I had such a good turn out of reviews of last chappy I've posted early! ENJOY!
00000
Chapter 21 True Pain
Naraku carries her out of the cell towards the main part of the castle.
'Kagome,' worrying briefly before remembering who held her and resumes her struggles.
"You cannot escape me, Aya. I have the nearly complete Shikon no Tama in my possession. No one is stronger than me."
Right then she feels his aura. Hope blooms in her chest and feels less afraid of the spider youkai.
She looks at Naraku straight in the eyes. "Sesshoumaru is stronger than you and he needs no shards."
He growls. 'How did he find me so fast? Well, he can't get past my barrier. None of those fools can. This woman shows backbone again because the Western Lord is near to save her. Well I can crumble it down again.' "You can sense him nearby no doubt, but what would he think if he saw Arisu instead of Aya? I believe he knows not that you are one and the same person. Nekos are natural enemies to inus. Also you have kept a very big secret from the Western Lord. He'll not be pleased."
"Shut up!" She yells.
"He'll want to see the matchmaker Aya, a full blooded human, not you, a filthy neko youkai."
"I said shut up! Disgusting bastard!" Naraku merely grins wider. He found her crutch. Water fills in her eyes.
"How is it that Sesshoumaru has fallen for a lowly human when a youkai of royalty is grime under his boot? It must be because you, panther, are a filthy lying neko and he can smell that on you!"
"It's not like that!" Her claws dig into his chest. She bites him hard on the right side of his chin. She tastes blood this time although it still tasted foul. He drops her in the middle of a hallway. Her claws, still connected to his flesh, rake down his front, slicing to ribbons his fine purple kimono. A tainted purple jewel pops out of a ripped open pocket. Instinctively she grabs it as it rolls away and gets on her feet. She runs and runs as an infuriated Naraku screams after her.
"Wench you will give that back!" Without the jewel he feels significantly weaker, but with the cuffs holding back Aya's power he is more than evenly matched. 'How dare she take it from under my nose! She will suffer so greatly when I get my hands on her!' "There's nowhere you can go for you cannot escape my barrier!"
Aya is torn. She needs to get as far away from Naraku as possible, but she cannot leave Kagome back in that cell. The mostly complete jewel in her hand must not get back in his hands for there will be no chance to get free if he had the power of the jewel again. Neither would she use it now. Its evil taint pulses in her hand calling to her to use it. 'no way will I be stained by his evil.' She could escape out of the castle and deal with the barrier when she got to it or she could run back to the cell and get Kagome. The problem with that is that there is only way to and from the cave that connected to the castle and that Naraku is hot on her heels right now. If she did make it to Kagome, Naraku would block the way, and they would be right back where they started. Kagome could purify the jewel but there is nothing standing in the way of him physically hurting them to get it back. If only she can get the cursed cuffs off her she would have a fighting chance, they would both have a fighting chance.
She had to get rid of the Shikon no Tama somehow but neither is she going to abandon Kagome. She has to hide it or something. Unfortunately its magical call would easily lead Naraku to find it. When she had a single shard it barely tickled her senses to know it was there. Now she holds the nearly complete pink marble, it is very obvious it calls to her. It is also stronger because she is in youkai form. 'I will not use you, you are a cheat to true power,' she thinks at it as she darts into an empty room. It has no outlet so she creates one crashing through the thin wall. Thankfully it is not a castle made of stone, but of light timber. She is now in another hallway. She neither sees nor senses anyone else around besides Naraku inside the castle.
Outside she can feel Sesshoumaru several hundred yards off. Charging down the long stretch she braces an arm over her face and plows through another wall. The ground drops down a few feet. She lands neatly on the ground. Outside she can run full speed and makes good that ability. Naraku is far slower than her right now and falls behind. Still Aya does not have much leeway. She can see the blue-violet shimmer of Naraku's barrier all around the structure. Everything inside is dead and barren. Outside, the sun approaches sunset between fully adorned evergreens lightly blowing in the breeze. She runs to the nearest part of the barrier in the same manner as she did with the wall. Unfortunately, it bounces her back to the ground just on the inside. No time to rest she gets up and traces her fingers along its wall trying to sense a weak spot. The contact burns her fingers slightly but she ignores it.
