I know, I know. This is several days late. I got distracted by Book of Circus, which was a bad idea because of course it spawned more plot bunnies that I had to fight off. I really want to do a crossover for the Circus crew but I promised myself that I would only have have one multi-story going at a time. Oh the hardship of being an author! Anywho, this one is longer than most but that's because there are several important plot points going on here. Sadly not much Claude or Sebastian in this chapter (or the next) but it is needed and I promise to make them return as soon as possible! See you all at the bottom!
Disclaimer ~
I own nothing from the Kuroshitsuji or the Inuyasha animes or managas. I only own a grumpy muse who likes to drink coffee late at night and obsessed over jokers/jesters. I do not own a beta either so that means any mistakes you see below belong to me. Point them out to me and I will correct them!
It was quiet within the Trancy household. The dance had ended about an hour ago, not long after the musical performance done by the strange one-eyed maid. A single boy stood alone in a room, wearing his usual blue attire. In his hands rested his cane and his eye was covered by its usual eyepatch, hiding his fading contract from anyone's sight, including his missing butler. After looking at it tonight, Ciel was growing more worried. The contract was nearly gone with only the five points shining brightly and the ring around it could be seen weakly. There was no other sign of the contract he held with a Hell's demon.
"This is an order, Sebastian:" Ciel growled out, "come to my side, right now."
The boy could feel the weak contract flaring to life, his anger adding more strength to the command. Instantly there was a whoosh of air and Sebastian appeared in front of the young boy. The butler was in his customary summon stance, bend down on one knee with his head bowed and a hand resting where a heart should be.
As was customary for balls, Alois' invitation had offered his home to anyone too intoxicated to get home for the night. Anxiety had grown in Ciel's stomach when Sebastian did not immediately return with Kagome after she ran out and soon afterwards, the Trancy butler disappeared. Not to mention that Alois Trancy himself did not show up to his own ball with a weak excuse about being sick. So he took Alois Trancy up on his offer and he was now in a temporary room within the Trancy manor.
Thankfully Ciel had the thought to retired in his own room so the demon's sudden appearance did not surprise anyone. Blood was splattered on his black tailor coat and rips covered the cloth. When Sebastian peeked up from beneath his black hair, glowing crimson eyes could be seen.
"Where is Kagome?" Ciel demanded.
"I do not know." Sebastian replied in a clipped tone. "I had engaged Claude in a battle but he was disappeared just seconds ago. The contract pulled me back here before I could find her again."
"You left her alone?"
"It was necessary or I would have lost her." A barely contained growl slipped passed his lips.
"This is getting ridiculous." Ciel slammed his cane straight down into the floor, causing a loud echo to fill the room. "She is bound to get hurt if this battle is left to the dogs."
Sebastian watched as Ciel turned around and walked out of the room. Briefly surprised, Sebastian hesitated before he got his feet and followed after his prey. The strength of the contract was still strong, pulling Sebastian with him, bound by his own leash. Growls too low for humans to hear escaped him as he spiritually struggled against the contract.
Ciel always came first.
His contracted prey held control over him even when Sebastian wanted freedom. Even when the contract was weak and so close to destruction, it would still control him. He wanted nothing more than to tear the young boy apart. He wanted to feel Ciel's blood bathe his already ruined suit so he could hunt down his Doll and protect her. Who knew what troubles she had found herself in, in the short amount of time he had left her alone.
"Where are we going, My Lord?"
"It's time we make a deal with Mr. Alois Trancy. I'm not ready to give up the last woman who cares for me."
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With none of the manners that had been drilled into him since he was but a newborn, Ciel threw open the Master room's door and strolled into Alois' room like it was his own home. Sebastian followed a step behind Ciel, his face unreadable despite the odd scene that greeted the Phantomhive duo.
Alois sat shirtless on the edge of his bed. Claude was kneeled in front of the silently crying child, as a cloth with unidentified liquid was dabbed gently to his eyes. His eyes had a glassy sheen over them as a clear liquid and strange mucus leaked out of them. Both of his eyes were a deep red and they looked ready to burst open.
