Disclaimer: I don't own jack!
Pairing: Jirou x Kagome
Albatross 4
Inuyasha rested his head against the thick bark of a tree trunk. The oddly scented soap that Kagome used wafted heavily through the air. He inhaled deeply. It was so strange. One shift in the wind and all of his instincts were on fire. She was so similar to Kikyou yet so different. Their scent was nearly identical, but where Kikyou had an overpowering smell of cherry blossoms, Kagome's was that combined with fresh rainwater. It added a bit of freshness to the smell, causing him to lose any semblance of his senses.
A deep flush spread across his cheeks at their interaction earlier in the day. The image of her exposed legs had burned itself into his memory. Despite his words, he actually hadn't seen any of Kikyou's body before. She had been too much of a cold fish to show him anything. For all his boasting it was all just bravado. The way Kagome had tilted her head down, shuffled the covers closer to herself and shifted her gaze shyly away made him burn like never before. Golden eyes slid to peer though the thick layer of branches but the vines criss crossed over each other, creating an impenetrable barrier against prying eyes. Damn, perhaps if he just moved a bit further south? Mid-crane of his neck, the tell tale sign of a youkai hit the edge of his senses.
"Shit!" The hanyou took up his fang before darting off to chase after the creature. It was way too close! How the hell hadn't he sensed it before? The sound of Kagome's terrified scream hit his ears, forcing him to go that much faster to reach her. Damn it all, was he that lost in thought that he missed the bastard until it was on top of her? His gaze narrowed. No, that wasn't it. Whatever was after Kagome had managed to hide itself from him until it chose to strike. With one bound he landed in the clearing where his companion had been bathing. She was only partially dressed. Her white bath towel slipped to her waist as what appeared to be a mountain witch grasped the teen's arm in her age-withered hand.
"Be silent child lest ye find your mouth sewn shut!" The crimson-eyed retch hissed in Kagome's ear. The dark-haired girl turned her terrified gaze onto Inuyasha's still form. His eyes were dark and his fangs were bared. In the sliver of moonlight that cascaded onto the forest floor it almost made him seem… dangerous. A chill of fear shot through her body, causing a deep sensation of foreboding.
"Let her go!" The hanyou demanded. With the Tessaiga at the ready he eyed the situation carefully. Kagome yelped in pain as the witch tightened her vice-like grip on her arm. He felt his eyes bleed at the sight of the newly formed bruises. Despite how he treated the girl, he'd be damned if he let someone else harm her!
She thrashed from one side to the next, hoping to free herself from the demon but to no avail. With her bows and arrows lying in a heap several feet away, Kagome was ashamed to admit that she was at the youkai's mercy. Unless Inuyasha could break the mountain witch's hold on her, she wasn't going to be going anywhere.
"Nay child, I shall have this lass. After all, I'll be needing her soul!" With that, the youkai took to the sky in a blinding light. The would be miko felt herself being pulled with such severity she partially thought that her arm was about to be ripped off. Inuyasha's feral cries reverberated through the forest. She watched in mild shock as birds flew from their perches and nearly slammed beak first into them. Kagome screamed as the witch tugged at her arm even harder.
"Silence lest ye really yearn for death! Tis only your soul I'll be needing, not ye!" The teen quieted as the cold steel of the youkai's scythe threatened to pierce the soft flesh of her neck. So she stilled, taking her bottom lip between her teeth. There was little she could do at this point. Even if she had the physical strength necessary to fight back, the witch could easily drop her to her demise. Kagome took a deep breath. She needed a plan and quick.
Jirou took a deep breath as he scanned the letter in his hands. Master Soujoubou sat across from him, a contemplative expression on his age-worn face.
"That came from Higurashi Ikui. His daughter will be arriving late this evening." The old man started. Wrinkled fingers lightly rubbed against the warm ceramic of his teacup. "According to him, her injuries will be grievous. Please have Tamaru ready to receive her when she arrives." A wisp of steam rose from the object, curling beautifully in the air before evaporating into nothing.
