End of Chapter One:
"You have holy blood…the resemblance is feint but it's there. Why you are familiar…why you could summon me." His tone altered, the ironic amusement had drained of even sarcastic warmth and his hands were crushing the sides of the page he had ahold of. He turned toward me as shimmering pools of light rippled into existence around him, the points of blades coming forward through the mystical gates. There had to be a dozen or more, floating midair here and there but all were pointed at me! What was he doing!?
Chapter Two: October and April
"She was like April skies, sunrise in her eyes. Child of light, shining star. Fire in her heart. Brightest day Melting snow, breaking through the chill. October and April. He was like frozen sky, in October night, darkest cloud, endless storm. Raining from his heart. Coldest moon, deepest blue. Tearing down the spring…"
-The Rasmus, October and April Lyrics
September 1st Early Morning –
"What are you doing?!" I could tell my tone was higher than it should have been. I was terrified of this man, my momentary idolatry transforming to terror with his aggression. "Stop it! Don't attack me!"
As I cried out a pulse of translucent energy curled outward from me like a burst of heat warbling the air. I'd shouted the words as a matter of self-preservation but it seemed to take root in the man that was ready to attack me. Weapons that had shot out toward me from the glimmering circles in the air faded even as the portals did. The air of my small home as empty as it had been before he turned on me in the first place. My skin burned…
The back of my hand ached, and I noticed for the first time there were marks there, a series of pointed dark red angles set up to look like a starburst. There had been eight points…but one seemed to have been rubbed away slightly. I didn't have time to think about that now though, glancing back to where the man had stalked up to me. He raised his hands as though he wished to wrap them around my neck, pausing just short while his eyes were venomous enough to make clear his intentions if he wasn't somehow held by my unexpected mystical prohibition…
"Why do you want to attack me?" I asked, hoping to salvage something here, like my life. "If you don't like me you can just leave…I didn't mean to call you. I'd rather not die…"
My words seemed to breach the unexpected vengeful haze that had taken him and he lowered one of his hands, the other pausing on his forehead a moment. I wasn't going to interrupt his quiet, that was better than him trying to kill me, but I was still staring in shock at the way my ritual had turned out.
"You don't know. I shouldn't be surprised; modern humans are horrible about tracking their lineages." He let out a single scoffing laugh and looked back at me, scanning my face carefully again. He took my chin in his hand, grinning when I tensed at his touch and looking carefully over my face. "You aren't an exact copy, which is why I didn't recognize it sooner. The eyes are different, enough mongrel blood to have made them lose any sign of divinity. The hair is shorter and styled differently but still, you must belong to one of her bloodlines."
"Divinity? Whose bloodlines?" I frowned at the idea. I'd heard it before of course, priestess' like myself with abilities were supposed to have gotten the power from somewhere. Was I descended from a god like he was saying?
"Who? Kotomine?" I was guessing randomly, just trying to put names together. To make any sense of out what was happening here.
"Kotomine isn't a god, just another mongrel with unique hobbies." He answered, shaking his head at me. "As you are ignorant of your filthy blood I'll let your insult of commanding me slide. It is only natural for dogs to bark when threatened. However, you'll release your seals to Kotomine and be on your way. I have no patience for such a master, my plans can go on uninterrupted if you are serious about wanting to live."
I frowned.
Sure, I had offered to let him go and all when he was going to kill me, but that was before I knew I could order him around. That's what the marks on my hand were for? I'd have to be careful but I'd already told him not to attack me so that was probably a good one.
"No." I said directly, shaking my head at him.
His brow rose in displeasure and he leaned closer, his taller body seeming to dwarf mine though part of that was probably my own nervousness. He paused inches from my face, his eyes narrowing again, one of his portals opened over his shoulder, a long-curved blade lazily floating out of it. The dangerous object totally unaware of its status of 'ready to skewer Kagome'.
"You, you can't attack me. I told you." I stammered, with a quickly dwindling confidence.