Alois was trembling with his eyes blinking uselessly and whimpers of pain coming from his lips. One hand was fisted tightly into his bed sheet as his other hand was clenched tight on Claude's shoulder.
Ciel drew the obvious first conclusion. "Did Sebastian do that to you?"
"Of course not." Alois answered before crying out in pain as Claude pressed a little too hard. "A bloody cobra did this."
"Don't you know its dangerous to play with snakes?" Ciel couldn't help but taunt Alois, even if he was there for a specific reason.
"I do." Alois' temper quickly snapped. With blind eyes, Alois reached to a nearby table and grabbed a teacup. He threw it at Ciel, fully expecting to hear the sound of glass shattering against fresh. Unknown to Alois, because of his temporary lost of sight, Sebastian managed to reach forward and plucked the cup from the air before it could harm Ciel. "It appears that Kagome does not though. She had the fucking thing hidden in her sleeve like a magic trick."
Reminded of his mission, Ciel's expressionless face turned into a deep scowl. "I demanded that you return Lady Kagome Higurashi to me, right now."
Silence filled the air once again. Claude continued to swipe the mystery liquid over his master's eyes, his face betraying nothing. Alois slowly shut his eyes but Ciel didn't understand why. No matter if they were open or closed, they gazed at nothing, unable to see clearly.
"I do not have her." Alois responded quietly.
Ciel's grip on his cane tightened and his blue eye narrowed in anger. Sebastian's own body tensed, becoming as stiff as stone. Claude's hand paused, as if he too was unsure of the answer Alois gave before he continued his treatment. Sensing the growing hostility in the room, Alois decided to try and soothe the tension by expanding on his answer.
"I had approached her to offer my assistance since I had found her on the ground, alone and bleeding." Alois freed Claude from his grip so he could brace his hands behind him and lean back. "After her cobra attacked me, I fell to the floor, blinded. I summoned Claude to me and ordered him to heal me. What happened to the woman, I do not know."
"Claude," Alois turned his freshly opened eyes to the butler, "do you have her?"
His refusal to answer was the only confirmation that Alois needed. A savage grimace twisted his features as anger filled him. The young earl seemed to forget that he had an audience in the room with him. "Well, what are you waiting for? Find her then!"
Claude dipped his head, a small upturn on his lips the only sign that he was pleased. He was free to hunt down the miko while Sebastian was still tethered to Ciel. Claude was just passing Sebastian on his way out of the room when three silver knives suddenly attached themselves to his throat, halting his escape.
"I believe," Sebastian's eyes narrowed in a hidden threat, "that my master has something else he wants to say first."
"Alois," human and demons alike turned to the boy as Ciel spoke. "Would you like to play a game with me?" For a young child, Ciel sure could purr seductively if he wanted too.
"Oh!" Alois' eyes widened at the tone that Ciel used. His once relined body was now hunched forward with his chin resting in both of his palms. His own teasing smile filtered across his lips. "What kind of game are you thinking of?"
"It is a strategy game that involves both of our butlers." Sebastian's and Claude's eyes narrowed at the answer. Demons did not like manipulation unless they were ones doing the manipulation. It was clear that Ciel was prepared to use everyone around him, including the two demonic butlers that could easily kill him.
"How do I know that you will play fair?"
"We will have our demons make an oath that will bind them and by extension, both of us." There were now a crimson demonic glow to both of their eyes. Who did this boy think he was? It was either extremely stupid or incredibly brave to use demons like common chess pieces.
"What will the prize be for winning?" Alois asked excitedly.
"Kagome."
`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··. . .·
It was habit that Kagome wanted to snuggle deeper into the darkness that surrounded her. In the darkness, she felt no pain and had no desires. She could float, free and alone but now, there was something different.
