Fantasy
Something was definitely wrong with him. For one thing, the water leaking down his cheeks and obscuring his vision with blurry images would not stop.
Inuyasha kept shaking the oni sorceress and demanding why he was 'crying,' but Sesshoumaru assured himself he was not doing such a thing. If he were his nose would be-
Ah.
He took out a cloth and discreetly wiped at it, breath shuddering. Was it hard to breathe when crying? He couldn't recall. The experience was awful, he would not recommend it to a friend.
"Tell me, dammit! What the fuck is wrong with him!"
"I have told you! Most likely your wench has opened up his emotions from the inside!"
"How-" Sesshoumaru cut himself off, swallowing to try and speak in a less shameful, wobbly tone. He cleared his throat, only mildly succeeding, "how do I r-remove her?"
If it sounded like he was referring to Kagome as some sort of infection to burn out of him, that was his intention. The proud lord despised everything about the current situation. The vulnerability, the shaky, trembling, fragile thing in his chest that inspired a lump to rise in his throat. His stomach felt like it had been turned inside out. Relying on Inuyasha of all creatures to be his eyes while his own were stinging and useless felt humiliating.
That wench…
What the hell had she done to him? He wiped his nose again, blinking quickly.
"There is no way to remove the woman by yourself. She must enter your conscious thought. When you are able to hear her voice in your head, you must transform and pull her out using your youki."
"So we wait?! That's bullshit! Who knows how long that could take!"
The oni sorceress let out a garbled, choking noise, causing Sesshoumaru's ears to twitch slightly. "Inuyasha, release her."
Quick, heaving breaths sounded out, the pressure no doubt free from her throat. Inuyasha let out a 'keh!'
"There is one more thing I know of this spell, but you must promise to release me!" Their prisoner wailed.
Trying to scent if she was lying quickly proved impossible due to his clogged nose. Luckily Inuyasha grunted, signalling she was telling the truth. Sesshoumaru gave a frustrated growl but straightened, ears straining for the news.
"...If the wench isn't free within a few days she will be unable to remove herself from within the Western Lord's mind."
A flurry of chaos had broken out. It had taken just a few words, a simple admission after Kagome's heated question as Repression had levelled a dispassionate gaze upon her:
"This one removed it from him."
With the cage door slightly ajar, Kagome hadn't been able to stop herself. She'd launched at the door and slammed it open. Forcing reiki out of her fingers to plume over Repression as a shield kept him trapped against the cave wall.
She hadn't been thinking.
Therefore, it had come as a mild surprise when a flurry of silks had raced by her cheek, the wind lashing at her hair. A blur of white caught her eye, Sadness flying out of the cave at a breakneck speed and into the outside world, bellowing his freedom and anguish into the open. The howls echoed against the rocks, thundering through the tunnel of the cave and straight into Kagome's heart. It urged her to push the stifling energy of her shield even harder. Repression hissed and snapped his teeth at her, trying to force back the reiki with wisps of youki.
Strangely, however, the very walls and earth started to shake. Kagome's shield fizzled out as Innocence grabbed her wrist and tugged her into a run. Hurrying out of the cave, the two squinted against the change in light, raising their heads to the clouds.
Sadness had transformed again, hovering in the air far above and snarling into the heavens. Blue flashes struck through the sky.
"You fool," Repression muttered, appearing beside them. "Can you not see the damage you've caused?"
"No, I can't," Kagome grit out. "All I see is a guy that's been cooped up and had his tongue cut out finally getting some freedom."
Golden eyes narrowed, perhaps about to insult her- but a squawk sounded out behind them. Several Jakens were hurrying from a pathway that rounded the side of a cliff-face bordering a sheer drop. A few of them fell to their untimely deaths in their enthusiasm to talk to Repression, tripping over themselves and each other.
"Mi Lord!" One of the lucky survivors panted, scuttling up to his feet. "Intelligence sends word! A-apparently the miko wandering around freely is the real Kagome!"
