Flesh
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Inuyasha created by Rumiko Takahashi
Chapter One: Black Water
She awoke naked beneath several white sheets. Sheen of sweat covered her body causing the material to cling like second skin. The fear attacked her brain, paralyzing all thoughts. She stood, knees weak, and forced herself to run. She from room to room she searched, for what? She didn't know all she cared about was finding it. She placed her hand over her heart, only to come at a abrupt halt. She felt around, but instead of a heart found a warm gaping hole that oozed blood on to her. Her heart was gone, yet she still felt the beat. Through the chaos that racked her brain, she heard a powerful reach her.
'Follow it girl."
She kept running,
'I need to find it, I need to find it,' following the noise till there was no other sound but her heart. She faced the closed door, still naked, still empty. Somehow power fuelled her and she indignantly opened the sliding door.
And there he kneeled. His arms chained to the wall, his heart missing. Cuts and bruises all over his once perfect body.
"Inuyasha?" Feeling faint she let out a small sob. "Inuyasha! Wake up! Wake up!" She began to take in deep breaths to control the shakes. She tried to reach him only to drop to the ground in pain.
From the shadows, a body emerged. His eyes were riddled with malice; his hand holding her bloody heart. Silently he walked to her like predator does prey. He leaned in close, his nose in her hair, his cool breath tickling the shell of her ear. She could feel him smirk against her. "I want you to watch this, my love. Watch this and remember."
He quickly left her side and strode over to Inuyasha's limp body. The shadowed man pulled him up by his red stained hair and pulled a sword from behind him.
Her mind raced a mile a minute, unable to pull her eyes away.
Slowly, the blade was applied to the hanyous throat.
"INUYASHA!"
As quickly as the words came out of her mouth, the blade cut through his carotid artery.
She felt the sudden blood splash on to her face.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
"Ku ku ku, is it truly gone... Kagome?" the man asked her.
CRASH!!!!!!
Kagome awoke with a startle. Pieces of clay lay everywhere and the water it contained quickly. Her hand frantically clutched her chest for reassurance, only calming when she realized that her heart was still there. She had another one of her dreams. She mentally groaned and rolled her eyes, trying to push away the lingering images. She sat up, her head in the hands as she slowly massaged the temples. She wondered how much longer this dream sequence would last.
"Is it truly gone...Kagome?"
It always ended with the same daunting question. No matter what horror she faced the man always asked her the same thing, and the dread she felt kept her from answering.
She looked around her room. The floor was a mess and her sleeping bag was slowly getting wet. The small fireplace in the middle hissed at her for having water thrown on it.
Suddenly, the door was slid open and light spilled into the dark space. Squinting, all she could make out was the silhouette of a small girl.
"Aiko?" Kagome asked gently as the girl no older than six nodded. The child bit her bottom lip, and a small amount of tears welled in her eyes. "What's wrong, little one?" And like that the bundle ran straight into the woman arms.
"Lady Kagome! I- I heard th-the big crash and th-thou…" She began to sob; Kagome just smiled and pet her hair.
"There, there. See? Nothing's happen to me." Bring her hand forward to Aiko's face Kagome showed her. "Not even a scratch my dear."
"Th-then, w-w-what happened?" The child asked, wiping away her tears.
"I slept too close to my water jug. And while I was sleeping, I must have knocked it down, that's all, nothing bad." She hugged the little girl close again, and Aiko smiled. "Now, I'm sure breakfast is ready and that Katsurou is now looking for you. Go." The girl gave her a toothy smile, nodded, and leapt out of Kagome's arms, and bowed on her way out.
Kagome stood fully from her makeshift bed and stretched, knowing that at some point she would need to put her dark dreams aside and deal with reality. Looking fondly to the spot Aiko once stood, she thought to herself, 'and reality isn't so bad.'
She bent down to pick up the pieces of clay, one by one. Its ragged edges cut on left hand, and blood emerged. Kagome paused, watching the phenomena that shouldn't have been so interesting. Hastily, it ran down to her wrists. Her flesh could be cut, her blood could still seep, and Kagome smiled. She delicately brought her hands to the small incision, and sealed the wound within a matter of milliseconds. No scar, no sign that it had ever happened and then she felt empty. "Who am I?" She asked aloud. Receiving no answer, she continued he morning rituals.