"Commands aren't lasting things; do you think I'll allow a clueless mutt to insult me in this way? Your ignorance I was magnanimous enough to forgive, your audacity I cannot." He remarked, and I didn't have time to give another command before the weapon shot at me. I closed my eyes, expecting the pain or at least nothingness to come, cursing myself quietly for digging into father's books and carelessly summoning this thing into the world. Gold wasn't a color I would associate with gods in the future…this man certainly was more devil than angel.
"What did she do…" His frustrated voice made me realize that in my frantic thoughts I hadn't died yet. There was a long spear with its point uncomfortably close to my chest but it stayed suspended in mid-air, not moving closer but not vanishing either. He wasn't looking at me, he was looking at the spear that had stopped short of making me into a shish-ka-gome. "Ishtar, you witch…is this one of your punishments?"
"Ishtar...who the hell was Ishtar? Was that the god he said I was descended from?" I was a bit too nervous to ask given he seemed as though he wanted to kill me and he just couldn't.
"Look uh…I'm not Ishtar…I'm Kagome. I um…I just want to figure all this out. I know you aren't very happy with me but I think we could get along." I tried, trailing off at the deadpan expression he gave me at my words. He wasn't speaking so I wanted to fill the space…I kept talking. "I want to see if I can help. You said it's corrupted…this grail…I've cleansed corrupted wish items before...I did with the Jewel of Four Souls."
Well…mostly…I fixed the problem anyway…
He laughed at me. "Mongrel, you already stated you have something you want. You must consider yourself in the greatest regard if you think you'd resist that mindless draw of desire and be able to pass up the temptation of the grail."
"I've done it before." I answered hotly, angry at his implication that I would choose myself over others. I hadn't last time, I let the past go…if I could help save the world again by doing the same then of course I would. He just told me that any wishes are corrupted…if someone else got it…someone like Naraku… "Don't you think that I wouldn't give up everything to help the people around me."
"Oh?" He smirked darkly, as if my protest had broken into his irritation and amused him. "I see you don't completely lack fire, spurred on no doubt by the gift Ishtar gave you. Command Seals don't usually last for extended periods and yet yours keeps you alive. I wonder if you'd still stare with such contempt if you lacked that shield to hide behind. You grow tedious…"
He started to vanish and I blinked at the gold dust he was leaving in the air as he disappeared…no, wait, I was supposed to be the one in charge here. "Stop! You may not leave without my permission! You have to talk to me!"
My hand burned again with the words, and another glance told me I'd lost two more of the points of the strange mystical star on my hand. I only had five remaining, I needed to be more careful with them, how was it Magus' managed this when the spirits they summoned were so argumentative? The commands didn't even last? I wasn't totally sure of his reasoning behind why mine seemed to but I figured I needed the help.
"Do you think you'll get away with this mongrel? With ordering the King of Heroes to report in and bow to your will like a mere child?" He hissed at me, his form returning from the same dust it had started to fade into. His hands were near my shoulders again and it was clear he wasn't too happy with my actions but I felt a little emboldened that he didn't seem to be able to touch me if he meant to attack me. I resisted the urge to shrug at his angry behavior, if he didn't act like a child I wouldn't need to treat him like one.
"I am not trying to be disrespectful." I learned in my part time retail job people sometimes weren't as rude to you if you opened with that line. "I am trying to learn more about what is happening here? Why wouldn't you want the grail to be cleansed if it's possible? Who are you? I don't know more than your name, I can't really treat you properly if you don't explain how that's done. Who is Ishtar? Why does it bother you that I look like her?"
I glanced away only at the last question. Was my whole life going to be people judging me because I looked like others? Why did this keep happening to me? Had Kikyo also faced these sorts of difficulties? Had she looked like the god we were both descended from?
"It bothers you, that I say you look like someone else." He remarked in his usual matter of fact way. He was observant, I had to give him that. "Fitting in this case. Ishtar is a worthless harlot, but the marks on your hand, the altered seals. It's clear she is where your bloodline begot its power. Not overly shocking considering she'd mate with most things capable of breath and some without."
So, I'm descended from a goddess slut? What was she then? Babylonian Aphrodite?
"Uh, why do you hate her?" I asked, I was so used to people mistaking me for others that it didn't faze me as much as it might anyone else to be told I looked a little like a god.