A burst of noise escaped her, caught between a laugh and a happy, validated woop. "It's about TIME!" She grinned, setting proud hands on her hips. "I told you I was real. Heh, I bet you're feeling pretty du- what's with that look?"
Cold sweat broke out on the back of her neck, the telltale sign of incoming danger. A shadow had passed over Repressions face. He was no longer looking at Sadness like he was the number one priority and nuisance in his life.
"You…" the tone sounded thin and so unlike Sesshoumaru's rich, velvety voice that she had to double-check who had spoken. "You are...real," he breathed.
Innocence's hand grasped hers, tugging hard and making her stumble as he attempted to fly, hovering off the ground.
Large hands reached for her waist.
The air slammed out of her lungs with the force of the body that collided against her- and Kagome's fingers slid out from Innocence's grip. She gasped and strained for him, gripping at Repression's shoulders as he soared away, collecting white, blazing energy around them. Innocence was a shrinking figure, trying to keep up in the air but obviously failing. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut against the glare from the orb of light.
Catching her breath, she glared. "What are you doing!" She tried to yell over the roaring winds.
Whether he heard or not, Repression did not reply.
Bristling, Kagome sank blunt teeth into his shoulder, ripping a growl from his throat. His pale hand sank into her hair and yanked, forcing her mouth away. The miko gasped and struggled, reiki pluming on her palms.
"Enough," Repression bit out.
The orb around them opened up, letting in natural light that soothed Kagome's eyes behind her lids, she cracked them open.
Not much could have prepared her for the sight that awaited her.
There were many strange and wonderous things about playing superhero in the feudal era, sights she could have never conjured in her imagination. This was one of those times as she stared at the exquisite floating mansion. It sat quite primly on a chunk of earth, but the strangeness was heightened by the large birdcage that acted as the mansion's container. Silver bars obscured the sight of cherry blooms within, a moat looping around the grounds, a- was that a bathhouse?
Kagome shook her herself, kicking her legs against him. "Let me go! You're not taking me in there!"
She struggled in vain, his arms iron bands, preventing much movement and keeping her locked against him. She miserably wondered what had become of Sadness after escaping- where Innocence had gotten to and if he were alright. Perhaps those thoughts were silly. Emotions couldn't die inside a person, right? Sadness would always exist within Sesshoumaru, after all.
"Why are you doing this?" She murmured instead. "You want to lock me away, don't you? Just like Sadness."
"In your case, it is temporarily. Just until this one knows what to do with you," a flinty gaze locked on her. "You are a threat."
"I'm really not. All I've tried to do is mind my own business by escaping or help Sesshoumaru's emotions." Kagome frowned, glancing at their feet. The earth lay far below them and she didn't want to chance her dying in Sesshoumaru's mind from such a long fall. She didn't have much of a choice about getting locked away.
The clone brushed his hand down a silver bar and the door to the cage slid open a crack. Gliding inside, he approached the gardens, a breeze tugging at their hair. He set her down near a koi pond, avoiding her gaze as his hands left her waist and he stepped back, putting distance between them.
"Now then, this one should take care of that other mess," he turned stiffly, apparently wanting to leave as soon as possible.
To get away from her, she realised belatedly.
It didn't stop her from grasping Repression's shoulder and pushing up on tiptoe- growling in his pointed ear; "if you hurt him again, I'll hunt you down. Got it?"
He shifted back, knocking her hand away with a sneer marring thin lips. "You cannot do anything locked away like this. Do not presume to tell me what to do."
Temper flaring, Kagome set her shoulders, tilting her chin in such a way that mimicked Sesshoumaru's usual haughtiness. "You said a second ago that I was a threat. If I hear that you've hurt Sadness or Innocence then nothing will stop me from kicking your ass."
The Sesshoumaru look-alike considered her for a heavy moment, jaw clenching. He then pivoted on his heel and leapt into the sky without a backwards glance. Kagome watched his retreating figure approach the door to the giant birdcage, slipping out into freedom and leaving her behind.