Now, there was a reason she wanted to wake up. There was someone else, away from the nothingness. Someone who held her and whispered sweet nothings when he thought she couldn't hear him. Someone who cared for her even when he knew nothing about humans. He fought for her. He defended her. He belonged to her as she belonged to him.
Sebastian.
Kagome's eyes flew open, only to slam shut once more as a startled scream escaped her throat. She was in an enclosed space with barely any room to move. All she could do was lay still and look at the pure white cotton that surrounded her. She had never been in one before but she knew where she was. She only wanted to be here once and that was when she was dead and unable to care for where she laid.
She was in a coffin!
She continued to scream as her hands reached up to claw at the surface. No matter how much she attacked it, it refused to budge. Tears gathered in her eyes as she panicked. She tried pushing against the lid but it stayed stubbornly still. Her nails cracked and she could feel her skin peeling back at it was rubbed across the surface surrounding her.
Did they forget about her? Would they return for her? Did Sebastian lose the battle? Why was she buried in a coffin? Was she dead? Was she experiencing a panic attack? Why didn't they come for her? Would anyone remember her when her body collapsed and her bones became dust?
Relief filled her when five sharp claws drove itself into the wood above her. Sunlight filtered through before the lid above her was violently ripped away. Fresh air kissed her lips and filled her lungs as she desperately scrambled out of the wooden coffin she was being held in.
Like a scared rabbit, Kagome found herself on the floor and scrambling backwards until she was sitting with her back in a corner. Pain bloomed across her body as her freshly bandaged back protested at being touched. Her breaths were being ripped violently out of her lungs and her wide eyes were flying around the room, not settling on anything but taking in everything. Wisely the people in the room stayed back, giving the panicked woman the room she needed to recover.
She was in a strange area. She was in a room that screamed death and nightmares. Skeletons stood in the shadows like samurai soldiers. Bookcases were in the back, behind a large desk. The shelves were piled with dust, books and odd blobs that Kagome didn't want to look to closely at. What scared her the most was the dozen of coffins that filled the room. They were all sizes and designs. Some of them were even open, their mouths gaping and waiting to be filled.
Even stranger were the people that stood within the dark shop. Rin was sitting on the large desk, a bone shaped treat sticking out of her mouth. A clear jar filled with even more of the canine-looking dog treats was resting in her lap. Sesshomaru was standing in front of coffin that he had freed her from. He was still wearing his torn suit and his yokai markings were clear in the dim light. One of his hands were poised to strike even though his claws were already digging deep into a piece of wood that had once been her coffin lid.
Behind both of them, emerging from a black curtain that was partially hidden by the shadows, was the strangest man yet. He wore all black though most of his outfit was covered by a large trench coat. Moonlight silver hair hung down his back with braids hidden throughout his silver locks. Bangs hung in front of his face, blocking his eyes from Kagome's sight but it was the wide, cheshire grin that made her nervous.
"Why was she in a coffin?" Sesshomaru growled out.
"So nobody could hurt her, of course!" The man exclaimed in faux surprise.
Rin was laughing quietly, finding some kind of humor in the situation. Sesshomaru flicked his wrist, sending the piece of wood flying across the room and into a suspicious looking shelf. The tinkling of glass falling to the floor sounded much nicer than the growl that the daiyokai was giving off. The stranger bounced forward, swiping a cookie from Rin's jar.
"And it may also be so she would not run away from me until we've had our dance." The man continued in his joyful tone that bordered on laughter.
"What . . . what is going on?" Kagome asked quietly.
"Onee-san," Rin mumbled around a mouthful of cookie, "Undertaker found you and brought you to safety." At Sesshomaru's glare, Rin reached up and removed the cookie so she could speak clearly. "Sesshomaru-sama traced your scent back here. It seems like your demon can't protect you very well."
Kagome had no words. She blinked thrice in shock. She had so many questions, many of them flowing in her head and building up like a water behind a dam but her tongue refused to move to voice them. All she could do was watch the three before her, unsure what to do.
"Onee-san?" Rin asked cautiously.
