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ABC Thought
Chapter 65.
Next morning. (The first day)
Everyone has gathered in Shiomi's house to come up with a plan to save Rin.
"I think that we should come up with a secret code. The one that is only known between us."
After having experienced what happened yesterday, Kagome suggests creating something unique between themselves. So that they can distinguish each other if the shadow imitates anyone of them again.
"Oh! I have an idea."
"Hmm... Isn't that too simple?"
"Okay. How about..."
"And that's way too complicated for Inuyasha to remember."
"Hey!"
"Well then..."
...
..
"Nee-san!"
That loud call immediately drawing her back to reality and Shiomi flinches.
"Huh? What?"
Only then, she realizes that everyone's eyes are staring at her. "Uh... Where were we?"
"We're at the point of asking for your opinion about our secret code."
Kagome repeats their question from earlier.
"Well... I will go with anything that you guys have agreed with."
Shiomi sounds like she has no memory of their conversation. As if she isn't here with them in the beginning.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Concerned, Sango asks whether she needs some rest.
"Sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night."
Avoiding Kagome's gaze, she apologizes to them.
"It's just a little headache. Nothing too serious."
After the meeting ends.
"What's with her?"
Curious about Shiomi's strange attitude this morning, Inuyasha asks.
"Nee-san has been acting like that since yesterday. Surely, she's still be worried about Rin-chan."
Although Kagome's minds is telling her that there's something more about this case that has yet to be revealed.
"You should keep an eye on her."
Sango suggests them to be prepared for any unpredictable changes.
"Okay, I will."
And Kagome assures her.
Once seeing everyone off, Kagome finds Shiomi sitting alone by the balcony. Staring at the wide blue sky.
"Do you want to talk it out?"
Therefore she nods, almost reluctantly.
"Sorry about earlier, I was too worried about Rin. It's because of me that she..."
Once Kagome finds a comfortable seat next to her, Shiomi speaks up.
"It's not your fault!"
In instant, Kagome stops her. "That weirdo thief is the one to blame for everything. Not you."
Even after hearing so, Shiomi only smiles sadly.
"You're right. Thanks, Kagome."
The silence returns to them, for a little bit more until Shiomi gains enough courage to tell Kagome what is in her mind.
"What if I know a way to save her but decide not to do anything. Does that make me a bad sister?"
Despite sounding serious, Shiomi fidgets on her seat a lot. As if she's scared about someone or something.
"What do you mean by that? Had you gone out alone to see that thief? What did they say to you?"
"No! Nothing happened. I was just thinking crazy. That's all."
Just like that, Shiomi denies everything and walks away.
"Nee-san, wait...!"
When she passes by, Kagome notices something's odd about the shade below her feet.
Huh? Her shadow, for a moment it looks like...
She did a double take. But it's no longer there. What was that?
Nightfall.
Today as well, Sesshomaru returns briefly to see her.
"It's a mild stomachache. I'll be fine after a bit of resting."
Clearly, Shiomi's depressed, judging by the tired look on her face. But being stubborn as always, she hides her worry from him.
"I will find Rin. No matter what it takes."
Assuming that she's worried about Rin's well-being, he assures her.
"...Thank you. I'm sure that you will."
Yet Shiomi looks like she's about to cry.
Meanwhile...
Rin wakes up by the sound of several things falling near her feet. Upon realizing what they are, she gasps.
"Hey! These are my favorites!"
Picking one up from the ground, Rin takes a big bite. The fruit is sweet and ripen enough just the way she likes it.
But how did they know? Was it just a coincidence?
Staring at the half-eaten fruit in her hand, Rin then approaches Kuro, who is sleeping nearby, to wake him up.
"Arg!"
Being awaken from his sweet slumber, he growls.
"Do you want some? I can't eat everything alone."
His eyes brighten up by the sight of colorful fruits in Rin's arms. Snatching them away from her, he starts gulping every single one down his throat.
"You must be very hungry, huh?"
Within a few seconds, everything is gone.
Irritated that she shared her food without permission and ended up with nothing left to eat. They approaches and kicks Kuro aside.
Cannot let Rin starve to death, they searches their bag and throws at her some dried meats. A water-skin, and even a small blanket, in case she needs it to sleep.
"Uhm... Thank you."
Despite being a prisoner, Rin's surprised by their special treatment.
"..."
Once making sure that everyone's well-fed, they silently takes their leave.
I wonder why Kuro-kun doesn't remember me...
Watching him nodding off at a seat far away from her, Rin's head tilts in confusion.
When being thrown into this dark place and found Kuro, she tried to approach him yet he showed hostility to her. For some reasons, Kuro completely forgot how to talk and all of his memories he had about her. Or anyone else in that matter.
The second day.
"Have you noticed anything strange from Nee-san recently?"
Judging from the odd silence, Kagome figures that he has realized something as well.