The sunlight flittered in and out of her hut, illuminating the contents within. There were stacks of books and scrolls neatly tucked into a corner. A tea kettle her mother had bought sat on a pillow as her most prized possession. Its intricate red and gold embroidery sparkled with the sun's help. Her once enormous yellow backpack lay empty and hollow with only a few medical items within. Her bow and sling of arrows were propped near the door. A wooden basket filled with herbs and flowers. These were her possessions, this was her life.
Besides these few indulged materials, the hut was empty. She lived here, alone.
The jewel, gone, the well sealed, and she was now six years wiser than she once was. 'So much learned, so much lost.' Kagome thought as she combed though her hair, adding a bobby pin to left side and leaving the rest down. 'I need to trim my hair again,' she thought fiddling with the ends. Lost in thought, she put on her traditional robes that had replaced her school uniform. She looked at them with despair. 'These clothes…these clothes define who I am. What I am.' Her fingers ran over the smooth light pink silk of her nagabakamas. The colour being a representation of that day, two years ago…
"Oi Kagome! Is your ass up yet? " She looked over her shoulder and there he stood, leaning against the door frame. His hands tucked behind his head, and that perpetual look of annoyance on his face. She hastily tied her obi, and fully turned to him
"Good morning, Inuyasha." She smiled at him and he just rolled his eyes. Still brash, still ignorant, still caring, he really hadn't changed much since Naraku's demise. Unfortunately, she had. She grabbed her bow and arrows quickly. "Shall we?"
"Feh." He walked out of the hut and she followed.
The warm rays felt good on her skin. The air was fresh, clearing her lungs from the morning's sudden pressure. She felt at ease walking with Inuyasha. They walked all the way down hill from her hut that stood alone into the tiny village of orphaned children. Katsurou sat outside his home honing his sword as some of the children played a game nearby. He was just a young man when he had run away from his home in the east, escaping death by his mother whose soul was possessed. He had wandered to this abandoned village, just a few miles away from Kaede's, and settled in, taking any stray or orphaned child.
His short black hair hung in his face as he remained focused on his task. It wasn't until he heard her approach that he looked up. She was walking beside the half demon that often sought her company. She looked at him with a small smile which he returned in kind.
"Good morning Katsurou-san." She stated simply, waving her hand. He had known Lady Kagome for several months since she'd moved into the isolated house at the top of the hill. He had heard of her many years before, in fact, most of Japan had head of the powerful Shikon priestess that had destroyed the demon Naraku with the help of the hanyou Inuyasha. She was a true legend that seemed much too good to be true. The cynicism in his heart led him to believe her caring nature to be a myth, yet when she had come to inquire about the hut; he had never experienced such a holy presence. The once torn village flourished under her watch, and a divine energy swept over it warding off the danger they always seemed to be facing. She would come down every day to visit with the children or to see him. She helped with the cooking, and taught the children the uses of different herbs. While she was kind, thoughtful and most likely the most selfless human on the planet, there was an air of secrecy that surrounded her. Whether it was the seemingly extra glow to her skin, her overly vibrant eyes, or the odd colour of her priestess robes, Lady Kagome was surely no ordinary human priestess.
"Ah! Lady Kagome! Would either of you care for something to eat?"He asked, looking at her with care. She looked to Inuyasha, who shook his head, and then mimicked the same gesture.
"I believe we're fine for now, thank you," and like that she continued on her walk with Inuyasha. Katsurou couldn't help but notice that he always seemed at peace with himself in her presence. As if his past scars were healing because of her. Katsurou shook his head and continued his task while listening to the laughter of children.
They had been travelling for days on end, only stopping when it was absolutely crucial. Sesshoumaru sat upon Ah-Un perplexed, though no one could really tell. The sounds of the other men behind him were lost, as he solely concentrated on the sounds ahead. He silently commanded Ah-Un to remain still. The rustling leaves, the damp mud, the shrieks of pain.
"Lord Sesshoumaru? Is something wrong?" The young human man to his right asked. Sesshoumaru halted his troop of soldiers. The air was different, too calm for his liking. He likened it to a silence that occurs after a tree falls. He felt his youki rise, his blood rush around, his heart pump faster. 'Purification,' he thought, and with that curiosity had won the better of him.
