The two led me to the inside of the well shrine once and I smell the mustiness of its time travel. That smell shrouding Kagome when I first smelled her must have been from a trip through the magic object.
"Iko." Bit the demon behind me. As if some prisoner, I was led down the steps and to the wood lip. "Kagome, go first. I don't want this guy to think he can get away in either era."
"Which won't happen with your behemoth sword poking me in the back." I casually retort.
It jabbed even farther, lodging itself inside the skin. I wince for a brief second before it pulled out. The wound almost instantly closed, leaving no scar. I scowled.
'That's ANOTHER hole in what was a very useable shirt. I hope that era has some clothes I can wear for his insolence.'
"Yosh." She quietly answered, floating in the center. I leaned down and watched entranced as she disappeared in a bright flash of light. My eyes squint shut before I look back, smelling that mustiness and darkness.
She was gone.
"Amazing..." I whisper, leaning a little farther down.
A sudden slice to the back of my waist effectively gained my attention and I tightly gripped the wood, getting splinters in my palms and listening to the board creak.
After it healed I swung around and glared to gold in the darkness. "What was THAT for?!" I hissed, baring my teeth.
A smug, satisfied grin met me as I fought not to wipe that smirk off his face. "Just because you're teaching Kagome doesn't mean you're getting off easy. You heal, so don't get so upset." He darkly glared back. "Since I can't outright kill you now, I'll have my fun as penance for when I DO track you down and make you regret the day you took note of Kagome."
I suddenly smirk and smell his off-balance, though it doesn't show in his face. He was a formidable opponent as a warrior. "Is that possessiveness I hear in your voice demon?" I casually ask, floating over the hole. "We'll just see WHO kills WHO when I have taught Kagome all I know. Depending on her will to cooperate, this could take quite a while. So don't get used to the idea."
I had to grin the frustrated growl I heard before the light started again...as if in acceptance and I passed through a blur to a different time.
I stood at the bottom of the well and immediately inhaled the air that greeted my nose. This PLACE... I flew to the top of the lip and spotted Kagome standing in wait.
"It's so magnificent..." I breathed, looking around as I landed next to her. I listened as she backed up a few steps, but kept quiet. I turned and gave her an awed glance. "This land...it IS better than the one you stayed in. The smell of blood is so diluted...the fresh air...this gorgeous scenery... What era is this called?"
"The Sengoku Jidai era." She coolly answered. Her gaze swiveled to mine, spearing me with hard, cold eyes that flashed in the moon. "While you're here, don't expect to get an easy life. I'm going to keep an eagle eye on you to keep you from trying to 'feed' off any humans. You will NOT kill anyone here in the past as long as I can help it."
My look turns slightly grave. "How do you suspect me to teach you then, if not on humans? How do you expect EITHER of us to stay alive if we don't feed?"
Her eyes flash. "If you think I'm going to drink BLOOD, you're CRAZY!" She retorted, spinning to face me.
"It's the only way you'll SURVIVE!" I threw back, feeling irate. SO much she needed to know...and ACCEPT... Teaching her would definitely be a challenge.
A bright flash next to us diverted my attention. Mere seconds later, a blur flew into the air and landed in front of us, that sword pointed back to my face. "Alright. Get in front of me temee. It's a short walk back to the village."
I scowled. "PUT that away! Your humane treatment leaves a lot to be desired! The two of you already swear to keep total watch over me and it's not like there's anything I KNOW about this land, so how am I to escape? Fly into the skies??"
"If you think you're going to wear down my defenses by empty promises-"
I stuck my hand out and suddenly gripped the sword blade. I quickly winced as it cut my palm open, but I held fast. "Then a blood oath...nothing stronger in the world." I met gold and stared until he slowly smelt of acceptance before I went on. "On my honor and everything I stand for, I will not run from either of you. I will teach Kagome everything there is for her to live as long as she wants and it will be true and genuine. When all is through, we will battle it out for her honor."
I drew the blade up my hand before pulling away, leaving a swath of blood on the sharp end. I lightly shook my palm to take the sting away before it started healing. "Satisfied now?" I wryly retort.
"For now." He harshly mutters, sheathing the sword. "But we're still going to keep an eye on you. All of us." I watched as he turned and headed into the forest, silently telling us to follow.
I walked in between him and Kagome as if a prisoner, even after the words I said. Such lack of trust...but I supposed that after all my malicious intents, that it would only be wise they are suspicious.