Finally her tongue moved and formed a simple word. "Why?"
"Why what? Use full sentences miko or else we can not help you." Sesshomaru's voice was stern but not cruel.
She tried to voice her questions. Why was Rin still alive? Who was this Undertaker? Why was she here? Where was Sebastian? Was Sebastian looking for her? Why now? Why now did Sesshomaru come back for her? Why? Instead, the only words to escape her lips was, "I don't understand."
"Would you like a cookie?" Kagome leaped into the air, surprised by the voice that was now close enough to whisper in her ear.
She turned frightened blue eyes to look at Undertaker, who was now crouching down next to her. He had somehow moved silently while her attention was elsewhere and he was now too close for Kagome to feel safe. He had one hand extended, offering the cookie that he had taken from Rin. The Human Doll did not move, not wanting to take the cookie but also not wanting to offend the man who seemed a little crazy. His large grin was still in place and it only widened the longer Kagome hesitated.
"I'm not really hungry." Kagome lied quietly.
"It's such a shame." Undertaker lost his grin and even though his eyes were hidden, she could tell he was frowning. "Dolls are not suppose to speak lies."
"Does that mean your interest in the miko is finished?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Of course not! She is still beautiful and she is a miko. There will never be another like her. It would be foolish to waste this chance."
A deeper, more primal growl rumbled from both Rin and Sesshomaru. Quickly Sesshomaru moved forward and yanked the crazy man away from Kagome while Rin could be found suddenly sitting next to Kagome, taking Undertaker's place by her side. The young girl was reclined casually against the wall but Kagome wasn't fooled. She could see the tenseness in the girl's shoulder and the way her golden eyes followed the Undertaker.
Sesshomaru had dragged the man a safe distance away from her, making her feel a little more relaxed. Sesshomaru had stopped his growling but his claws had a tight gripped on the Undertaker's sleeves, keeping both males in place. The tense moment did not involve her, despite it being about her, so Kagome turned her attention to the little girl by her side.
Her social skills were rusty, to that there was no doubt. In the past fifty years the most she had talked was a handful of times. Most of those times were with a demon who didn't talk much himself and a young boy who, while intelligent, also had very little social skills when it came to the daily communication between friends.
"How are you still alive?" She should have been embarrassed by the way the words just slipped out but Kagome could find no other way to word her question without being extremely rude.
"As I said, there are amazing things in the world. You should know, you have a mystical jewel nestled in your hip." Rin shrugged her shoulders, her gold eyes still watching her alpha and the man she didn't fully trust yet. "I'm sure Sesshomaru-sama will tell you the full story later. It ties into the reason that he left you behind."
Kagome flinched at the reminder. Despite it all, this was the same Sesshomaru from the past. This was the yokai who tried to kill her multiple times in the beginning. The man who took and buried her dear Shippo, letting Kagome and her broken mind believe he had killed the kitsune. This was the exact same yokai who eventually killed Naraku but it cost her the lives of her unborn pups. The same Sesshomaru who left her when her mind was most fragile and never returned.
"So maybe the rumors are true." Undertaker mused fearlessly but Sesshomaru's clawed grip. "Did the Lord of the West, the White Canine, fall in love with the miko?"
Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrowed and a low growl rumbled in Rin's chest as her own sensitive ears caught the words. "Kagome is pack." Sesshomaru responded simply. "She was mated to my half-brother. At one point, she carried the bloodlines of the pack in her womb. No matter what happens, the miko belongs to my pack."
"Such a veiled answer," chuckled Undertaker. "Was it so hard to simply answer yes or no? I'm afraid my findings are sometimes wrong so I just simply want to check the authenticity of it all."
"You are a weird creature." Rin stated just as dully as her alpha.
"I know." Undertaker's grin came back and he bobbed his head up and down eagerly. "Not as odd as some Grim Reapers though. I should introduce you to Grell Sutcliff someday. You'll be grateful for my help and sanity then."
"Help?" Kagome squeaked out with wide eyes.
