Legal stuff: I only own Taomaru and Momiji. I don't own Inu Yasha, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Chapter 10: Momiji
At first there had been darkness. It was so dark but I wasn't afraid; this was a place I could rest, could sleep and feel better. I wasn't dead, which was a relief; this was just a place I could sleep dreamlessly. I had slept comfortably, resting on something soft and downy, no noise in my head to make me wake up, no emergency, no quest to rush off to. It was just me in the warm dark place and it was wonderful until, suddenly, the quiet dark place wasn't so quiet. I was being poked and prodded and being shaken. I didn't want to wake up- I wanted to stay in my dark place and rest, dammit! My anger was gently swept away in seconds; this was not a place for it.
I ignored those that bothered me and felt myself drift away, just drifting on the darkness and enjoying the solitude. It was so different from reality, from my life, that I almost didn't want to leave. Almost; when I was rested enough I would wake up by myself and feel much better, more prepared for the tasks at hand and the duties I would have to perform. Distantly I could still feel my body being shaken harder by rough hands, could feel my neck snapping back and forth with the strength of it. I felt the abuse stop and my body flop back onto the surface it rested on. God, what mess would I return to when I woke up? Hell, what shape would I be in when I woke?
My body was picked up; this time the person was much gentler. The person began licking my neck and I couldn't ignore it; I turned my attention to waking up and felt annoyed. I felt my temple kissed and a quiet call to wake up beckon me to consciousness. I began feeling my body more acutely, the sensations becoming more real. I didn't move, taking the time to readjust to being back from where ever I had been. Someone was rubbing my arms and tickling my face. I batted away the soft fluff annoying my nose and grumbled. I went back to sleep, and fell into a dream.
This dream was stranger than any I had had recently. I sensed a familiar presence and froze momentarily. She was back- the bitch that had started all this shit- and she was proving she wasn't out of the game yet. This time however I wasn't the one being manipulated; I was more on the sidelines observing. Well, that was new; she wasn't trying to kill me this time, just the girl I was being forced to watch.
The girl wasn't much taller than I was with caramel colored fur and hair. She was a dog demon, that much was obvious, but wasn't dressed for the battle she fought. She clashed swords with youkai and the spindly legged creatures I had seen earlier. Other fighters, most in aprons or servant kimonos, were forcing the invaders back through the door. All of them roared and screamed enough noise to make me wonder if there were more people here than I could see. I looked around the room and realized it was the foyer of Sesshomaru's castle. Sure the decorations were a bit different, but it was the same room, complete with raised step and archway leading to the stairway.
The caramel colored youkai continued to fight, urging her companions onward. With her guidance they forced their opponents out of the castle, but the victory had cost them; every last one of them had some sort of wound to varying degrees. Those that were less hurt helped the others nearby. I watched the caramel dog demon survey the scene and come to a decision. She spoke with a crane youkai and then left the room, me floating beside her. The more I experienced, the more I was beginning to think this was a memory, not just a dream.
After a long trot through several passage ways, we came to a room. It had been intentionally secluded, intentionally hidden for solitude. The girl pushed open the medium sized door and entered, me right beside her. The room wasn't that large in comparison to some of the rooms I had seen in the castle; this one was about the same size as the one I had been in when I took my bath. I heard water dripping, felt steam swirl around my feet, and looked for the source. In the rear of the room, dead center, was a hot spring. The girl climbed into the water, not bothering to remove her clothing. Water eddied around her form at rib level as she bowed her head and brought her hands up in prayer. I moved closer and couldn't see what it was she stood on- the bottom of the spring was lost to my eyes even as the surface grew flat.
Her power flared, a green halo surrounding her body. "Help." I heard her whisper. "Help us fight, help us protect the ones we love." Tendrils, streamers of power began to branch out from her, spreading over the walls and through the ceiling. The water around the woman bubbled and waves appeared on the calm surface. The earth around us shook and rumbled, scaring me but not seeming to bother the girl. She remained as she was, her power bright and strong. I knew she was concentrating, knew she was sending all that energy somewhere. I looked into the now turbulent water and saw a battle field filled with soldiers, dog demons and members of the Dark Army clawing and ripping at each other. One caramel colored figure had changed form and was glowing a slightly lighter shade of the jade green the girl in front of me glowed.
The glowing dog demon paused, looking around and then howled for his troops to retreat. The earth beneath his feet began to buck and crack and the dog demons ran. They did not disappear behind the wall that fenced off the grounds protecting the castle; rather all of them transformed into their dog shapes and formed a line. It was an intimidating sight, watching them form a wall of snarling angry bodies, but the Dark Army was not swayed, even with the earth moving below them. As soon as the last dog demon had joined the line, the Dark Army and other youkai charged; it was the last stupid thing they did.
