A/N: This was written for community. livejournal. com/Inuyasha_et_al prompt Bitter– a LJ community for alt-canon/rare pairings. Join if you like that type of thing. Really, it needs more active members. And please review.
{.x.Hindrance.x.}
{..Chapter Three: Bitter..}
Bent brows and a tilted head spoke instead of the words lodged in her throat, the golden eyed youkai before he disregarded her as nothing more than a thing in his way as he pushed her to the side to point his sword straight at the one he sought.
The one he'd kill, if it were the last thing he'd do.
A chuckle, one that could crackle through her shivering soul, was his reply then he stepped forward, into the room and she stopped—caring, watching, everything—and just rested there for a moment in hopes to sooth the fright that still took hold of her mind, that still shook her frail body.
Because, really, she was just that. Weak, but a mortal, with thin skin, feeble bones that could snap so easily, and her mind? That hadn't been right for too long, so long she could not recall a what it felt like to have now worries, no weight on her shoulders, nothing. When she could have happy times with no cares, laugh as her brother trained…
Her brother, the boy who led her here to…
But that was then, and this is now, when the ruckus began in the room she was just locked in she paused to wonder for a while—stay and help Sesshomaru? Or leave and get as far away as possible, go back to—
—but no, she wouldn't go back there. Who was she kidding? Her pride might beg for her to go forth but self preservation—however little she possessed—told her the truth, she is no use without her weapon. With a weak breath in she let her mahogany eyes flutter to the smash in the wall before she turned to start off in a sprint through the endless hallways.
Why was she running in the monster's liar? Because she had ran away after seeing him with a random whore. Why was all this happening to her? Because he had to ask another woman to bear his child, because she had to say yes. Why oh why was this happening to her? Why did that thing have to hold interest in her?
Somehow, it made sense to her battered brain to blame the monk. Her heart had already suffered from so much, from the loss of her friends, of her family, of her home. He knew that, he knew she was fragile, but he still led her on, still told her that she was important, still asked her to become his when all was said and done—it wasn't fair.
For his sake, they ought to never meet again or else she would… she would…? Hurt him? Would that make her feel better to bash him over the head, to punch him, to kick him? No.
For her sake, she ought to never see him again but that anger—that annoyance, that bitter taste in her mouth, would it ever go away?
Then there was light, at least a little as she stumbled out a door into the courtyard so she could take a deep breath of the thick toxic filled air. She stepped forward again until she was on even ground, for moment she wondered what now?
"You," a cold tone stated. Cautiously, she turned to see him standing there—her accidental savoir. "You are part of my brother's group? Where are the others? Where is he?"
"What happened?" She murmured instead as her gaze floated up his untouched figure, as if no battle at all occurred.
"The pathetic creature ran," he hissed.
That was how he worked, she knew, he didn't fight for himself instead he allowed others to do his dirty work. Kami forbid he ever had to do a damn thing for himself. Somehow, it made sense to just nod once at that as her still stunned stare shifted away. She did ponder why he was there, she might have meant to ask but there was no point because pondering wasn't the same as caring.
He might have had the same problem but instead he turned and started off, they were unattached. All that they shared in was hatred, for the hanyou—the not full youkai that took from both of them.
[…]
There was nothing.
Nothing for her anywhere, not back with her comrades, not at the village she no longer cared to restore, not even anything in her future to fight for. There used to be, with the handsome violet eyed monk. Though she tried her best not to fantasize, she did often, every night, about what a future would be like with him. How many children would they have? How adorable would they be? And what always brought a light blush to her face, how would their nights be spent? Would… she enjoy it?
More importantly, would he?
Now… now that was a shattered dream. So what now? Her brother? That was all she had but… but even then she knew there would be no joy in that. Though she loved him dearly he would not be the same boy she remembered, his childhood had been taken from him, destroyed, and his happiness with it. There would be no peace after she got him back, after Naraku was dead, no, instead she'd have to work to bring him back to life… if she could even give him life once the shikon no tama was taken from his shoulder.
In the end, that's all the Inutachi cared about. Kagome and Inuyasha were focused on those things; on complete the jewel, on random side missions and Miroku? His wind tunnel wasn't his real care, but the woman they met along the way. They interests did not settle well, all they shared was the need for Naraku's death.