Towards where Lord Sesshoumaru is hacking at the barrier with Tokijin the barrier is marginally weaker. She can see his white form whipping around and striking the stubborn wall. He'd be blind if he can't see her too. He'd see her as Arisu and not as Aya as he would expect. Forcing only her objective into her mind she gives a brief yell to Sesshoumaru and then slams the jewel into the barrier with the palm of her hand. With every ounce of strength to push it through and all her will to ignore the sizzling pain she chants 'Please go through, just go through!'
With a battle cry the jewel finally pops out the other side and into the hand of Lord Sesshoumaru. Blue eyes blurry from taking on the barrier's abuse, she sees Sesshoumaru's eyes stare at her, red with barely contained anger. A sob cracks from her throat. 'He knows, and he hates me.' Tears spill down her face. The river of tears barely get to the bottom of her chin when Naraku snatches her away from the edge of his barrier and just feet away from Sesshoumaru.
"Where's the jewel bitch?" He screams holding her neck in both hands. She kicks and bangs her fists on him. Turning his head his eyes widen at the jewel in Sesshoumaru's grasp. Naraku's eyes blare red. "BITCH!" slamming her into the ground, then yanking her back up with a tight hand crushing her to his chest and his left holding her chin none too gently.
Sesshoumaru on the other side hacks at the transparent wall between them. He spots a significant weakness where she had pushed the jewel through. With Tokijin he stabs dead center on it. It sticks. He uses all his strength to wedge it open, to make it bigger.
Naraku hisses in her ear. "I'd kill you now except you're still essential to my plan. I'll get the jewel back and when I do I'll kill everyone you've ever met, starting with Inuyasha's group. One by one-" He sees the tip of Sesshoumaru's sword poking into his haven of protection. With his eyes on Sesshoumaru he whispers one of the dreaded words.
Aya convulses along with Sesshoumaru in agony, whimpering tiny mews of protest. Sesshoumaru drops to the ground panting like the dog he is, shaking along with her. The sword dislodges, clinking to the ground.
"Stop." He commands, satisfied with the results. The Western Lord stands back up with his sword and glares with unbridled rage at that which has stolen something most precious from him.
"Aya, look at him. He knows who and what you are." Her blurry eyes look at Sesshoumaru. Shame filled her that he had to find out this way. She wanted to tell Sesshoumaru but not like this. Not with Naraku displaying her for him to see and sucking up every drop of sadistic entertainment. "He'll not love a traitor such as you, a pretender who fooled his senses into thinking you were better than the rest. You are the lowest of the low. You are not good enough to be his mate."
"I'm not his mate." She croaks.
He chuckles. "Well not any more I'm sure. You call yourself a matchmaker, but you know nothing of mate behavior among youkai! It is especially strong in inus. He's scent marked you and you don't even realize it! What a fool. You are up for grabs for sure now. I am not so discriminate." A wet tongue laps her delicious despair up her cheek. She tries to pull away, wholly disgusted, but his hard grip on her chin won't let her.
On the other side Sesshoumaru howls in rage. Besides preventing him from eviscerating the hanyou, the barrier also prevents sound from passing through. What was Naraku saying to her? She was looking at him with such remorse. He wanted so bad to wrench her out of that disgusting fiend's arms and into his safe arms. He raises his sword ready to hack at the barrier again.
Naraku looks directly at Sesshoumaru with serious intent. He moves his hand away from her chin only to press a sharp claw at her neck. He traces it down her throat letting a thin line of blood follow his claw. Sesshoumaru gets the message. Don't try anything or she dies. With a flurry he marches off back to his castle.
Sesshoumaru stares down at the nearly complete bauble in his hand. Tumultuous thoughts run through him. Mostly fury at how Naraku was roughly holding her and causing her pain, and thus causing him pain, both physically and emotionally. The rage dissipates slowly into more coherent thoughts. He can barely fathom the last five minutes. It was Arisu who was running toward him. It was Arisu who yelled for him. It was Arisu whose pain he felt. The ache on his wrists was coming from those cursed shackles on his mate's wrists, and Sesshoumaru filled with rage at seeing them so.