What were they talking about? They were discussing her fate like she wasn't even there! She did not want to leave. She did not want to go back, where the past and her memories would haunt her. All she wanted right now was to held by her Demon. To feel his aura caress her own until her fears were soothed and she felt safe once more. This was too much. She wanted to go home.
"When we felt the Shikon no Tama awaken, Sesshomaru-sama decided to find you and bring you back to the yokai sanctuary." Rin explained. "Once we got to London though, we were unsure how to approach an Earl or the best place to hide you until we left once again. That is when this strange Grim Reaper found us. He has given us shelter, information about your time since the wolf yokai's death and a way to get into the ball so we could find you. Right now his shelter has wards up, keeping away unwanted demons from coming near here and taking you."
"But . . ." Kagome tried to blink back the tears. She truly did try but a few broke away and trickled down. "I don't want to go. I just want Sebastian."
It was Sesshomaru was responded this time. "How long do you think the demon is going to keep you, miko?" He let go of Undertaker and stalked towards the fallen woman slowly. His golden eyes held no hostility or cruelty. Instead, concern and pity rested there. "Can you not see that this is temporary? Sooner or later, something is going to snap. His hunger will drive him to forcefully take your soul, leaving you both in Purgatory or he will grow bored of you and leave you to die in the streets.
"It only takes one time, miko. One wrong move and your mind will shatter." Sesshomaru softened his words once he saw Kagome flinch at that sentence. "You are delicate, a true flower. I can not leave you in the hands of such dark creatures. They will destroy you."
"I . . . I can't go with you." Kagome whispered as her vision blurred due to her tears. "I want to go with My Demon. I can't forgive you.
"They're dead because of you."
A vicious snarl filled the room as Sesshomaru's eyes flashed red for a brief second. "Those pups carried my bloodline too. I am well aware that their deaths are my fault. I would think that time would heal your wounds by now."
Unconsciously Kagome's hands went to clasp over her stomach like she use to do. Even through the lace and thick fabric, she could imagine the feel of her scars. The lines are crossed over her stomach, a gruesome reminder of the future that was once ripped away from her. Time had healed most of her wounds but the pain of her heart still beat everyday.
"I'm sorry."
"When can you forgive this Sesshomaru?" The daiyokai asked angrily. "How long can you blame me before you forget my weakest moment?"
"How long do daiyokais live?" Was her simple, cruel answer.
`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··. . .·
The rest of the time was spent silently. Kagome was unsure of how much time passed or if it was a night or a day that passed. The shop she was kept in was dark, keeping all forms of light out except for the few candles that Undertaker lit for her.
After her cold answer, Sesshomaru stormed out of the shop and a few minutes later, Rin excused herself and left too. This left Kagome alone with the strange man with the too large grin. At first, Kagome feared that the Grim Reaper would attack her but he simply sat behind his desk, with the tip of his fingers touching and placed in front of his lips. His unseen eyes stayed on Kagome, completely silent except for the few chuckles he gave when the silence went on too long.
After a bit, Kagome grew brave and her legs started to protest at not being used. She was used to her physical exercise that Sebastian normally forced her to take. It was a way to build up her muscles again and her body grew use to these demands, which meant she would be in pain if she differed from the schedule.
She slowly got to her feet, prepared for the man to leap out at her and assault her but he didn't move. He just watched. To occupy herself Kagome explored the large room around her. There was not much to look at since she refused to go near any of the coffins again. For a bit she looked at the skeletons, unsure if they were made of plastic or not and too afraid to touch them.
When she quietly asked the man, he only grinned and replied, "Copies take away from the true beauty, don't you think?"
After time she found herself behind the desk, her eyes looking over the mysterious jars and their contents. In one jar a heart was floating in a bluish liquid and as Kagome got closer to peer through the liquid, the organ gave a single beat. She gave a shocked cry and leaped away, unsure what to think about that.
