Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha!
For those who read my story, "Concrete Angel: Naruto", this was the story that created the plot bunny for that one. It's shorter and not as polished, but please, give it a read!
Concrete Angel: Inuyasha
"That damn girl shouldn't have existed, why was she even born?"
"Dear, why did you have to do this?"
"Look at her! The ugliest thing in the world! She looks nothing like you!"
"We'd better go bury her, before anyone gets suspicious."
Kaoru felt herself floating as she sighed, not sure where she was.
"The purest of hearts must be given a second chance…now fall to the new world you will live in…"
Her eyes opened to see she was free-falling, her arms and legs spread to slow her fall somewhat. Her wide jade eyes stared down at a small village below her, rice paddies surrounding it, something she hadn't seen outside a history book. She smiled as she relished in the feeling of falling, her short burnt orange hair clashing with her eyes. Her fall didn't slow fast enough, and she smacked belly-first into a rice paddy, making a huge noise more than a splash as she was momentarily stunned from the impact. She sank to the bottom of the knee-deep water, before regaining her senses. She blinked in the muddy water and pushed herself up, the sodden feathers of her wings making them droop as they folded against her back.
White wings…how… Am I a tenshi?
She rubbed her torso, which tingled and stung from the impact, spitting out the mud that had gotten in her mouth. She stood, her sneakers sinking almost completely in the muck. Shaking her head she felt her bangs splatter more of the wet dirt onto her face. She was certain she didn't look like herself, more like a thing that had climbed out of a swamp. Her shoes squished grossly when she got on dry ground, just as she heard an alarm sound and shouts rise from the inhabitants of the village. She saw bright lights come on and realized something.
Is it…nighttime? This is weird. It's like noonday to my eyes. Those fires sure seem really bright to me… I feel like covering my eyes.
The people quickly converged on her, and she raised her hands as pitchforks, spears and arrows were pointed menacingly at her. Am I gonna die again so soon? I doubt they've seen anything like me before.
"It looks like some kind of bird yokai," one of the villagers muttered.
"Why did it climb out of a rice paddy?" another asked.
"Quiet, quiet," an elderly woman's voice called over the murmurs. "I will judge on what this individual is. There is no need for wild tales, everyone."
Kaoru focused on the speaker, a gray-haired old woman with an eye patch, hair tied back in a low ponytail with a white ribbon, a miko outfit, tabi with straw sandals and a bow with a quiver of arrows over one shoulder.
A miko? I thought there were only those in shrines and temples, and they aren't armed. This is weird. Why would a miko be the leader of a village? I am so confused.
"Child, what are ye? Your clothes are similar to that of Kagome's, yet a different style, and those wings… It is certain ye did not come from the well, for it is on the other side of the village."
All the puzzled girl could manage was a shrug.
"Ye do not know? Where did ye come from?"
She tried squeezing water out of her sodden clothes (t-shirt, jacket and jeans) before pointing at the sky.
"The sky? So ye were dropped from it?"
She shook her head and pointed again.
"Higher? The heavens?"
That started the group of villagers talking again.
"This child's a kami?"
"Funny, I always thought they were dressed finer."
"Well, it would make sense, since there are no wet footsteps anywhere else." A/N: That makes no sense! Ah, the intelligence of the masses back then!
"May we have a name to call you by, Child?" the miko asked.
Kaoru shrugged. I doubt they know how to read, so I don't really know how to communicate, since I was a heavy smoker in my childhood and I had to get my vocal cords removed. I was lucky I didn't get lung cancer, or maybe unlucky.
"Do ye not have a name?"
Not sure what to do, she merely shrugged again.
"Well, we shouldn't stay out in the open, yokai may take us by surprise. Come, let us get ye some dry clothing and wash off that mud."
She was led into the village, where a men's yukata was provided after she washed herself off. She changed in the old miko's hut, before folding her dirtied clothes so they could get washed later, the top not closing well because of her wings. She held them out to dry as she sat in front of the fire pit, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.
"Are ye comfortable, Child? Not chilled?"
Kaoru nodded, feeling uncomfortable with only a blanket preserving her dignity. It's odd, I don't feel cold at all, yet I don't feel the heat of the fire, either. I haven't had to kneel like this in ages, so my legs are beginning to fall asleep. Not that I could complain anyway, so why should I care?
"Your clothes will be washed and dried by tomorrow, if they are what ye prefer."
She nodded again.
"I have something to ask ye, if ye can answer it."
The teenage girl waved for the woman to continue.
"Why is it ye don't speak? Is it because ye will not?"
She shook her head.
"Ye cannot?"
She nodded. It's not like I want to be a mute for life. Overall, it sucks.
"I see now, why ye didn't answer any questions out loud. Allow me to introduce myself, since ye cannot do so. I am miko and leader of this village, Kaede. Since ye cannot give a name, I will give you one that's appropriate for you."
Kaoru nodded. I guess that's as good of a thing to do as any. I suppose that I'll be starting a new life here, as I was told. Although I do wonder who this "Kagome" is, if I'll meet her at all.
"Here, some hot soup to help warm ye up."
As she took the bowl and chopsticks, she realized something else. I'm not hungry at all, something else to add to this weird new life. I'll take it to be polite, since it's already in my hands. I wonder if it'll taste like anything.
She began to drink it, using her chopsticks to scoop the larger pieces into her mouth. It tastes good, a very simple meal, but good. At least I don't have to pretend to taste what I eat. It would suck if I pretended it tasted good when everyone else was about to throw up from the terrible cooking. I've never really tasted traditional dishes, since I was in a more western-style household. It would've been so embarrassing had I not known how to use chopsticks.
Kaede finished first and served herself another bowl before asking, "Did ye enjoy it?"
It's interesting in its simplicity. Kaoru nodded.
"Would ye like to have more?"
She shook her head.
"I have noticed that your hair and eye color are rather odd for a normal child. Your green eyes and orange hair, are they natural?"
She nodded. I was born with these clashing colors, which was one factor why I was thought as hideous. I thought with my new life I'd have long hair, different clothes, more harmonious hair and eye color. I guess colors that clash so bad you want to barf might be charming here. Although I don't know why that would be when everyone has the native coloring: black eyes and black hair. But who am I to judge? I don't know what these "yokai" are, so my crazy colors might be the norm for them.
"For a kami, ye almost fooled me by your looks. If not for your odd clothes, I would have thought ye were a yokai of some kind. No ningen has ever had such odd coloring, so I would not be surprised if ye are mistaken for a yokai should ye travel away from here. Since ye have eaten, let us get some sleep so ye can be rested in the morning from this ordeal."
Kaoru laid down, a straw-woven pillow under her head and the blanket covering her body. I'm not tired, but I should fake sleep so I can have some time to think without interruptions.
The rest of the night was slow-passing but quiet.
So...what did you think?
Since I'm using some Japanese terms here, I'll give a small glossary:
tenshi - angel
yokai - demon
miko - for Kaoru, shrine maiden, but for everyone else, priestess
tabi - socks with a split between the large toe and the rest of the toes
kami - a god
ningen - human
If I remember, I'll keep up these glossaries, just in case there are new terms that come up!
Please review!