I don't own these characters.
3: Is it a crime?
Kikyo sat comfortably against a thick tree that was a few feet from the stream near her house. It was late in the afternoon, but Kikyo had finished her rounds in the village early, so she had the time to spare. She was thankful for that time because it gave her time with a certain angel on a very lovely day.
She read out loud from a book of poems that she had lying around her house. Sesshomaru sat next to her and she could sense him there, but he was not the reason she was reading out loud. Sesshomaru had one of his hands around her shoulders and another was resting on her abdomen. He wished she could physically feel his touch against her. He was certain physically feeling him would be much more reassuring than just sensing him.
"I'm here," he said. His words whispered across her cheek.
Kikyo's stomach fluttered. She would have liked to feel Sesshomaru against her as he was right now. It would have been quite comforting to her nerves, which she did a good job in hiding. She could guess how Sesshomaru sat next to her, even though she could not actually feel him. He made it a habit to sit as he was when he manifested himself in her dreams lately. He enjoyed touching her stomach now and she did not mind the attention, but it made her think quite often. She pondered it for just a few moments, usually when she was alone.
The ebony-haired miko did not think about it because she regretted being with Sesshomaru or was remorseful for what they had done. No, those thoughts never even entered her mind. She just wondered about what she would do, what they would do. After all, he was an intangible entity. While they both had done the deed, it would mostly be on her to take care of things because he simply could not. So, what was she to do? She did not know beyond the fact that she would continue on. She believed things would come to her in at proper time.
Sesshomaru now felt two emotions at once while being with his darling Kikyo. He felt sorrow and elation. He was not sure if those were the exact names of the emotions, but from his understanding of things, he felt sorrow and elation and it made sense to him. He was happy to finally be able to be with her in some manner, to get to know her, and to have her accept him, to love him. But, now that he had all of that, he considered the consequences of their actions. He wished now they had not held the philosophy of "consequences be damned" before. He wished he had been the wiser being back then.
The angel was very aware he had put Kikyo in a terrible position, even though she would argue she knew just what she was getting into from the moment that he explained everything to her. She told him that they would manage and if push came to shove, she would manage. When she showed such courage, he could only promise to not leave her alone for longer than necessary to manage on her own. She accepted that with a small smile. His feelings for her doubled in that moment.
Sesshomaru did not understand the protective feeling that was building inside of him. He had never felt that way before because he did not have anything to protect before he met the petite human near him. His job never entailed protecting something or someone. He merely accepted the feeling without questioning it. Anything that involved Kikyo, he had come to just accept it because he already had so much to be curious about when it came to her. So, it was less consuming to just accept things. Besides, he would rather just enjoy being with her than wasting his time wondering about feelings that she ignited within him.
The platinum-haired angel wished that he could move her ebony hair to the side and kiss her creamy neck. He was not sure why he always desired to touch her, except for the fact that he knew that he wanted her to know that he was there. He wanted her to know that she was safe with him. He said such words to her before while admitting he did not understand why he felt as he did and she tried to explain affection to him, but he did not totally grasp the concept that he was clearly feeling. He just knew he wanted to touch her, relax her, and be with her for some reason, which was good enough for him.
The good thing about being an angel, Sesshomaru guessed anyway, was that reasons were not a driving force for them and he was included in that. They did not really require reasons for actions because of the way that they were made. Angels were created to follow orders without questions and most of the time without being given explanations. Who knew why they did anything and they hardly ever cared to know. Any angel that did suddenly need reasons quickly found himself unemployed and typically a demon before long.
-8-8-8-8-
Sesshomaru was with Kagura. They were in the clouds again, lounging because they did not have anything better to do with themselves. He was waiting for her to say something, but for once, it seemed that she did not have anything to say. She glanced at him continuously, though. It seemed like she wanted to say something, but dared not to open her mouth.
"What?" he sighed in an irked tone. She was getting on his nerves; yes, angels could be annoyed. He wanted her to just say whatever was on her mind rather than continuously glancing over at him as if she did not know what to make of him.