"Stay. I will return." He leapt off Ah-Un and into the west of the forest, leaving the men to whisper among themselves and the youkai silently nodding their heads at their Lord's decision to investigate.
Speeding over fallen tree trunks, across a river, and through winding weeds, Sesshoumaru could smell it. The scent that was all too familiar but had somehow changed. It was flawless and clean. Within seconds he saw a bear youkai on the ground. Its size monstrous, its power diminished. Coming closer to the beast, he felt rolling waves of lulled purification.
'This encounter occurred hours ago, yet the beast still exists.' Refusing to believe the youkai was powerful enough to withstand purification, Sesshoumaru walked closer. The demon tried helplessly to stop shaking while the cleansing effect reverberated through its body. Its eyes opened to look at Sesshoumaru.
"Explain." Sesshoumaru demanded of the beast.
"A…a- a wretched w-wom-woman," he managed to sputter out. "Ahhhh I-I-I w-w-was stalk-k-king pr-pr-prey, a-a-a p-pr-priestess. Sh-she l-l-left m-me her-r-e...t-t-to th-think. Th- the p-p-purif-f-fication, it-t-t b-b-burnsss," it hissed in pain as he continued to struggle to look at Sesshoumaru.
'Priestess?' The lord thought to himself. There was no lie in the scent that lingered, yet his brother's remained absent. 'She is near,' he thought while he walked away, ignoring the pleas for help from the bear.
He immersed himself in thought once again. It had been two years since he had travelled to this side of Japan. He sacrificed fighting near his own army base to save the villages from unfathomable destruction. Returning home had been a journey in itself. Everything looked so unfamiliar. Two years of constant rage and death made the peaceful confines of the forest seem eerie. Two years of constant screams only to faced with his old friend silence. Silence and him for centuries more.
Sesshoumaru reached his army of men as they all stood ready for orders. At his command, at his mercy, tired and depraved. He brushed past them, hearing them hold their breath for his word.
"We will remain here for the evening."
Finally finding a small clearing amongst the deep forest, the pair decided to sit side by side, just as they had done for so many years. Enjoying the fine summer breeze, Inuyasha lay down his hands supporting his head.
"It will rain tonight." She stated, her arms crossed over her bent legs. She stared at the grass straight ahead, relaxed and steady. He looked at her through the corner of his eyes, and then went back to watching the bird's in the sky. Not a cloud in sight.
"How are you Inuyasha?"
"Meh, can't complain. Those brats in the village are a pain in my ass. They don't understand the meanin' of peace and quiet." He complained with a smile after hearing her giggle.
"You need to have more patience with them, Inuyasha. Besides, one day, you may have your own and the skills you're learning now will come in use. I believe it's good for you to be with them, think of it as practice."
"Look at you, gettin' all profound with me. First of all, Kikyo ain't pregnant," he said, tapping his nose for extra emphasis. "And second, if I'm having little brats, Kagome, there's no way in hell I'm doin' it without your help." Kagome looked at him directly, realizing he what he was really trying to say.
"I'm not coming back, Inuyasha," she said evenly. "Besides, I'm less than an hour away, it's not a big deal." He scoffed, turning to prop himself up on him side. He looked directly at her. There was no anger, or impatience, just calm in her eyes.
"I don't get why you have to be "away" at all. Why don't you just come back to Kaede's village?"
"I almost killed you Inuyasha," She sadly looked back at him, "and I won't let it happen again."
"Kagome, you're being ridiculous! That was months ago, and if I don't have hard feelin's about it no one else should." He sat up fully, grasping her hand with desperation. "I know you would never hurt me. Kagome, you always look out for me, take care of me, and make sure I'm happy. I want to do the same for you."
"Inuyasha…" she trailed off knowing how badly her hanyou friend felt about her self-appointed exile.
"…I've found you a good man, one who can take care of you right in Kaede's village." He looked at her being serious.
"Noboru?" She asked incredulously, "you've got to be kidding me Inuyasha."