As we walked, I looked around the night, utterly amazed at such unspoiled land. There was such natural beauty here that I hadn't seen since my homeland days. Nothing seemed changed. Maybe this was an unchanged time and the well was some kind of warp to its beauty.
It didn't take long before we reached the top of a hill overlooking a quaint little village, the one Inuyasha mentioned. I took a moment to stare as the others walked on past me, obviously unfazed. The demon lived here and she visited much.
Surely, there was a lot I would have to get used to as much as Kagome did.
~*~*~
Day was coming. The others were avidly watching for our return and as soon as they saw Kelah, Miroku held his staff out against the 'evil' he sensed from the vampire. Shippo glared at the smells rolling off Kelah, and Sango looked on in massive distrust and hate.
I didn't blame them for I was fighting some of the same effects, even after all of his pretty words to us.
I gave brief introductions to everyone, telling them of his oath and that dawn was coming fast. The two looked at each other before giving Kelah a look, wonder coming from them.
I also thought the same thing. Where was he supposed to hide from the light till dark came?
"Kagome...if you don't mind, this would be prime opportunity to start your training." He pleasantly announced, looking to me.
My jaw instantly clenched. I told myself to calm down and took a deep breath to loosen the anger in my chest before I hurt something.
"What do you have in mind to start with?" I suspiciously asked. If this guy thought he was going to try anything...
"Shinpai suranai. It would be a good time to explain what sunlight does to us. Now would be a good time while the sun is out." His eyes looked away to the sky and I warred with my heart and his words.
Finally, I sighed and gave a small, quiet nod. If anything happened, I knew the others would come to me for help. Inuyasha would most likely spend his time hovering over Kelah as close as he could. I looked to his eyes, hoping to gain them, but they were studiously trained on Kelah.
I couldn't help but smile a little. His utter suspicion and distrust would never leave and Kelah had another thing coming if he thought to gain Inuyasha's trust by that oath.
More blood would have to be spilt if he wanted to satisfy Inuyasha's hatred.
"This way then." I wearily answered, walking to my hut. If I was stuck like this, then I would have to make adjustments so I wouldn't have to huddle in the corner every day for the rest of eternity.
An eternity of this... Sigh.
I walked into the small hut and let Kelah take the small place in as I went for the blankets in the corner. I chivalrously gave him one, reminding myself he was no good to me dead, before I kept them all to myself.
As I settled in the corner, I looked at him through the blanket, seeing a little bit of his face through so many layers of fabric. As the sun rose, my eyes closed to ward it off. "So tell me...that IS why you're here."
I smell a little bit of amusement from him and frown. Nice to know SOMEONE was enjoying his time in this era. I grit my teeth and fight with my anger.
"Get some rest. I will show you around high noon. When the sun is the strongest."
"Sleep isn't something that is going to come easy to me you know." I retort, glaring. "I'm still too used to being in the daylight."
"Well I can't show you the total effects until the light comes through the hole to this shack. So you have no other choice."
My teeth grind in agitation to know he's right, and I heave a sigh. I have no choice but to obey.
Not too much longer, I was lightly shaken awake. I sleepily blinked and instantly jerked awake when I realized who was sharing this hut with me. "NANI." I ordered, gripping the blankets as light assaulted the holes through the weave. I squinted against the harsh light and looked to the other blanket.
"Wakey wakey sleeping beauty. Time for your first lesson." Kelah responded, shifting behind the blanket. He remained kneeling under the cloth, almost in fear of our combined enemy. I focused a little more and met his serious eyes.
"Your first lesson is to never stray in sunlight. Don't let the dawn's first rays touch you, and don't come out until late afternoon. The only time it is safe is when there is more dark than light and the sun is mostly red and holds no heat to its gaze. If you are so foolish enough to be caught out before those safe times...this is the result."
I listened to him tensely gulp and stand, moving the blanket to expose a bare arm.
One that quickly started to burn black.
A hiss of pain rent the air as he quickly pulled away, just as the skin was starting to sever and show underneath to what it was protecting. I looked on in awed horror, knowing that happened to me just after my transformation.
"I smell recognition from you. Did this happen to you already?" He asked, huddling back in the blankets for safety.
"H...hai..." I breathed, clutching even more at the blankets. The HORROR! "Why does it DO that??"
"Sunlight is always been a vampire's mortal enemy." He darkly answered, his voice slightly pain laced. "We are creatures of the dark. Night animals. What night animal do you know that can stand the light of day? Our skin isn't used to such harsh rays of heat and brightness and it turns to ash. After that, the body crumbles to pieces, with nothing to hold it up. It's rather messy." He shifted a little more and faced the doorway of the hut.
