I've decided to take this story in a whole different direction than whatI had previously planned. I hopeI don't disapoint.
By the way, THIS is the reason whyI haven't updated TSH yet.
The writer's block crumbled and I had to put it down on paper before it decided to build up again.
To the poeple who have emailed me in anger and frustration. I'm sorry! But I'll be back soon. I apologize to all of you with the many excusesI blabble.
I'm formulating the next chappie for TSH now. And this story too...
Uh oh...
Stolen Precious
Chapter 4
The sky was an inky black, a thick color that was almost hurtful to the eyes. He didn't look away. A horrid breeze, empty and cold, flicked past his ears, and dismay blossomed in his ribs. He took a deep breath.
This man, drained inside, hollow, laid flat on the ground and continued to stare at this too black sky, tasting this terrible air.
This field he laid in was hard and caked with drought. All moisture and meaning to this land was sucked out of it and left desecrated. Rocks stabbed his shoulders and ripped the skin of his fleshy neck, but he moved not.
It was over.
Everything was gone.
This field, this field he laid in, dusty and dry, had once been lush with green grasses, trees, and beautiful flowers of every imaginable color.
But now it was black, that awful black, and now so…vacant. No life, no reason, no richness, no uniqueness.
This man, this empty and shivering man, wanted to cry. He wanted to sob. But something blocked his throat and damned the tears. Something stopped him so close to relief.
Maybe it was pride.
But this man did not know if he truly possessed that. He did not know if he possessed any emotion besides this deep sludge of despair and shame.
And anger.
That spark of anger smashed under that sludge, dimming and flashing, dimming again.
He couldn't stop…them.
They took everything.
Everything!
A roar, the closest thing to relief that only tears could bring, the sound echoed across this dank wasteland and wrenched from his lungs in rising levels.
The anger sparked, flashed, popped, grew…and exploded.
He jumped to his feet and pounded the earth, blind from rage. Rage that gobbled up the sludge, rage that only grew worse when he looked around at the dust that now occupied this land, rage that came when he realized he had been pathetic and weak and…useless.
He couldn't save the flowers!
It had been so exhausting…
Should have been stronger…
There was so many…
Should have tried harder…
They had almost killed him…
He had nothing left now!
Except…
The man slowed his incessant punching and finally relaxed his bleeding fingers. He panted quick and piercing as his eyes flicked to his chest.
Except one…
The callused skin of his hands were scratched and gashed. They trembled as he dug one in the folds of his clothing. Panic rushed through him when he didn't feel that silky texture at once but he sighed when he later found it, hidden close to his heart.
He looked around, even though he already knew they had gone, and when the perimeter was secure, pulled it out.
A small bundle of petals and a lowly twig; tiny, insignificant, he almost died grabbing them.
But…
The thrum of power that seeped into his fingertips, the sweet warmth that glowed in his soul, he had managed to protect something...something terribly precious.
They gave no answers to the buzzing fog of confusion hovering beyond his defenses, pushed down in fear of consuming him. And they gave no support or suggestion of how he could regain what was stolen from him. But it was at least something…maybe even one of the important things…
But he wasn't sure.
He didn't know anything anymore.
Besides one thing.
He had to leave now.
He was sick of this place.
And it was time to go.
So this man stood up and placed these precious things back. He lifted his head and determination was etched into the harsh contours of his face. Sorrow was still there, amid the shadows of uncertainty and fear. But those were weakening emotions and at such a difficult time, these could not be permitted. So this man pushed them down and gathered up the small courage he had left.
He was going to get his precious…something…back.
He had to stay strong.
This man of no name, origin, or memories, weighted down inside his empty shell by those weakening emotions, forced himself to keep walking.
And in order to pass the time as he headed for a door, standing in the middle of nowhere, connected to no walls, he hummed.
Hush now…my baby…be still now…
Don't cry.
What did Kaede put in that sleeping tonic? Kagome mused, in slight worry, as she walked through the village. Inuyasha had slept straight through the night and now it was past noon. It wasn't like him to waste the day like that.
Of course…he wasn't quite himself.
The miko shook her head. No, she had to be confident, have faith! They've dealt with worse things, right? They could figure this out. And beat it! Anything was possible.
