"Precious Illusions"
Written by:Obsidian Eclipse
Feedback: Is totally awesome. Drop me a line and tell me what you think. I'm not afraid of flames; I consider them a big help.
Disclaimer: If you really think I own Inuyasha, you're off your rocker. Durr.
Author's Note: After a long, long hiatus, Eclipse-san presents you with this is total rewrite and revision of Precious Illusions! So yep, there are some changes to the plot and style of the story, including a new character. Enjoy 3
Chapter One – Ensorcelled Beginnings
A lone figure sat around the large, crackling fire.
The night sky was pure black, and clear. The moon swelled like a sixth-month belly, and thousands of stars shot through the inky darkness. The clear twilight air was tranquil and still. The forest was equally quiet; it seemed that no animal or being had wanted to venture out during this particular evening.
Her long red hair fell over her face as she readied herself for the final preparations. Impatiently, she brushed it out of her way as she carefully measured and cast in painstakingly crushed herbs into the heart of the flames. Pausing a second, the woman glanced at the fire, watching in satisfaction as the blaze seemed to swell and darkened in color, and allowed herself the slightest of satisfied smiles.
It was nearly ready, this ancient spell she was about to cast. It was of old magicks, of things that she was well educated in. Magicks came naturally to her. This particular spell was a surprisingly complex one; it should be able to work to fulfill her carefully laid plans.
This should be all that takes to rid the annoying reincarnate out of the way, once and for all. The hanyou Inuyasha will finally be able to wrench his eyes off of the little harlot and focus on what he should have the whole time, the one he should have spend his time, devotion, and love on. The one who had loved him the whole time. Not the reincarnate, but the original.
A mere murder would not have sufficed, though she had thought and debated on it. No, using her spells to kill the reincarnate in her sleep or while she was alone and vulnerable, would not all be satisfying. It would, she thought distractedly, simply take the fun out of everything.
She took a painstakingly measured pinch of crushed herbs and sprinkled them slowly over the fire. Once again, the dancing flames swelled and darkened. Raising large, luminous black eyes to eye the fire, she noted that it was indeed, almost time to complete her task.
She stood, and walked counterclockwise three times around the dark, roaring flames, chanting the words of the incantation in slow, measured tones. She breathed in deeply, black eyes glittering, cheeks flushed in elation. The flames roared louder, and rose to tremendous heights, rivaling the tall dark trees around them.
Even stopping for a second could destroy the spell. The young woman knew she needed all the concentration she can manage. Even excellent expertise in magicks could not be helped if the spell went wayward. She kept her pace counterclockwise around the raging flames and chanted louder and louder, until she was almost screaming.
I can change fate. I can do this. For you, ojou-sama.
The clear night sky became distorted with black smoke, and clouds began to cover the moon and its twinkling stars. The young woman stopped abruptly and threw up her arms, tossing back her head, and letting out a final cry. She would whisper more incantations and stand there for thirty more seconds until she could extinguish the flames.
At that exact moment, the still air became pierced with a strong, sudden wind. Caught off guard, the woman coughed, and stumbled. The fire shifted.
The young woman sucked in a breath, eyes wide in alarm. That was not to suppose to happen! Which Power Above had made this happen? Agitated, she strode clockwise around the dying fire. This will work! She will make it work! But her efforts were in vain. It was now impossible to undo the damage that was now done.
The sorceress sat down unsteadily on the ground, wiping perspiration from her face. She took rapid, shallow breaths, as her long red hair fell over face, shadowing her eyes, which were raging with disappointment and failure.
Kikyou… ojou-sama. Know this… I only did it for you. All for the sake of your love.
The three of them had gathered around the well to give say goodbye to another one of their group. She would be leaving for a short while, and was returning their farewells affectionately.
It was a beautiful day, bright and sunny, a bit warm. It almost too nice a day to leave and be cooped in her room to "study" for an "exam" as the girl Kagome had said. But each of her friends had just nodded amicably with understanding. This was such that happened in the modern world, a world that Kagome had off-handedly educated them all about.
The said girl was perched on the top of the well, her only link and transportation between the subtle rifts between the division of time, between the era of the Sengoku Jidai and the present. Smiling, Kagome bade her final parting words. Her gaze rested and lingered a bit upon a figure that stood slightly apart from the rest of the group.