"That is your first, and most important lesson. If you even want a glimpse of your precious daylight, your lifespan will be cut shorter than your human years. The pain involved is unspeakable, and I don't recommend trying just to see." His eyes solemnly speared mine. "Do you have any other questions about what I showed you?"
"What about clothes? This cloth seems to be sheltering us just fine..." I muttered, trying to pick my brain back together. What happened to me could be considered a first-degree burn to what happened to that rapid deterioration of tissue to his arm. It was like a plague spreading through his body!
A sardonic snort gave me a partial answer. "You could be as covered as you wish. It helps to take some of the sting out, but no piece of cloth can cover you entirely. Cotton is woven together and will still let slivers of light in. Any part of you that is exposed will spread through your blood. It is a disease we have to be wary of."
I thoughtfully nodded and looked to my legs. If I was going to at least PROTECT myself, I should get some of the village's clothes. They would cover me ten times better than my old school's outfit. Yet I would keep these modern clothes as if a memorial of whom I was.
I wouldn't be able to let them GO.
Nearly pressing my legs into my body, I hugged them in need for comfort. I stared at the floor through the cloth, feeling sorrow double back on me. So long it seemed that I stayed strong throughout the reunion with my maker...but I couldn't be weak in his presence.
NEVER would I show weakness to someone like him.
My eyes shuttered close as I fought tears. To live forever like this...would I eventually meet up with the modern world by living here?
~*~*~
Sounds of the hut below met my ears and I hastily set Tetsusaiga against my hip and jump from the roof. All day I remained posted, listening for sounds of Kelah being treacherous, but all I heard was his teachings.
At listening to his first at mid noon, also smelling burnt skin, I looked to the sky and became truly afraid for Kagome's safety for the first time.
Seeing what happened to her was nothing compared to what COULD happen to her. From what I heard and understood anyway.
I land near to Kaede's hut and listen to the others stir from their slumbers. Sitting on top of the roof, I kept an eagle eye on the roof, straining my ears for conversation yards over.
Kelah's voice mumbled something about starting out by learning to feed, but Kagome's voice venomously denied it. After a small, quiet argument, she rushed from the hut and ran full speed for my forest.
Giving a harsh glare to Kelah as he stood just outside the hut, solemnly watching her exit, I jumped to the air and gave chase. I sniffed her out, going deep into the canopy of spring trees.
Finding her wasn't hard, since this place was the same she ran to last time.
Once again, she was huddled into a small ball, but this time...she floated off the air by a few feet.
Her quiet, muffled sobs met my ears, but I made no move to her. Did she want me near this time? Last was a necessary to make sure she was all right. But now she would want time alone.
Almost resigned to let her be by herself, turning to go, I almost missed the whisper coming from her.
"Inuyasha...matte. Onegai..." She repeated. I met her eyes and found them swollen in the deep dusk of encroaching night and was drawn to her tiny form.
She looked like a child.
I took a few steps closer, leaving a space between us. She didn't bother to come closer, and her gaze almost studiously kept from mine.
I wished I knew what to do right now.
The sounds of night creatures leaving their hiding spots sounded and brought smells with the wind off the drop off. Other than that, we were both silent.
How was it that being around her was this awkward?
"I can't do it..." She finally whispered, her voice dejected. I searched her face and found her eyes sullen and tired. I smelled resignation from her. Deep brown squeezed shut as her arms tightened over her legs. "I can't DO this!" She shouted, dropping her forehead back on her knees. "It's too much! What he's suggesting I do! The precautions I have to take!... I can't live like this for the rest of my days! It's not worth living like this if I have to drink blood from someone I once was!"
She was always so strong. At least I always regarded her as anyway. In times of uncertainty and suffering, she was always the ray of light and hope with her sprit and kindness. There seemed nothing she couldn't do once she learned. Her love for life and need to help others never ceased to amaze me. Perfect STRANGERS even!
And here she was, still the same form. Yet only a shell of the person. It was Kagome's body, but whoever inhabited that mind now was not the person I grew to care for.
Yes Kelah took everything away from her. He took her humanity and cursed her for eternal existence. She was having an extremely hard time adjusting to something so radical and unthinkable compared to who she was.
But to wish she were dead than struggle through this... I became angry without knowing I was.
I stalked over and grasped her arm, gaining her attention. She looked at me with wide, teary eyes, shocked at my sudden movements.