Glancing at the picturesque view the mansion presented and exotic, sprawling gardens with babbling brooks, cute little bridges and flowerbeds, Kagome wondered which emotion she'd been forced upon. Whoever they were, they had adorable taste. It briefly soothed her troubled mind, which remained filled with images of Sadness fighting Repression.
Walking through the gardens, Kagome hesitantly approached the grandeur of the mansion, stepping up onto a wooden porch. Sliding back the door, she took off her shoes. "Pardon the intrusion," she called, stepping in.
No one came running, so the woman ventured further in, looking at the luxurious decor. Shoji screens, vases, beautiful sprawling art pieces and white furs. She even spied some beautiful looking kimonos folded up.
Maybe if her host proved to be a nice emotion she could ask them for help. Surely they'd have a fireplace or another way to get into the stream of consciousness.
Opening another door and carefully stepping out into a hallway, Kagome turned a corner and started at the sight of a person. It took her a second to realise it was her reflection. She made a nervous noise, putting a hand to her chest and seeing her mirror do likewise.
Only...the mirror was wearing different clothes.
She near jumped out of her skin when the other Kagome gaped of her own accord and stepped forward, shattering whatever illusion had existed between them for a moment and giving Kagome the sensation of being punched in the stomach.
"Oh my gosh!" The fake breathed. "There's another me! That's so weird- ah, and cool! Don't get me wrong," she giggled nervously and waved. "Nice to meet you."
The original could only stare dumbly, working her mouth like a blubbering fish. She'd like to say that she fainted and briefly escaped the madness staring at her, but Kagome remained awake and lucid.
"Y-you're the Kagome that exists in Sesshoumaru's mind, huh?" She croaked, trying to calm her racing heart. She'd known about this beforehand of course. It was just...very uncanny valley. Her face didn't look like the one Kagome saw every day in the mirror since it wasn't a reflection or even a photograph. This was supposedly more accurate.
This is what I look like...to him?
"Funny way of putting it, but yeah. Isn't that what you are?" The clone blinked.
"N-no, I'm the real Kagome Higurashi."
Frowning slightly in confusion, the other Kagome turned and motioned to follow. "Sounds heavy. I'm a little lost so why don't you explain it to me? It looks like you could use a breather. Is tea okay?"
Swallowing, the original had no choice but to trudge after her. Even the way she walked was scarily accurate to her own movements. Does he have a photographic memory of me or something? She resembles me so closely.
After sitting down on some comfy pillows and nursing a hot drink, the situation had been explained. No matter how bizarre her words sounded to her own ears, the other Kagome just nodded sympathetically or made the appropriate noises to show she was listening. Oddly it was when she got to Lust that she was interrupted.
"Oh, is that why you're wearing his clothes?"
She paused, "ah, yeah."
Wait, why was her mirror self making that face? Her lips had thinned, shoulders tensing.
"N-nothing happened," Kagome was quick to say, wondering why the hell she felt guilty. "If it helps anything, he thought I was you."
The other Kagome brightened and shifted, some colour touching her cheeks. "He calls me 'Fantasy' sometimes. You can call me that if it'll make this whole thing easier for you. I get that the emotions thing must be overwhelming."
"Totally," Kagome sighed, stilling soon after as an insidious thought wormed its way into her mind. Was it egotistical to get on so well with yourself?
Fantasy tapped her chin thoughtfully, "unfortunately, there's no special fireplace here. Just the irori you can see here that I use for cooking and stuff. Maybe it's because I'm not a proper emotion that I don't have one."
Figures. That would have been too easy.
The doors had been pushed open to let in light and the cool breeze fanning on her skin worked to soothe the miko's frazzled nerves. At least this impromptu kidnapping had given her a brief respite, and in such a calming place too.
"So, whose place is this?" She asked gently, watching stray sakura blossoms twirl on the porch, creeping into the room to play upon the tatami mats.
"Hm?" Fantasy sipped her tea, lowering it to raise a brow. "Mine."
