Wow. It has been so long since I've written, much less posted anything. Of course, that probably has something to do with my lack of internet access for say… ever.
Anyway, I went and watched Inuyasha: Affections Touching Across Time and my muse apparently decided to get off her lazy butt…
Muse: HEY!
… and start working. I don't know if this will be any longer but I do sorta have an idea about where this will go from here if I decide to continue, but knowing my muse and my computer, it will probably be a long while before I have another chapter posted. If someone would Beta for me, I would really appreciate it.
Anyway… kudos to anyone who actually read any of this and on with the story.
That…sound again…
Kagome winced as a high pitched keening filled her mind, threatening to destroy her fragile grip on sanity…and control. As Menomaru sought to force her to kill her best friend, his moths swarmed around the clearing, their noxious poison stifling the air. Distracted momentarily, Menomaru seized his chance.
Through eyes glazed red, she saw her pale fingers grasp the arrow lying innocently but a few inches away. She saw herself take aim at Inuyasha's heart. She saw him refuse to run, believing that she would be able to win, to wrestle back control and free herself. She saw and she fought…and she failed.
Inuyasha! Nooo!!
Her arrow flew straight and true, straight into Inuyasha's prone form.
Inuyasha? Inuyashaa!!
Kagome screamed her agony into the wind. She didn't realize that the tormented sound would catch the attention of another silver haired, golden eyed demon not far away.
She saw Inuyasha sink to his knees at the base of the Sacred Tree. She didn't notice the tainted shard burst from her forehead. She didn't notice the bow and arrow disappear.
She raced forward, holding his head in her trembling arms. She didn't notice the moths disintegrate. She didn't notice the two powerful auras that steadily approached.
She pleaded with him to be alright, begging him to open his eyes and say something. She didn't notice the blood soaking into her white haori. She didn't notice the tears flowing down her face.
She prayed to the kamis to help him and she cursed Menomaru with every fiber of her being. She didn't notice the silent footsteps. She didn't notice someone pick up the shard a few feet away.
"Ironic isn't it?"
Kagome's head snapped up, though her grip on Inuyasha never faltered. She looked up to see Kikyo standing a few feet away, looking for all the world like an angel of death as her soul collectors floated inches from her pale skin.
"The same situation…The same spot. You truly are my reincarnation, walking the same path I did."
Kikyo held up the shikon shard. It remained a dull pink in her hands.
"Now, take this and return to your world."
"I won't!"
Kagome felt a cold fury grip her heart at the thought of abandoning Inuyasha. She had told him she would stay by his side and she had every intention of seeing her promise through.
"You must go. You never belonged here in these times. You are an outsider, a person who chanced upon this world of ours."
Kagome flinched. Kikyo had touched upon her deepest doubts, the ones that came to haunt her at night. Her grip on Inuyasha wavered then firmed, but when she spoke, her voice was timid and scared.
"I can't leave Inuyasha."
Kikyo's expression stiffened, her eyes angry.
"You must leave! You're the one who injured him!"
Not willingly! She wanted to cry. Kikyo's words stung but she would not … could not deny the truth they carried.
"Heed my words. Hyoga is using the formidable Tree of Ages in order to increase his demon powers."
"Tree of Ages?"
Kikyo moved forward, her steps surreal in their grace, and placed her palm on the Sacred Tree. Her hand lingered almost longingly on its smooth bark before she responded. When she spoke again, her voice was gentler, almost soothing.
"That's correct. Thisis also a Tree of Ages."
"The Sacred Tree is?"
"A Tree of Ages lives through different eras. Hyoga's Tree of Ages steals energy from various generations. By now, other generations of time have already frozen over. Your era has likely been plunged into a never ending winter."
Kikyo sighed and lowered her hand back to her side.
"Come with me. There is something you must see."
Kagome hesitated. She looked at Inuyasha and, after a moment, gently laid him to rest against the Sacred Tree.
She stood cautiously and silently followed Kikyo. She gasped when they stopped at the Bone-Eater's Well.
"Buds are forming…but…the wood of this well is ancient."
"This well was constructed out of wood from the Tree of Ages. It's vital life force lay dormant all these years and is now being awakened by the Tree of Ages."
Kikyo paused, collecting herself for a moment.
"If the well is covered over, you will never be able to pass through to your own time."
Kagome leaned over the side of the well, staring into its depths as it was slowly being overrun by thick, winding vines.
"You must return to your own world while you still have a chance.
Her voice had grown slightly desperate, slightly angry.
"But…Inuyasha…"
"Go home!"
Kikyo began advancing on Kagome. Her steps were shuddering now, no longer composed.
"Back to your own era where you belong! You and Inuyasha live in different times."
Kikyo's fists had clenched in her fury and an unnatural wind began whipping her hair about her face.
"Go home!"
Kagome yelped when she felt that same unnatural wind push her backwards over the side of the well, back to her own era, her own home but away from Inuyasha and her friends and the life she had found here.
The last thing she saw before the vines obscured her vision was Kikyo's face, with an expression that almost looked like pity, staring down at her from over the well, silhouetted against a grey sky.
"You must never be with Inuyasha again…nor I, for I am one of the dead and as such, I too do not belong here."
Kikyo sighed and glanced behind her, her eyes betraying nothing of her inner turmoil.
"You're Inuyasha's older brother."
Sesshoumaru stared at her impassively as he stepped into the clearing.
"The girl named Kagome…You truly must loath her…or are you merely testing her powers?"
Kikyo turned back to the well, staring at the climbing vines for a moment.
"I loath all things. I despise every living creature who is bound to time."
"Do as you see fit, though I warn you, I shall be the one to destroy Inuyasha."
Sesshoumaru turned and strode away, his moon spun hair waving behind him, and Kikyo merely continued to watch as the Bone-Eater's Well was slowly consumed.
Rin and Jaken quickly scurried out from behind a nearby tree and began to follow him, their steps much quicker than their lords.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, are you certain it was a wise decision to let that woman go free?"
Sesshoumaru merely glanced at his retainer, scorn and… something else, something unidentifiable in his eyes.
"Are you blind Jaken? That woman is already dead."
Jaken's eyes grew larger and his mouth hung open, shocked into silence. Rin however, had no such speech impairment.
"Dead? But how can that be? She spoke as if she were living. How can she be dead when she's alive my lord?"
"Silence Rin!"
"I'm not asking you Master Jaken!"
Rin glared at the green toad as he lost his temper.
"What?! You brazen child!"
Rin merely ran ahead when Jaken took an unfortunate tumble.
"Wait for me, Lord Sesshoumaru!"
Well, I am very proud of this even though most (Ok 99.7 of this) is copied directly from the movie. It's a slightly different version that I could easily turn into a KagSess fic if I wanted a.k.a. if my muse wants.
Quick question. Should I change this to Rin speaking in third person? She doesn't do it in the movie but almost everywhere else I see her she does.
What I want to know is if you guys want me to continue this. I have sort of an idea for this to go on but if no one's going to read it (or review it) I'm not really sure I'd be able to make it as good a story as I want it to be.
So push the little button in the corner and tell me what you think. Opinions, suggestions, even flames are welcome. Just push the little review button!
