Title: Planted Paradise
Summary: She walked into the most beautiful place she'd ever seen, and instantly fell in love. He'd watched her from the shadows, before deeming her worthy to live within his planted paradise.
Pairing: Youko/Kagome
Anime: YYH/IY
Damn Inuyasha and his stupid clay pot whore! Kagome wiped another tear from her eye, telling herself that she shouldn't be crying over something so trivial. She'd known all along that Inuyasha would choose Kikyo over her, but her heart had continued to tell her that she loved Inuyasha. Well, she found out it was nothing but a brotherly love and when she told him that he suddenly scowled at her, rushed off, fucked Kikyo in the middle of the forest, and left her to stumble upon them while they were in the act. It wasn't her fault her heart had told her it was time to move on and changed into a more dimmed love for the hanyou, it was his own fault and he would have to accept that if he wished to have her continue her journey with him searching for the Shikon Shards.
Dragging her feet along, she tried to convince herself that she shouldn't be mopping over this, since she did tell Inuyasha she only loved him as a brother when he came onto her. It still hurt to know that as soon as she told him that he went off to screw around with a woman that probably moved like melted clay when it came to such activities. Not that she knew anything about that, she'd never slept with anyone and she wasn't planning to until she was married, or at least in a serious relationship with a person that loved her. Truly loved her; not that cheap crap that Inuyasha had dished out for years on end.
Kagome nodded stiffly, before clutching her arms in the cold of the winter night. She was wearing jeans and a sweater, but it was still cold at this time of night. She didn't know what time it was exactly—she'd accidentally left her watch, with the light up numbers, in her backpack—so, she was guessing that it was around elven or so, maybe twelve at night, but she wasn't positive. After thinking this over, however, her mind quicky turned back to the reason why she was out in the middle of the forest at this time of night—many terrible youkai could be lurking anywhere around her, not that that mattered much, she would detect them before they got to close. She didn't linger on this for long either, instead thinking, why is this affecting me so much? I told Inuyasha I think of him as my elder brother… so why do I feel like my heart was ripped out?
Easy answer: Inuyasha had given her no time to adjust to her new feelings. Yup, because it was either that or she might be trying to tell herself that she didn't love Inuyasha the way she used to and was only lying to herself. She hated lying, so that was instantly ruled out. She couldn't lie to herself as much as she couldn't lie to Sesshoumaru, and he could become a very frightening youkai. She'd had that side of him directed at her a few times, she knew what she was talking about… and she couldn't lie to him, therefore she couldn't lie to herself, she couldn't lie to Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, or anyone else she could think of. Nope, and it was all because she hated liars, she liked honesty; Inuyasha would be thrown into the liars category, but did that mean she hated him?
No, she could never hate Inuyasha, feelings or not.
She'd never hated anyone—except Naraku, he was as evil as anyone could get, so he didn't count, though—and she most certainly couldn't hate Inuyasha. Sighing to herself, Kagome shook her head as she went over this. It was so true, and it seemed to glare at her with bold red letters in the darkness of the sky, while the stars twinkled down at her, each one of them whispering a secret about the universe that mortal ears were never to hear. Of course I could never hate Inuyasha. He was my first love. Hell, I'd probably forgive Sesshoumaru if he ever did something to prove that he would no longer try to kill me and wanted to be my friend. Fat chance of that happening anytime soon.
Stopping herself from watching any further, Kagome looked to the right and then to the left, her blue eyes blinking in mild panic. She didn't recognize anything. That was not the best of signs, and she gulped at the fact that she'd decided to stomp her foot and run in a random direction after she'd moved away from Kikyo and Inuyasha. Not the best move, Kagome, she bit her lip, ok, what do you normally do in these situations? Gah, I've never been in this type of situation, how am I supposed to know. Well, except that one time… but that was close to the village and I'm sure this isn't close to the village at all.