"Ishtar is a covetous wench, when there are things she cannot steal or beguile she does her best to destroy them." He answered me harshly, though he'd at least dropped his hands from where he seemed ready to strangle me, that was some small progress, right?
"Look ah, I don't want to anger you…more than I already have." I added the last part when he frowned a bit more. "I honestly don't. I don't understand what's happening fully, but it sounds like something I shouldn't just let fall into other hands."
"No, but Kotomine had things under control." He answered. "He was working with me before you broke the common rules and summoned me here. This war already had seven servants."
"Father's journal said there were only seven." I furrowed my brow, this was getting even more confusing. "You mean you were one of the seven."
"No, I won the last war mongrel. I have as real a body as you now." Gilgamesh stroked my cheek with the back of his hand, which made me flinch even though I hoped the spell was controlling him. It seemed he was only limited in touching me if his intent was to be harmful. Not that this made me feel any better since he always perked more of a smile when I pulled away. "Such mistrust."
"Well you did just try to kill me a few times." I pointed out incredulously at his innocent tone and creepy behavior.
"The right of a commander." He answered, shrugging at me before throwing himself on my couch and picking up a glass of wine from a spot of light. He was taking this with a sudden stride that I was skeptical of. He had to be up to something. "As you've stolen that privilege temporarily, I have little reason to rail or rage needlessly. I'm certain it would only give the witch more joy. I'll play along with this pointless little game of hers, for now."
"Um…right. There's not a conspiracy here." I commented, finding his strange behavior hard to keep up with. This was like dealing with Sesshomaru if he also had bi-polar and anger management issues.
"You are incorrect, just because you are one of her witless tools doesn't mean there is nothing further happening. I wonder how long she waited for just this opportunity." He answered me with his accustomed disrespect. I frowned at his attitude, but I didn't really want to waste one of my magic command tattoos on telling him to be polite. "If you are one of her ilk, you'll certainly not fix the grail but I have no complaint if you tarnish it further."
"What? Why?" I ignored the insult, I expected he would keep doing that. I was focused more on his lack of concern. "I thought that the people we summoned were supposed to be heroes. Why wouldn't you want the grail to be fixed? You said you were a part of the grail war before and won…is that why you are so screwed up?"
"Setting aside your deplorable behavior…"
Mirror buddy, look in a mirror.
"…I never claimed to be a hero. I was one without a doubt in the eyes of my people, my lands prospered greatly under my rule. They will someday again, but this world has nothing worth saving." He answered, one arm over the back of the couch, the other holding the wine near his face for the occasional sip. "There are some enjoyable aspects to this world but it needs to be remade."
Great. I summoned a psychopath…
"Don't be surprised, the seals may save you now but you haven't a hope of surviving the war with the sad expressions you keep offering. Mages are born through will, not empathy." He remarked. "I need only wait and you'll fall."
"You don't know me." I challenged, getting frustrated. "I was apparently strong enough to summon you, wasn't I? Unless you are much less strong than you say and this is all bluster."
His gaze narrowed again, the iris thinning so more of the red could be seen in his eyes. "You live on borrowed time mongrel, eventually it'll run out. My mercy is running thin however, the quick death I had planned for this trespass has faded. I have many better places for you in my palaces, where you can pay me back time and again for these insults."
"Threatening me doesn't help you." I pointed out, partly because I didn't like the idea that he might be right. What was I going to do when this magical protection went away?
"Just as backpedaling won't aid you when this is over." He remarked. "Yet here we are, what would you command of the King of Heroes?"
"I don't want to command you to do anything. I'm trying to talk to you and learn what the hell is happening." I heard my voice going up but this was tiresome. "Who is Kotomine? Had he summoned you before? Tell me the truth."
"Is that a command?" He remarked, a smirk coming to his face. He wanted me to use the seals as swiftly as possible. I hadn't felt the same burn as before, and a glance at my limb told me that the five remained intact. Did I need to command him to be truthful? How long would they last, these commands? Longer than usual according to him. So, what could I even tell him to do? I didn't really want to have to do that.
"I don't want to have to tell you to do anything." I stated as diplomatically as I could.