"I don't know what exactly you are waiting for. But if you don't intend to help her then I will."
However, Sesshomaru ignores her and walks off.
"Sesshomaru!"
Even now, that ridiculous personality of his still irritates her so much.
..
...
Last night.
"What are you planning to do with Rin?"
This time, it didn't take long for Sesshomaru to track them down. It's as if they intentionally stepped out of their shell and wanted to be found.
"It depends."
"On what?"
"Who knows? I'm not going to answer everything just by being asked."
As usual, they avoided revealing their work to him as much as possible.
"Perhaps you'd misunderstood something. Because I didn't come here to ask nicely."
In a blink of an eye, Sesshomaru vanished and reappeared right behind their back. As they tried to turned around, he reached out his hand and grabbed their neck. Easily trapping them within his strong grip.
"Where's Rin?"
"At my place. Obviously."
Even though couldn't move an inch, they didn't seem to be as much bothered.
"Then lead the way."
"Dream on."
Not satisfied by their answer, he pressed harder to choke them.
"Heh! Doing something like this is useless. Because I know that you'll never hurt me."
Watching his desperate attempt, they laughed.
"Don't worry. As long as she keeps her words, Rin's life will not be endangered."
Their body turned into black mist and faded into the night.
"...Since we've already made a deal."
...
..
"Oh, there you are. Did you see Kagome anywhere?"
After spending a while looking for her without result, Shiomi comes to him.
"She went home."
Sesshomaru replies shortly.
"Eh? Did she tell you why? I thought that she had agreed to stay for lunch."
Confused by Kagome's sudden change of mind, her head tilts.
"Anyway, are you going to be here till lunch is over or-"
As Shiomi's talking, Sesshomaru approaches and stares at her.
"What's wrong?"
She watches him drawing out one of his swords.
"How persistent."
Aiming for Shiomi's shadow that is reflecting on the wall behind her and looking darker than usual, Sesshomaru stabs it in the head with Tenseiga. Causing that shadow to screech in pain.
"No! What have you done?!"
Shocked by his rash decision, Shiomi shouts for him to stop.
"They can no longer hear you."
Still, he proceeds killing it off with one swing from Tenseiga.
"That's not the point! If that shadow is gone, they will realize that something is wrong and hurt Rin!"
Holding onto Sesshomaru's arms, she explains that Rin's life is in danger because of her.
"They will not dare to touch Rin."
"How can you be so sure about that?"
"She's a valuable bait. They won't get rid of her that easily."
"R-Really?"
Feeling all of her strength being washed away, she collapses to her knees and burst into tears.
"...I-I was so scared! I didn't know what do to! They said that they would kill Rin if I let the others know!"
Overwhelmed by the negative emotions that have been building up for too long inside, Shiomi cries out.
"When you was out to catch that thief, I got pulled into this dark dimension by some kind of portal. And then..."
She tells him everything that happened on that day. About her encounter with the thief in an odd place, as well as their secret contract and Rin's condition.
Hours later.
Kagome's informed about what happened when returning to their house.
"I'm sorry... I should have noticed it sooner."
Holding Shiomi's hand, she apologizes for being oblivious to her trouble.
"Don't be. I'm the one at fault for keep worrying you guys all the time."
Shiomi thought that if it wasn't for Kagome, Sesshomaru wouldn't have realized how serious the situation was and acted right then to save her.
"What are you going to do? Any idea yet?"
"Well... There's one."
And she stares at her hands for a moment before speaking up.
"Though I doubt that anyone will approve it."
"...You're not thinking of going, are you?"
Just as Kagome expected, she nods.
"Can you at least wait for us a bit more?"
She tells her to be patient and think of another way to save Rin, yet Shiomi refuses.
"The due is tomorrow. There isn't much time left."
It can be either at the start or end of the day. Whenever they feels like it.
"Then let me come with you."
If Shiomi insists on leaving, she wants to be there to keep her safe.
"No way. Absolutely not."
However, that idea sounds too risky for Shiomi to accept. Since Rin's life has already been affected because of her. She doesn't want to drag Kagome down as well.
Meanwhile.
"Well done. Just as expected, nothing in this world can escape your eyes."
They praises him for realizing the curse that they plant on Shiomi's back and breaking it so quickly.
"Enough playing around and release Rin."
Now that they've had their fun watching Shiomi suffer. He demands to see Rin.
"Hmm... I don't remember doing any more business with you."
They refuses to do as he says. Unless Shiomi shows up with him and gives them the answer.
"Why her?"
Among thousands of people out there, Sesshomaru doesn't understand why they has to drag Rin into this mess.
"Truthfully, I had hoped that it would be someone else. Since I was getting tired of seeing familiar faces."
Their reason for capturing Rin was simply because she's the easiest target. And the most impactful one.
"You're fully aware that Rin's innocent."