Breathing through her told she continued to mentally tell herself 'breathe Kagome, breathe' before taking a step forward. She stepped onto a stick and heard it crack underneath her foot, but even though she should have known it was her that'd caused it, she jumped in fright. She took three steps back, her head looking around to search for any visible danger while she searched for anything that might be able to harm her with her pitiful miko abilities. She didn't sense anything, but she knew from merely knowing Sesshoumaru never to let her guard down. He could come out of nowhere and she'd never once detect him because he was really good at finding his youkai presence, and she had thus concluded there had to be others who could do that as well. Powerful youkai who were not scared of a young miko with barely any training, and might be looking for certain things that only women could give them—if they were males—even though she wasn't willing to share hers.
Feeling her heart begin to pound within her chest, Kagome glanced around in all directions, her feet nearly tripping over each other while she did so. She didn't know what it was but something caught her attention toward the east and she turned that way, glancing around in all directions while she stumbled through the brush, hoping there wasn't anything venomous or deadly, since she didn't have her flashlight either. She was using the moonlight and starlight that beamed through the treetops, and it was hard to understand what her senses had caught because she was so used to using her eyes in order to tell what was happening around her.
It looked like there was some type of glowing in the distance, and Kagome smiled as she thought about it. She must have been closer to the village than she'd thought, since it was probably the villagers with torches and their fires shining from inside their huts. It was this assumption that picked up her pace, even though her feet seemed to realize this was not a path she normally took more than her mind seemed to. She ignored that feeling, telling herself that she'd soon be sitting with Sango and Miroku, laughing as they bickered over something else—they'd been recently married since Naraku took Kohaku's life—or Shippo would be jumping onto her shoulders and asking her where she'd been while she giggled.
She never noticed the barrier she passed, nor the eyes that watched her from the shadows. However, she noticed the change in temperature, and the fact that she was no longer standing in a forest, but a beautiful paradise. Her feet slowly came to a stop and she dragged her left foot behind her before she came to a complete stop and looked around the place. It was… for a lack of a better word, beautiful. Moonflowers beamed in the moonlight; many different colored flowers surrounded different maple trees; there were flowers that she'd never seen in her life and others that she saw everyday, but as she spun around to look at them all she noticed that they created a beautiful place. It seemed to glow silver in some places and gold in others, while another part seemed to be blended with purple, blue, and pinks, yet the center seemed to be light blue, while there were black flowers hidden among the moonflowers to create a strange, but beautiful looking pattern. The scent that flooded her scents smelled like it was perfectly blended just for her, and she couldn't help but close her eyes while she spun around, her arms wide as insects rose from petals around her. She opened her eyes just in time to see that she was about to step on a flower and quickly stepped back onto the grass, attracting more attention from her silent watcher.
"Amazing," he heard her say, his golden eyes watching her as she moved about. She touched one of the trees, and he heard her laugh when the branches seemed to move in the wind as they touched her lightly, though they were moving as he commanded. His fingers touched the ground, vines wrapping around his wrists as he watched her travel around the flowers and other pieces of foliage, making sure that she walked lightly and never once stepped onto anything. Humans were never that considerate, and he tilted his head of silver hair in wonder of why she was… what was she?
The feeling that brought him was strange, though, and he narrowed his eyes in suspicion of what she was doing. It was clear that she was a miko, but what gift did this miko have that she was able to bring such feelings into him? He was a thief, true, but he was not one to be fooled into something known. He would find out what this miko was doing to him, but before he could even step out from the shadows he heard her whisper something else, her hand touching the plants around her.
"Its so beautiful here," Kagome said. She touched a flower, gasping when it suddenly seemed to pull itself from the bush and wrap around her wrist. Her hand was glowing, and she smiled at her connection to nature, before feeling it break off from the bush and completely hold itself to her skin, almost like it was stuck there. However, she felt her miko powers rise, and knew that it was she that held the flower to herself even though she had done nothing to hold it at all. "I wonder why I've never noticed it before. Maybe… I'm not close to the village afterall." Her eyes seemed to glow a little, before she touched the flower again. "Why is it I don't want to leave?"
