Ok so I have to admit using my name for one of the main characters is
pretty lame
But I thought "I have a rare enough name why not use it."
And let's face it it's a universal name I know of at least five different countries that have the name Marina.
So anyway This isn't really Inuyasha and Kagome's story this is their son Koyasha's story..So please enjoy
And this story doesn't really contain spoilers so feel free to read on if you're still in the midst of the series
I know I still am ^.^
***********************************************************************
Inuyasha Beyond the Skin (The Tail of Koyasha)
Chapter One Marina the festival and the forbidden shrine
Marina smiled to her fellow class mates each vowed to try and fined the other at the festival the next day. "I may not make it to the festival" "But why Marina, is your health at fault again?" Each huddled around the frail exchange student. "No, I'm alright for now." "Then why won't we see you?" Riico persisted. "I'm going to the shrine." The girls gasped in terror. "Not the forbidden shrine!" Hikari exclaimed. "Yes, I told all of you I would go." "But why tomorrow of all days?" "Because the police will be too busy with the festival to bother with a shrine that everyone is afraid of anyway." The other three girls looked from one to another with the same terrified glances. Marina was set on her goal for tomorrow. They knew if she swore or ever promised to do something that she would do it. She was a person better than her word. Yuka finally choked out "So what are you going to do at the shrine anyway?" Marina faintly smiled. "Nothing spectacular I'm just going to clean it up a little." The girl's jaws dropped. "Clean it up!"
Yuka waved it off, "I can't believe we were actually worried." She walked along home with Hikari. "I know what you mean. How could we think that Marina of all people would have some evil intention?" "Still I wonder Hikari.Do you think it's safe for her to go there? I mean it was closed off and locked up for a reason after all." "Oh that's just superstition Yuka I'm sure nothing will happen." She stopped and looked up at the sky. "Maybe we had better follow after her anyway." "I second that we can just say we're going as a lookout." Both girls felt a chill crawl up there backs at the thought of going to the cursed shrine. "I don't know about you but I really don't want to go Yuka." "I have to say I'm not too wild about the idea either. But we have to look out for Marina, she's so sickly." Yuka rubbed her head, "It does surprise me the guts someone like her has. We don't even have half the problems she does and she is willing to do more risky things than us.
Riico walked next to Marina while the sun began to set over Tokyo. Riico looked worried as Marina stopped for the fifth time to catch her breath. "Marina why do you always walk home, we could take the bus you know." Marina panted a moment and coughed hard as she tried to speak. Her knees trembled as she braced herself against an old stone wall. "I'm ... I'm just trying to live a normal life Riico. I'm not any different from anyone else..My immune system just is a little weak, that's all." Marina pushed off the wall and continued walking. Riico almost gasped in horror when she noticed a spot of blood where Marina's hand had been on the wall. "Listen no one expects you to actually go through with it tomorrow. You don't have to do it!" Marina smiled "I know you're all worried about me, but don't be I haven't killed my self yet and I have no intention of dying anytime soon." Riico's face only became more worried as she thought of all the dreadful things that could happen on the day of the festival.
Marina waved goodbye to Riico and closed the door. Her host parents seemed to rush to the door as soon as they heard it open to be sure that she was all right. "I'm ok Mr. And Mrs. Yamaki she said as she bolted the door closed. "Have you taken your medicine Marina-san. "Yes, never forget to Mrs. Yamaki." She replied as she removed her shoes and put on her fuzzy, frog house slippers. Mr. and Mrs. Yamaki had lost a child of their own to illness and made it a point to take extra care of their host daughter. Mrs. Yamaki was already on the verge of becoming a nervous wreck over Marina, the fact that she was sickly only worsened Mrs. Yamaki's condition.