She was a teenage girl, in high school, traveling 500 years in the past through a rickety old well, and was battling demons with purification powers.
Darned right anything was possible!
Kagome nodded her head briskly and straightened the load on her back. To pass the time waiting for Inuyasha's awakening, Kaede had placed her with the task of going back home and getting more supplies. It was the perfect opportunity.
Though she had to admit, not having a grumbling puppy hybrid greeting her return had dampened her mood.
And that wasn't the only thing.
The world was now washed out grays and blues. It had been raining all morning. It was a downpour in her time but in feudal Japan, slight drizzling was all.
That wasn't a big improvement so no celebrating.
Kagome blew the locks of hair from her eyes and grumbled out an incoherent curse. Luckily she did go home or poor Kagome would have been stuck with pesky little green skirts in this weather. Why she wore them? Not even she knew. That wasn't the right attire for demon fighting.
And definitely not with gusts of wind and mud.
I don't think Inuyasha or anyone else in that matter has seen me in jeans before. Wonder what they'll think…
If Inuyasha even remembered her when she got back…
No, no, faith and confidence remember?
Kagome sniffed and trudged on. She was nearing the village entrance. A little bit farther and then she could see if Inuyasha was awake.
Everything would be okay, she told herself.
Everything was going to be okay…
Screams filled the air.
Things weren't going to be okay.
He was lying down again. But this time there was no painful bumps or sharp edges, no itchy sand or dirt. He was lying on something soft. He was in a bed. He could feel the pulsating body heat inside the blanket that was covering him. But where this bed was located in, what room, what house, this man did not know.
And he was afraid to open his eyes.
There was a fire nearby. He could hear it crackle and pop. The smoke rising from it was intoxicating, a sweet scent of pine. It had eased the stab of alarm that filled him when he came back to reality and his defenses went down; went down long enough for that fog to blind him.
Where was he? What day was it? How long was he asleep? Why was here? How did he get here? Who was he?
What was his name?
The terror rocked him and he had thrashed, fright ever-growing when his arms and legs got strangled in the blanket's hold. No scream had left his throat but his ears were filled with his speedy pants and choked cries.
Then common sense kicked it.
This was not the time. Those weakening emotions could not control him. If he was to take back what was stolen, he must stay focused and clear headed.
It had been struggle to calm down but it was done.
The relief was like a cold drink on a hot day. It flushed through him and left him light headed when he realized he was alone.
But he didn't know how he knew that.
He could just somehow pinpoint every sound made and had a clear sketched picture of the room's layout in his brain. He smelled the air and mentally calculated that the fire was to his right. The exit was down from that. He could actually hear the shuffles of feet up the road. And he suspected he was in a small village, the muddled conversations were soft and few. If he wanted to, he could hone in on one of those conversations and find out how much a piece of bread was.
This was amazing!
And yet, he wasn't held in terrible surprise.
He was already used to it and was sniffing and identifying scents and sounds like a pro in no time.
He already recognized his own scent. It covered the other scents, ones of people that must have been here just a little bit ago and ones that he could not for the life of him remember.
But they itched at him. He knew that he was supposed to know.
But he didn't.
Couldn't.
Because that was stolen from him.
And it filled him with such frustration. He clenched his fist.
Alright, so he was in a human village.
Wait, why did he say human village?
And why in his head had he categorized all those other scents in this room as human…
Except those other two a…kitsune and neko?
How had he known that?
All the flowers were gone.
But they hadn't taken my instincts.
Instincts?
Were humans supposed to have instincts? And he knew that he was human because that smell--the smell that whispered human in his head--that was part of his scent too.
But what about the other part? That heady…powerful part aroma that whipped in his blood and rose from his skin?
It was a little like those weird kitsune and neko smells.
Demon said his instincts.
Demon?
He couldn't be a demon and human at the same time could he?
And why did he know all those words and fragrances? Neko, kitsune, human, demon, all labeled as a different category and smell in his mind.
But there was no image that transpired with them.
He could hear the word in his mind but saw no flash of a mental picture.
And he was starting to ramble!