"He loves you Kagome, and he wants to marry you. He wants give you all the things, I can't." The shame in Inuyasha's voice was undeniable. After all, the main reason she had left her family was so that they could start a new one of their own. Yet as the years went by, all that remained were a hanyou and a priestess with lifelong friendship as their companion. Nothing more, nothing less, and even if she didn't wish to be the truth, it still was. She stared at him with an emotion he couldn't name. It was sadness, pain and anger all together as one.
"Inuyasha, there are many things in my life that I will never be able to control. And the one thing that I can, the one that is most precious to my heart, you're taking away from me?"
"Kagome, please try and understand. You deserve to be taken care of more than anybody else. You deserve a good man. Please just, think about it okay? I just want you to be happy."
She sighed at him and nodded heavily. A silence lapsed around them, trying to ease the tension. She was left to think about Inuyasha's brash proposal. Noboru was a nice man, he really was. He taught the village children how to write and read scrolls, he was good looking, and strong. A dependable man if there ever was one. 'Maybe Inuyasha's right, maybe I should settle down, and he truly does love me…' She missed that feeling, the feeling of being longed for, needed and loved. All Inuyasha wanted was to see her happy, was that so wrong? She contemplated the issue till she took a deep breath. "I…I will be the one to talk to Noboru, understood?"
He looked at her with amazement only to look away. Once again she was doing something for his benefit, and not because she truly wanted to. "Understood."
Once again they eased in to a silence. Inuyasha had opened his mouth several times to say something, only to find Kagome deep in thought. The guilt of pushing her too far swiftly washed over him leaving him with one thought.
'It's for the best.'
The wind blew past them, swaying the grass back and forth. The healthy green leaves rustled, and every now and then a cricket would chirp. This was the peace Naraku's death had brought.
"Sesshoumaru is coming back tomorrow."
"I know."
"…Do you think he'll be different?" Inuyasha asked solemnly. The tone particularly hard to miss, and then Kagome understood where this was going.
"Tell me what you're thinking, Inuyasha."She gently coaxed him, not wanting to push too fast.
"War. It has the power to change things. Change people."
She looked thoughtfully to the clear sky. "That it does."
"I should know firsthand, Kagome. The violence, the hate, there is no way to keep it from seeping in to the heart. Even if it is for just a second. I mean sure he's a prick and a half, but..."
"But?"
"We've come to this kind of, I dunno, truce I guess. We speak like civil people, what I think brothers would speak like…….I spent most of my life living alone, until I met you." Kagome looked at him softly and as hard as he tried to read her, those cerulean eyes remained elusive. "You taught me how to make my own family, and I did. You are my family Kagome, the only family I had for a long time." He let out a humorless laugh. "Fuck, I'm always the first person to say that Sesshoumaru ain't perfect, but he's still my brother. I guess I was just hoping that I could hold on to that a little longer, that's all." He looked to her again seeking some sort of validation.
"You're right Inuyasha, war can change people and your brother is no different." Right when her eyes met his, he looked dejectedly to the ground. Tenderly, she smiled at his demeanor and continued. "I know the amount of darkness that can fester within a heart… a weak heart that is." She grabbed his chin and made him look her in the eyes. "His heart is strong. His will is strong. I am certain Lord Sesshoumaru has not let war irk him in such a way as to change who he is as a man. You are his brother, and nothing will ever change that, Inuyasha."
"Pff, how do you know Kagome? He and I haven't been "brothers" for very long." He pulled away looking in the opposite direction.
"Because I can feel it within my own heart. You and your brother are more similar than you think, and whether you want to admit it or not, you love him as he loves you."
"Gross." He exclaimed, making a face of pure disgust that made her laugh. "That's sick; I do not love my brother!"
She patted his shoulder as she continued to be amused at his expense, "sure you don't."
He rolled his eyes once again, "You know the whole village has me breakin' my back for the bastard? Sesshoumaru this, Sesshoumaru that. It's like they all forgot that he's tried to murder us on several separate occasions."
"Oh! You're having a festival?"
"Yeah, it was Rin's idea. When she heard he was coming all hell broke loose, and now we got literally an army stayin' with us." He smacked his hand to his forehead, "Kikyo, of course, indulges anything that the kid wants. I'm supposed to be hunting a boar right now."
She laughed in response, "How like you, Inuyasha."