The conversation was meant to end there but something was still bothering Jirou. A few months had passed since news of the woman's impending stay had been revealed. He'd had time to get adjusted to the idea but the thought alone of a female on Mount Kurama still left a bad taste in his mouth. Women. They were the representation of everything vile in their culture. They were created to lead men astray; to divert them from their true calling in life. So what could this one girl possess that could convince their leader to allow her to stay? He was curious.
"Master, if I may." The dark haired male began. "For what purpose must she remain here? Are there not other preferable locations for her to stay until her health returns?" The tengu chose his words wisely. One too many arguments had led him to avoid discussing the why's of this stranger's stay. To get the answers he wanted he'd need to question the circumstances around this situation. "Surely there are other mountains and healers that would be more useful to her."
The Soujoubou took a deep breath, "If that were the case then I would've turned down the Land God's request." The grave voice of their leader took on a deep baritone of discontent. "Alas that is not the case here. For it is not her body that is injured but her very soul."
Jirou set his own cup of tea down on the table between them. "An injury to the soul? What sort of trouble was she getting herself into? Only gods and youkai have the ability to damage a soul. Even if she's the Land God's child, he's such a minor one that her being targeted for that reason seems ludicrous." Just when one of his questions was answered another had taken its place.
"You are correct in your assumption that she's not being targeted because of the blood in her veins." The old man stroked his beard as his silver brows furrowed into a deep crevice. "I withheld certain information from you before to test a few theories out. I hadn't been fully convinced of Higurashi's story so I had Sanshirou investigate the matter further."
"What theory might you have been testing?" Jirou pressed.
"Shikon no Tama." The words slipped between them. "I needed time to verify whether the Land God's claims of its resurface was veritable." Dark eyes narrowed in concern. "Sanshirou has confirmed its existence in this world though it is now shattered and many of its pieces are missing."
"The Shikon? Like in the myth?" Jirou tucked his hands into his sleeves. His fists clenched tightly. So that was it? The girl had something to do with the sacred jewel? No wonder she needed to stay here. It was the only place where a person could go to heal their souls. If the girl truly did have the Shikon as suspected, then it'd be likely that the object itself would've caused damage. That also wasn't including the amount of youkai and gods alike that would track her down and kill her for it. A pinprick of a headache began to form behind his eyes. No wonder he'd been assigned the role of 'babysitter'. He'd be the only one capable of keeping her safe from such dangers. Great, that was yet another thing he had to worry about.
"I take it that she's the guardian mentioned in the old stories then?" The inquiry was less of a question and more of a statement.
The Soujoubou nodded again, "You are correct. Now, can I entrust that young woman to you Jirou? Are you willing to take on those added responsibilities?"
Jirou gave a mirthless laugh, "Was there any other choice?"
"I suppose not." The old man sighed. "Though many days I do wish that it didn't have to be like this. I do not take pleasure in seeing my children suffer." There was a tense silence in the air. The wings upon Jirou's back flexed as black feathers fell gently to the ground. The upcoming outrage the announcement of her stay would surely cause would be one difficult to cull. The idea of ceasing the ensuing rage entirely was laughable. A rare thrill filled Jirou. If there was one advantage of having a woman in their home than it'd be the vermin that would come out of hiding. They'd crawl out of their little holes and seek the power that only she possessed. The thought of them laying their filthy hands upon the gate walls made his body primed for a fight. It'd been many years since he'd faced a worthy opponent. If there was one thing Jirou was thankful for, it was that he'd no longer be bored.
"I'll see to her needs." The youthful tengu smirked. He withdrew his hand from his sleeve and grasped the teacup in front of him. There was only a small portion of the drink still left. With the slight tilt of his wrist he toasted the promise to his master. Oh he'd see to her needs alright. If only to get a worthy fight out of the creatures that would pursue her. The corners of his lips turned upwards into and even darker smirk. Only a few hours left.