Some of the fog was whistling out but it didn't send him into another frightful fit. Now it was just giving him a headache with all these questions.
Enough of this!
He opened his eyes.
And found that it was difficult. He would rather have closed them again. He was still tired. But it didn't feel like a normal tiredness.
The man shook his head and noted his surroundings. The hut was bare and boring with the wood starting to crack with age. He could hear the scratching and swallowing of bugs in the rafters and the clip plop of rain on the roof.
The smell of the rain mixed with the pleasant pine smoke was wonderful.
He felt his cheeks tighten and pull up. His lungs filled deep and emptied.
That smelled great.
His stomach made a strange gurgling sound and he sat up, placing a hand on his mid section.
But the realization of his hunger was gone when he noticed the claws adorning the ends of his fingers.
He made a strange yipping sound and held up his hands, twisting them and waving them in front of his eyes.
He was a demon! Humans with claws didn't sound right. He must be a youkai. But why did he smell this way?
Oh no, not twenty questions ag—he had white hair!
The man practically ripped the locks from his head to look at them. The bluish strands glistened from the fire light and trailed from his grasp in knotted softness.
How old was he?
He couldn't be an old man, his muscles felt light and chipper and buzzing with strength. There were no aches of age in these bones. His senses were sharp and magnificent.
Then why did he have white, or blue, whatever, hair?
Those pants came back and adrenaline was billowing out into his system.
Why did he have claws, why was he in this bed, why couldn't he remember how this happened?
They, they, they stole them.
Who were they?
What did they steal?
The flowers?
What was a kitsune, what was a neko, what kind of demon or human or whichever was he?
How had this happened to him?
What was his name?
The torrent of questions snapped off and his body froze when he heard talking coming this way. His lungs started to burn as he achingly hoped whoever was coming would go away, decide to turn, go past this house.
What was his name?
The talking grew only louder. Their footsteps slapped his extremely sensitive ears.
Where was he?
He let out a rapid exhale and sucked in air sharply. They were going to come inside!
How old was he?
He pushed off the covers and scrambled backwards. His back hit the wall and he nearly moaned. There was no escape!
What was he?
He had to get out! In an explosion of giddy energy and fear, he lunged to his feet and jumped.
Why had he jumped?
He realized his mistake. Where was jumping supposed to take him? But in slow comprehension, this man saw that he was rapidly heading to the ceiling. Right before he made contact, his body moved without command and his arms covered his head.
He expected pain but there only came a dull thud and prickly scrapes. Again without consciously demanding for it, his arms whipped out, fingers arched, and he flung in a circle in mid air.
His eyes whipped open by shrill screams followed by his own gasp.
He was…flying?
No…no, no, no, no, no…gravity was working, he was heading back down.
His feet tensed and when they touched the ruined hut's roof, they quickly pushed off and he was sent speeding upwards again.
There was no way he was old!
And there was no he could be a complete human!
Look how he was jumping!
How was this possible?
Demon.
The man swallowed in awe by this power rushing in his veins. He hopped from house to house, growing euphoric by the marveled cries greeting him with every leap.
Humans, young and old pointed up at him and yelled out jumbles of, "Look it there!" "Is that…?" "Where is he going?"
"He destroyed Lady Kaede's house!"
Lady Kaede?
He looked over his shoulder and felt a bubble of mortification by the wreckage he had left behind. The hut was in shambles and an old woman, a man in purple robes, and another woman much younger with a boomerang on her back stared at him with wide eyes, mouths agape.
Look what he'd done and he had done it with hardly any effort at all.
That was almost scary.
But he wasn't going to go back and apologize.
A girl in strange clothing was running down the road, followed by those people who were about to walk into the now destroyed hut, and they were screaming out a name.
A name that held absolute no meaning to him. Besides, with the painful shrieking of wind in his ears, it almost sounded like "In a yak a."
He gritted his teeth. They must not be too happy with the house destroyed and with it raining and all. And the old woman had arrows bundled on her back.
He emitted a sound close to a whine and hurried his pace.
Even with the wind and rain deafening him, this man could clearly hear the womanly bellow of, "SIT!"