"Dear why don't I drive you to the festival tomorrow? You're not used to walking around in kimono and it's really no trouble to me." Marina bowed respectfully, "Thank you Mrs. Yamaki I would appreciate a ride. Otherwise the festival may be over by the time I get there." She joked as she went to her room to study. She closed the door behind her and dropped her bag in pain. She slid down the wall and muffled her uncontrollable cough. She pulled her hand back when the fit ceased and stared down at her blood soaked palm. "It's getting worse, I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to keep up this smoke screen." She thought to herself. She cleaned the blood off on a handkerchief and walked over to the closet. She opened the doors to reveal a beautiful kimono tipped with turquoise and pink flowers. Her sky blue eyes sparkled with delight. She love wearing kimono's and had been looking forward to the cherry blossom festival since she had first come over from America to be an exchange student.
Marina found the old Japanese legends horribly romantic and longed to live in Japan at some point in her life to see all the places she had read about in so many stories. She struggled for three grueling years to have high enough scores in Japanese to win the top spot of going over seas. They almost didn't let her go due to her weak and sickly state interfering with school. She fought the schools and convinced them that she was in a well enough state to go. Although her condition had been getting steadily worse since her fifteenth birthday. She lied just to go because she was determined on discovering the truth about a legend. The one particular legend that fascinated her so, was the story of a demon that still existed at a forbidden shrine. Legend had it he was the son of the famous half demon and a priestess who had fallen in love. It was just a legend but still Marina was too fascinated that something of fable could actually exist to care of its unlikelihood.
She laid the Kimono out on a chair to be ready for tomorrow, and went in to join her host parents for dinner. Marina nibbled at her rice and ate a few vegetables and was full. Mrs. Yamaki tried to urge her to eat more but Marina had already eaten all she could handle. Her appetite was as pathetic as her body. She lingered a moment to watch a TV show and then went on to bed although it was barely six she was worn out for the day. The telephone rang and she heard Mr. Yamaki pick it up in the other room. A moment later she heard a faint knock at her door. Mr. Yamaki called in through the crack. "Marina-san are you still awake?" "She opened her eyes and got up. "Yes just give me a moment." "Oh don't worry about getting up Riico is on the phone she is wondering if you'd like her to spend the night so she can help you in the morning with your kimono." She paused a moment before replying. "If that is alright with both of you it would be nice to have her over this evening." Mr. Yamaki closed the door and went back to the phone. "Yes Riico-san it would be fine for you to come over tonight." Marina heard the phone get set down and she opened her eyes fully and got out of bed. "I hope she doesn't take too long I don't know how much longer I can stay awake. If I don't get enough sleep I won't be able to handle going out tomorrow."
A half and hour passed and she heard a knock at the front door. She got up and got to the door only in time to see Mr. Yamaki answer it and see Riico enter. "Hi Marina sorry it took so long I had to make sure I had everything before I left." She smiled politely with drooping eyes and took Riico's bags. Riico followed Marina to her room and shut the door. "Sorry if I woke you Marina. I forgot that you go to bed early." "It's no trouble Riico I wasn't asleep yet. Besides I could use all the help I can get. I am simply awful at tying my obi." Riico smiled and set down on Marina's bed. I guess I'll set the stuff we need for tomorrow out if you want to go to bed right now." Marina thanked her for her kindness and went to bed. Almost the moment her head hit the pillow her eyes closed and she fell asleep.
Marina rubbed her eyes and looked around her room in the dim light of the rising sun. Riico was already busily at work putting up her hair and putting on make-up. "Oh, sorry if I woke you Marina" Marina yawned a moment "No problem, I wake up this early all the time." By matter of fact she slept as long as she could, this was not typical of her. "I saw your kimono last night I'd have commented on its beauty then but you were asleep." Marina looked at all the strange items lying around her room. "Will we need all of this just for our kimono's?" Riico nodded. "My parents run a kimono shop; I help them, a lot. So you might say I'm pretty good at this kind of stuff."