"Therefore I let her live, even when the deal's exposed."
However they states that there will not be a second chance.
"How ridiculous."
He's baffled by everything that they has tried to achieve up till now.
"As long as it serves my purpose. Anything else doesn't matter."
And they will do worse if it means for them to success.
"You will not harm Rin."
When that happens, Sesshomaru will become their enemy. Yet they shows no fear toward to his warning.
"The due is tomorrow. How about we test it out?"
Kaede's village.
When Kagome arrives home, the sky's already dark.
...I wonder if there's any way to make Shiomi change her mind.
Recalling to the conversation with Shiomi earlier, she sighs.
We had tried to find that thief, yet ended up with nothing because they hid themself too well.
And now time is starting to run out. At this rate, she will definitely lose her.
No! We can't just give up like this. I'll ask Inuyasha then talk to her again tomorrow.
"Kagome-chan, there you are!"
All of a sudden she hears Sango's voice calling for her from afar.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?"
Kagome's confused when she rushes to her side with an anxious expression.
"It's Kuro-kun! They've found him just now!"
"Really?!"
"But he's heavily injured. We need your help!"
Afraid that it'll be too late when Kagome returns, Sango decides to go to Shiomi's house to look for her. Fortunately, Kagome's found right before she's about to leave the village.
"Where did you guys find him?"
"I was told that Inuyasha and Miroku met him when they're on their way back."
At that time, Kuro's being hunted down by a bunch of aggressive shadows and completely covered in blood. If they'd gotten to him a just bit later, he would have already died.
...
..
Earlier.
The moment of their return. Rin's found lying on the floor, struggling to move. Kuro's kneeling by her side, acting all confused and not knowing what to do to wake her up.
Rin! What happened?!
While Rin looked like she's having trouble breathing. Kuro seemed completely fine.
So that's how it is.
They realized that the atmosphere in this area is harmful to human being and took her outside for some fresh air. Unbeknown to them, Kuro followed as well.
Their destination was somewhere deep within a forest, the surroundings were quite dark and the air was cold. Carefully, they picked a large tree and laid Rin down next to it.
After a bit of resting, her breathing became stable and they sighed in relief.
Meanwhile, the feeling of refreshing cold air brushing against his skin, grasses and dirt under Kuro's feet had triggered his longing for freedom inside him and quietly, he walked away from them.
"...!"
Hearing footsteps from behind, they turned around and caught him red-handed. Not going to let Kuro escape, they launched forward and forced him to stay on the ground.
"Arg!"
Couldn't stand being imprisoned in that dark place any longer, Kuro strongly fought back.
"... Sesshomaru-sama."
Upon hearing Rin's voice calling for her lord, they stopped and turned their head back to check. But there was no one there, she was simply talking in her sleep.
Using that moment as his advantage, Kuro reached out his hand to grab their mask and tear it off. Scratching their face with his long claws.
"Ah!"
They shouted in pain. Immediately releasing him to cover their face.
Shit! He saw me!
Kuro fled from the scene by jumping into the tall grasses field behind him. Quickly, they stood up to give chase.
"Uhm..."
Right then, Rin woke up from the loud noises and looked around. Thanks to the bright moonlight shining from above, she's able to catch a glimpse of their face.
"Eh? You are-"
In instant, they cast a spell on Rin's forehead to force her back into sleep. When they turned back to find Kuro, he'd already gone.
"Tch!"
They summoned the shadows and commanded them to capture him. An unreliable method but it was their only choice at that moment. If they stayed out for too long, Sesshomaru would come for them by following their scents in the air.
..
...
Kaede's hut.
Lying on the old blanket, Kuro whimpers in pain. Barely recognizes anyone or anything around him.
"Kuro-kun! Hang in there!"
Sitting next to him, Kagome swiftly cleans and bandages his wound.
"Should we inform Shiomi-chan?"
Sango offers to go to Shiomi's house to tell her about what happened.
"Right now is a little bit..."
It's already passed midnight. Therefore Kagome doesn't want to interrupt Shiomi's resting time. "I will tell her about him tomorrow."
The third day.
Early in the morning Sesshomaru, Jaken and I gathered in our living room for a talk.
"Are you still serious about going?"
After listening to the whole ordeal, Jaken asks me.
"You know that I cannot risk Rin's life to save my own."
Still, Sesshomaru's unsatisfied with my plan.
"Hear me out. If I'm with them, I'll be able to learn about their true motives."
Therefore I try to persuade him to let me go.
"And if their plan involves with endangering other people's lives, I'll stop them however I can."
Just as Sesshomaru about to open his mouth object, I hear a voice ringing inside my head.
"I've arrived. Come on out."
Immediately I get up from my seat and rush to the backyard. There, we see that thief stepping out from a black portal which is floating in the middle of the air.