Bright pink light glowed around his neck and an unnatural force lurched into his muscles, tightening them to the point of paralysis, and the ground swooped up to his vision.
This time it hurt.
What was he doing?
Kagome sprinted, narrowly slipping through mud or bumping into scattered villagers.
He had obliterated Kaede's home! And even though they had screamed his name, he was running from them.
Please…don't let it be…
The boom of the sit was thunderous and this time had actually made her wince. When the splatter of mud and grass had settled, she saw in clenched worry that he was completely still.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried.
He had been really high…
Was he okay?
"Inuyasha!"
She laughed, broken with relief, when he slowly sat up on his hands and knees. His back was to her and he gave no sign of hearing her. She called his name again, slowing to a trot as she neared him.
He stiffened and flipped around to look at her.
His hand was wrapped around his rosary and fear…no…stark terror…dripped from his eyes.
"Get away!"
Kagome could feel her mouth drop open.
When Miroku, Sango, and Kaede came closer, Inuyasha turned to them and jumped to his feet, his free hand held up to them. "STAY BACK!"
They froze as well in surprise.
The hanyou glanced from Kagome and the others in quick panicky movements. He cautiously walked backwards, one fist still clenched around the beads of his necklace.
"I said stay back. D-don't move, okay? I…I'm sorry I broke the roof…I…"
"Child…" Kaede started.
Inuyasha growled, "Don't move!"
The old woman closed her lips and stared at him in confusion.
"Just…Just let me go okay…? I'll...I don't think I have any money to pay f-for repairs…b-but…just…don't do th-that…that…whatever you did!" He breathed shakily, eyes still wide. "Just…let me go…" As he spoke, he slowly lifted the rosary. It sparked pink as it neared the top of his head. He gasped, dropped it, and fell to his back side. "What the…!"
"Inuyasha, what's wro—"
He paid them no more heed. Instead took both hands and tried to rip the rosary off his neck. The beads continued to grow pink and shock him. Horror grew.
"IT WON'T COME OFF!"
Everyone stared at him as his hysteria mounted.
"Get it off! Get it off! WHAT IS THIS THING? WHY CAN'T I TAKE IT OFF?" Kagome gasped as he began to slash at it with his claws, instead nicking his vulnerable Adam's apple, narrowly slicing his jugular vein.
"Inuyasha! STOP!" She ran forward. "Stop it!"
He flailed and didn't acknowledge her command. His words were whimpering down into a dismayed moan, "It won't come off..."
Inuyasha become rigid when out of nowhere Kagome grabbed his wrists. He hadn't noticed her kneeling down. "H-hey! D-don't touch me!"
It was just as she feared.
There was no flicker of recognition in his eyes. Only what reminded her of a cornered animal, chained up, anticipating a beating.
Her heart twisted and she sniffed back tears.
It was done.
He didn't remember her.
"I-I'll take it off."
There were gasps and speedy mutters behind her.
He licked his lips and leaned back.
"R-really?"
She tried her best at a gentle smile. "Yeah, I'm the only one who can. So just stay still okay?"
Inuyasha stared at her. Should he really believe what this girl was saying? And what did she mean that only she could take it off? He really had no choice however and he desperately wanted this blasted thing gone. The power it had emitted earlier…he could still feel it coiling inside him like a harness. It was eerie and discomforting. So he nodded and slowly released his fingers. "W-was it…the necklace…did it make me fall? H-how…how did it do that?"
Even though it had toppled him to the ground in such terrible force, he was still curious.
The girl gripped the beads and lifted it over his head. As it swept passed his ears, he could hear the crackling of energy within it, dulling down to a hum. When he was freed from it, some pressure he hadn't noticed before abruptly released. It was like…his soul was a little bird let out from its cage.
That was a strange thought…
If he considered his soul a caged bird…
Was he a prisoner?
Was that why he was wearing that thing?
He met the girl's eyes and was instantly mesmerized. How could they be such a deep brown color? Not only brown, there were violet flecks in them, mixing with green. Bizarre. Why had he noticed that? And why did they comfort him so, like stepping into a warm bath?
He lifted a brow. Where were his thoughts taking him? He didn't know this girl!