"Whatever. Anyways, you should come tomorrow. I know Sango and Kikyo are dying to see you again, bet you're missing out on a lot of gossip."
Shrugging shoulders nonchalantly, "probably."
"So, you'll come?"
She hesitated on answering. She hadn't visited the village for a whole two months. Slowly, she nodded her head, "I'll be there."
"Good."
"I should bring a gift for Sesshoumaru-sama, shouldn't I?"
"Ugh, not you too? Man, what is it with this guy that everybody is goin' gaga over?"
"I think it's his shiny silvery hair. Oh no, even better, his seductive golden stare! Or maybe they all love him because he's been away at war for two years, protecting us from many a disaster."
"I'm gonna pretend you didn't just use the word "seductive" in reference to Sesshoumaru. You sure you ain't sick?" And then she laughed that same Kagome laugh. Her laugh was a sound so pleasing and unique to his ears that he'd committed it to memory.
"I must go Inuyasha, I will see you tomorrow." And with that he was left to watch her retreating back as he turned in the opposite direction. He raced off to hunt; truly finding a cause to celebrate.
She felt him race off as she re-entered the heart of the forest from the clearing. Leaves that had fallen to the floor crushed beneath her, sunlight struggled to reach her through the thick upper canopy. She stood still for a small second, letting herself be immersed in the cool air. After the moment of peace, she continued on. Walking over fallen tree trunks, across a river, and through the winding weeds.
It was still lying on the ground exactly where she had left it, howling and squirming pitifully.
"I thought I told you moving around would only make it worse?" She said without care as she walked towards the beast. Its large yellow eyes widened at the sound of her voice, it began to growl and salivate. It struggled to formed words, yet managed to.
"AHHHH It's y-y-you! Yo-u-u d-d-damn w-w-witch." He tried to lean forward only to yip at the searing pain in her heart.
"Well it doesn't look like you've given much thought to your callous actions from the day before. Maybe I should return for you in another day or two." She shrugged her shoulders, and began to walk away.
"No! D-d-d-on't l-l-leave me lik-k-k-e thisssss!" He yelled after her, calming down only after she had decided to return.
"Have you learned your lesson?" She asked sternly like a mother scolding a child.
"Yes! Yes! N-n-now p-ple-ple-please, s-s-s-stop this p-p-p-pain. M-m-my insid-d-d-des are b-b-eing torn ap-p-art." He began to squirm even more, and once again the pain amplified. She walked over to the bear demon's shaking form, looking on with mercy and compassion.
Tenderly, she called out to him, "Calm yourself, it will all be over soon." Smiling, she kneeled to its level, her small body seemed so fragile to his massive form. To think a woman like this was able to bring down such demon with a single wave of her hand was preposterous.
'Talk about underestimating your opponent," she thought with a snort.
Her hands made their way over his heart as she closed her eyes in concentration. She felt the purification running through the bear and called it to her. Slowly it began to rise out of the bear into the palm of her hand and then back to her body. The white light hummed throughout her, the power rush right over her blood stream giving her small jolts. The task completed, she stood looking at the demon that was recovering.
Standing, she looked at its fearful face with some remorse, "you'll be fine." Pausing, she chose her next words very carefully. "But if you should ever be foolish enough to attack me again, I promise you, I will not be so kind."
She began to walk away and the bear youkai instantly stood regaining most of its strength. He looked at her for a long while, realizing that something wasn't right.
"What being are you?" He yelled out after her. She stopped and looked at him, repeating his question within her own head.
"They call me Kagome." And with that she was gone. He could see her past the thickness of the trees, or even feel presence for that matter. It was if she had disappeared all together.
It was evening by the time she had reached the village once again. The night sky illuminating the fire that Katsurou had built. She had spent most of her day in the forest thinking, repeating the question the bear youkai had asked her. 'What being am I?' she asked herself for the umpteenth time. The forest had been kind to her with no disturbances to distract herself from, well, herself. The manner, the horror, in which the dear had asked, had struck a nerve. Ringing her hand together, 'I am human,' she thought. The line that once was her salvation seemed for stricken of meaning. She quietly continued her dissent into the village. Katsurou remained the only one outside admiring the night sky. His hair bangs falling into his eyes as he made attempt after attempt to blow them out of his face. She giggled at his bothered expression.