Kagome blinked, head snapping in her direction like a wind-up doll. "H-huh?"
Those eerily familiar blue eyes twinkled with amusement, a smile curing her lips and stretching wider. "This is my mansion. Those are my gardens. Oh and that super cool bathhouse? Mine too. Being kept in a birdcage has its perks."
"B-but…" Kagome squeaked. This place is almost as big as Intelligence's mansion! Why is my space bigger than Innocences? Or even Sadness? "I don't know...how to feel. I mean, it's nice and super luxurious here but then there's the whole cage aspect. Repression said I was a threat."
Fantasy tilted her head, black hair sliding free from one shoulder to fall in slight waves. She'd been thinking it for a while, but for some reason, the fake Kagome looked very...photogenic. Like a filter had been put over her. The light constantly hit the strands in such a way that they shined blue, mixing with the black to create an exquisite fall of dark hair. It was almost as though Sesshoumaru's mind plotted to bathe her in the best light possible. She even wore a beautiful kimono, but it was light and airy, not appearing too restricting.
"Repression stays away from me. He's the one who made the big birdcage but if his plan was to keep the other emotions away from me, he's not doing the best job. They drop in all the time, slipping through the bars. I haven't met Sadness or Pride though."
Kagome stiffened, leaning over the table slightly. "Repression cut out Sadnesses tongue and locked him away inside a cave. He's bad news."
Fantasy's amiable features melted into something hard and dark. She straightened her spine, eyes narrowing. "Unforgivable," she muttered under her breath. "If I see that guy again, I'll kick his ass."
Briefly losing her voice, Kagome cleared her throat, feeling a rush of emotion prick the backs of her eyes. She quickly shook it away, curling her hand into Lust's clothing.
"I-is there something we can do? Repression went back to 'take care of him.' I'm worried he's just going to hurt him again."
Fantasy rose a brow. "Shouldn't you be more worried about getting out of here?"
Some guilt squeezed her stomach but the miko frowned, stubbornly shaking her head. "I can do that later. I can't just ignore someone hurting."
Rising from her seat, Fantasy nodded with a smile and gestured to follow. "I can send a message to a friend outside, he'll be of some help, I think."
Kagome clutched her tea like it were a helpless passenger, taking small sips as she walked. They passed by many rooms and servants, many of which had no faces. They creeped Kagome out so she quickly faced forward, not wanting to stare.
Fantasy pushed back a door and stepped onto another porch, blinking at the figure lounging upon it. "Sloth, can't you laze about someplace else? We've got things to do here."
'Sloth' as she'd called him, sprawled out decadently upon the wood, a long kiseru pipe held loosely between clawed fingers.
Kagome had never seen Sesshoumaru so...relaxed before, not counting Lust. This felt different to a watchful, hungry predator. His clothes were rumpled, obi loose around his waist, allowing the silk parting over his chest to gape open. Mokomoko curved under his ankle and over his hip, falling around him. Silver hair spread out over the wooden surface, one long leg hooked over his propped up knee. Lazy golden eyes observed them with a half-lidded stare, blinking slowly like a contented cat.
"This one is more than happy to 'laze' here, miko." He drawled, taking a drag.
Fantasy huffed and sat at the low table on the porch, preparing a scroll and inkpot. Kagome awkwardly lingered by the door, trying very hard not to look at the expanse of pale, beckoning skin.
Sloth caught her gaze and she flushed red, gritting her teeth when his eyes smiled. "Ah, you're the Kagome that's been causing all the fuss lately," he mused, smoke leaking out from his teeth, exhaling.
She wafted the curling wisps away, but the scent wasn't unpleasant. Like that of magnolia and spice. "I guess so."
"Hn," he eyed her languidly, shifting one arm behind his head.
"C-can uh...can you fix your clothes, please?" She said weakly, still trying to remain polite.
Sloth yawned, chewing at the end of his pipe half-heartedly, scraping sharp fangs over it as thin lips curved at the edges. "Make me."