"It just baffles the hell out of me that you can do this. Don't you give a damn?" she asked in an almost exhausted voice. She seemed a bit worked up over something that he did not think even concerned her.
"I suppose," he answered casually with a bit of a shrug.
"Then how the hell can you do this?" she begged, face desperate for reasons, her hands out as if to catch his response. What the hell is driving him, she wondered. What the hell was making him do what he was doing? What the hell was on his mind?! She could not figure it out and he never helped because he gave her such clipped answers.
"I had to," he answered as if that was the most logical response to give. He just had to be with Kikyo and it was that simple. She was more important than anything that he could think of. She was more fulfilling than his work and he doubted he would be able to go on without being with her. So, he had to be with her, every way that he could and in any way that he could.
"You're going to fry for this," the ruby-eyed female pointed out, throwing her hands up. It seemed like she was in a panic over him and Sesshomaru picked up on that.
He waved her off. "Don't worry about me, Kagura."
"I'm not," she huffed with deep indignation, as if he had managed to offend her. she folded her arms across her chest. Like I would worry about such a pompous, self-righteous idiot and his stupid human, she thought. She even sounded upset in her own head. She had better things to do with her time than to worry about a jerk like Sesshomaru. Actually, she did not have anything better to do, but she would never admit that out loud.
"Good," the golden-eyed male said with no feeling in his tone whatsoever.
Sesshomaru could not figure out why Kagura was so worked up over what he was doing. It was not like she would get in trouble with him. He wondered if she was actually concerned about Kikyo. Kagura was close to humans thanks to her job, so she could always be directing her worry in the wrong direction since she could not be by Kikyo's side, but he would never know because he would never ask.
Kagura actually did not know why she was hyped over his actions. As angels, they had no concept of loneliness, but underneath it all, Kagura was so panicked about his actions for that very reason. If he was gone, if he fell, she would be alone for the most part. She would not have anyone to annoy if he was gone. Well, there were others, but she liked being around him and getting on his nerves. She was close to him, even if they would never admit it. She just did not know that she would feel alone because she was so limited as an angel.
The celestial pair was silent for a long while before Sesshomaru had to leave. It was for his work for once and not to be with Kikyo. Almost as soon as he left, Naraku appeared. Kagura frowned immediately. Due to her occupation, it was impossible for her to like Naraku. She understood he had his job to do just as she had hers, but she could not like him because of their jobs. She was supposed to protect humans while his job seemed to be to torment humans, sometimes it even seemed as if he was meant to destroy humans. He would argue he tested humans. It was just that he never believed nor wanted the human to pass the test.
Naraku was an adversary angel. He came into play to test the faith or heart of humans for whatever reasons. Sometimes, it seemed he only tested humans because he wanted to put them through horrible trials and to watch them suffer. Kagura did not understand how he got permission from the higher-ups sometimes to do the things that he desired to do, especially to humans that did not seem to deserve such exhausting, will-breaking tests. She could not take such things since her job was to try and minimize human suffering, when she felt like it anyway. She would never think to do the things that Naraku did and seemed to get enjoyment out of.
It was also odd to Kagura that Naraku seemed to like his tasks. It was not very bizarre for an angel to like his job, but many angels just did what they did because that was their assignments. She thought it was peculiar that he seemed to delight in causing human suffering.
"Naraku, what are you doing here?" Kagura practically demanded, glaring at him. She hated having to see him and be near him. She felt like he was somehow poisoning her just by being nearby.
"Only my job," the adversary angel replied in his bored tone of speaking, as if he was better than everything else in all of creation. In that way, he reminded her of Sesshomaru, but Sesshomaru was nowhere near as condescending as Naraku.
"And you waited until Sesshomaru left to do it?" she inquired with a craned eyebrow. She did not sound like she was making fun of him, but there was glint in her ruby eyes that gave her away.
"What are you implying?" he inquired with a frown.
"Nothing," Kagura answered with an almost innocent face. It was helped by the fact that she had a halo.
"Point out his wench to me," Naraku commanded like he was her boss.