All she cared about was Kohaku, and though they sympathized with her they did not understand. They could not. Kagome had a family, a happy-dappy life on the other side of the well, Inuyasha was single minded, and him… he didn't matter.
What was she to do?
Arrogance was not a trait of hers; she knew she could never even hope to kill Naraku on her own, particularly now that she was without her weapon… so she continued to sit under a tree in the midst of the dark forest, staring dumbly into nothing, which is what she felt on the inside.
Her gaze moved upward to the slight shimmers in the sky before she shut her eyes and rested backward to the dismay that her dreams brought to life.
[…]
Vaguely, she planned out her future step by step… well; at least she knew the first. Where her weapon had gone was beyond her so she had to go to the bone crafter that had first created hiraikotsu for her ancestors. Of course, the one who had done it for her great, great, great grandfather would surely be dead but it was a family trade so surely there would be someone left to replace her precious weapon.
But how was she to pay for it?
On the bright side, a loving meow had woken her in the morning, her darling friend—the only creature in all the world she put complete faith in—had found her. For that she was grateful, at least she had a way to travel towards the village that the family once lived in.
Thankfully, she apparently was on a lucky streak. It took talking to two elder residents to find the home of the heir of the one who had created so many of her village's weapons. He seemed kind enough, he let her in after she told him who she was, he gave her a cup of warm tea as he sat and patiently listened to her tale and request. It was all going so well until, "I see, and I understand, but what you are asking takes time and a great deal of effort so… I hate to ask but what type of payment may I except?"
His tone and eyes implied that he favored one form over the other, but she had yet to stoop so low as to sell herself for a weapon, no matter how great of one it might be. So she paused and pondered it for a moment before answering with the honest truth, "I have no way to pay you. I have no money, I have no belongs, but I have self respect."
He nodded and then smiled, a bright one as he took his final sip of tea, "good, good, that's the answer I was looking for."
A brow rose up at that, "it was?"
"The weapons that my family creates are special and only the best deserve them, I would have to had to declined my offer to make it for you if you would have willingly whored yourself out for it, pardon my language," he explained.
"That's fine," she assured with a nod, "but you will really do this for… no payment?"
"Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?" He inquired, "but my family owes your family and now that you are the last of your village I feel… very obligated to repay. I cannot count the times that your village has come to mine's aid, this I owe you."
"Thank you," she whispered in return, really, she did feel she deserved this.
With another set of grateful words she stood up and walked out to allow him time to forge her weapon.
"It will take weeks," he had told her.
For weeks, she'd feel lame, lazily wandering around the village without a thing to do… that didn't seem so appealing but what else did she have? Naraku had taken her weapon, it was probably destroyed or something else so she had no other option.
On her own, she was useless—wasn't she?
[…]
Flames of hatred flared deep inside the inu-youkai, deep, so unfathomable lodged in his soul that it would forever be scorn with black soot.
She… she, why? Why did she suddenly become important? So important, gravely important. Yet, she was so small, she should have been insignificant, she was but a mortal after all. Still she was precious, her smiles mattered, her loyalty, the way she worshiped him. Even that toad was of value.
They were his, wards of his, and for that I would destroy what took them. Who killed them…
He had, he tore the minions apart into bits and bits but that didn't quench the rage within.
The anger towards himself for leaving them, thinking that no harm would come while he went away for a short time—a very short time. Not even a day but when he came back… the sight he saw, the ravished bodies… they were his to keep safe yet he failed.
He had found the monster that was responsible, that fucking Naraku, only to free some useless mortal and have him escape.
Growls emanated from his chest as he thought of it all—what was she doing there after he stopped to think of it? That disgusting maggot seemed so interested in her; he could hear vague bits of his words towards her. Perhaps… if the taijiya was of significance to that vile creature then he could use her to his advantage. Couldn't he?
Why not? He would have to push his brother out of the way and take her.
He was a taiyoukai, a powerful one, and his brother—that mere hanyou—would be simple to push to the side.
He needed this, he yearned for revenge and if it meant the taijiya's death then so be it.
It wasn't as if she mattered, after all…