At first glance, he just looks like an ordinary, good-looking young man, Kagome mused, but you always notice the white hair, and the small, white dog ears on the top of his head that distinguishes him as a half-demon. During the few seconds that she had been absentmindedly been studying him, she was surprised to find that a small blush had came across her cheeks.
As if he had sensed it, the hanyou raised amber eyes to Kagome's dark brown ones and scowled most ferociously. "You better hurry back," he snapped, sullenly plopping down to the earth cross-legged. "If you don't, Kagome, I'll just have to come get you myself. Again!"
Kagome arched a brow, her thoughts momentarily distracted by his sharp statement. "I won't be long, Inuyasha, I promise. I just have to take this one, really important vocabulary test. This really major… it could determine my whole future, and where I can go for college!" Shaking her head, she flashed another smile and chirped another goodbye to everyone, and, with long black hair flying, jumped through the well to return to her own time.
Shippou pouted the second Kagome had disappeared through the well. "Aww. I always miss Kagome when she's gone!" he complained, hopping down from the branch of the tree that he had been hanging from. "And I know Inuyasha does too, even though he complains more than me!"
That remark received a sharp whack on the little kitsune's head. "What did you just say?" growled the said dog hanyou, glowering at Shippou. "Keep saying smart remarks like that, and I'll have your head!"
Shippou, whimpering over his latest blow, simply stuck his tongue out insolently at Inuyasha. "You know it's true!" and scampered off quickly before the object of his bantering could come and respond with violence.
The witness to this small scuffle chuckled good-naturedly. Brown eyes, outlined in fuchsia shadow, twinkled as she spoke. "You know, Inuyasha, you really shouldn't be so hard on Shippou-chan. He's only a child, you know, and though Shippou-chan is smart, remember, children hardly know what they're talking about." The demon exterminator made her way over to stand by the dog hanyou, unable to resist a grin at the expression on his face.
"Keh!" Inuyasha sniffed huffily, and turned his nose in the air. "You think I really care what some punk little kitsune says? I only give him his daily whacking because… because kids need discipline. And Shippou needs all the discipline he can get!"
"Right," Sango replied cheerfully. The thick romantic tension between Kagome and Inuyasha was infamous, obvious to all except themselves. It was really rather sweet, actually, and the rest of them were all waiting for the day when the two would come out and realize their feelings for each other.
Though Sango would rather die than say it aloud, lately her main train of thought was about that very topic. Love. Romance. Amour. She was a demon exterminator, she needed no one and she stood alone. Yet… the very thing she delicately declared herself against was the very thing she desired.
The dreams she had at night were ones that she both despised and irresistible. She often woke up with lingering images of someone holding her, caressing her, and simply loving her with all his being. Who the person that she had loved in her dreams, she did not know, but she did know he was strong, holding her gently as if she was a treasure, a precious gift that had to be cherished.
Okay, so she'll admit it to herself. She did have more than friendly feelings towards the monk, Miroku, another one of the eclectic members of the traveling group. Though an extreme pervert (a very, very cute pervert with the cute little ponytail), she had known from experience that the young man were noble and courageous, dependable in battle. But she did not get a secret thrill whenever he felt her up. Nope. Because that never happened. Putting one's hand to squeeze another one's behind was just… wrong, disgusting, and perverted. Never, because she did not.
And speak of the devil, there was Miroku himself, coming up to meet the two, with Kirara at his side. He must have just finished with his exorcism, Sango surmised. She had agreed to let the monk to borrow Kirara for a little while, just in case he ran into a bit of difficulty.
With a soft mew, Kirara leapt into Sango's waiting arms and nestled there, purring contently. Sango and Inuyasha turned expectantly towards Miroku, who was beaming.
"Good news, everyone," he said proudly. "This old man was so grateful, he gave up a whole lot of riches to me as a donation." With a grand sweep of his arm, he gestured towards the carts of payment that Sango had previously overlooked, which was considerably a miracle in itself, as the carts were so large that passing people and paused to stare.
Sango rolled her eyes affably. "Good job, monk," she said drolly. "So nice to know that you live up to your humble monk standard."