'She should not be there in his grasp! My mate is mine! He dare taste her so! Why do I feel Arisu's pain? Is this some foul trick of Naraku making Aya look like his intended? How would he know of that? Oh, that day in the tree. I saw his puppet that same day! I would not put it past him to spy! Is that why she looked so ashamed at me? Because she couldn't tell him the truth…' His head drops to his chest as his bejeweled hand comes over his heart. 'Smells and feels of… Arisu.' Sesshoumaru glares wide eyed at the jewel attentively sniffing it again. There is no doubt. Traces of Arisu's aura and scent lingered on the pink marble. 'There is no way anyone can duplicate perfectly those two aspects of a person… unless…' His knees threaten to buckle beneath him. 'Arisu… is… Aya. One and the same… being.' He nearly became dizzy of the feelings and memories crashing and merging into his brain.
Things were fitting into place now like why Sesshoumaru was so drawn to Aya, their similar looks, their similar attitudes, why he only saw one or the other at one time, why Aya appeared so suddenly at his castle after Arisu escaped as well as spotting her so near the village just a few days ago, and partially why one would run from him and the other stay with him. It also explained Naraku's cryptic words that day. He was so thick in the head to believe that Aya, a human, could not also be Arisu, a youkai. A big question is WHY did she keep this from him? He was not going to hurt her either way, but then Aya did not know that she is his intended. Hell, he didn't know till just now. Another big question is HOW can she be all human and all youkai without being a hanyou? What is she really? What is her true name? If he thought about though, when she was a youkai she did not actually say Arisu was her name, only that he could call her by that.
Sesshoumaru has to save his questions for later for he had to find a way to save her, and the other miko, from Naraku and then destroy him. At least now they had an advantage. Sesshoumaru now carried the jewel. Naraku is considerably weaker, though still dangerous. Naraku made it very obvious he knows of their bond and will continue to use it to his advantage. He feels her soul aching in waves of ever increasing strength. His youki escapes in threads yearning to sense her again, to know if she is healthy and uninjured, and to sooth her if she isn't. It almost seems to cry in pain as it pelts the impenetrable barrier between them. 'My beloved mate. This Sesshoumaru will save you.' He silently vows.
Eyes drifting shut, the same hand that held the jewel presses over his heart. The near physical ache does make his legs buckle then. He finds that his entire soul is equally hurting along with hers. He knows he puts her life above his, but now he feels as if he would die if he cannot have her in his arms again. The problem of Sesshoumaru betraying his heart to one not his mate dissipates for both women are now the same woman; unfortunately it does not make him feel any better, not with the current dilemma at hand. For some time Sesshoumaru has had no desire to see her in pain and is a bit confuse about her current agony. Does she feel so because she deems her situation hopeless? Is she ashamed that her ulterior identity has been discovered? Or has Naraku filled her mind with such detrimental lies that she is cracking under the pressure? He did not even want to think about that.
Fortunately Inuyasha comes into range cutting off his morbid thoughts. The hanyou leaps ready to slash at the barrier. Sesshoumaru pounces to yank the half-wit by the scruff of the neck before he can complete the attack.
"Stop! Naraku may kill one of our mates for your stupidity!" He yells in a gruffer voice than normal. Inuyasha blanches, standing down. The remainder of the group approaches more cautious of the situation. They all hear Sesshoumaru's outburst. They huddle around the brothers.
Miroku quick on the observation speaks first. "Lord Sesshoumaru, what has happened? You mentioned "our" mates."
"Does Naraku hold a third girl captive?" Asks Shippo.
"Just a neko youkai and the half-breed's wench. He threatened to kill Aya if I attack the barrier again, which is why I stopped the half-breed." He answers blandly.
"Wait a minute you just said a neko and Kagome, and Aya was, Ah shit! Why does that bastard have her as a panther for?" Inuyasha's angry mouth blurts before his brain could stop him.
The taiyoukai's eyes lock on the mouthy hanyou. "Why do I have the feeling you've known about her double nature for some time, Inuyasha?" Anger ripples in his aura.
Inuyasha suddenly has nothing to say. Miroku speaks for the group. "She asked us to keep it a secret, and we only know because she blundered in our presence."
"Yeah," finding his voice again. "I was gonna cut down her half-sister but she stopped me. I don't see why. Keh, no love there."
'Half-sister? The neko hanyou who took her in order to exchange for learning how to use Tenseiga.' It did not take a genius to make the connection. 'That's why Aya pleaded for her life despite what the neko hanyou did to her. She is blood related to her.' "So Aya is really full youkai then?" He asks.