"I don't think so," she replied with playful defiance, wagging her finger at him. She seriously had no intention of doing what he wanted. She was not about to help him ruin a human who as far as she could tell was still pure. She still did not see any blemishes on the woman's soul whenever she looked at her, so she did not see any reason for Naraku to be present.
"Do it now," he ordered in a harsh tone, pointing a threatening finger back at her. It sounded like if he could cause Kagura pain, he would be doing it at that very moment.
Kagura frowned, being the lowest form of angel certainly had its drawbacks, like being ordered around by almost every other level of angel there was. Like the jerk also known as Naraku. She still would not comply because she truly disliked him.
Naraku scowled deeply, angry with Kagura and her well-known rebellious attitude. He peered over the cloud to search for himself. He scanned the area below them for the little sinful human. He found her tending to an old woman. He chuckled a bit when he caught sight of her.
"So, that's the human. She doesn't look like much," Naraku commented as if his opinion was the highest authority in the land and he clearly disapproved of Kikyo.
"She's the purest human I've ever seen at her age," Kagura countered to defend Kikyo. She was not sure why she was coming to the human's defense, but she did not need a why; it was a perk of being an angel.
"She isn't so pure. She has lain with a celestial entity. Kagura, you shall be the witness as I bring the counts against this human, judge her, and pronounce sentence," he stated, giving her commands once again, much to her annoyance.
"Whatever," the female angel replied, folding her arms across her chest. She did not have a choice in the matter. He needed a witness that he had done his job and she was there already without any plans to leave, so she might as well be the witness. She did make sure to look exceptionally cross with having to stay and observe such a spectacle, though. He did not seem to care about her expression as long as she did as she was told.
Naraku started as soon as he could tell Kagura was not going to open her mouth again. "The counts are as follows, charge one: lying with a high-ranking celestial entity. Charge two: learning forbidden crafts from a high-ranking celestial entity. Charge three: carrying the child of a high-ranking celestial entity. She is obviously guilty of all counts—" he was cut off from finishing his task.
"Whoa, wait, no one is going to arrive to defend her?" Kagura inquired in disbelief. Was that not against protocol?
Usually, an angel came to defend the human being that was being charged, even if the human was obviously guilty, which Kikyo was. There was supposed to be someone to justify Kikyo's actions or at least try to bargain down her sentence. There was supposed to be someone to help this woman. Kagura wanted to know what was going.
"Why is there suddenly a change in the norm?" Kagura pressed.
"No one would touch this case. She is much too guilty and it would be a waste of time for anyone to come defend her. No one wants to risk getting tainted with this sin, especially when they found out she was pregnant. They're all busy defending people that they believe can be saved, redeemed. She is filthy. She is guilty as charged. Her punishment is to be tested with isolation until she acknowledges and renounces her depraved sins. Also, should her child be permitted to live then she must prove that her child's life means more to her than her own," Naraku announced.
"How can she acknowledge and renounce her sins if she isn't even aware—" Kagura tried to argue, but the adversary angel did not allow her to make it through her statement. How could that woman do anything if she did not even know that she was being punished? It was not fair.
"I have passed judgment. So shall it be," Naraku declared, holding up his hand a little.
Most people would expect thunder and lightning or something big and flashy to accompany Naraku's edict, but Kagura knew better. She had seen enough judgments in her existence to know that it was silent. The humans never knew what hit them.
Every now and then, a human came to believe he was cursed when, in fact, he had been judged. A curse was the closest that a human ever came to knowing that they had been judged. A few of them lucked up and guessed that they had done something very wrong and repented and such, but almost no one ever pinpointed their exact charge, or charges in Kikyo's case. Kagura doubted Kikyo would be the exception to the rule, no matter how extraordinary Sesshomaru swore the woman was.
Kagura and Naraku continued to observe Kikyo after he passed judgment on her. She would have preferred that he left after he had done his job, but it would seem that was too much to ask. She would just have to endure him for the moment. If only his mere presence didn't piss me off so much, this would be a lot easier, she commented in her mind. She decided to just focus on the petite priestess whose life Naraku more than likely just ruined for all eternity.