The ground rumbled and bucked like a wild horse, cracking and rocking. Chasms formed and the soldiers fell into them or were crushed beneath rocky outcroppings bursting from the earth's surface. Scalding water followed by lava gushed from other openings killing thousands as they erupted and spread over the area. Trees sprang to life and bludgeoned enemy youkai to death; hell, the whole damn forest got up and ran across the field killing anything in its path. The sky above thundered and from the peaceful blue sky lightening forked to the ground, finding and electrocuting targets. Wild animals rushed forth from their hiding places and attacked the remaining soldiers. Eventually the ground quieted and the lava and water retreated, sealing the cracks as they left. Trees moved and blocked off escape for the remaining stragglers and the glowing dog youkai roared, leading his fighters forward to destroy them.
"My God." I whispered, shocked and horrified at the destruction and violence. I looked at the girl in the water, saw her slump slightly and open her eyes. She looked tired and relieved as she sighed.
"Thank you." She said. "Thank you all." She dropped her hands and slogged through the water to the edge of the spring, prepared to leave and go sleep off her exhaustion. The glowing pathways her power had created flared and abruptly she was dragged back into the water by unseen hands. She fought, struggling to break free of what held her and swim to shore. Her limbs were bound by the water, thick solid appendages forming to pin the woman's arms and feet. She kept kicking as she sank.
Before I could think about it, I reached out for her, aiming for her hair because everything else was bound tight. "Hold on!" I yelled and her head whipped around to look at me. "I've got you!" I grabbed her hair, wrapping my fingers in the thick strands and pulling her toward me. I touched her skin and suddenly it was me bound and sinking in the hot water. I screamed, spitting water out when it splashed inside. Lukin! I screamed in my head. Lukin help me! I panicked, franticly trying to kick and free my arms but the solidified water tightened, squeezing the very breath from my lungs. A moment of coherent thought gripped me- Lukin? Who was Lukin? I didn't know any Lukin- the only person I could sense near by was….
"Help! Help me!" I panted desperately, more water getting past my lips. "Please help me Sesshomaru!" I fought to breath even as the water covered my mouth. I tilted my head so my nose was above water but after a few shallow breaths the water slipped over my head completely. I struggled harder and felt my body begin to tire. I looked up through the clear water, watching as the surface got further and further away. At last I couldn't move anymore, could only feel my brain begin to get fuzzy. I held my breath for as long as I could but the water around me squeezed again. Bubbles floated upward, my life going with them, and water entered my mouth. In a few seconds my lungs filled with it and my sight dimmed. My eyes shut and I felt my power flare, only to have the energy I needed to live siphoned away.
The warm water suddenly turned cold and someone was shaking me, screaming at me to wake up. I opened my eyes beneath the water and saw the woman floating in front of me. She was dressed as she had been in my dream, in the nightmare I had first seen her in, when she told me to learn the secret, an older version than the caramel colored youkai I had just tried to save. "Why?" I asked. "Why did you do all this?" Vaguely, I was surprised that I could talk under water but then again this was a dream… or so I kept telling myself.
She touched my face, a hand on either cheek. She looked sad. "You had to learn the secrets you know now in order to aid my descendants. You are the only one who can insure victory in the coming battle but without the knowledge you have gained thus far, you would be the first to die."
"I've been through hell in that time frame and I haven't learned anything." I said and felt my head fall forward and rest on my chest.
"You learned the truth," She said softly, lifting and cradling my face as she kissed my forehead. "You learned the truth about a lot of things and a lot of people. Thank you for trying to help." I blinked at her and felt my bonds loosen. Air filled my lungs and replaced the water. The pressing weight that had held me lessened and I realized I wasn't trapped under water anymore and that I stood on solid ground. I felt water logged and couldn't stand. She caught me when I fell and continued her thought. "After that day, I was imprisoned in the water, in a parody of life that didn't end until my power gave out." I looked up at her then and knew that she had been there for a few centuries.
"You started the whole Guardian thing." I realized. "I met the current Guardian when you triggered the dream mesh. You mean he's imprisoned like this? Alive but not?"
"With the help of your magic, he can move around but he must rest periodically because it takes a lot of energy to simply be that mobile. Unlike me, he went willingly into the position in order to protect the two people he loved most."
"How do you know…um, what is your name?" I asked and felt myself beginning to wake.
She smiled at me. "My name is Momiji and I know because I have haunted this castle since I died and have seen everything that has transpired within these walls."