"Don't EVER wish yourself dead onna!" I growled, glaring. "Whatever happened to the Kagome I USED to know?? The one that bent over backwards to help any strangers we came across! The one that spared a second thought to help KIKYO even! And now you're going to give up and wish yourself hell because THIS befell you?!"
She sniffed, but gave a weak glare back. "You don't UNDERSTAND! You'll NEVER understand Inuyasha! I'm even WORSE than Kikyo now! We may be even more alike now that we're both undead...but at least SHE can walk in the day! I can't feed off PEOPLE. I will NEVER get used to that! It's too horrific for me to even THINK about! It's BECAUSE I love humanity too much that I came back here...because I couldn't bear to hurt those in my time. What makes you think I could do it in YOUR time??"
"You CAN'T give up!" I hissed. "The Kagome I know would find a way to see PAST the horrors befalling her! She ALWAYS managed to beat any situation! What about the kuroi no miko?? I thought you were dead during that final battle, but you managed to BEAT the curse! Your strength never failed to amaze me. What HAPPENED to that?"
"It's GONE!" She shouted, wrenching her arm away. She let go of the tight hold on her legs and hovered over the edge. "You don't think I've been scared for MORE than my life during those times?? I was so afraid, yet I held it together because I didn't want to be weak in front of YOU!" A finger pointed to me, almost accusing as much as her glare.
A little bit of me suddenly felt bad that she had to be that way. All for my warrior's pride.
I couldn't find any other comforting words to say. What I hoped would help bring her out of such a despairing situation only made her angrier.
The only thing I could do was stare with my tongue at a loss to move.
We kept eye contact until her anger almost suddenly fused out. She went from looking pissed off to utterly dejected and slumped to the ground. I wondered what went through her mind.
Clenching my jaw, wondering if she'd push me away, I slowly walked to her and kneeled. "Kagome..."
"Don't..." She almost pleaded. Her forehead pressed to the ground. "Don't look at me. I'm not who you remember. I'm a monster now. I'm no better than any of those Youkai we slayed in the past."
I heaved an irritated sigh, inched forward, and yanked her to my level. "Kagome." I tersely hissed, squeezing her upper arms. "My eyes don't lie to me. You are you. During that last battle with the evil miko, you said that... I chalked it up to delirium and let it go. But you have to ask yourself now. Omae dare da??"
Her gaze jerked to mine, rapidly shifting to both my eyes. She was silent for the longest time, dejection and slight hope in her eyes, before it all melted away to small acceptance.
Somewhere in her mind, she found an answer.
"Atashii...atashii...wa Higurashi Kagome." She whispered, slowly blinking. "Kikyo de nai. Atashii wa atashii." An extremely small smile shone as she slowly relaxed. The tension I smelled started lessening. "I will always be Kagome...even through the changes brought to me by fate."
I couldn't help but smile at the correct answer. I nodded in encouragement, letting go of her arms entirely. She quickly sat and kneeled as well.
Then her arms wrapped around me as well.
I startled but slowly accepted the hug through the grateful emotions I smelled and hugged her back. She needed to know who she was, and though I didn't think my words helped...they did jog something in her mind.
Hope.
Her hold tightened and I smelled tears again. My ears flattened in amused agitation. Would she ALWAYS cry when I hugged her??
"Atashii wa atashii." She murmured again, her head buried in my shoulder. "I'll never forget that. Though I'm not who you remember anymore, there is that part of me buried deep. I will never forget my humanity. Arigatou gozaimusu."
"Nan...nan demo nai." I muttered, feeling my heart thud in my chest.
Her hold loosened and she thoughtfully looked at me. I met her eyes, wondering about the look I was getting. Her gaze slowly became serious, yet grateful as that smile widened. "Arigatou gozaimusu." She slowly repeated.
I suddenly became aware of the heat flooding my face and the amused snort sounding from me. Though she embarrassed me with heartfelt words for something I didn't take credit for, I couldn't help but smile back a little bit.
I let go and stood, extending a hand to her. "Let's go back. You have a lot to learn Kagome."
"Hai hai." She quietly breathed. Her hand entwined with mine and I left it that way until we reached the village.
**I am a BEGINNER Japanese learner...so if these are not 100% correct...please let me know if you care to do so. I only have a web page to learn from, a dictionary, and a few months experience to work with.**
Translations: Sengoku Jidai era-Age of the warring states Kuroi no miko-Black miko Omae dare da??-Who are you??
Atashii...atashii...wa Higurashi Kagome-I...I...am Kagome Higurashi Kikyo de nai-I'm not Kikyo Atashii wa atashii-I am me