking for: A powerful sword hidden by his father for reasons he
did not know.
The clue he got from the blacksmith who had forged the sword consisted of only
one word, 'Minami'.
Over the years he has spent time with half-understand, Minami mentioned is not
'Beautiful Waves, nor Love and Beauty'. Minami is also not a woman's name. Most
likely, Minami in question is 'The three Waves', or South.
When the two meanings, combined, then, he gets a brighter clue than before.
Minami could mean, 'Three waves in the South'. More likely, there the sword
that said more powerful than the four legendary swords is hidden.
Unfortunately, of the four areas, the South is the largest. The hiding place
can be anywhere. Though Tenseiga would react when he approached the sword's
location, still, it did not guarantee that he would find it easily. He needs a
great fortune to find the sword quickly.
His eyebrows puckered for a moment, he cannot believe why the old man did this
to him. Is not it obvious that he is the only one who deserves to possess the
object and to sustain the title of the Lord. He is the only one worthy.
Though he could not find the sword yet, the Western Lord is very convinced that
this is the right time for him to bear the sword that inherited by his father
and control the entire territory. Nothing could stop him, if Sesshoumaru had
determined, he would have found the sword. Soon.
.
Kagome was lying on the ground, the impact of the attack had snatched her
consciousness. In that state, she carried away into the past. The row of trees
in front of her turned into the little hut where she lived with her mother. The
memory is like dancing in her head.
One night a few years ago, she just woke up from her sleep. As she was about to
close her eyes, she heard the sound of wood creaking, momentarily silent,
before the same sound came back. Soon, she heard someone whispering. The
triangle ears on top of her head twitched, Kagome put on a good hearing. Then
she sniffed, no danger noticed, but vaguely, she caught the funny smell from
her mother.
"I miss you," her mother whispered. Kagome got up and sat down, and then she
heard her mother laugh quietly. Soon a man's voice muttered, "Hm."
Curiosity took over her. She stood up, then walked slowly, trying not to make
the wooden floor creaks. Her heart beats faster each step she took. Her heart
seemed to pause for a moment when she reached the doorway, from the small gap
between the curtains, she could see the front room freely. The light from the
furnace in the room already extinguished, but the gloom was more than enough
for her eyesight.
She could see her mother lying on her back, besides an object like white fur,
not a single thread wrapped around her body. Besides her mother, there was a
man, as naked as her mother, who was lying on his side. But what drew Kagome's
attention from him were the long purple-tinted lines on his arm. Unfortunately,
the man's face covered with his silver strands. Considering what she saw was a
dream, Kagome backed down and lay down on her futon.
Kagome opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a clear, cloudless summer
sky. Now she remembered, the next morning, the smell of her mother changed a
little. At that time, the typical smell of her mother slightly mixed with the
smell of someone. What she saw was the reality, not a dream. And on the same
day, with a smile, an angelic voice, and a soft caress on her head, her mother
promised something she had never asked for, her father's return.
Her mother said, 'In a moment, we'll be together. After he finished the last
important matter, we will live together. 'At that moment, there was a strong
conviction in her mother's voice that made Kagome believe. After all, there is
no reason for her not to believe in the woman who had given birth to her.
Since then, her mother never mentioned again about her father's arrival. Though
the time went by, and the day changed, she was always waiting with a smile and
hope. Her mother is a tough woman whose beliefs are too strong to shake by
anything. And Kagome did not want to change that, but fate said otherwise.
After a week of waiting, instead of getting together they parted ways forever.
From the moment she began to remember, until now, never once did she meet her
father. Even so, the heroic story of her father is always told by her mother.
Her mother also told her how they met, how her father helped her mother from
danger, and how they loved each other. Her mother always tells how they're
united by love, and then blessed with the greatest gift that they ever had, a
daughter, that is herself.
Every day, during her mother's life, she keeps repeating the story.
Yet, her mother never told her why they had to live apart, she only explained
that that was the best for her at the time. Her mother also told her that they
would always love her. His father will always protect them, and all other
explanations, that sometimes, are not easy to believe. Nevertheless, not once
did her mother ever mention how forbidden their relationship as a miko and a
youkai.
There is no happy ending in her mother's love story. There is only the
destruction of faith that builds for years, torn by the cruelty of fate,
trampled by misfortune until charred to dust. Her mother's fate has left the
long dark shadow on the path she had to go through. As the lineage of a
forbidden story, the black thread of destiny has awaited her.
Kagome still lying on the ground when she whispers the one word as if it was
something taboo, "Otou-san?"
A drop of blood ran down on Kagome's cheek, with the back of the hand, the girl
wiped the blood. With that, her mind of the past cut off. Kagome got up, patted
her kimono, and walked back to the forest and continued her slightly delayed
journey.
Kagome's focus point goes back to the figure she has just met. The attack she
had received may have been just the tip of the nail of all the power that cold
youkai possessed. She did not know the reason he refrained from attacking her
with his full power. However, what she knows is the man is strong. Even so, she
will not be afraid, she will not let go, 'surrender' will not come out of her
mouth if someday they involved in a fight. She will make him regret having
ruined her relaxed time, and made her kiss the ground after a good long bath.
She looked up and sniffed. The mysterious youkai's aura nor his smell, no
longer detected. But Kagome was sure that one day they would meet again. And
when that time comes, she would ask the same question she threw at each of her
targets, 'Do you know a Miko named Kikyou?'
Chapter End Notes
     The sword is not Tessaiga.
End Notes
     E/N: This fic has been completed_in my native language_and will be
     updated once in a month (hopefully). I'm sorry for any shortcomings.
     Minna saiko arigatou.
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