Momiji felt less and less solid. "Can I talk to you again sometime?" I asked as I felt strong hands shake me and a strong tug on my heart.
"Of course, daughter." She replied.
I woke up completely. I was confused and disoriented as I looked up into Sesshomaru's worried eyes. Where the hell was I now? I lay on the bed and didn't move, trying to process information from my dream and my surroundings in reality all while looking up at Sesshomaru.
"I had a bad dream." I said at last, feeling like a child. "It scared me." His eyes became concerned and he picked me up, settling me in his lap and hugging me close. He was so warm I let myself just rest against his chest, soaking up his body heat and listening to his heart calm down.
"Me too," He said, wrapping his arms around me tighter. "Me too." I was surprised at how shaken he sounded and wondered if another emergency had popped up after he knocked me out. Well, at least we had one great mystery solved.
"She's back, you know." I said after a minute. "And I think we were wrong about her." I didn't have to explain who she was.
I shivered; despite the heat Sesshomaru radiated, the room was still cold. He pushed me back a little and began pulling at his kimono sash. My eyes widened. Hold on there buddy! I'm not that cold! He flashed me a smile and let his outer robe hang open, his arms encircling my waist and pulling me against him.
Stay put. Sesshomaru nuzzled my neck and tickled me with his tail to distract me as he retied his outer robe around my body and his. To be comfortable, I had to rearrange my legs and straddle his lap, and wound up being pressed right against him; one hard thought would have closed the tiny gap between us. This also pushed me higher and I rested my head on his shoulder, my arms settling around his waist. As close as we were, it wasn't sexual- though that could change in a heartbeat- it was just sharing mutual comfort and it felt really good right now.
"How so?" Sesshomaru asked softly and I was grateful he was sparing my ears from a work out. His tail wrapped around us both and closed the gap; now I was really up close and personal with him. He behaved himself, rubbing my back in small circles. I buried my head in his neck, feeling his warm satiny hair cover me. Instead of answering, I dropped one of my mental barriers- I was getting really good at this- and invited him to view the fading dream I had just experienced. He cautiously accepted, allowing me access to his mind. I felt him sifting through the dream to the more relevant parts, pausing in surprise at a few parts. While he watched my memories, I caught myself up on the goings on for the past hour or so.
I was disgusted with my behavior on the bed in the other room, indeed becoming a very sad creature. I was surprised that Sesshomaru had actually taken my notebook and had begun implementing the plans inside. I mean, I was human; Sesshomaru didn't like humans. I went through all the planning and preparation, taking careful note of which youkai of Sesshomaru's household I could trust and talk to. I also did not miss the plotting of the three visiting lords; I really did not like them. I watched him revive me from the dark place I had been, felt his annoyance at Inu Yasha for having to do so and felt his power flare when Sesshomaru had finally had enough and walked out of the room. I saw him tuck me in-even getting me a spare blanket, wow- and felt his emotional battle with himself. I realized something that he may have missed as I mentally pulled away.
A part of you is waking up after a very long time. I told him, a tinge disappointed. Now I would have to deal with the nasty Sesshomaru again simply because he was beginning to doubt himself. I sighed into his hair; it had been nice while it lasted. I didn't love Sesshomaru -felt closer to him more so than anyone else right now but, no, I did not love him. And feeling his emotional turmoil over his affection to me, I kinda wished I did. It disturbed him greatly that his emotional side was waking up and becoming a powerful, undeniable, force. Besides, I was just getting over his brother- swapping one brother for the other didn't sit well with me- and what I needed was a friend, not another possible boyfriend. Sesshomaru also needed someone who could love him back immediately and right now I couldn't let my heart get stomped on again; we both deserved a loving relationship but one with each other was out of the question. I hugged him tight and then pulled away, freeing an arm to untie the robe. I should leave before he did anything destructive or vindictive.
He watched me pull away and though his face remained its usual mask, his eyes showed how hurt he was. Damn; I couldn't leave him like this- he'd never reach out emotionally to anyone ever again. My resolve softened and I leaned toward him to kiss the half moon on his forehead. He tracked me with his eyes and just before my lips brushed his skin he tilted his head up, catching my lips with his. I was so startled I didn't react at first and he deepened the kiss, biting gently at my lower lip. I pulled away and his hand pushed me forward again, tangling in my hair as he kissed me.