Marina walked over to the dresser and began brushing out her hair. It was thick, brown, and wavy; the tips of her hair reached just a little past her butt. She took great care of it so that it remained soft and shiny. "I wish I had hair like yours Marina." "No you don't Riico; it is a lot of work to take care of it." "Still, it would be nice to have." She giggled. Riico grabbed a piece of Marina's hair and brushed it across her face. The two laughed at Riico's fun. Marina pulled her hair up in pigtails then halved those putting two buns on each side of her head and the other half of each of the pigtails hung loose. She left a long small bundle of hair on each side in front of her ears hanging loose.
Both girls finished close to nine and where quite a pair. Riico with her short hair and cute flower clip, decked out in a green kimono with golden flowers and a red obi. Marina with her long flowing hair, wearing a white, turquoise tipped kimono with pink flowers and a gold colored obi. Marina's obi with a butterfly bow and Riico's with a rose bow. Their sleeves where long and hung halfway down the length of their bodies to signify the girls unmarried status. "Oh I can't forget!" Marina rushed off leaving Riico quite confused. Marina grabbed three hot water bottles and filled them with boiling hot water. She took several wash clothes out and one hand towel, a small bottle of facial soap, and a newly bought detangling brush. She placed all the items in a large draw string purse. "What was that all about?" "Did I forget anything?" "Forget what Marina!" "Oh, it's just for the shrine." Riico's face turned grim. "You're still set on doing it, aren't you?" "Yes, Riico I'm still determined to find out if he's real. It's on of the main reasons I came to Japan."
Riico remained worried the whole drive over to the festival. ("What's she thinking? Some one as gentle and kind as she is, wanting to get involved with a demon shrine doesn't make sense. I guess I just don't understand her.") Mr. and Mrs. Yamaki dropped the girls off and went to another point at the festival. They stepped out of the car with a 'clatter' and 'clunk.' Hikari and Yuka were already standing at the gates waiting for Marina and Riico to arrive. The group of friends heartily greeted one another complimenting the others kimono. They went together to show respect to the many shrines based around the festival square.
"I must go now." Marina smiled and walked away down a deserted alley way. The other girls stood shocked a moment then hurried after her. "Marina where are you going!?" Riico called. "Why ask a question to which you already know the answer?" The girls' once cheerful faces turned quite grim. They nodded to one another and followed after her. Catching up with marina was no great trouble she was slow and easily lost her breath. Yuka lightly grabbed Marina's upper arm. "Don't do this, no one expects you to." Marina had her attention focused on something just ahead to the left of the alley way exit. Yuka followed her gaze and saw the gates to the forbidden shrine unguarded. Yuka's face turned pail and Marina slipped out from her grasp.
The three girls' coward in the alley way while Marina ventured on. She paused for a moment at the gate to pick the lock, and the doors were soon opened. The companions ran on looking all around. Yuka went in after marina the other two stood on patrol outside glancing in at the activities within the gate. I t was a large stone wall which must have stood for several hundreds of years. The gate to it was gnarled and twisted to ward off any passers by. Within the walls were many trees surrounded by spirit wards and stone shrines. Yuka looked all around and saw no animals only the lowliest of insects. A dark chill seemed to creep up all around Marina and Yuka. They were defiantly not alone. But in the midst of this darkness were the beautiful petals of a Sakura tree a short distance ahead. The ancient tree was surrounded by short wooden posts that held up a rope covered in spirit traps.
Marina saw the blooming tree and headed strait for it. Yuka looked hesitant from the tree back to the gate. The other girls looked back at her, urging her to follow marina further. Marina smiled as she rounded the other side of the tree. ("What is it she sees?") Yuka kept a good distance between her and the mysterious tree. She walked around and gasped. At the base of the tree sat a man with long dingy dark gray hair and dog ears poking out from the top of his head. His clothes were tattered and worn bleached out to a light blue where the suns' rays had beat down on it for so many years. A touch of moss was growing on his face and clothing. His garments were of an ancient style, the only place Marina her self hade ever seen the likeness to was at Riico's parents shop in a glass case. Yuka's attention turned to an arrow that went strait through the man's heart and pinned him to the tree. The young man had been there so long the bark of the tree had grown in around the arrow, making it impossible to remove without breaking.