"Time's up. Give me your answer. Now."
Standing tall before us, they demands.
"What is it?! Is that thief saying anything to you?"
Jaken's confused. Since he cannot hear a thing from our secret conversation.
"They wants me to decide. Right here."
"Isn't that way too early? Shouldn't the deadline be tonight?"
"The girl won't last much longer."
To answer his question, they holds out the sphere that is imprisoning Rin inside. For some reasons, she looks tired and struggles to breathe.
"What did you do to her?!"
"It'll get worse if you don't hurry and make up your mind."
"Alright, fine! If you want me to be your servant then so be it!"
Cannot allow our poor Rin to suffer any longer, I agree to leave with them.
"Hey! You know that this is clearly a trap, right?!"
Obviously having bad feeling about the deal, Jaken tells me to reconsider another option.
"Calm down. I know what I'm doing."
And I gesture my hands for Sesshomaru not to come over.
"Take care of her for me, okay?"
With one last look at Sesshomaru, I follow the thief into the black portal that they creates. When I'm fully inside, they closes it with one swing from Amenonuhoko. Causing everything before my eyes to be replaced with eternal darkness.
...
..
After walking aimlessly for awhile, I get bored and attempt to strike up a conversation with that strange thief.
"Did you get those abilities from Amenonuhoko?"
Even now in their hand, Amenonuhoko's still surrounded by that familiar dark aura.
"What do you think?"
In return they mocks my slow wits, like it's the most obvious thing ever.
"But how? I thought it said to me that-"
"And you believed in everything that you're told?"
They comments that I'm too naive to trust Amenonuhoko so easily.
"Does that mean it has two masters now?"
"..."
Taking their silence as a sign of having stepped near the boundary, I change the topic.
"So, what are we going to do next?"
"..."
"You dragged me here in a hurry, right? Surely, there must be something in your mind already."
Yet they remains quiet to everything I say.
"Aren't we on the same side now? For the least, I should know about our upcoming plan."
Not giving up, I keep bothering them until they reveals what they're hiding to me.
"To destroy everything. Now shut up."
Probably having enough with my constant nagging, they turns around and points the tip of Amenonuhoko's blade at my face to make me stop talking. Also to forbid me from ever trying to get near them.
As I thought. This guy is crazy!
This is dangerous. There's no way I'm going to let them do as they wants.
But how am I suppose to stop them?
If I try something now, they'll definitely harm Rin again.
Hmm... You can't hurt anyone if there are no weird abilities to abuse, right?
And for that to happen, I have to strip off their power source, which is Amenonuhoko itself.
Except I failed horribly last time, even with the others help... Taking it away by force is just too difficult.
Another solution is to make Amenonuhoko abandons them willingly and chooses me.
Okay, that actually sounds even more ridiculous...
..
...Oh well, now that we're already here. It doesn't hurt to try.
"Hey! Amenonuhoko, can you hear me? Say something."
Our same old mind speaking method, hopefully it will catch my signal somehow.
"..."
There's no answer from anyone, however.
For god's sake. We've done this before. So why not now?
Do I have to get even closer for it to hear my voice? Is that why the thief always keeping their distance? If that's the case then...
"Hey, there's something that I'd like to ask."
Casually, I call out and walk up to them.
"Can I have a look at your weapon? It's been a while since I last saw it."
Surprised by my over friendly manner, they loosens up their guard for a moment and I take my chance to grab Amenonuhoko.
Alright, let's try again.
This time I'll go straight into the deal. Enough with the formal greetings.
"I'm going to say this one time so listen well."
"..."
"I will let you possess my body. In return, you have to help me fight against your crazy boss!"
Still, there's no reaction or whatsoever.
Before I can say anything more, they yanks Amenonuhoko back and shoves me out of their way.
"Ouch."
Holding my shoulder in pain, I sigh.
It didn't work. Guess I have to think of a second plan... Huh?
Somehow, my right hand feels like it's carrying something heavy.
"...?!"
Meanwhile, the thief's confused when Amenonuhoko disappears from their hand and reappears in mine. Turns out, it has accepted my golden offer and switches side. Without a word of notice to any of us.
Yes! I did it! I won!
Holding back tears of joy, I immediately challenging them to a duel. And they has to fight me whether they wants it or not.
"Take this!"
I dash forward and tackle them to the ground. Keeping them in place.
"Without Amenonuhoko's support, you're powerless!"
They tries to fight back, but too weak to do so.
"Leave this place. Never shows yourself to us ever again."
Not wanting to dirty my hands with unnecessary bloodshed, I give them a chance to live.
"..."
From the ground, the thief shows no fret toward to my threats and simply stares at me.
"Considering my part of our deal is done. Now it's your turn, Amenonuhoko."
Casually pushing the sharp blade away from their neck, they says.
"Let's find Kuro and kill him. Once and for all."