Miroku scratches the side of his head. "Um, yes and no. Perhaps we can discuss this in a more secure location? Preferably out of ear shot of Naraku?"
"Kagome's in there! We can't just leave! Naraku could be hurting Kagome this instant!" Screams Inuyasha.
The deceptively calm voice of the taiyoukai cuts in. "I don't think he will without provocation." Sesshoumaru opened up his palm to show them the nearly whole Shikon no Tama. All their mouths drop.
"How the hell did you get that?" The astounded hanyou stares at Sesshoumaru.
"Aya forced it through the barrier." 'It was considerably painful for her to do so.' he added mentally. "The Jewel has created a weak spot in the barrier but if I try to weaken it further, Naraku will kill her." A hint of feeling laced in the last two words from the normally emotionless taiyoukai.
The group moves away to a more secure location. It is at a small rise north of Naraku's castle. The large bubble of translucent purple energy is still in view of the party. As an extra precaution the Monk places sutras strategically around them and erects a small barrier of his own around them to prevent a sneak attract or any eaves dropping. While Miroku is busy focusing on his barrier in lotus position the slayer relays all that Aya had told them back at the temple. Sesshoumaru in turn explained the details of what happened at the barrier.
Sesshoumaru recalls something Aya had said. "I am not a pretender. I am merely more then I seem." She was right. Aya was more than she seemed. There was a whole half of her he didn't know about. As for not being a pretender, if he could believe what the slayer said she was real and true in both forms. She had a human soul meshed into a youkai's body. The original owner went by the name Arisu before her soul vacated it at her death over fifty years ago. 'Kami, when I saw Aya those many years ago, the resurrection must have just happened. Its no wonder terror overwhelmed her. She knew nothing of this world then. She could not have understood what this Sesshoumaru was to her.' The slayer also mentioned why she hid such a secret: for fear of being hated and feared by others. He could relate to that on some level. It was quite annoying at times when humans ran from him when he had no reason to bother with them. Even more so when certain individuals, human and youkai alike, sought him out to kill him just for the sake of killing him. Although he believed there was a bit more involved where he was concerned. For one, Sesshoumaru was the one to lead the campaign that ultimately lead to Arisu's demise. Aya likely learned from her brethren that inu and neko youkai are natural enemies, especially the panther clans. 'It's no wonder Aya feared what I would think of her. She probably half expected me to tear her to ribbons and spurn her for being a panther who meddled in this Sesshoumaru's livelihood.' His thoughts went to the look in her eyes when Sesshoumaru saw her neko form on the other side of that barrier. A bit of color drained from his face and his chest hurt a bit more. 'Will this pain ever ease? She thinks I hate her! And Naraku played into it I'm sure! That abomination will pay for every pain he has inflicted on my Mate!' He strangely did not care if she was either human or youkai, only that she is meant to be his and his alone. And neither did he care that she held back such a secret for he understood her reasons for doing so. He only mourned slightly that she did not trust him enough to tell him before her capture.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, are you all right?" His head snapped to the slayer. She saw his nostrils flare and eyes tint red around the edges and was worried.
He took a calming breath. "As right as can be." He answered.
"You wanna rip Naraku's head off as much as I do." Remarks Inuyasha. "You're acting as if your mate is in there, not just your life line." Sango and Shippo both rolled their eyes. Some things just didn't seep into that thick head of his.
"Inuyasha," Miroku's tone hints heavily of exasperation. "Lord Sesshoumaru's mate is in there."
"But that courting thing with Aya was just a challenge thing. They weren't courting for real!"
"That was before our taiyoukai friend found out Aya is also his mate in her alternate form. He never saw it nor made the connection before today." Miroku says. The monk was always good at reading into people. He had suspected something was going on under the surface between Aya and the taiyoukai. His recent behavior and exchange of words with Inuyasha only cemented his speculations. To further confirm it, Lord Sesshoumaru did not bother to correct him just now.