Her graceless leap back meant that her feet ended up catchy a container on the bottom of the shelf. The glass fell from its low perch and shattered on the floor. Her apologetic gasp was echoed by an angry hiss. A large sleek red body launched itself out of its wreckage and wrapped itself around her outstretched arm.
Wisely, Undertaker took a step away from the angry snake. Kagome looked down at her limb, surprised to see the furious snake that was so familiar to her. Bram had his hood displayed, swaying his head back and forth as his cruel eyes were trained on Undertaker.
"It seems like your pet is pretty angry at me." Undertaker seemed unafraid of the dangerous serpent.
Kagome smiled at the beautiful creature. She had once feared snakes when she was young but she knew this one was different. She remembered that Snake said that Bram complimented her dress. Also, when she was left alone and Alois attempted to attack her, it was this reptile that blinded the boy and defended her. With no fear, Kagome reached up a hand and gently stroked the arrow head.
"Why was Bram locked away?"
"The serpent would not let me near you. It kept shooting venom at me and then at the doggies. I had to lock it away for safety."
After a few seconds, Bram calmed his hissing but he kept his hood flared. Kagome's warm touch was welcomed to the cold-blooded creature. Enough so that Bram soon found himself nudging her hand when she paused just so she could stroke him again.
The mad man's laughter drew Kagome's attention away from the cobra. Her blue eyes looked questioning at him, unsure what was so funny that he was now rolling on the floor due to his laughter. His grey hair was sprawled across the hardwood, leaving the scars across his neck and face open to her wandering eyes.
"What is so funny?" Kagome asked.
The man stopped laughing long enough to answer Kagome without a trace of humor in his voice. "Did you know, that snakes are very symbolic." Bram was now edging closer to her throat, his thin tongue tickling her skin. "Serpents, especially when around young ladies and children, are the first sign of corruption. It means that purity is slowly being crushed. Even more amusing," Undertaker's grin grew to impossible lengths, "serpents are usually signs of Hell or a form of a demon." Bram was now slowly curling himself loosely around her neck.
"Bram is simply a close friend." Kagome replied back. "He was helped me and protected me."
"Corruption often protects what purity they wish to destroy." Undertaker laid a single index finger to his lip. He looked very serious despite his large body being sprawled on the floor like a child. "After all, does not your demon fight to protect your innocent soul?"
"He did not protect me against you." Kagome tried not to sound bitter but her tone was still harsh.
"He was not aware that I was there yesterday." Undertaker had regained his footing and was now creeping even closer to Kagome, despite Bram's warning hiss. "He fought another demon for you and took the risk of his prey dying for you. I can even gamble that he is going to be very angry once he learns that I have you."
"That's why I must get back as soon as I can," insisted Kagome. "Sebastian will be looking for me. Ciel will be worried too. Surely you don't want to piss them off?"
"That demon has never like me and the boy never takes my warnings to heart." Undertaker was now close enough to reach a hand out and touch her but when he tried, an angry serpent hissed loudly. "I've always wanted to meet the Miko out of Time who later became the Broken Doll but I find that you are not what I imagined."
Was he angry at her? Would he hurt her for not being what he wanted? He could try but Kagome was confident that the friend draped around her neck would protect her. "What is so different about me now?" Kagome couldn't help but ask.
"You are human now. Instead of glassy eyes, I see pupils filled with denied pain and agony. Your rose red lips, which use to be quiet now move and they speak lies. You are alive now. You show fear."
"I am not afraid." Kagome denied. "I do not fear you."
"No my dear, not me." A thin hand reached out and cupped her cheek. His hand was cold and dry, like the skin of a frozen corpse. The miko leaned her cheek to the side to escape the frost but he followed persistently, not letting her escape. Apprehensive blue eyes peeked up from beneath lashes to stare at the silver bangs that hid his own eyes. "Tell me, what are you afraid of?"
"I am human." It was a simple lie. It was what most people expected to hear, especially when mingling with the supernatural.