I didn't know what to do! If I pushed him away, he could become violent or at least a chunk of ice again. If I kept letting him kiss me he could push it to the next level and I wasn't up for sex on a good day, let alone now. It was a quandary and an annoying one at that but those weren't the worst reasons. The worst reason was that, simply, I liked it. I liked that he kissed me so passionately and that he wanted to kiss me, to touch me. Again, sex was a no-no, but kissing could be permissible as long as he didn't get carried away. I responded at last, tentatively applying pressure against his lips and he growled low in his throat, kissing me harder.
His hand moved away from my head and tugged at his robe. Uh oh; Houston we had a problem. This had just gone out of the safety zone and, by the digging sensation near my hips, was barreling well into the land of no return. Besides, what the hell had happened to my decision to not lead him on? God, his lips hit mine and my brain scrambled- that was where my resolve had disappeared to; it was in my blood, rushing away from my head and to… other regions low in my body. Crap. "Sesshomaru?" I pulled back and he started kissing my throat. "Sesshomaru, no sex. I'm not ready."
"I'm ready." His voice was muffled by my neck and yes, I did know he was ready- very ready.
"I, um, know you're ready." God, what was he doing? His tongue had flicked out, tracing the curves of my skin as his head went lower. He came to the neck of my nightgown and I had to pull him away. I brought him back to eye level with me and put a hand over his mouth to stop him from kissing me again. "No. Sex." I said clear and low, seeing the meaning sink in to him. His amber eyes started to bleed to red and a thrill went up my spine. I was afraid and there was no where to go.
I started to shake, my eyes wide, and he blinked. "Kagome?" he questioned, eyes bright amber again. He touched my neck and I leaned away from his hand. "Kagome what's wrong?" He was alarmed now, the emotion radiating off him and tingling across my skin. He shook me gently and I flinched.
I drew a shaking breath and calmed myself. "Your eyes changed red when you got angry. It scared me."
"That is an understatement." He murmured and lifted me off his lap. He put me on the bed and made no movement as I put a few feet between us. Sesshomaru picked up the covers, holding them up and gesturing I get under them. I hesitated and he sighed. "Go back to sleep. You aren't ready to be walking about yet." I frowned, ready to protest that I was awake and ready for action now but he held up his hand to silence me. "We are going to be attacked soon and by the time the battle is over we will all be exhausted. Get some sleep while you are able." I could feel the truth in the statement and blinked, feeling the sudden urge to yawn. I crawled under the blankets he still held and he tucked them around me.
I propped myself up on one arm and he smiled at me wryly. "I should be going anyway to make sure all is ready." He said. "It's good you stopped me. I apologize that I scared you." He added in a subdued voice, looking sincere. I squeezed his hand and he looked at me sharply as I lay back down and snuggled under the covers. He pushed my hair out of my face and slid off the bed. I heard his shoes clicking on the stone floor as he left. The door closed behind him with a soft creak and I was alone again.
That had been too close, in scariness and in sexual terms. Until things went too far, I hadn't been able to pull myself together to push him away or tell him no. Wow; who knew kissing could be so dangerous? Sesshomaru had gotten angry but after I got scared he had stopped, returning to a more neutral mood and then becoming alarmed when he saw how afraid I had been. That was the important thing- that Sesshomaru had stopped the moment he saw I was frightened. I yawned but wanted to get my stuff first. I slid out of the bed and as soon as my feet hit the floor I shivered and winced. The floor was freezing! I grabbed the spare blanket off the bed and wrapped it around my shivering body, crossing the floor. I heard voices as I neared the door and I strained to hear them and make out what was being said. A hand touched my shoulder and I jumped, spinning around to see what had grabbed me. My eyes widened. "Momiji?"
Inu Yasha heard his brothers warning and relayed it to Sango and Miroku. As one, they left the room, heading toward Sesshomaru's den. The path they took back, the same one they had come down in, seemed longer and twisting than it had before. It took them much longer to get back to the hallway where Sesshomaru's den lay and by the time they reached it, the youkai was closing the door behind him, taking a moment to retie his outer kimono. He looked up at their approach, any warmth draining out of his eyes. His face slipped into its usual arrogant mask and the three had a disconcerting feeling as they watched it happen.
"What do you want?" The pale youkai asked, clearly not happy to see them. Inu Yasha ignored his brother's tone and sniffed instead. The hanyou blinked and stepped closer, still smelling the same scent mixed with Sesshomaru's. The youkai watched his brother, holding still and letting him follow his nose. "Yes?" Sesshomaru asked, one eyebrow raised at Inu Yasha.
