What, no reviews? What's wrong with you people?? Anyway, I still have people to thank (no thanks to you guys…if that makes any sense…) Ahem, drumroll please:
1. Goddess of Wings 06
2. InuYashaXKiyoshi
3. craziness101
4. firewaterearthwind (formerly Sareenah)
5. xXxCrimsonxTearxXx
…and the 600+ people who at least hit my story. Those above either reviewed or added me to an alert list. Thanks so much, to all of you. It means a lot to know people are at least reading. Hugs to all!
Miroku's eyes narrowed as he rolled the stone across his palm. "Tell me something, Kemuri," he said gravely. "Is the demonic aura surrounding this stone the reason you were so adamant we not see it?"
Kemuri felt as though she would pass out. Cursing herself and every god she knew, she shakily pulled her body into a sitting position and plastered on a fake smile. "Well, yes, if you must know." she said, biting her lip so hard she tasted blood. Her voice was strained when she continued. "Could I please have it back now?"
Miroku closed his hand around the stone and dropped his fist into his lap. He couldn't help but smirk at the desperate look that crossed Kemuri's face. "Why should I give it back?" he questioned coldly. "You hid it from us, and we have no way of knowing what you plan to do with it."
"There's a lot I could do with that stone, but only if it's in my hands. Of all the miserable luck..." Kemuri clenched her hands tightly and was horrified when she felt her nails biting deeply into her palm. "No...not now..." she thought, eyes widening noticeably. "I can't afford to lose control now...please, just a few more minutes. I need more time!"
Shippo observed Kemuri carefully. Even after last night, his innocent mind had found no real reason not to trust her. Now, as he watched the spectacle before him, he wasn't so sure.
A halo of gold light framed Kemuri's body, flickering and shifting like the air over hot pavement. The color of her hair and eyes continuously changed, paling and darkening, darkening and paling, in rhythm with the dancing translucence surrounding her. A dark aura filled with fear and the essence of sheer power filled the cavern, snuffing out even Kirara's strong youkai signature. And the worst part was that only Shippo seemed able to sense it. Shivering unconsciously, the little kitsune silently crept to Kagome and nestled against her side.
The hair on InuYasha's arms prickled in response to something unseen. He didn't know what it was, or even it he should be cautious of it, but it set him on edge nonetheless. Grasping the reassuringly smooth hilt of Tetseiga, he contemplated how easy it would be to cleave Kemuri in two, since the ominous whatever it was seemed to be coming from her. He was just about to give her a split-second of warning when she spoke.
"It's very important to me. Please," she begged, voice barely above a whisper, "You have no concept of the kind of power you now hold so casually in your hand. Give it back."
Miroku raised an eyebrow. "No concept of its power, eh? Well then, why don't you tell me what this little rock does, and then I'll give it back to you. How does that sound?"
Kemuri swallowed hard and pulled the tips of her now sharply-pointed fingernails from her palm. "It seems they have yet to sense much change in me." she thought, slightly relieved. "Perhaps it is safe to tell them..."
Her eyes flitted over the expectant faces before her, and she reluctantly began her tale. "When I was a child, a wandering storyteller from the Mainland paid my village a visit. Most of the people had no time for him, but my sisters and I would sit and listen with the other children whenever we had time. The elders told us to pay his nonsense no heed, that he had likely been expelled from his homeland for his talk, but we didn't always obey.
"He told a story once, about a demon from his homeland. This demon's mate bore a child, and the demon was horrified to learn that it was not the son he desired but a daughter, and a feeble-minded one at that. He wished to have the infant thrown into a river, but his mate begged him to show mercy. So he kept the girl, for five hundred years, until she was of age to marry. But there was not a single soul who wanted her, and the demon grew weary of his useless offspring.
"One day, he took the young woman into the forest and murdered her. The victim's soul stayed near its body for some time, wondering what it had done to deserve such. Several times it dipped its hands into the pool of blood surrounding it, trying to make sense of what had happened. As the blood trickled off her hands, the droplets became hard like stone and were spread around the world by the winds. Because the young woman's last wish was for her father's forgiveness, that is what the stones do - they grant any and all wishes made by the one who holds it, no matter how selfish or evil those wishes may be.
"The stones' magic only lasts for as long as they are in one's possession, however. Once the fall into the hands of another, everything they brought to the previous owner fades away."
Well? How was that? Good enough to make you want to review?? OK I'm just kidding, but I would appreciate reviews. Cheers!