He blinked in surprise, feeling her connection to nature, before tilting his head to the side. He'd never seen another with such a unique connection to nature, and something inside of him pulled him to go to her while he watched. Almost like he was being drawn in, and he had to wonder if it were merely her connection, or the fact that he was attracted to a ningen woman. It would not surprise him, she was a beauty, and he admired beautiful things. Perhaps he should… show himself?
Perhaps not…
He moved.
Kagome tensed, feeling the rise of youki in the area. She turned suddenly, seeing an almost ghost-like kitsune standing not far away. His clothing seemed to hang off his skin, like it had been made too big for him, and he'd tied it in several places to keep the haori around him, while his hakama was baggy and loose. His silver hair was almost rough looking—almost gray in color—, but her eyes were drawn instantly to the ears that sat atop his head, pointing into the air as if tall and proud. His eyes reminded her of Sesshoumaru, but they held emotions and were bright in color, while Sesshoumaru's only brightened whenever something he wanted was within his reach. She tensed further, not believing that she was comparing this youkai to Sesshoumaru, since it was Inuyasha she should be using, but… couldn't every woman have her moment when she dreamed of being with such a beautiful being like Sesshoumaru—even if his personality sucked.
"W-who are you?" Kagome asked. She watched this being move forward, and felt a part of her being bringing images of him in shining white armor while he saved her from vicious Inuyasha and they road off into the sunset toward his castle in the sky. Another part of her, however, was screaming that this was wrong, he was youkai, she needed to get the hell out of there.
He smirked a little, "I could ask the same of you, girl. You've somehow trespassed on my secret paradise, and you are in no position to begin asking questions. Now, where to begin… ah, I believe your question is the best to ask: who are you, girl?"
"K-K-Kagome," she shuddered, trying to push away the dirty thoughts upon hearing his voice. It sounded so pure, like he could never do any wrong, at least to her. It wasn't her fault she read a few to many romance novels back home—ok, it was—and she felt like she could suddenly melt in the presence of this male, for he was surely not a man.
"Kagome," it tasted sweet upon his tongue, and he nodded at her answer. "I am Youko, girl. I have many names among the ningen world, but I do not believe one such as you," he glanced down at her clothing, "would have heard of me. No, not from the whore house you walked out of." He stopped before her, looking down at the clothing that she wore, determining it far to tight for any type of skin; it didn't even look warm.
"What?" Kagome snapped, suddenly tense again.
"Are you deaf, girl?" Youko asked. "Surely you would have heard what I said. Ningen are such strange creatures when they ask questions from answers. Your clothing, girl, tells me that you are obviously not an innocent woman. From smell, perhaps, but perhaps your father sold you to a ningen whore house in order to pay a higher lord, or perhaps he merely wished to place you there. Such tight clothing would have been torn from your skin, other females not wanting you to get attention, if you'd not been inside some place where everyone wore such things."
"Tight?" Kagome hissed. "My clothing is not that tight, thank you very much! In fact it's quite comfortable."
"I doubt that," he replied.
"Yeah, well, that shows what you know," Kagome said, lifting her nose into the air. "A woman's opinion is better than a man's."
"Girl," Youko smirked again, "I am no man."
She blushed, her eerie suddenly gone as she pulled the scent around her into her lungs. "I knew that," she whispered. She looked around, "Where are we?"
"Inside my secret garden," Youko continued to smirk. "I believe I have answered that question already, as well. This is my paradise, a place I have nourished for years, and you, girl, have walked right in here. How is that?"
"I sensed something," Kagome said. "I didn't know that I was trespassing, I shall leave if you want me to." She glanced down at the flower that continued to hold onto her like a lifeline, before wincing in pain. She suddenly thrust her wrist out, her other hand coming up to hold onto it, and she wondered for a moment if it was being severed from her arm. It felt like that, and she closed her eyes in pain, tears beginning to leak from her eyes.
