Playing Thief by Night Beauty
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters.
Chapter 12: Mirror Mirror
"Kagome?" Sango was perplexed. "How do you know about Kikyo?"
"I am Kikyo," the girl replied softly. "I told you I would be watching over you, did I not?"
"You did," the thief tilted her head. "I didn't think you meant it literally."
Kikyo explained. "When Kagome was possessed by a demon, it was just a test. By knowing you were Taijiya, it triggered her priestess powers deep inside. I was able to be fully awakened."
"So then. . ."
"This is merely a possession of the body," Kikyo explained to the confused girl. "The real me lies in the celestial skies. I am here to help you perish Naraku."
As they ventured deeper, the walls became trapped with filament although spiders were nowhere in sight. Skulls and miscellaneous bones were scattered on the ground, along with other demonic body parts.
"Well, this is drearier than I expected," Miroku stated sarcastically.
"I have brought your friend along," Kikyo said casually. "Kirara would be a great asset."
"Meow," Kirara's head popped out of Miroku's robe. She leapt onto Sango's head, nestling into it as if it were a tiny bed. She purred, causing a small tingle through her head.
"Here."
The two stopped behind Kikyo and followed the direction she pointed.
"Isn't that lovely," Sango's eye twitched. "So we're basically walking into Hell, right?"
"You're very perceptive," a voice answered.
A gust of wind surrounded the three. Sango shut her eyes placed her hands on her head to keep her hair from flying everywhere. Miroku covered his eyes with his left arm to prevent dust from entering his eyes. Kikyo stood calmly, her peaceful complexion forming into a frown.
"Kikyo," the woman appeared and the winds dispersed. An opened fan was grasped at her fingers, slightly covering her face. Only her scarlet orbs stared at the three who were at the gates. "You've finally come."
"Kagura," the priestess smiled. "I see you're still under Naraku's grasp."
"Quiet," the female demon spat. "We've been expecting you. How dare you delay the kill. . ."
Kill us? Sango arched a brow. What on earth have I gotten myself into?
"Sango," Kikyo turned. "Your mission is to pass all the trials given to you until we reach Naraku. I will give the final blow, and you shall seal him."
The girl laughed nervously, "You have such confidence in me."
"A word of caution: In this dimension, paintings are not the only things sealed."
Miroku grabbed Sango's wrist as she began to walk ahead. "Sango."
"I'll come back," she smiled. "Don't worry, Miroku."
Kikyo motioned for her to continue. "Please hurry, I have limited powers in this body."
Demon Sealer Taijiya stepped forward. Kagura glared at her, turning slightly away at the female thief. "Well then, Taijiya, let's get started. Allow me to introduce you to my older sister, Kanna."
It was as if the air was water; it rippled, the ground blurring and revealing a tiny figure. Her porcelain face was emotionless. What seemed to be a white aura was clearly her white attire, giving her a ghastly look. Her fingers clutched a mirror, its reflection showing Taijiya.
Her mouth moved discreetly, her timid voice nearly inaudible. "Do not subdue your soul."
Taijiya felt her body tighten. She couldn't breathe! There was a tug on her chest; her soul was escaping slowly from her body. Kagura watched in amusement, her lips forming into a smirk. Taijiya's body stood there, her head tilted downwards slightly, her bangs covering her eyes. The soul took refuge in the mirror. . .
"Sango, happy birthday!" her mother cried. "I hope you like your present."
The little girl opened the box delicately, and as she did so, the phone rang.
"Hello?" the mother answered. "Yes, this is she. . ."
"It's so pretty!" Sango smiled, holding up the gift. It was a staff with a long ribbon tied to one of the ends. It sparkled and would prove pretty to any little child. "Thank you, mommy!"
". . .Do I have to be there now? But I'm--"
The girl twirled the staff, throwing it into the air. "I'm going to become a gy. . .m. . .nast!" she attempted to pronounce. "Mommy. . .?"
"I'm sorry, are you sure you can't put this off another day?"
"Mommy. . ." Sango tugged at her mother's business dress. "It's alright if you have to leave. . ."
"Are you sure?"
"I can take care of myself."
"Sir? I'll be there in twenty minutes. Good-bye."
The little Sango swallowed, holding back her tears. Mother rarely spent time with her, and her father was always busy at work as well.
