Chapter 24: Kikyo
Knock. Knock. Knock. Probably someone looking to sell junk.
Silence. Knock. Knock. Knock.
Ugh. Reluctantly, he went to the door. "What do ya wan- Kikyo?"
"Inuyasha?" She sounded frightened. "May I come in?"
"Uh… yah?" If she's here to kill me, a flimsy door probably wouldn't stop her.
She walked inside, closing the door behind her. Her demeanor changed slightly and she gave him an amused smile, "do you always greet people at the door like that?"
Huh? I didn't even yell go away like I was tempted to. He noticed her grab a strand of her hair. Oh, fuck. He looked down at his own hair, and sure enough he was in hanyou form. "I-I… sensed your power! I knew you were a priestess!" She laughed gently at the shitty lie. "Ugh, just what are you even doing here? Obviously you're not surprised about who I am."
She took a seat on the sofa. "No, once you piece together that the Inu no Taisho and President Taisho are one and the same, the rest of the family is obvious." She looked around the room. "I need your help and I didn't know who else to reach out to. We ran into each other the other day, it seemed like fate."
That caught his attention. "Uh, what do you mean help?"
"You were at the doctor's office so I assume you figured out Shichinintai meant there were more of them?"
He nodded. "Yah." Maybe he could get some information. She wasn't attacking yet. "But there wasn't anything suspicious about him."
"Yes, you wouldn't have seen anything. The doctor suffers from a split personality. Most of the time, he really is a harmless doctor." Well, at least that confirmed him as one of the seven.
"Again, what do you mean by help?"
She sighed. "Onigumo."
He blinked. "Your fiance?"
Her gentle gaze seemed to harden. "That man is not my fiance. Or at least not anymore."
"Cause you're dead?" he asked jokingly.
"Because he has changed," she answered seriously. "He believes I am here to manipulate you, to trick you. In truth, I merely needed an excuse to go outside without being watched."
Hearing that was not very comforting. It was impossible for him to tell just who she was actually tricking. "Tell me about the Shichinintai."
She nodded. "He has offered them a bounty to go after you. He even suggested that they harm anyone they want in order to draw you out. That is not something I can stand for. The leader is Bankotsu, he wields a giant halberd reinforced with spiritual energy. The next two high ranking would be Jakotsu, who you met, and Renkotsu who handles guns and explosives. Suikotsu, when he is out for blood, uses a bladed gauntlet. Mukotsu is a creep who handles poisons. Ginkotsu has a body mostly made of machinery and weapons these days. And Kyokotsu is an oversized cannibal."
Note to self: get a mask from Sango for Mukotsu at least. He nervously scratched at his ears. "Why come to me? Why not the spiritualists or the youkai council?"
She looked away. "The spiritualists would charge me with treason and the youkai council would execute me."
"Why would the spiritualists charge you with treason? You faked your death and told Onigumo everything, but that's not that bad, is it?"
"No."
No? "Isn't that a good thing?"
"Do you know the legend of the Shikon no Tama?"
"No…" Should I?
"Your brother would. Back in the feudal era, there was an ancient jewel known as the Shikon no Tama. To shorten the story, it was made by a priestess trapped in a never ending fight with youkai. However, none knew what to do with such a powerful relic. Eventually, it was given to a powerful priestess who guarded it, and kept it pure. However, many youkai sought it. The jewel had the power to grant any wish, and in the hands of a youkai, their power would undoubtedly increase. One day, an ancient evil tried to steal the jewel. The fighting got so severe that even the Inu no Taisho got involved. This evil was defeated, but in the process, the jewel was broken into three pieces. It was decided that the priestess would keep and protect one piece, while the Inu no Taisho kept another. The third shard was lost during the fighting." For a few moments, there was silence. "Onigumo found the third shard. That is how he discovered the supernatural world, not through myself."
"... What?" He didn't know how else to respond. Obviously, he'd be asking his brother to confirm the tale, but if it was true, the implications were obvious. Their father likely still had the third shard. "Do the spiritualists still have their shard?"
"No."
Fuck. "What do you mean no?" Did Sessh just not say anything, or are the spiritualists really stupid enough not to warn us?
"I gave it to Onigumo. I had been its protector this generation."
That accounts for her being charged with treason. "Why would you do that!?"
"Because I had believed in Onigumo's wish."
"What does Onigumo, do both of you, want? Why fake your death?"
"Well, faking my death is easy. It couldn't be too obvious who claimed the shard after my death." That's a horrible reason! "As for what we want, we want the jewel's wish."
"What wish?" he pressed.
He was beginning to think she wouldn't tell him. "For the disappearance of all magic in the world."
"Wha- Why?"
"You have only recently come into your power. Tell me, is it overwhelming at times? You are friends with several spiritualists, are you not? Does it hurt to feel different than them? To know that they can literally reach out to you and burn your flesh? Would it not be better if every being was equal, for everyone to feel normal? To not have to live in fear of youkai? There is so much more we can be doing with our lives."
"No," he answered, immediately.
"No?"
"I've lived both as a human, and now as a hanyou. I wouldn't change a thing, and what I am doesn't matter. What's so great about being normal?"
She looked at him sadly. "I guess you do not understand. You have the ability to be both human and hanyou. Whereas we spiritualists are stuck in both worlds, always."
He'd seen how Kagome lived. "You were an elite weren't you? That was your choice." Kagome said she'd had the power to be one, but chose not to.
"Perhaps if I had known sooner what it meant. Once you are known as a priestess, once you have made enemies, you can never take back your choice. Perhaps that is why I loved Onigumo, he allowed me to be someone besides what my abilities made me."
He supposed her argument made some sense, but there were normal human professions that carried similar risks too. "Is that why you faked your death?"
"Hmm? Yes, I suppose that was also part of it."
For several minutes, the room was filled with quiet. Inuyasha spoke first, "Tell me about my father. What did Onigumo do?"
"I'm afraid I don't know all the details, but Ongiumo used a youkai named Kanna. I believe he is using a Shikon shard to influence her." Kanna? Sesshomaru has to know something.
"Well," she stated, standing up. "This wasn't nearly as productive as I'd hoped. But heed my warning, Inuyasha. There is no such thing as a perfect double life. Eventually, you will find your two identities bleeding together. In fact, your friends already represent the blurring between the worlds. I believe when you find yourself in need of help, then you'll be able to provide me with the help I need."
"You're leaving?"
"For now. My excuse to Onigumo means I can visit you whenever I please. Just, do not inform Sesshomaru of my presence. He will without a doubt order my execution, no questions asked." I'm not promising that.
Is there anything else I need to ask her? "Where does Onigumo keep his shards?"
She approached the door. "Where else? Naraku Inc. The place is his life, but I'll warn you not to trust any blueprints you might find of the place. They are rather inaccurate. Good luck with the Shichinintai."
She left.
AN: Alright, we're back. I'm not sure I love how this chapter came out, but it's necessary for where the plot is progressing. I feel like Kikyo is a really tough character to use outside of a love triangle. Sometimes she was an ally, and sometimes she seemed enemy. Next time: the appearance of another member of the Shichinintai. Till then!