Kagome slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred and her mouth was dry. She tried to such in a breath only to find her throat swelled shut. She swallowed, the thick substance painfully sliding down her closed off throat. Where was she? What had happened? A inexplicable pain throbbed from somewhere within her. She was hurt but how? And by whom? A bright light shone in her eyes.
"You have to wake up!" A voice called from somewhere far away. It seemed vaguely familiar.
"Kagome, I need you to blink if you can hear me." It was becoming clearer now. She blinked in response.
"Good. Now blink once for yes and two for no. Can you understand what I'm saying?" She blinked once. There was a deep sigh followed by large hands prodding her body painfully. The teen cringed, tossing her head from side to side and kicking her legs up in response. "Are you in pain?" She gave a dull stare at the blurred figure above her. What the hell was that suppose to mean? Of course she was in pain! "Are you in pain?" The voice asked again, only more fervent and a little bit on the desperate side. She blinked again. A shuttered breath blew across her cheek.
"Kagome, what I'm about to do is going to hurt but I need you to bear with it. Can you do that for me?" Her fingers flexed instinctually. More pain? Why? What exactly happened to her? Then it hit her. It was like a wave of fire flooding her entire being. Her mouth opened and a strangled cry threatened to break loose from her swollen throat. Only a small gurgle made it past the closed air way. She nearly choked. Then, as soon as it came, the heat left her. The black shadows that haunted her vision began to ebb away. The dark-haired teen's throat opened somewhat and she realized that she could breathe again.
The young woman's chest heaved as she took in large gulps of air. How long had she been out? Where was she at now? Why was she here? Most of all, what happened with the mountain witch? Her azure eyes cleared and she was left staring up at a plain, wood planked ceiling. This place was unfamiliar. The smell of incense and the mountain forest perforated the room. The first thing she noticed after regaining full consciousness was that it was dark.
"Don't sit up just yet. You're body is still too frail." An unrecognizable voice stated from behind her. The teen craned her neck to catch a glimpse of the one who had saved her. It was a diminutive man. His body was lean and slender. There was very little muscle mass over his body. His dark hair was held together in a low ponytail and his eyes were a deep shade of hazel. Who was this person?
"My name is Tamaru. Now please, drink this." He pushed a small bowl of clear liquid into her face. One of his hands cradled the back of her neck, gently lifting her from her pillow. With practiced ease he carefully drew the bowl upwards and allowed her to easily drink the substance that she assumed was medicine.
"Will she be alright?" Another voice began from the opposite side of the room. It'd been the one she heard in her slumber. Refocusing her attention on the other person, her other senses began to clear as well.
"She'll be just fine Master Higurashi. A few days time and her body will be nearly back to normal. Her soul however will need a great deal more time to recuperate." Tamaru gently laid her back down and pulled the futon up to her shoulders. "Rest easy child. You're safe here."
Kagome opened her mouth, "Where am I?" She cringed as she realized just how terrible her voice sounded. It was frayed from disuse and barely an octave above a whisper. Wait. Had Tamaru just said Master Higurashi? What was going on? A pink tongue shot out and wet her dry and cracked lips.
"You're on Mount Kurama." Kagome's father's voice started. He suddenly appeared beside her, his azure eyes shining with worry in the dark. "It's a sacred place that will enable you're soul to heal from the injury it received."
"My soul?" The miko-in-training questioned. So she wasn't in the feudal era anymore? How did that happen? Did Inuyasha bring her back? Where exactly was Mount Kurama anyways? The amount of questions she had nearly made her dizzy.
Ikui nodded gravely, "Yes, your soul. Inuyasha brought you back earlier this evening. Your soul has been…" The man stopped as the words refused to come out.
Tamaru finished the explanation for him, "Your soul has been dealt a serious blow. If anything, it appears to be torn in half." Hazel eyes narrowed as the mysterious man questioned her further. "Do you remember anything at all about what happened?"