She sniffed and set her hands down in her lap, her fingers tightly clasped around the rosary. It hurt so much taking it off, like she was saying goodbye forever.
"It's wh-when I say 'sit.'" As she did so the beads humming flared up. Inuyasha flinched but didn't back away.
When she said 'sit'? That triggered him to fall?
"Why was I wearing it?"
Why does she smell so good? Her vanilla and strawberry scent, it itched him the most. But with more consistency and the frustration it brought to not remember almost pained him. Why was that?
And why did she look like she was going to cry?
A small flicker of alarm pierced him. He didn't want to see her cry!
"W-well…it was…um…"
"How does it work? I mean this little thing had me slammed to the earth! How did it do that?" He found himself biting the inside of his cheek in curiosity. And he did like that feeling. Curiosity. It didn't consume him with terror like that fog of confusion.
The girl cocked her head and something squeezed inside. That was cute.
Cute?
"Uh, it was…bound to your soul. It only works for you and it can only be activated when I say sit. It has a spell…a spell of subjugation on it."
Subjugation?
The man tensed and that adrenaline rush of fear charged into him again.
Did she mean as in suppressing his will? Forcing him into a defenseless position at any time if she wished it? With one little word could control him no matter how strong this demonic power was?
He was…he was a prisoner?
His head bounced up and flicked to all of these human faces.
That hysterical horror was blossoming again and he couldn't suppress it.
She was so close.
This girl, this frail looking girl, could easily slip that damned necklace on him again and send him down to the ground. Any of these people who were staring at him, staring at him with an emotion that somehow looked like fear, fear or remorse, pity…his own horror by the implication of that spell which bounded his soul, it was making his thoughts distorted and fuzzy.
All that now registered was that these "weak" people were now a threat and he needed to get away.
Run.
Run, run, run!
Get away!
Kagome could practically taste the fear curling off of him.
It had calmed her in a way with his questions. The shine in his eyes was…cute, that was a good word. It reminded her of an inquisitive little boy, or maybe puppy was better. But then when she had told him how the rosary worked, in a flash, all defenses had gone up and that horrible terror…
Terror of them.
Terror of her.
That was the worst part and the knowledge seared through her.
He was scared of her.
With such slowed human reflexes, there was nothing Kagome could do when Inuyasha pushed her. She toppled to her back with such might that her neck cracked and all air was knocked out of her lungs.
She coughed and sputtered for air. But she tried her best to sit back up.
She could hear the shouts of her companions and Inuyasha's quivering scream to stay away from him!
She had to get to him. Make him understand that they weren't enemies. They were best friends!
She loved him!
"I…Inu…" She rolled over and lifted her head and saw with surprise that Inuyasha had actually sent her flying about five feet.
He was standing where she had once been, now surrounded by Kaede and the others. Kagome saw in alarm that they were all in attack-ready positions.
They weren't helping any!
"N-no…don't…leave…"
The cornered animal look was flashing in his amber orbs again. With a twist of her heart, she saw that his hands were trembling.
Inuyasha…
"Now child, there was no need to hurt Kagome like that. We're not going to hurt ye."
Inuyasha shook his head and stepped back.
"I don't believe you. I d-don't! You had me on some sick leash! S-she…that…that girl…she had m-me…like some kind of…like some kind of slobbering dog! And with a word like sit! What did I do?" A growl was growing in his throat. Some kind of knot, burning deep in his gut, was throbbing inside him. His vision was hazing with blood.
"Am I some kind of pet? A slave? Do I eat your table scraps or something? What did I do to make you want to…to do that…without any…any thought about m-my….dignity? Why?"
Why were they getting ready to attack him? Why were they acting like he was some deranged canine?
And why…why was he so livid about that?
His pride was aching and stung. A human…wench…with such power over him, able to knock him down at whim and with such a degrading word like 'sit'.
Instead of cowering in fear, that spark of anger blasted forth and filled him with strength.
He wasn't going to allow them to do that to him again!
Guilt ate at her.
He didn't remember trying to kill her when she released him from the Goshinboku Tree. He didn't remember how he tried to slash her head off.