The hanyou growled loudly, his rage sparking instantly. "You slept with her!" He yelled. "You raped her as she slept!" The monk and exterminator stood stock still, unwilling to believe the hanyou. Both of them were unsure as to where Inu Yasha was getting this conclusion- Sango and Miroku had been discussing things between themselves earlier and had to come to the conclusion that something was mentally not right with the hanyou. However, for all the problems they were encountering, Inu Yasha still had the better nose of them all aside from Sesshomaru and must have had ample evidence on which to base his assumptions. Hoping that the last was correct, Sango drew her boomerang and Miroku readied his staff, both very angry and appalled.
"She trusted you and you betrayed her as well!" Miroku shook with anger.
"I knew you couldn't be trusted!" Sango yelled and launched her boomerang. Inu Yasha charged at the same time with Miroku. Sesshomaru dodged the attacks by leaping high into the air and landing a few yards away. He did not bother to talk to the three because it would have done him no good- they had already made up their minds and short of showing them proof (which he did not have) they were not going to stop until he was dead. Inu Yasha was on his brother in seconds, swiping with his claws and for once, the hanyou was proving a very difficult opponent. Fueled by his anger and rage, Inu Yasha had discarded the Tetsusaiga and become a killing machine with only one goal in mind- to kill Sesshomaru.
Unlike his now insane younger brother, Sesshomaru did not wish to kill Inu Yasha. Maim, yes, but not kill. In the coming battle, Inu Yasha would be an invaluable asset. It was the reason Sesshomaru had sought him out in the first place. But if the hanyou continued, kept pushing his older brother, Sesshomaru would be forced to defend himself and would probably cripple Inu Yasha. The youkai dodged under a wild swing and was hit from behind by Sango's boomerang. It hurt as a wide cut was sliced cross wise across his back and Sesshomaru turned to keep her and the hanyou in view. Miroku brought down his sharp tipped staff, intending to hit Sesshomaru's neck and instead cut off a length of tail when Sesshomaru moved to avoid the strike. The three were forcing the youkai back toward his den, back toward Kagome.
This has to stop. Sesshomaru thought. He had sustained enough damage and now he was really angry. Sango came near, came too close, and Sesshomaru grabbed her clothing, hurling her down the hallway away from himself and his den.
"Sango!" The monk screamed and in the slight hesitation he exhibited over aiding his lady love or attacking Sesshomaru again the youkai grabbed Miroku's arm, twisted it, and sent him flying. Inu Yasha lunged and hit Sesshomaru mid-body, claws tearing through cloth and flesh in a purely bestial fashion. He pinned the struggling youkai and tore into the warm body, continuing the damage with his claws and then using his powerful teeth. Blood flew in arcs, painting the hall in crimson relief, the metallic scent intoxicating to the now demon hanyou.
Pennath's Notes: I'm sorry this one is late- I'm having communication problems. ::grumbles unhappily:: I'm going to keep trying to fix the problem and to get the chapters out on a regular schedule. ::sighs::
Anyway, did everyone like the chapter? Has everyone been picking up on Inu's behavior? And what about Momiji? Yes, she was the dream youkai way back in Sick Days. Boy was that long ago! For you battle fans, the battle is coming- just bear with me because I'm writing it.
On a more serious note, the next chapter will have two versions posted. Why? you may ask? Well, simply put, the next chapter is not for children. Due to the younger age groups who do me the pleasure of reading this story, an edited version will be posted on the main story (DWF: Pt3) so the rating can stay down and all can read. The other version will be the original chapter unedited and will be as it was meant to be.
Why are there two versions? The next chapter is violent and bloody but also deals with the more sensitive issue of child rape. The original version (under the rating of NC-17) will contain the scene while the edited version will not. For those of you who are saying 'Ick! Gross! How could I possibly write something so horrible?!' kindly hear me out before passing judgment. As I said, due to the sensitive nature of the contents, I have written two versions. If you are not interested in this kind of thing then please don't read it. The chapter consists of four memories, each from a separate individual, and adds character depth. The events therein will pop up later in the story- not in great depth- and will add light on a few things.
Again, please heed this warning:
The next chapter is posted in two versions, one edited, one unedited. For the unedited version, please click the link to the rest of the story (here) and ignore the other posting. If you find the story via the main FF.N page, please make sure it is the one you want. For those who want the full effect, please find the other posting (with as much warning signs, etc.) and read that one. The scene isn't gory or over done and Telos (my editor for those of you who haven't paid any attention to my comments) and I went round and round on it to make sure it was worth reading. For the other people who don't want to read any of it, that is your choice and I respect it. Please check back next week for chapter 11.
A bit over done, but everything has been spelled out. Please don't flame me, etc. You have been warned in no uncertain terms. I know someone out there will get pissed and email me about what a horrible person I am and I am firing up my barbeque for your emails. Just remember- You have been warned.