As Kagura knew, Kikyo did not even seem to notice that anything significant happened to her. The woman went about her usual duties about the village and caring for the people as well as tending the shrine that was at the edge of the town. She seemed to think that her life was still normal, but the guardian angel doubted life would ever be normal again for Kikyo.
Kagura noted that despite the sins, the judgment, and of course, the possible malevolent creature that was growing in her womb, Kikyo's aura was still as pure as a human could get. Her soul was still clean despite everything. It baffled the guardian angel because she swore that sins were supposed to taint human souls. That was what sins did, after all. How could Kikyo have sinned and it had not soiled her aura? Kagura just did not understand it.
How in the hell is it possible to sin and remain pure, Kagura pondered. It was impossible as far as she knew. The whole thing with sinning was that it tainted the human soul. Kikyo had sinned, so she should be tainted, yet she was not. It did not make any sense at all.
"I thought I smelled a foul stench," Sesshomaru commented as he appeared behind Naraku and Kagura. The pair jumped.
"Ah, the uppity dog of a cherubim, Sesshomaru," Naraku retorted coolly as he recovered.
"You're both self-righteous pricks," Kagura pointed out. At least Sesshomaru a self-righteous prick most people can stand.
"You can guess why I'm here, can't you, oh mighty Sesshomaru?" Naraku inquired with a half smirk on his face, taunting the silver-haired angel. He was practically boasting with his eyes because he felt like he had gotten the better of the golden-eyed cherub.
"What did you do to Kikyo?" Sesshomaru demanded, feeling a spark of anger for the first time in his very long existence. He did not bother to contemplate the emotion coursing through him like a blazing inferno threatening to rage out of control already. He just knew he desired to rip Naraku apart for only doing his job. What has happened to me? More importantly, what has happened to Kikyo?
"I have judged the sinful wench. She shall be punished with hardship of the heart and soul. She will suffer the pains of human loneliness. She will be a pariah," Naraku proclaimed, as if he was proud of what he had done. He dared to smirk while he spoke.
"Until?" Sesshomaru inquired with a growl in his throat.
Naraku continued to smirk as he answered that question. "Until she acknowledges and renounces her sins."
"She will never do such a thing," Sesshomaru pointed out as if the other male angel would care and then suddenly reverse his judgment. Kikyo was not the type of person to renounce doing something because she always did what she felt was the right thing or the best thing, behaving as such minimized the regrets in her life. The golden-eyed angel knew for a fact that Kikyo would never do what Naraku suggested.
"Then she will always suffer, as she should for doing such things," Naraku countered, still seeming so smug over what he had done to Kikyo.
Sesshomaru felt his fury expand; it was like a solar storm centralized in his being. The feeling was so new to him and he desired nothing more than to cut down an immortal for the fate of a mortal. It was completely irrational, but that did not even enter his mind. He growled deep in his throat. It was actually a sound that was familiar to Kagura because she dealt closely with humans. She was accustomed to the sounds that humans made because of the emotions that they were feeling, like laughter, crying, and snarling; sounds that angels were never supposed to make.
"Sesshomaru, you knew this was coming," Kagura pointed out to calm him down. It was at that point she was certain of what was going to happen with Sesshomaru. He was going to have to go down with that woman. Not only had he sinned, but he had changed. He was different from the way he was before he had noticed that woman. He was not even an angel anymore from what she could tell.
"Indeed," Sesshomaru confirmed, his anger finally cooling down and abandoning him because Kagura spoke the truth.
The platinum-haired cherub knew that Naraku or some other adversary of humans would come and judge his precious treasure. Kikyo had sinned; there was just no getting around that. He had sinned, too, perhaps much worse than she had because he could have stayed away from her. He believed he had tempted her, too, even though some angels might argue she had tempted him just because she carried herself. There were a few angels that actually believed that human women tempted them just by existing and not covering themselves from head to toe, somewhat flaunting themselves by being alive. It was not a popular view.