The hanyou goes silent going over the monk's words when it hits him. Sesshoumaru said "our mate" not Inuyasha's mate. His shoulders hunker down feeling a little sheepish now. He glares at Sesshoumaru. 'Could that bastard really love her?' Sesshoumaru glares briefly back than fixes his eyes towards Naraku's castle. He watches him stare at the place that held both of their mates for a full minute before Inuyasha looks intently at the dark place as well.
xxxxxxx
Naraku dumps her without a word back into the cell and leaves. Aya lays there glad he had done nothing else to her. She can still feel his slimy tongue on her cheek and she rubs his vile saliva off with her sleeve. She sits up to look at poor Kagome in the corner. She is still out cold. Aya shuffles over to her to check her head. 'Just a little bump, no bleeding. Good.' She shifts her body so she rests more comfortably. She tries to see if she can heal the swelling down. All she gets is a tiny flicker of energy through her hands to Kagome. 'Damn shackles.' She thinks mindlessly. Truly she did not want to think a thing lest the heartbreaking sight of Sesshoumaru's loathing sight of her comes back into her mind to taunt her.
Too late. Her face is a closed mask to the emotion that wailed inside her. Only the silent tears trickling from her eyelashes told anyone of her internal plight. She can not hold back the pain any longer. She cannot fool herself anymore. The worst has happened. She matched countless people, befriended hundreds, and healed so many good people. She always kept herself apart from the male persuasion, even if they were sweet friendly souls, knowing none of them were for her just in case she should like them too much. She did her best to keep unattached should she find her soul mate so she could give her full love to that individual.
But no, that didn't happen. For what she can tell she is royally screwed. Not only did she ignore her unofficial rule to steer clear of anyone not intended for her, she encouraged him to romance her. What a stupid thing to do. She knew he had no real interest in her. She knew he respected her above most, but that's all. When did she start feeling this way? Where were the warning signs when Aya was getting too close? Was it when he rescued her from that female inu or when she woke up cradled in his arms after the cave incident? Was it when he kissed her for the first time or when she kissed him back the second time? How could she guess anyhow? She had only watched others becoming closer in their pursuit of each other not experienced anything that happened under the skin and in their souls.
She is definitely doomed to wander in misery pining for someone not hers. No, pining is too weak a word. She'll be anguishing, aching, hurting, longing, yearning, and craving for someone not hers. She didn't just give a piece of her heart to him, but the whole damn thing! What was she thinking! She stupidly fell in love with the taiyoukai Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, and she hated herself for doing that. What is worse is that he hates her too, now that he knows her secret.
How did she break down so easily? She meant to give Naraku nothing to hurt her with, but she failed so miserably. Damn Naraku had to rub it in like salt in the wound. He had to prick and pry and worm his words under her skin. Aya was down she admits, but not out, not while she is still alive. The bastard was going to pay for making it hurt more. Aya was going to royally kick his ass for making her hurt more and in turn making Sesshoumaru hurt more. At least that stupid marble is out of his hands. The cheat deserves a kick off his high horse.
xxxxxx
Kagome woke up to a weight on her stomach. Lifting her head, slowly as her head throbs in protest, she sees Aya's dirty black tresses draped over her chest, and her long haired tail wrapped around herself protectively. She nudges her shoulder. Aya lifts her head and swivels it toward Kagome. Her face is streaked in dirt stains and dried tears. Her eyes are puffy and red rimmed from crying.
"Aya, are you…okay?"
"Hmm, right as rain. How's your head?" She said her voice dull.
"Hurts, but I'll be okay." Both sit up and stretch at their aches and pains. "What happened? Did Naraku… did he…?"
"He did not violate me physically if that's what you mean." Kagome lets out a small breath of relief. "He still got way too close for comfort." Aya lets out a shiver. "I think he was going to but," she allows a tiny smile to grace her lips. "Something came up. Or rather someone showed up. I…"
Kagura came to the cell door and slid their food through. Aya gets up and retrieves the offering. "Naraku's really pissed at you, you know." The wind witch speaks for the first time since their capture.
"Goody for me." She says blandly, giving half the food to Kagome.
"What did you do?" Kagome asks.
"I stole the jewel from him and gave it to Sesshoumaru." She answered nonchalantly.
"What, how? Where is he now? Is Inuyasha with him?" Kagura remains where she is curious to hear the answer to the strange miko's first two questions.
"Um, let's see. Naraku dragged me out of the cell. When I felt Sesshoumaru's aura I got brave and attacked his person. The bauble fell out. I grabbed it; I ran outside, hit the barrier, found a weak spot, and forced the jewel through it. Sess- Lord Sesshoumaru grabbed it on the other side. I couldn't get through. Naraku dragged me back in. I didn't see anybody else but I'm sure they're here too."