"Daddy should be home around midnight," her mother bent down and kissed her on the cheek. "But make sure you sleep early, okay? Take care of Kohaku, too. . ."
"Mm!" she nodded. "Bye. . ."
The candles in the room faded slowly as her mother closed the door.
"What's wrong with her?" Miroku demanded. "She's not moving at all!"
"Clever," Kikyo tilted her head. "They've captured her soul and forced her to face her broken past."
"Why do you make everything so dramatic. . .?"
"Hunny, please calm your temper!"
"No!" the male voice snapped. "If none of us has time to take care of Sango, we'll just have to leave her here and have the neighbors watch over her!"
"Be rational, how is Sango going to grow up with both her parents overseas?!"
Their eight-year-old child watched with big eyes from the partially opened door. Her mother was weeping on the ground, her father pacing back and forth in the kitchen.
"I cannot refuse this job, and that is the end of the story."
Her mother got up from the ground, grabbing the closest thing at her reach. "You are so inconsiderate!" she yelled, throwing the baton at him.
Sango watched as her present was thrown at her father. He grabbed it and threw it to the ground. Her gift broke immediately as it collided against the floor. Kohaku began to scream and cry in his bed.
"You know both of us just can't walk away from out jobs!" he yelled.
"Fine then!" the woman cried. "I'll ask the neighbor to watch over Sango. I will take Kohaku with me."
Sango gazed at the scene, her broken memories suddenly falling back to pieces. Was my family suffering because of me? Just because I was Taijiya. . .?
The scene warped again, showing her child form on her bed, crying. The pieces of her baton and a ribbon were laid on top of her bed table.
"Mommy. . .Daddy. . ."
She was too engrossed in her depression to noticed a green orb passing through her opened window. She sniffled, reaching for another tissue.
A voice called, "Hello, Sango!"
"What. . .?"
"I'm Ayame, half-angel. . .I'm here to take care of you, don't worry, Sango!"
"You'll take care of me?"
"Yes, I will always be here for you from now on, Sango-chan!"
"I was so gullible," Sango whispered, "but if those things didn't happen, I wouldn't have met Kagome. . ."
"Hi!" the girl skipped over to Sango, tugging on her ponytail. "I'm Kagome, what's your name?"
"I'm Sango. . ." she replied timidly. "Why are you here?"
"Your mommy told us to watch over you, and that's exactly what I'm going to do!"
"Do you mean it?"
"I never break a promise!"
"Oh. . .Okay. . ."
The event was engulfed by light, switching to a new scene. Sango calmly stared are herself in the mirror. Its reflection, however, was not her, but Taijiya.
"Taijiya," she held up her hand, and the reflection followed. She tilted her head, and her mirror image did the same. "Where's Sango?"
The reflection shrugged. "Where's Sango?"
"I don't like how she's moving without her soul," Miroku's eye twitched. "Is that normal?"
"Do you think it's normal?" Kagura arched a brow.
"No," he muttered, "Not really."
Kirara growled.
Taijiya's soulless body took a step forward, her back straight and her bangs still covering her eyes. She took another step, her arms swaying gently by her sides. Kanna merely stared at the girl. She knew her soul was still inside the mirror, and she knew she was closer to passing the trial.
Her arm raised, her hands grasped to her katana. For a moment there was a pause, Kanna look slowly upward, her mirror still in her possession. Kagura folded her arms.
"Sealed," the girl whispered, her sword coming into contact with the mirror. It shattered, leaving the delicate pieces on the ground.
Kanna shattered as well, her face cracking, and then broke as if she were glass. Kagura looked at her sister's remains, which quickly blew away like sand.
Taijiya lifted her head to Kagura, who took a step back. She had clearly come back to her senses; the mirror had broken, freeing her soul. "Yo."
"Hn," Kagura frowned. "How clever."
Miroku watched her throw the katana in the air, and with a blink, it transformed into Hiraikotsu. "Nifty."
"I know," Kikyo smiled. "You may want to step in."
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango thrust her trademark boomerang at the demon, who unveiled her fan once more. Kagura swung it; a huge gust of wind stopped the boomerang and knocked it off course.
"I will not be easy like Kanna."