He watched as the flower seemed to wither away, her fingers nearly touching him, before the place the flower had attached itself to her began looking as if it was burning away. He heard her scream, before grabbing her wrist, wondering what was happening, before watching the flower design burn itself into her skin, his paradise becoming linked with her physically. His golden eyes narrowed, before he tilted his head to the side. "Girl."
"It hurts."
"I imagine it does," he said, "Kagome." He rolled her name off his tongue once more, before glancing up at her. He knew what the marking meant, besides the fact that she was now apart of the paradise he'd planted. He was also connected to them, and they were telling him things, things that would make him keep this woman. Ningen though she may be. Besides, she might have been wearing a whore's clothing, but the tight material did have a certain appeal about it.
Kagome pulled her wrist from his grip, feeling it loosen from her before it fell away. She backed away from him, clutching her wrist to her chest, before tears began washing down her face more than before. "I-I-I…"
"Yes?"
"I-I," she whimpered. "I-I shall—" she ground her teeth together, "I shall leave now."
"Leave?"
"Yes," she nodded. "I cannot trust you, Youko. I-I must return to those I love."
He'd heard ningen say this word many times, but it still confused him. "Love?" He saw her nod, before he shook the question away, and turned to her silent demand for him to allow her to leave. No, she would not leave, for his paradise would live as long as he, and she would live as long as it stayed alive. Weapons, potions, curses and many others things outside of his paradise would not harm her, but she would not be leaving, not while he was still alive. "You shall not leave, even for those you love."
"What?"
"You heard me, girl. You will not leave."
"You cannot force me to stay here," Kagome replied, backing up into the bush behind her. She watched the kitsune move closer to her, and backed up some more, her eyes darting around like a doe that was trapped by a predator.
"No," Youko nodded in agreement. "I cannot," he grabbed her wrist, "but this will make you stay. No matter where you go you will wish to be here. No matter how much you try to run you shall forever think of this place. No matter what place, time, or space you are in you will forever have this place engraved in your mind, longing to return. You will suffer for hundreds of years, thousands perhaps."
"I will not stay here," Kagome cried. "Not when those I love are waiting for me."
He reached up and grabbed her chin with his other hand, before forcing her closer to him, her body nearly falling into his. "You will stay here, girl," he whispered. "I shall not allow you to leave; I vow upon my current position not to allow you, Kagome, to leave this place." He looked down at her, before smirking, "Besides, I have ways of making you wish to stay." With that he lowered his head, capturing her lips with his own, his tongue sweeping into her mouth when she gasped in surprise. He moved his lips to encourage her, pulled her closer, and tilted his head to get a better position. He did not release her until he sensed she needed to breathe, before nibbling on her bottom lip, hearing her heart speed up within her chest. "What do you say? Will you stay?" he whispered against her lips, his fangs piercing into her swollen red lips, bruising from his roughness.
"I do not have any other choice…?" Kagome asked, breathing deeply.
"No," he replied, licking her lips. "I shall not allow you to leave. You shall teach me this love, and remain here to please me when I need you. You shall be my tender flower within my secret garden, and no one else shall ever have you for I will never share."
A tear streaked down her face.
Years later, hundreds in fact, the story of the missing miko turned into nothing but legend, another, a dead woman, having finished the task she was supposed to have completed. Those who had known the miko had missed her presence and closed their eyes years later with images of her smiling face, while others merely heard stories of her kindness and purity, before her disappearance. Though only legend, should one someday stumble upon a garden like no other they will find that this miko is not of legend, but of truth, as beautiful as the day she vanished, as young as she was foretold to have been when she disappeared. Should they stumble upon this place they will meet the youkai that kept her there, loving her the only way he knew how, before they met their death, the miko uncaring to this because she had inherited the mask of the youkai. Deep inside her, though, tears still ran like rushing blood, her mind only sane because though she was locked away, her heart was stolen by love a few years after with a paradise planted by a kitsune with many gifts. The very kitsune who she loved and hated; but it was simply said to be legend… but perhaps it is not?
--Fin