He didn't remember anything about each other. Anything about how they met, how they were forced to travel together and make a friendship grow. He didn't remember anything about her….or himself. Not even his name.
But she knew. Kagome knew that what he was saying, about the rosary and the humiliation of being sat.
That was the real him.
That's what he had thought when he still had all of his memories.
She understood this as well as her love for him.
Kagome's held back tears were released. Shame rose like bile in her throat.
How many times had she dishonored him by yelling sit in a public place? How many times had she done that in Shippo's presence, allowing the kit to jump on his immobilized head?
She had even done it in front of Sesshomaru.
And she hadn't cared.
On the contrary, she had been thrilled by the power of the rosary.
To be able to send such a powerful creature like this hanyou to the ground, it had been exhilarating.
And she never thought about taking the necklace off because when she did…she grew so scared…that maybe he could attack her, forget all the times they shared or dismiss them and decide he didn't need her anymore. But when her love grew the fears changed. Now she was afraid that he would leave her, go to Kikyou, and willingly jump into the fiery pits of hell. Or maybe he would become a full demon and…and…
Why had she taken it off now?
He didn't remember Tetsusaiga. And at this very moment, even thought the sword was tied to his side, his eyes were flashing red.
He could kill them in an instant.
Why had she taken it off?
Because of what you had seen in his eyes…how his voice had shook when he was yelling "get it off"…you couldn't stand it…
And with the undeniable need to ease him, she had taken the rosary off without thinking about the implications.
She was such an idiot.
But at the same time, to hear his true honest feelings about the necklace…
She was even more of an idiot.
I'm so sorry…
"Inuyasha…"
"Hey! There you guys are!"
Kagome swallowed a moan and turned her head to see Shippo running towards them, Kirara on his shoulder. He had been out playing in the puddles with the other village children. He must have decided to come back to get lunch.
He had picked the wrong time.
The kit slowed down, sensing the crackle of tension in the air, noticing everyone's strained faces and their positions.
"What's going on? Kagome…" his emerald eyes widened, "Are you okay? What are you doing on the ground?" He turned to the huddled mass around Inuyasha. "Is there something wrong? Inuyasha…do…you're finally awake, are you…" he began to fumble around his words and finally lost his voice. He furrowed his brows. Kirara mewed and jumped to the ground.
"Shippo…" Kagome started but couldn't decide what to say.
Inuyasha stared at the young fox demon and amid his hurried breathing, he whispered, "Kitsune and neko?"
The hanyou licked his dry lips and growled. The unexpected sound made everyone flinch.
He couldn't take this anymore.
He didn't have time for this!
He wasn't going to allow them to trick him into wearing that rosary thing again!
He wasn't going to be a prisoner!
Those two little creatures weren't wearing a necklace, so they must not imprison just demons. Why him? What had he done?
"AGH! NO MORE QUESTIONS!" He gripped his pounding temples.
The man in purple robes said that name again, the name that was almost like that girl's scent. He couldn't remember why it bothered him and it hurt…it hurt his heart to not remember.
He couldn't stand this!
"Stay away from me! I have to go! I have to go find….go find them…"
Purple robed man, he took another step closer, and said, "You couldn't protect them could you?"
He froze.
How did…how did the purple robed man know?
This time the terror, a weakening emotion he just could not control, it blinded him.
"How…" he couldn't breathe. He held his head tighter. "How…?"
"Did they steal everything?"
The want to cry came back but still, no tears came.
"Yes…"
This man of no name, no origin, and no memories shook uncontrollably.
He looked from one face to another, one last time, and still struggled for air.
His mouth opened wide, his lips quivered…that little…was it a boy? No, a kitsune, a kitsune child, he was staring at him with such fear….no…not fear….sadness…
He then realized that all these people looked a little sad.
Especially that girl…
She was crying…
NO!
He screamed.
And ran.
In the far corners of his consciousness, there was a deep evil chuckle.
QUESTION! Should it be Naraku or should I create a WHOLE new brand of evil villain? YOU DECIDE! I'm flexible...and I haven't decided yet either. :embarrassed smile:
:notices frantic TSH fans and backs away slowly:
Um...oh yeah...I should get back to that...:gulps:
RUN MUSE RUN!