"So, Naraku, why don't you get going?" Kagura suggested in a dismissive tone with a curl to her lip. She wanted him gone as soon as possible, if not sooner than that. There was something about him that was just not very angelic and it made her uncomfortable.
"No, not yet. What charges did you bring upon Kikyo?" Sesshomaru demanded, glaring at Naraku.
"I can't reveal those to you," Naraku replied.
"Tell me," the platinum-haired angel ordered in a threatening tone. Maybe I can redeem her, save her, he thought. She did not deserve to be cast out of the light. He believed she was brightness embodied, she was light, and so she did not deserve to be marked because of him.
"I won't. You don't have any power over me, Sesshomaru. You're nothing now. You would be cast out for a creature made of clay and dirt when we are pure light? You are so very foolish," Naraku declared haughtily, tilting his chin up.
"Am I? Why exist to just be made of pure light and nothing more? So, I shall be cast out," Sesshomaru replied nonchalantly, waving it off. He had little desire to remain where he was because he just wanted to be with the woman that was his angel, the woman who was his light. He no longer wanted to live to do his work. He wanted to live to be with her and with their offspring. So, this is the will that so many angels fought against, he silently noted. It is not so terrible. It is light if it is her. He liked that he wanted to be with Kikyo and their unborn child.
"Of course you are to be cast out, sinner," Naraku stated, smirking ever so slightly. He sounded like he was enjoying himself that day, feeding off of everyone else's misery. It gave him a wonderful chance of trying to come off as better than everyone and thing in existence.
"And who shall do this? You?" Sesshomaru inquired indifferently, not even bothering to look at Naraku anymore. His eyes seemed to look through his present company. He doubted Naraku would be the one to cast him out since he was of a higher rank in the celestial order than Naraku was.
"No, that is not my place," Naraku reluctantly admitted, shaking his head. He looked away as he spoke, as if it pained him to recall that the other male angel out ranked him.
Sesshomaru nodded. He just wanted to remind Naraku that no matter what, he was above the adversary while he was still a celestial entity. Naraku judged humans. Sesshomaru would be punished by those of a higher rank than he was. So, either a seraph or a Heaven-bound cherub would judge him. He would become Fallen sometime soon. He was more than aware of that and had been for a long time. He did not care because there were advantages to being Fallen and he looked forward to those.
Once he was cast out of the heavens, Sesshomaru would be free to seek out his beloved without having to worry about it being a sin or consequences being brought against them. They would be able to be together with their offspring. Well, he would be able to do that unless he was thrown into an abyss. He would try for all eternity to escape to her, though, and leaving the place of punishment was a serious offense. He just did not care.
If when Sesshomaru was cast out and he was thrown to the humans' Garden, then that would be the ideal situation for him. He would be free to find Kikyo and he would find her. There was no mistaking that in his mind. He would be able to touch her and truly feel her since he would be an earthy creature from than on rather than a celestial being. He would be able to be by her side physically as his child grew within her. He would be able to experience passion truly without his angelic nature scratching at the depths of his mind all of the time. He would be able to provide her and their child with everything that they could want or need. He would be able to enjoy Kikyo and please her without any consequences as they were already punished. They would just be a damned couple. Being damned never sounded so good.
Sesshomaru was judged hours after Kikyo was. He had gone off on an assignment and right after he finished doing his task, he was confronted by a column of bright light – a seraph. Apparently, the seraph was a showoff and did not want to reveal himself even to a cherub, so the higher angel remained hidden in the blinding light while passing judgment over the golden-eyed cherubim. Sesshomaru was informed of his sins, as if he did not know what they were.
The silver-haired angel was condemned for his actions with the human priestess, which he expected. He was condemned for corrupting the earthy realm with his celestial presence in a manner that he was not assigned to do. He was condemned for creating a life within that priestess, which he knew was a rather horrible charge in the eyes of the heavens. He was then charged with committing the worst sin an angel could possible commit, acting on his own, acting of his own accord. He was banished from the Heavens for such terrible acts. There was a thunderclap and Sesshomaru was gone.
-8-8-8-8-
Next time: Sesshomaru has fallen and Kikyo is all alone. What will they do?