"And yet you are more." He tossed his head back and forth, finally allowing his bangs to fall clear of his eyes. Green-yellow phosphorescent eyes locked on her own and his grin disappeared, leaving behind his foolish facade. "Now tell me the true reason behind the sharp twinge in your scent."
There was something different about his eyes. They were an odd color but it was something else that held her attention. If eyes were the window to the soul then Undertaker's soul was hypnotizing. It made her lose touch with reality for a moment and loosened her tongue enough to speak truthfully. "I am afraid of the future and what it might bring."
"The solution to that is simple." Another shake of his head and Undertaker's eyes were hidden once again. A large grin split his face in half as he stepped back. "You'll stay forever with me! It's not like you can actually live with your demon in Hell."
"Why not?" Kagome's temper flared. "I can do whatever I want. If my future rests in Hell, then so be it. You don't control me." Sensing its mistress' anger the jewel flared to life. A jolt raced through the building, forcing Undertaker to take a step back. Kagome's bandaged wounds throbbed in pain and Bram's grip tightened momentarily around her neck as he felt the energy of the Shikon no Tama jewel.
"It's not me that controls you but jewel born of your blood. Did you really think that something that powerful and pure would survive in Hell? Its darkness would crush you and the jewel you hold onto. If you stick with your demon, you will die once he takes you to Hell."
`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··. . .·
She was afraid. She was human and because of this curse, she was plagued with doubts and fears. The information that the Grim Reaper gave her scared her. Did Sebastian know that the jewel would prevent her from going to his home? Could a demon survive forever in the mortal realm? Would Sebastian leave her when he found out?
Would she survive if she was left alone once again?
Kagome sat in a cotton lined coffin, unable to sleep. It was kind of the strange mad-man to offer her a place to sleep but her troubled thoughts and throbbing back kept her awake. She had no demon to hold her like he had been doing for a decades. There was no chest to rest on and no arms to wrap around her. She was alone and she wanted Sebastian.
"Can you not sleep, onee-chan?" Rin's sweet voice made itself known from her own coffin, just a few spaces away from her. "Do your injuries pain you?"
"I'm not comfortable here." Kagome answered as she brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
"It must be difficult to sleep with the memories you have." Rin's canine eyes were the only thing to glow in the dark room.
Kagome's silence was the only answer she gave. Kagome could hear wood creaking as Rin got out of her sleeping place and Kagome could see her eyes getting closer and closer. With no warning Kagome could feel small arms wrapping around her shoulder as the young girl hugged her from behind. Rin was careful to not put pressure on her back or to disturb the cobra that slept around Kagome's neck like a necklace.
"I am sorry you had to go through that alone." Her soft whisper brushed her ear gently. "Is there anything Sesshomaru-sama or I can do to ease your burden?"
Seconds stretched to minutes as Kagome mulled over her words. Truthfully, she wanted nothing to do with these yokais. Kagome was glad to see Rin once more but her being here just reminded Kagome of what could have been. Would Shippo have grown like her, with his mind excelling before his body? Would her children have aged like humans or would they have aged like hanyous? It was clear that Rin still has undying loyalty to Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru, the daiyokai who wanted Kagome to forget about his mistake. To forget, would mean to forget about the lives she created. It would mean to forget everything that lead up to that event, including the death of her adoptive family. Kagome could never forget. She could never forgive him either but maybe, there was something they could do for her.
"I want to see them." Kagome decided. "I want to be able to say good-bye, properly."
Some characters are OOC, I understand this. It has filled my mind with some doubt these past few days. To be fair, Ciel is always manipulative and I think that if he wasn't obsessed with killing Alois, then Alois would be easy to trick and use. Undertaker I've always had trouble portraying because it's a fine line that he walks between genius and insane. Sesshomaru and Rin have a valid reason for their change of personality and that will be revealed in the next chapter!
Some questions to dwell on as you wait for the next chapter. Is Undertaker lying about the jewel? What game will Alois and Ciel play to win Kagome? Where is Kagome going? If a heart can not forget, can it forgive?