Kagura elaborates "They're all camped not far from the barrier, which I might add has shrunk since Naraku can no longer sustain such a large barrier." She smirks at her master's folly. "Do you know what he plans for you?" She sees their heads shake. "He's found a spell that lets him absorb the power of inanimate objects, mostly youkai weapons, and it requires a miko and a youkai to sacrifice."
"Why are you telling us now?" Kagome asks.
"Because there's a chance to defeat Naraku now." She points to Aya. "You've taken away his main source of power. He is vulnerable and his enemy is at his gate. Without the jewel he may perform the spell sooner and without the last two swords he desires."
"You don't like him." Aya observes.
"Ugh, with a vengeance, but he has power over me. I cannot disobey him." She says.
"Can you free us?" Kagome implores. Kagura shakes her head.
"Only Naraku has the keys." Her voice dropping then turns and leaves.
Kagome takes on a worried look. 'He's going to absorb powerful weapons into himself? Well he does absorb the best parts of demons into himself. But how? Youki from such weapons clash with each other most of the time. How is he going to absorb that without frying himself? And then there's Tetsusaiga, he cannot even touch that…'
Aya goes over in her own mind this new information. 'He needs to sacrifice a miko and a youkai. I'll not let that happen. He plans to take in these swords' powers. Magically imbued weapons respond differently to each individual. How is he going to take in all these armaments at once without them blowing in his face? That part must have something to do with us. We're opposite ends of the scale Kagome and I. A miko and a youkai have opposing energies. Does he mean to use us to cancel out any detrimental effects? Its got to be dark magic of some sort that he's found.' She stares heatedly at her shackles. 'Nobu's told me about some dark magic other's have done in the past.' Her mind runs through every bit of knowledge she can remember about nefarious spells and concoctions. She near gives up when she remembers something about a dangerous compatibility ritual involving ancient words, a foul potion, and the life energy of two individuals. She thinks hard on exactly what Nobu had said about it. It was so long ago. 'Nobu said in ancient times wayward priests would take a magical object from a slain youkai or perhaps parts of the youkai itself, place it in a bowl of the potion between two people, and chant words granting him use of the power it had. Nobu said the words were lost. Depending on what was placed in the bowl, the two individuals could become severely weakened or die in the ritual. Most died from it. All the priest had to do is touch the liquid in the bowl and the power of the item placed there is compatible with his body.' Aya gasps. 'Which is why Naraku needs a human miko and full youkai, for he is hanyou! And two powerful ones to take on all the weapons he's going to absorb! He'd be more powerful than he was with the jewel alone!'
"Aya is there something wrong?"
She turns to Kagome. "Yes, very wrong. I know exactly what he's going to do and should he pull it off he won't need the jewel anymore." She explains about the ritual Nobu told her about.
"Oh kami, no"
"Yeah I'm sure of it. If only I can change into my human form I'd be offsetting his plans, but these cursed things," jostling her shackles before her, "barely even allow my healing powers to surface. Not to mention they can give me pain by one word from Naraku." She says explaining further what exactly Aya's special cuffs do. The two try to brainstorm on a way escape but no good plan comes to mind.
Much later, Aya does her best not to fall asleep for fear Naraku will take advantage and for fear of seeing Sesshoumaru's angry eyes haunt her dreams. But her head nods off anyways, still physically and emotionally drained, not to mention a headache that's working its way between her eyes. Kagome is too worried to sleep so she keeps watch so her stressed out companion can rest. 'Poor Aya, she must be going through a lot right now. I hope the guys have a plan to save us because we can't think of anything. Aya's done quite a bit just wrestling the jewel away from Naraku so the others have a chance to free us. If I can believe Kagura, it may not be long before Naraku's barrier fails completely. He is still quite strong though.' Little nasal sounds escape the neko indicating her arrival into sleep land. 'Inuyasha, I wish you were with me and I wasn't in this place…' She hugs her knees in the cold cell.
00000
B/N: Augh, so much angst. There had better be a big fight soon. I didn't expect this chappie to be so sad.
REVIEW AS USUAL! PRETTY PLEASE!