Disclaimer: Yes, I do not own Inuyasha. And yes, in my dreams, I'd like to pretend I do.
Summary: (Oneshot) There were no such things as fairy tale endings… this she knew. And yet, every night... every single night... she dreams of a Prince Charming to come save her from this existence. And him? He has no dreams at all. (SessKag)
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Fairy
Tales
By
makka na yuki
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Once upon a time, in a land far faraway, there lived a man who is aprince and a priestess who is just a teenage girl.
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They were both nearing the completion of their goals, forming a tense alliance in order to defeat the greatest of the world's evil. There were no cruel stepmothers, no poisonous apples, nor any fairy magic to make their wishes come true. Only a small pink ball that is spoken in the legends of demons, one that brings too much misfortune… too many deaths.
They both had their wishes.
He needed to annihilate anything that comes in between his path to power.
And she carries everyone's hopes in needing to undo her past mistakes.
It was not easy – it never was – as the members from opposite sides would rarely agree with anything at all. But the young priestess knew they – the demon lord and her little mismatched traveling group - both needed each other's power if they wanted to get anything done at all.
Fate, however, didn't want to make it so simple.
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Though it was never planned, she met with him during nights like this, in a large clearing that spoke of many battles. There was really nothing to do, nothing much to say, but through each other's presence, they found understanding.
They both have their faults, masks on their faces that neither really minded. It was risky, that they knew – the consequences of having someone know so much about their lives without really looking – but they were both, in a way, ready to gamble.
Because really, he was more vicious and cruel beyond what others may see.
And she's not as pure as they may believe.
And if the world has something to say, then that, for the demon prince and the priestess, is just alright.
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She was always the one to break the silence.
"Sit" she would say, sometimes smiling at the thought of using such a command. She knows he is tired of the day's battles, but only refuses to show it because she is there. A weakness, he calls it, if he thought she deserved his reply.
He would ignore her, which is expected. But sometimes, as the days pass on, he would jump – fly, she thinks – up a tree and rest there.
Because, he decides, it's okay to let go even just for a moment.
And she… will still be below him.
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"Inuyasha… has decided to let Kikyo join our group"
"Aa." He replies, not really knowing, nor caring what to say.
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She would always speak of things, stories and views about a world much different from his own. He, in turn, would stand by and not voice out any opinion, sometimes not even really listening at all because he knows she does not expect him to understand.
"My professor once told me that if you get to live up to the age of seventy, you'll get to see the light that shone the moment you were born from a star seventy light-years away. But you're what, more than a hundred years old!"
Sometimes, he feels the need to comprehend this other life she speaks of, something that is far beyond his imagination, just to grasp the concept of what is true and what is just fake hopes.
Because he had lived for so long, yet do not care to know much about mortal existence.
And her soul has died too many times, and knows far too much that it hurts.
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The battles were getting harsh. Thousands of demons would come by, wreaking havoc and destroying many villages. The attacks increase everyday, forcing them to let go of their differences and to strengthen their alliance with each other. They would fight and fight and fight, but at the end of the day, they found they just could not save everyone. This is reality, and they have learned to accept it.
Still, they would always succeed and continue on, the stench of blood not disturbing their senses anymore.
They have fought far too long and seen too much to care.
They were closing in on Naraku.
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"Rin has… passed away." He was not one for words.
She sadly smiles in understanding.
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They had an agreement of sorts.
She would not ask why he didn't just revive his adopted child with the Tenseiga for the second time.
And he would not look for the reason behind her sad eyes.
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They stayed together, longer and shorter every single time, just between the moments when the first stars started twinkling and last ones die.
He needed someone to tell him that he is at fault, to blame him for what happened.
And she needs someone who does not care or worry about her at all.
This is their unspoken rule.
In a sense, they both gave and took everything and nothing from each other.
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When everything is done, and questions have been answered, they still meet, no longer weighed down by any obligation.
He was there because she reminded him so much of the child he had lost.
And she stayed because he was nothing like the man she loved.
"Cry" he states, almost like a command.
And the look she gave him all but says he should do the same.
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Communication was not necessary for companionship. And companionship did not require obligations. Things between them were always unsaid – boundaries that are not to be crossed, opinions that should be left unspoken. Still, in the light of the situation, they could not stay the same. They both knew they were treading on dangerous grounds, bending the rules that bound them together indefinitely, but they didn't mind.
Because he was too proud to let any law limit his actions.
And she always thought that rules were meant to be broken.
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He was the first to try to break away.
"Your questionable actions may lead to further suspicion from your friends"
He was telling her to get over her depression, though at the same time implying that he did not care.
She nods her head in understanding and beams him a smile.
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She tries her hand at the new game.
"I think that, you couldn't have done anything anyway, even if you didn't leave Rin behind"
She was telling him that it was not his fault, though pointing out as well that even he is not strong enough to conquer destiny.
"Aa" he replies, feeling slightly insulted.
For this demon prince and the human priestess, there was no goodbye.
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Long long ago, when the moon decided to announce its farewells, two individuals would meet, basking in each other's presence, taking nothing and everything at the same time. They both understand things that are left unspoken and believe that fairy tales are what they make of now.
There are talking frogs, beasts that turn human, and wolves that are out to get your heart. But there are no longer any magic mirrors, girls with hair problems, nor any witches who eat little children. Princes do not come with smiles and charms, and priestesses can fight for themselves. And people - not only the big bad evil ones – can truly die.
In this world written between the lines, there is never really a love story.
There was only Sesshoumaru and Kagome.
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And they lived.
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Author's Notes: I do hope this time, this one-shot is not as vague as the others. There are many questions left unanswered, and I know that. I like to make my one-shots that way. Opens for more possibilities don't you think? I'd like to give everyone a chance to imagine what ending they want… or something. But if you do have questions, I'll try my best to answer them on how I view everything happened anyway ;;;
And further note, you can call me weird, but I really love this line - There are talking frogs (Jaken; the frog in "Frog Prince"), beasts that turn human (Inuyasha; the Beast in "Beauty and the Beast"), and wolves that are out to get your heart (Kouga; "Little Red Riding Hood").
I might as well explain the next one too. But there are no longer any magic mirrors (Kanna's mirror; "Snow White"), girls with hair problems (Yura, "Rapunzel") nor any witches who eat little children (Naraku, cause he absorbs people , "Hansel and Gretel").
I didn't know if anyone actually got that when reading the fic though. Hummmm.
Let me know what you think, reviews are always welcome.