Kagome spent a moment contemplating. The sound of frogs croaking in the background overwhelmed her thoughts. The mountain witch. Urasue. Kikyou. Inuyasha. Those names swam through her mind. Then pain. Blinding, tearing, searing pain. Her fingers clenched over the cloth of her futon as her eyes slammed shut. It couldn't be could it?
"I remember my soul being split into two. One half now exists outside of me." That was right. But what happened with Inuyasha? How had she gotten here? A trickle of fear run up the back of her spine. The image of crimson blood and wild, savage eyes burned in the back of her mind. Claws dripping with the life essence of someone. Who's blood had been on his hands?
You will never escape.
Her breath came in short, panicked pants.
She belongs to me. No one else. Not even you.
Kagome was only vaguely aware of the hands holding down her flailing limbs. There'd been so much blood. So much gore. Inuyasha hadn't been himself. A flash of a memory invaded her mind.
Kagome lay paralyzed within the container of an ill-smelling cocoction. Azure eyes widened as she stared at the naked woman standing before her. It was Kikyou. The doll's matching eyes were blank and lifeless. Pale lips parted to whisper a word of warning but fell silent upon the wind's howling. Black, water-like hair billowed elegantly about the other woman's face. The teen felt all of her life drain from her. Bile rose to her throat before a blinding pain tore at her from the inside out. It hurt. She threw her head back and tried to scream. Nothing but dry air came out. The young woman arched her back as her legs struggled to move. She kicked, she flailed and she even writhed from side to side. All to no avail. Her body could no longer move the way it should.
The mountain witch, who called herself Urasue, cackled maniacally. This was the moment she'd been waiting for. Decades of research had finally bore her fruit. Staring at the creature before her, the hag had felt the need to congratulate herself. That was until she felt the sharp stab of claws burying themselves into her shoulder. Blood soaked the ground beneath her feet. A violent growl erupted from the newcomer.
"Foolish old hag."
The memory ended with her screaming. When Kagome came to she found two others in the room with her. Her father and Tamaru were clutching at her shoulders while a silver-haired male and a gruff-looking man were holding her legs. She took a few moments to breathe. The flashes were quick. The pain was as fresh as it had been a few hours ago. The teen's body shook with fear. The men released their hold over her body after sensing her relax. The shikon miko raised her hand. Dried flecks of blood still remained on the pale skin. Bile once again rose to her throat. Urasue's death had not been quick. It'd been slow, meticulous and gruesome. She had born witness to it all. However it was not just Urasue's demise that had her trembling. Another memory flashed in her mind.
"So you would betray me yet again?" Kikyou's melancholy voice whispered quietly.
A deep growl penetrated the mountain air.
"Betray? You're a fine one to talk." There was a rough squeal of something glass-like scraping against the metal container of the tub she remained paralyzed in. "How about I show you the true meaning of betrayal?"
Kikyou's quiet cries of despair resounded in the air. Whatever Inuyasha was doing to her, Kagome did not want to know. It sounded painful. Her heart twisted for the woman.
"That girl belongs to me. Her soul. Her body. All of it." Something cracked. "She belongs to me. No one else. Not even you." A vase smashed harshly to right of her. "Touch her soul again and I will teach you the true meaning of despair." Inuyasha's voice sounded wrong. It was deep and feral. A growl emanated from him. It was inhuman. His speech was barely even recognizable. Yet Kagome knew that it was him who was doing these horrific things. Blood splattered into the vile concoction she was left to lay in—turning the muddy liquid scarlet. Her hands were stained.
She spent the rest of the night fading in and out of consciousness. Her mind had gone blank afterwards. What few wisps of her memory that resurfaced were quick and always jolted her awake in a cold sweat. It was during that night that Kagome realized that something had gone terribly wrong. By dawn, she would need to recollect herself and get down to the bottom of what and why. For now she laid awake, staring up on the wooden planks of the ceiling above her. She listened as the chorus of frogs croaking and the crickets chirping crew to a crescendo—matching the utter wave of panic in her heart. Everything was wrong.