Marina stepped over the small barrier of spirit traps that surrounded him. She knelt down and brushed the moss from his body then took out her purse and opened it up. The first thing she pulled out was the new brush; she picked up the end of his hair and began brushing out the tangles, leaves, and limbs. Yuka could have turned to stone. ("She's crazy, insane, the girl has lost it!!") Yuka motioned for Hikari and Riico to come over. The two looked hesitant then checked the street and ran over. Riico shrieked out for a second before Yuka covered her mouth. "It's true and here I thought those where only just stories. What am I talking about this is just an illusion." Hikari pinched her "Yeeeouch!!" "I guess you're not dreaming then Riico." "GEEERRR, HIKARI THAT HURT!" Marina smiled, ("So much fuss over you. Poor thing trapped here so long.")
Hikari pulled out her camera and began taking pictures of Marina brushing the young man's hair. "It's a Kodak moment, now you'll have pictures of doing something in your photo album." Marina pulled out the soap squeezed some on a washcloth and pored out the now pleasantly warm water. She picked up his hand and began cleaning it off. "Leave him alone, you may wake him. I've already got bad vibes about this place, especially from him!" "Yuka's right lets go, you've seen the shrine." "I'm getting the same feeling but this is also pretty cool too." "He's fine, look." Marina pointed to the arrow in his heart. "this magical arrow seals him to this tree." then she lifted his bangs to show all of the spirit ward on his forehead, normally only half was visible. "this traps him in sleep." she drew and imaginary circle following the barrier line. "and these lines of spirit wards trap him around the tree." The three girls looked amazed.
"How do you know so much about him?" Marina stopped what she was doing and reached in her purse, she pulled out several pieces of paper folded together and held it up. Hikari inched over just close enough to snatch them from her. Then Marina went back to work. Hikari unfolded the papers and the three gazed at them and retorted back in shock. The papers each had the same Japanese national Governmental seal. "This is highly classified government property. How did you get a hold of it?" Riico demanded. Marina rung out the cloth she had in hand and pulled out another from her purse. I made friends with a man who works in the office of the national building. He felt the information was not vital to the security of the government and sent me some copies." She smiled, "Honestly, I don't think he believed the captive demon actually existed living at the shrine, well semi living." "You mean not even the national people are willing to come on these grounds to verify if their own papers are accurate!" Riico almost bolted right then and there if Yuka hadn't caught her by the arm. "The paper says right here that he rests under the only Sakura tree growing on the sacred grounds. The grounds are clouded with fog every day of the year but during the Sakura blossom festival." Hikari looked over at her, "That's why you had to go today. It didn't have anything to do with the guards did it?" Marina lifted her head a moment "No I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything, but I knew with what good friend you all are to me you'd have never let me come. Either that or think I was crazy."
She set down his left hand and picked up his right and began on it. "I'm going to be a while you three mine as well go. I'll be fine." She turned around and smiled. Hikari leaned over to Yuka, "Do you think we should?" Yuka watched Marina ring out her washcloth. She lifted up the hair and spirit ward to reveal his face. The girls stared for a moment. "He's a cutey that's for sure." Yuka winked to Riico who was still petrified of her surroundings. "What you said Yuka" Hikari smiled back. "At least you have good taste despite it being a little strange Marina." Hikari joked.
Marina felt her legs beginning to weaken from crouching so long. She focused intently on keeping balance while holding the sleep entrapment out of the way of her work. But it was all for not, her ankles wobbled and gave way to exhaustion. Her other arm flung wildly to catch something before she fell. Her fingers touch something and gripped tightly around it. Her other hand kept its grip tight to the sleep spell. The old spell pulled loose and she felt the other object snap in half. She fell back with a thump on the petal covered ground. She looked down at what she held in her hand. One half of the arrow lay in one hand the sleep entrapment lay in the other. She stared up at the demon man. The other girls stood scared and horrified at the site. The only word that passed in the blank space was from Marina's lips. "Woops."