As Inuyasha gave his own sarcastic comment, Sango stepped out of the shade to set Kirara down on the ground. However, the sun had now seemed to be shaded, casting a dark shadow. The air suddenly dropped to a chilly level and an abrupt wind swept past her, making her shudder slightly. She glanced over at Miroku and Inuyasha, who was chatting amiably. They seemed to have felt, or not noticed anything.
Another sudden strong wind whipped past her so soundly, she almost stumbled, and had to grip a nearby tree branch for support, her heart pounding as if she had just slaughtered an army of demons. Her breath came shallowly, her chest tightening with sudden pains.
Then, just as quick as it had come, the wind, and darkening of the sun was gone. Her physical discomfort gone, she was left blinking in the strong sunlight.
What was that about? Some sort of seizure, perhaps? she wondered uneasily. Again, she looked over at Miroku and Inuyasha; they were still talking, but Inuyasha's amber eyes were level on her. She glanced over again, and the dog hanyou was just as he was, slumping across the tree, still speaking to Miroku. More illusions? What was this?
"Mew!" Kirara nudged Sango's leg with her tiny head in distress. She was the only one who seemed to understand what had happened to her mistress. Sango bit her lip and bent down to meet Kirara.
"It's nothing, Kirara," Sango reassured her, stroking the cat demon's head. "Nothing at all. Really."
Still, something urged her glance over them once more. Miroku had already jogged down to take the carts of riches back, and Inuyasha was languidly stretching, about to get up and follow. For reasons unknown, her gaze remained on the hanyou, and lingered still as she walked behind him.
The two humans, one hanyou, kitsune, and cat demon all headed back to Kaede's village with the monk's treasure in tow. As soon as they were settled, Sango excused herself.
"I need to rest, take a quick nap," she told them. And that was the truth. Maybe the strange attack she had experienced was due to exhaustion. After all, she had just exterminated a rather difficult demon the day before.
Miroku and Inuyasha nodded in acknowledgment, and turned to wander away. Sango caught the eye of the monk for one second, but she shifted her eyes away to meet Inuyasha's amber gaze, almost without realizing it. Miroku started to amble off with Shippou, but Inuyasha stared steadily back at Sango, his eyebrow raised. As they looked at each other silently for a long moment, a strange sensation came over her. She could not break her gaze, even though tiny warning voice inside her told her as much, a small bubble of warmth rising within her breast.
An instant later found an embarrassed, Sango finally turning away. What was she doing, staring at him for? Gods, the hanyou must now think that she had some serious problems. She used the excuse of fixing her sleeve as an excuse to look down and hide the pink of her cheeks as she headed inside the small hut. This day was getting to be exceptionally strange.
See, this is what happens when you don't get enough sleep, she told herself, slightly shaken.
Sango took one step inside the hut when Inuyasha spoke.
"You got something to say to me?" he inquired, and she froze involuntarily. Slowly, Sango wheeled around to face the hanyou. She was surprised to find that he wasn't wearing his customary glower or anything that resembled insolence. He simply looked at her, his face open, curious.
Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to find the right words to answer him with. Language suddenly seemed like quite the tricky thing at the moment. "I – I… of course not. What makes you say that?"
Inuyasha scratched the side of his head. "The way you were staring at me all day?"
"I was not staring at you all day," Sango said, a bit more shortly and defensively than she had meant to. She shook her head, trying to convince him as well as her. "Look, Inuyasha, I'm tired. Slaying demons is hard work. I'll see you later." Quickly, she marched inside, trying to ignore the rapid pounding of her heart.
Inuyasha stared at the back of the demon slayer before she disappeared inside. He was genuinely puzzled at why Sango had seemed to be looking at him for awhile. It was strange, enigmatic. But when he asked her, he did not feel characteristically annoyed; on the contrary, he felt rather… okay with the whole odd incident.
"Keh. Girls," he muttered, finally turning away to a nearby tree, and leapt into one of the branches, sitting cross-legged against the base. "I'll never figure 'em out, and I don't wanna."
Still, he could not shake off the continual thoughts of brown eyes, shadowed with fuchsia, set upon a lovely face with long, blunt-cut black hair. As much as the hanyou tried to direct his thoughts elsewhere, his musings always came back to those eyes.