"You look like you could use a haircut."
One leg propped up with an arm hanging over it, while the other foot was firmly planted on the ground. He had seen her from a distance, walking towards him. He smiled, "Well it certainly wouldn't hurt." She sat next to him, hands in her lap, staring up at the same stars. Her skin looked so soft and smooth; her hair delicately reached her lower back in light waves. "Did you enjoy your afternoon, Lady Kagome?"
"Yes, very much so Katsurou-san."
"You must be hungry, please sit, I will make us something." He went to turn back in to his hut when a hand stopped him and sat him back down.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to stay that long… "
He looked quizzically at her, and her sudden change on behavior. "Is everything all right?"
"Oh everything's fine. I'm just traveling to Kaede's village tomorrow."
"When will you be back?"
"Probably not for a couple days." She looked out to the forest and then Katsurou. His intense hazel stare brought a blush to her cheeks. The deep emotion in his eyes forced her to keep looking, the look she had longed for.
"You haven't seen them in a while, they miss you." She blinked, and then blinked again and laughed.
"Well that's why I'm going back. That and Lord Sesshoumaru is coming home." Katsurou noticed the hint of admiration when she mentioned the lord's name, and couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.
"Lord Sesshoumaru?"
"I must have told you about him!" Seeing his clueless face, she continued looking to the moon to reassurance. "Hmm, I suppose I haven't then. He's a powerful demon lord, ruler of the western lands actually. He's also Inuyasha's older brother. Two years ago, he was forced to wage war in the North and hasn't retuned since."
"Inuyasha must be happy then."
"Happy? Ha, I don't think that would be the first word he'd use. He certainly is pleased that Lord Sesshoumaru is alive though."
"And you? You must be happy."
"You know what Katsurou? I really am." He felt the jealous twinge once more. "We certainly didn't meet on the best of terms, you know, with him trying to kill me and everything."
"He tried to kill you? And you're happy to see him?"
"It's in the past," she replied waving his worries away comment away. "Since then, we've become-" A clap of thunder followed by showers interrupted her.
"Rain, today? But the sky was so clear…" Taking a strained breath to smell the rain , Kagome stood up. She stuck her hand out feeling the water slip in and between her fingers.
"Inuyasha! Come join me, the rain is so nice." She jumped out of Kaede's home and into a puddle.
"Feh! Kagome get inside before ya catch a cold!" She laughed and twirled about before looking at him.
"You're right Inuyasha, I'll get sick." She walked over as he smirked at his small victory. She held out her had as to ask for a help into the hut instead of being bother by the stairs.
He rolled his eyes as he went to pull her up only for her to tug him unexpectedly right back outside and right into a puddle.
"Ugh! Kagome! Boy, when I-"His whining stopped short by a smack on the head from a passing Miroku.
"Lady Kagome? Lady Kagome?"
Brought from her musings, Kagome pulled her hand back so fast one would think the rain to be acid. Katsurou looked concerned for her as she merely smiled. "I will see you tomorrow morning Katsurou-san." She walked into the rain, feeling the instant contact with every part of her.
"Lady Kagome, you'll catch a cold!"
"No…no I won't." Turning on her heel, she headed home.
"…good night…" She didn't bother to look back.
Thoughts of Sesshoumaru's arrival consumed her as she trudged along the muddy path. The wind howled under the force of the thunder. Rain had picked up in speed, leaving her bare to its command. The branches on the trees violently fell to the ground. No mercy being shown. The ominous feeling lurking within her wouldn't rest. The darkness had accumulated, calling out her and the purifying power within. Reaching the front of her house, she stopped.
"Is it truly gone…Kagome?"
Her breath hitched in her throat, tear s beginning to prick at her eyes. Her heart panicked feeling a thick evil in the air. She answered so silently, so softly, praying that it wasn't heard.
"No."
…and the storm raged on.
Nadi's notes: So this is the start of my newest piece. This will be my third attempt at multi-chapter and I've never done CU before, it's kind of like a little taboo baby. Tell me what you thought, and if you liked the direction it's going in or not. Like always reviews mean a oodles to me, and critiques are welcome with open arms. Thank you.