Marina lifted herself up hurriedly and began to step over the spirit barrier, when the man's eyes snapped open and he lunged at the culprit who disturbed him. He just caught her by the hair, she 'yelped' out in pain. The three girls all screamed at once and bolted off the ground as an eerie mist reached for their heals. Yuka slammed the gate shut behind them and stared back for a moment at the man holding Marina by the neck a foot off the ground before the mist moved in and there was nothing left to be seen.
I hope you enjoy the beginning of Inuyasha Beyond the skin (Don't ask me where that name came from probably my @$$.)
Come again if you wonder what happens next..
I can be so cruel sometimes...
But I thought "I have a rare enough name why not use it."
And let's face it it's a universal name I know of at least five different countries that have the name Marina.
So anyway This isn't really Inuyasha and Kagome's story this is their son Koyasha's story..So please enjoy
And this story doesn't really contain spoilers so feel free to read on if you're still in the midst of the series
I know I still am ^.^
***********************************************************************
Inuyasha Beyond the Skin (The Tail of Koyasha)
Chapter One Marina the festival and the forbidden shrine
Marina smiled to her fellow class mates each vowed to try and fined the other at the festival the next day. "I may not make it to the festival" "But why Marina, is your health at fault again?" Each huddled around the frail exchange student. "No, I'm alright for now." "Then why won't we see you?" Riico persisted. "I'm going to the shrine." The girls gasped in terror. "Not the forbidden shrine!" Hikari exclaimed. "Yes, I told all of you I would go." "But why tomorrow of all days?" "Because the police will be too busy with the festival to bother with a shrine that everyone is afraid of anyway." The other three girls looked from one to another with the same terrified glances. Marina was set on her goal for tomorrow. They knew if she swore or ever promised to do something that she would do it. She was a person better than her word. Yuka finally choked out "So what are you going to do at the shrine anyway?" Marina faintly smiled. "Nothing spectacular I'm just going to clean it up a little." The girl's jaws dropped. "Clean it up!"
Yuka waved it off, "I can't believe we were actually worried." She walked along home with Hikari. "I know what you mean. How could we think that Marina of all people would have some evil intention?" "Still I wonder Hikari.Do you think it's safe for her to go there? I mean it was closed off and locked up for a reason after all." "Oh that's just superstition Yuka I'm sure nothing will happen." She stopped and looked up at the sky. "Maybe we had better follow after her anyway." "I second that we can just say we're going as a lookout." Both girls felt a chill crawl up there backs at the thought of going to the cursed shrine. "I don't know about you but I really don't want to go Yuka." "I have to say I'm not too wild about the idea either. But we have to look out for Marina, she's so sickly." Yuka rubbed her head, "It does surprise me the guts someone like her has. We don't even have half the problems she does and she is willing to do more risky things than us.
Riico walked next to Marina while the sun began to set over Tokyo. Riico looked worried as Marina stopped for the fifth time to catch her breath. "Marina why do you always walk home, we could take the bus you know." Marina panted a moment and coughed hard as she tried to speak. Her knees trembled as she braced herself against an old stone wall. "I'm ... I'm just trying to live a normal life Riico. I'm not any different from anyone else..My immune system just is a little weak, that's all." Marina pushed off the wall and continued walking. Riico almost gasped in horror when she noticed a spot of blood where Marina's hand had been on the wall. "Listen no one expects you to actually go through with it tomorrow. You don't have to do it!" Marina smiled "I know you're all worried about me, but don't be I haven't killed my self yet and I have no intention of dying anytime soon." Riico's face only became more worried as she thought of all the dreadful things that could happen on the day of the festival.