"At least you aren't as dense as first appearances would imply." He remarked at my hesitation to order him about. "It would be regrettable after the time invested but if your little portal does return to the past then I am curious, would you take me with you after this is all done?"
Take him to the feudal era? That seemed dangerous…
"Uh, maybe? I don't really know you that well right now." I answered. "I don't really want to make promises until we talk more. You could explain more of how the grail war works, or what plans you had before I summoned you maybe? Or you know, who Kotomine is like I already asked."
He leaned forward to perch his head on one of his hands while on the couch. The way he lounged carelessly I'd certainly wouldn't take him as someone displeased with what had just happened. I knew otherwise but that just made me more nervous, was there anything he would say that I could trust without using one of these precious tattoos?
"Kotomine is a priest." He answered after watching me for a while. "A previous connection to the world. Though I admit, he has grown a bit tedious in the time we've been together."
"So, he means well, with his wish." I asked dubiously. A priest and this guy? That didn't really add up when I considered it. "I don't picture you being a regular at confession."
"I'm not." He laughed at my remark. "A King need answer to no one, least of all false gods."
"Okay…well, why be hanging out with a priest then?" I sighed and rubbed my face, walking over to the small kitchenette to dig out a pot to fill with water. "You want some ramen?"
"It will suffice." He answered, watching me as I moved. It was odd. I felt like it was Buyo following me around the room with cat eyes. Creepy crimson cat eyes owned by a deranged person…but still he had a predatory aspect. "And we share a similar view of what needs to happen to the world. He'll be quite displeased that I've been taken away from him."
I lit the fire and set the pot down so the water could start to boil. Moving to sit on the couch, albeit it the opposite end from where Gilgamesh was. I sighed at his description. A priest that wanted to see a bunch of people die? Well, I'd seen a lot so I wasn't that surprised, just a bit disappointed. "Well, I can't let him do that."
"No? Yet, you believe your wish would help everyone?" Gilgamesh asked curiously. "I wonder. The road to hell is paved with good intentions of course. There was a man like you in the last grail war, another foolish idealist."
"Being an idealist isn't foolish." I answered. I was quietly lamenting not having some enchanted beads…maybe I could figure out how Kaede had made them…making this man sit sounded like a good stress reliever…
"Depends on the ideal." He dropped his glass and I dove across the couch for it, not realizing it would disappear before spilling on my furniture. He grinned at my laying across the couch in a silly attempt to ward off the stain I probably couldn't have stopped. "If it's something you can accomplish or not."
"Ha ha, you're very funny." I muttered, pushing myself back up. "I get your point but what happened? Did you kill this man?"
"No, he didn't die during the war. He ordered another of the servants to destroy the grail. That's how we discovered the darkness within it. Curses and all the horrible dreams of mankind came pouring out burning through whatever they touched." He answered, nodding as my eyes widened. I remembered seeing the terrible fire here years ago on the news, and he was confirming that was the cause. Hundreds of people had died… "That was a minor incident compared to what the grail could do."
"Why would you want to repeat that? It's so…senseless…"
"As I already said, humans have grown lazy, worthless…I need not repeat myself." He shrugged at me. "As for the priest, he is a prime example of the corruption in humanity. I expect he'll enjoy killing you. He takes a delight in others pain I've rarely seen, impressive given my centuries. Then again, if you are serious about this grail war and being a participant that doesn't need to happen. You could win all of it, with me as your Servant it would be easy. Step one, just order me to kill Kotomine now and the war after that is easily yours for the taking."
End Chapter
Gil is such a switch hitter. He so ebil right now…whew. X.X. It's hard to write for him like this. Hope I'm keeping him ic for the period of the games/shows he's in atm. Also, in case it was unclear in some way. Kagome has more seals than usual (8 instead of 3). An 8 pointed star was a common symbol for Ishtar (usually with a moon next to it) which is why I picked it – the more you know.
-Aura
To my reviewers:
Many congrats to the people that realized Kagome was a descendant of Ishtar in this fic. Good job. I also figured it would be the only thing to make Gilgamesh pissed enough to attack her given what a B Ishtar is. As for Chai's question, Kagome likely will still be using her arrows eventually.