"Didn't expect you to be," she merely replied. She glanced over to Miroku. "Want to lend a hand?"
"Anything for you," he held a perverted grin. "Let's go, Kirara!" Miroku transformed into Houshi, leaping onto Kirara simultaneously. She flew over the two and landed behind Kagura, growling.
"Child's play," Kagura scoffed. "Dance of the Dragon."
Taijiya stealthily made her way to the boomerang, taking notice of the distraction. She held the strap and flung the object once again.
"Kazaana!" Houshi unleashed his wind tunnel, neutralizing the wind attacks created by Kagura. The Wind Sorceress turn away, the aim Taijiya was looking for.
"Sealed!"
Hiraikotsu sliced the fan in the Wind Sorceress' grasp, shredding it into bits. It veered off and returned to its owner. As Kagura fell back, she turned into wind itself.
Now I am free of Naraku's grasp. . .
"Musou!" Sango stopped her in tracks, followed by Miroku, Kikyo, and the now tiny Kirara. "Out of the way!"
Musou stared, his eyes holding a gaze at her, and then slowly towards Kikyo. "Why?"
"You shouldn't be a part of this!"
"Oh, but I am," he said in a very dark tone. "I'm not Musou anymore."
He blurred and reappeared, cloaked in a baboon suit.
"Naraku," Kikyo said, raising her arrows. "We make the kill."
"I don't think so." Naraku extended his arm, transforming it into a large root. It aimed straight at Sango.
She froze in her spot, shutting her eyes. Damn it, move!
"Ayame!" Kouga called. "Wait!"
Sango's right eye opened, and in dismay, watched the root pierce into her angel's stomach.
evelyn12345- Thank you!
Valdimarian- I'm not sure if I really made it clear in the story. Kagome is Kikyo's reincarnation, but Kikyo possessed her body. . . Err, yeah, I'll explain in the Author's Note? -Sweatdrop-
Nekoyasha-kirara- Thank you! Sango Miroku forever
Irasuto- Miroku did encounter a few pictures, kinda, it's just that Sango always beat him. :P I may briefly add how Miroku got into the story, if you want. . .
iLOVEcheese- SAT Prep classes, grr. They kinda help…
StoryWeaver1- Yes, flashbacks are always good! XD
Kagome Goddess of Light- Hehe, well you know, Kagome in the anime started off badly in archery. LoL. And I'm sure your aim is better than mine!
Sango0808- Thanks! I'll try. Xx
Divine-Red-Crayon- You lucky duck! You still have a few more weeks to go before school. T.T
Fiery Demon Fox- Wow, the smilies… Someone was hyper when they wrote the review…
Demon Exterminator Barbie- Wow! School trip sounds fun… I wish our school would have fun trips…
Aamalie- Oops! Sorry about the typo in the name. -Bows- I was kind of rushing? Xx;;
jade eyed neko- Torture Naraku? Ehh. I'm not even good with fight scenes, and I'm not going to rate this R and create bloody scenes. -Sweatdrop- I really hope Ayame comes into the anime soon!
Hyper-Citrus- Yes, Kagome is Kikyo's reincarnation, in a weird twisted way. I think the Author's Note should explain a few things.
Soli-chan- Ah, it's alright for the late review, this was a really really late update! I read your fic, it's coming along nicely! :D Dang, 3:30 AM? I would be too tired to review. Xx
SangoLancer200- Cool! You went to the Philippines? How was it? Kouga and Ayame are cute… but I never really knew about Ayame until I read fics with her in it. And then I researched, ehehehe.
Author's Note: Holy crud. I'm soooo sorry about this late update! My excuses are: I was too lazy, I was practicing SATs, I was at SAT classes, and I've become paranoid because my junior year just started. Who assigns homework on the first day to read 30 pages of US History? Not normal people, indeed. Xx;
Anyway, the thing between Kikyo and Kagome. Kagome is the reincarnation of Kikyo's body. Kikyo cannot exit out of Heaven, so she sent her spirit to possess Kagome's body, and she could only do so because she is her reincarnation. Wow, I'm reiterating a lot. -Sweatdrop- The reason 'Naraku' entered [like the Rin part] was because he was really Musou. That's how 'Naraku' was able to enter the human world. I shall try and fit in explanations in the next chapter…
