So wrong, it's just history repeating;
it keeps following me around.
So wrong, it's just history repeating.
History repeating.
So long.
Groove Armada (Feat. Will Young), History
Kagome found her way down the cramped, musty stairs behind Sesshoumaru who had the presence of mind to pack a lighter with him, which he used to light the ancient torches that lined the rock walls. Luckily, they still had some oil in them.
Sesshoumaru had insisted that it would be a day trip, so Kagome had only dragged along the bare essentials: her travel purse, lip balm and a light sweater.
The stairs led down for quite some time and Kagome walked into the back of Sesshoumaru—and got a mouthful of hair—on more than one occasion. She apologized, but secretly she was glad for the opportunity to touch his hair. It was just so soft and shiny. Kind of reminded Kagome of her old cat Buyo...
Not that she'd ever mention that to him.
He had enough issues as it was, adding a wounded ego into the mix wasn't something Kagome was interested in doing.
Finally at the bottom of the staircase, they entered a huge, dimly lit room.
Kagome looked around the room—it was mostly bare, with the exception of a huge alter in the middle and some sort of... it almost looked like a stone bed? And some giant, open doors in the corner that seemed to lead to another room.
"What is this, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
Sesshoumaru seemed to consider his words for a moment before answering—Hiding truths, perhaps?
"This is where the gods would come to fraternize with the oracles…" he started, but was interrupted.
"Ah, fraternize with the oracles. What a lovely euphemism, Sesshoumaru," a woman's voice said as it reverberated through the giant hall. "What fun they had. You amongst them…" she seemed to accuse.
"Oracle," Sesshoumaru cut her off.
Catching the warning in his tone, she changed the subject. "I see you have brought a new toy with you, Sesshoumaru," said the woman as she seemed to glide out from behind the safety of her hiding place. The scant, translucent clothing she wore was only kept from being indecent by the mass of her dark, floor-length hair.
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "Does Amaterasu know that you think of her as my toy, Pythia?"
The oracle smiled at Sesshoumaru as she brushed her hair back, revealing her body through the thin gauze that served as her clothing. Her ancient, vividly-glowing green eyes flashed warningly.
Kagome tried not to stare, but the woman was so striking—utterly and completely timeless looking.
She could have been twenty, fifty, a hundred... a thousand... Kagome's eyes couldn't tell.
"As if I care what that whore thinks," replied the oracle, suddenly shifting her attention from Sesshoumaru to Kagome. "Ah, but this one! Look at her, Sesshoumaru—she is special, is she not? And what a lovely pendant! I did not fit nearly so nicely between the breasts of the last woman you brought to me."
Sesshoumaru shrugged indifferently, but Kagome thought he might be hiding something, but she thought that he was always hiding something.
"Perhaps you think you can trick me into one of my visions? You know who I serve," she bristled.
"And you do remember who you are indebted to?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"As if I could forget. However, it does not matter; I am no longer able to elicit any visions. The vapors have all disappeared. So your pretty human will have to sit and rot—which might help the issue, actually."
"I heard you have a new problem to contend with," Sesshoumaru replied, seeming to ignore the thinly veiled threat directed towards Kagome.
Where had he heard that? So Sesshoumaru was keeping things from her, which was to be expected considering she was keeping things from him, too.
Still... she'd have to pick his brain later for answers—the insight could help find the book, or help her make a decision...
The oracle rounded on him, her ancient, timeless body seeming to completely fill up the space of the small room. "It has been hundreds of years, Sesshoumaru, why come now? I have never been able to help you before."
Sesshoumaru said nothing, but the oracle was able to draw her own conclusions. "Of course, she is special. We are ever together in this great world—connected by our powers."
The oracle stood up to her full height and looked Kagome over, smiling at what she saw.
"Powerful, aren't you? But you've always known that, but what to do with that power…?" she asked, reaching towards Kagome who unconsciously took a step forward before catching herself.
Kagome shifted uncomfortably under the intense woman's gaze. "I always do my best."
"Not always good enough, is it?"
"Not always," Kagome agreed.
"Though it is the life you've chosen, is it not? That should provide some small comfort."
"It does, even if it's not exactly what I expected."
"Life would be very dull indeed if it lived up to our expectations—even an oracle likes to be surprised once in a while."
Sesshoumaru cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Will it work?"
The oracle turned to face Sesshoumaru and though she was smaller in stature than he, she seemed bigger for all the spirit her soul possessed.
"The vapors have all gone; though really, you're asking the wrong oracle."
Kagome looked around hopefully before finally realizing she was talking about her.
"Um… excuse me? I'm not an oracle."
"But you are a miko."
"And? I trained with the bow and in channeling reiki, not manipulating visions!"
"Then use Pythia and learn," he demanded, as if one could just will visions into submission.
"Sesshoumaru-sama! I never signed up for this. I thought we were finding an oracle, not that I'd be the oracle!"
"Decide then, miko. Decide what you will, but remember that you asked for this. Were you not willing to make sacrifices in order to get what you desire back?"
My life… a chance to be normal again… is that what I want?
Inuyasha…
Papa…
...A normal life?
"Will it hurt?" Kagome asked Pythia.
"It is possible, but not likely."
"Tell me what I need to know," Kagome demanded.
"You will be out of control of yourself—a waking dream, but not your own. You can only see what the vision provides, you cannot direct it, but you will feel it as if it were your own memories. Though, I think this is not your first time?"
Kagome hesitated before shaking her head.
Sesshoumaru's eyes shot to hers. "Keeping secrets, miko?"
"You never asked," Kagome replied, head held high.
"Tell me now," he demanded.
Kagome sighed, but relented. "I used to dream of my friends… the ones I lost. At first, I thought that it was only my mind making things up, but eventually I thought they were… memories of what they were and what they became. But I've only ever dreamed about you once! I promise." It was the wrong thing to say.
In a flash, Sesshoumaru was in front of her, holding her hard at the shoulders. "You would do well not to keep such secrets from me."
"I didn't see anything useful!"
"Tell me."
"Well, you were nicer for starters! I didn't think you had it in you to be nice, but you treated the goddess like she was something special…"
A low rumble cut Kagome off.
"Sesshoumaru-sama… what was that?" Kagome asked, craning her neck around, trying to look out the exit.
"Ah, the python's offspring…" answered Pythia with a small smile while moving back towards her haven. "This 'trial' will be the true test, for your journey's course will be determined by the outcome."
The oracle laughed as she backed away. "Just like old times, isn't it Sesshoumaru... except, something's missing, is it not?"
Retreating back behind the safety of the giant door, Pythia called out, "You need the carcass, Sesshoumaru. It is imperative." The doors swung shut heavily, seemingly of their own accord, leaving Sesshoumaru and Kagome to deal with their fate.
"Sesshoumaru-sama…" Kagome started, the fear creeping into her voice.
"Stay behind me, miko. Whatever you do, do not let the python's venom touch you."
"Stay behind you! What exactly are you going to do like this, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome said as she gestured at Sesshoumaru's mostly human form.
Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder at Kagome and in that moment, that instant, Kagome remembered why it was that Sesshoumaru was a feared lord—and why she'd once been terrified of him.
One look and it didn't matter it didn't matter that his claws were dull, that his markings faded, and it didn't matter that he was dressed in human clothes; Sesshoumaru's eyes were fierce and rimmed red—almost as if he'd been waiting for the moment to break free of his cursed constraints, even if only for a moment.
The floor rumbled and a great hiss carried through the giant cavern.
The shiver up Kagome's spine told her that, whatever happened next, it would change her life forever.
Apollo had been thinking of the human, though it drove him almost to the point of insanity to admit it to himself.
She was different. Not like a goddess, not his muses, not even like his other human consorts. It was as if everything that made him superior—and desirable—to every other female (and some male) creature on the planet held no sway with her.
He was almost at a loss as to what to do next.
Almost.
He'd never had a human deny him before and he wasn't about to start with Kagome… she was special. Perhaps, in order to gain her respect and trust, he'd have to accord her the same benefits?
Of course, he'd betray her in the end—he needed the book as much as Sesshoumaru did, doubly so, actually.
But until then… there was no reason it couldn't be mutually beneficial for both he and the human.
Eventually, the noise from his sister's destructive behavior took him out of his revelry.
"Sister…" Apollo tried to get her attention, but she ignored him.
Artemis was as beautiful and bitter as always, which was his fault completely.
In the light of their perfect home on Olympus, even the sun's rays couldn't diminish the anger and unhappiness that radiated from her beautiful body.
"You're destroying that wall," he commented mildly, barely lifting his head from the page he had been pretending to read. Artemis had been shooting imaginary targets for hours now in a vain attempt to annoy him—it hadn't worked initially, but now it was a distraction from his plans… and it was destroying one of the walls to the great common area.
"And? You're a god, I'm sure you can repair it or trick some human into doing it for you."
Artemis using a wall for target practice was uncommon for her, she usually used him.
Pop!
Pop!
Pop!
One by one, her arrows struck, disappearing as soon as the broke into the surface of the marble.
"Your aim is getting rusty," Apollo teased without looking. He missed the way she used to be—before he'd gone and messed everything up between them.
Artemis used to be his best friend and his greatest ally. And then Amaterasu had entered his life… among other bad decisions.
"Oh? Sweet brother, is that a challenge?"
Apollo finally lifted his head from the magazine, some sort of celebrity gossip that he occasionally keep up with. Once upon a time, humans used to pay worship to him, now they worshiped things like celebrities, television… he was woefully behind on the times, but he completely intended to get caught up and idolized again, just as soon as…
"No, you know that you couldn't possibly match me in skills with a bow."
"Says the god that was worshiped as the patron of music; brother, I was worshiped for my skill."
"You know that wasn't the only thing was worshiped for, Artemis," Apollo replied, clearly unamused.
"Oh, how could I forgot—you have your muses, as well. Tell me, brother, in between fucking humans and your muse whores, whenever did you find the time to complicate my life?"
"Calm yourself, sister. I only ever tried to do what was best for you." Apollo stirred from the chaise lounge he'd seated himself on, situated at the edge of a giant pond where huge, ancient fish, whose name he'd forgotten, swam. He uncrossed his legs and settled them on the floor. Artemis was known for being rash when her temper got the better of her, so Apollo knew that it was best to keep her happy and occupied.
Apollo watched as her pet owl flew into the large room from the veranda and landed on her shoulder.
Ah, good. Her pet always calms her, he thought as he stood.
Mood seeming to change, Artemis suddenly smiled at Apollo.
Feeling distinctly ill at ease, Apollo asked, "What is it, my sister?"
"My little friends have been watching the world for me—watching because I no longer have the ability to traverse the mortal realm, thanks to your goddess," Artemis said dryly.
"You know that I am doing everything I can to regain our powers—I never would have convinced you to join in my cause if I hadn't truly believed that it would give us supreme dominion…"
"Yes, well that little demon and his bitch heathen goddess sure did manage to manipulate you; why, she manipulates you even now! But that is no matter… my little friend has given me some information on how to even the playing field, so to speak."
"Artemis, what are you talking about?" Apollo said warily.
"My little friend told me that there's a human involved—and not just any human, she's special. Tied to a curse even, perhaps the curse that would, if broken, restore my powers! If only…" Artemis trailed off with a little laugh.
"If only what, Artemis?"
"If only the human and the pendant she wears are destroyed." Artemis slowly stroked the feathers of the owl perched on her shoulder and made soft, comforting noises to it every once and a while. Her pets were the only creatures she showed any sort of compassion to anymore.
Before Apollo had time to relax, Artemis quickly shifted her body while grabbing an arrow from her quiver—which immediately refilled itself only moments after the one she grabbed left its chamber.
Apollo started to move towards his sister, but she only knocked her arrow and aimed the bow towards him, her owl screeching in his direction.
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you. You know what this will do to you, if I pierce you through the eye."
"It won't kill me," Apollo replied, hands raised in surrender.
"No, but it will incapacitate you enough that I'll have time to finish what needs to be done."
"It's not the whole truth, Artemis. Your powers might not even be returned properly, that's why we need her."
"'We'? Or you, Apollo?"
Suddenly, Artemis' eyes flashed with realization and her gaze turned dark and angry.
"Oh, this really is too ironic, Apollo."
Apollo looked at Artemis blandly, trying to mask his true emotions, but she'd always been so good at reading him.
"I have no idea what you mean, sister."
"I think you do, my brother. Tell me, are you in love with her?"
"Me? In love with a human? Artemis, I would never sink so low," he spat.
"I suppose that was a barb directed at me. No matter, not love then—lust? Oh, no? Admiration! Infatuation! The little mortal priestess tantalizes your curiosity, does she?"
"No more than any other human."
"Funny, I said the same to you once. Do you remember what happened, brother?"
"Artemis, don't do this—she's the key to everything."
"No brother, not everything—just your endgame."
Artemis quickly shifted the aim of her bow, aiming through the huge, open entrance to their godly abode.
"Tell me, brother. Do you see that speck in the distance?" Words he'd spoken to her, once upon a time. He'd been so careless then, so cruel—making an enemy of what should have been his greatest ally.
"Artemis—no! This isn't the same!"
"Oh, but it is! Come now, brother! Let's see if I can hit that little speck, all the way from Olympus!"
She pulled back on her bowstring, centered her bow, and let her arrow fly.
Artemis never missed.
And her sights were set on Kagome.
Apollo was gone before the arrow ever left her hand, not knowing whether or not he'd arrive in time to avert what Artemis intended to do…
A/N ~ Dun dun dun! Shit's about to get real. Best be nice to your sibs, unless you want them to grow up into vengeful adults! Watch out, Kags! Arrows incoming, but who will make it there first? Apollo? Sesshoumaru? Banana peel? Tune in next time to find out! And maybe... just maybe... some repressed tensions will finally be expressed?! Possibly, if I can make it believable ;) xoxo CNichole
Also! For those that are interested, there's a happy little story about Artemis and Orion that you can check out if you're interested in what she's referencing at the end (it's actually not that happy). Apollo was kind of an overprotective dick, it seems. Obviously, the story referenced isn't mine – it's a Greek Myth now :) Google it and you'll get about a billion versions!
Don't own Inuyasha! Or any of its characters; just having some fun at their expense :) Don't own "History" by Groove Armada. Please excuse any mistakes - they are my own! Thanks for all the reads! There were a lot of you (I see everything!).
2015 edits. Well, I hope that makes more sense now haha. Love and kisses to you all!