Marina waved goodbye to Riico and closed the door. Her host parents seemed to rush to the door as soon as they heard it open to be sure that she was all right. "I'm ok Mr. And Mrs. Yamaki she said as she bolted the door closed. "Have you taken your medicine Marina-san. "Yes, never forget to Mrs. Yamaki." She replied as she removed her shoes and put on her fuzzy, frog house slippers. Mr. and Mrs. Yamaki had lost a child of their own to illness and made it a point to take extra care of their host daughter. Mrs. Yamaki was already on the verge of becoming a nervous wreck over Marina, the fact that she was sickly only worsened Mrs. Yamaki's condition.
"Dear why don't I drive you to the festival tomorrow? You're not used to walking around in kimono and it's really no trouble to me." Marina bowed respectfully, "Thank you Mrs. Yamaki I would appreciate a ride. Otherwise the festival may be over by the time I get there." She joked as she went to her room to study. She closed the door behind her and dropped her bag in pain. She slid down the wall and muffled her uncontrollable cough. She pulled her hand back when the fit ceased and stared down at her blood soaked palm. "It's getting worse, I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to keep up this smoke screen." She thought to herself. She cleaned the blood off on a handkerchief and walked over to the closet. She opened the doors to reveal a beautiful kimono tipped with turquoise and pink flowers. Her sky blue eyes sparkled with delight. She love wearing kimono's and had been looking forward to the cherry blossom festival since she had first come over from America to be an exchange student.
Marina found the old Japanese legends horribly romantic and longed to live in Japan at some point in her life to see all the places she had read about in so many stories. She struggled for three grueling years to have high enough scores in Japanese to win the top spot of going over seas. They almost didn't let her go due to her weak and sickly state interfering with school. She fought the schools and convinced them that she was in a well enough state to go. Although her condition had been getting steadily worse since her fifteenth birthday. She lied just to go because she was determined on discovering the truth about a legend. The one particular legend that fascinated her so, was the story of a demon that still existed at a forbidden shrine. Legend had it he was the son of the famous half demon and a priestess who had fallen in love. It was just a legend but still Marina was too fascinated that something of fable could actually exist to care of its unlikelihood.
She laid the Kimono out on a chair to be ready for tomorrow, and went in to join her host parents for dinner. Marina nibbled at her rice and ate a few vegetables and was full. Mrs. Yamaki tried to urge her to eat more but Marina had already eaten all she could handle. Her appetite was as pathetic as her body. She lingered a moment to watch a TV show and then went on to bed although it was barely six she was worn out for the day. The telephone rang and she heard Mr. Yamaki pick it up in the other room. A moment later she heard a faint knock at her door. Mr. Yamaki called in through the crack. "Marina-san are you still awake?" "She opened her eyes and got up. "Yes just give me a moment." "Oh don't worry about getting up Riico is on the phone she is wondering if you'd like her to spend the night so she can help you in the morning with your kimono." She paused a moment before replying. "If that is alright with both of you it would be nice to have her over this evening." Mr. Yamaki closed the door and went back to the phone. "Yes Riico-san it would be fine for you to come over tonight." Marina heard the phone get set down and she opened her eyes fully and got out of bed. "I hope she doesn't take too long I don't know how much longer I can stay awake. If I don't get enough sleep I won't be able to handle going out tomorrow."
A half and hour passed and she heard a knock at the front door. She got up and got to the door only in time to see Mr. Yamaki answer it and see Riico enter. "Hi Marina sorry it took so long I had to make sure I had everything before I left." She smiled politely with drooping eyes and took Riico's bags. Riico followed Marina to her room and shut the door. "Sorry if I woke you Marina. I forgot that you go to bed early." "It's no trouble Riico I wasn't asleep yet. Besides I could use all the help I can get. I am simply awful at tying my obi." Riico smiled and set down on Marina's bed. I guess I'll set the stuff we need for tomorrow out if you want to go to bed right now." Marina thanked her for her kindness and went to bed. Almost the moment her head hit the pillow her eyes closed and she fell asleep.
Marina rubbed her eyes and looked around her room in the dim light of the rising sun. Riico was already busily at work putting up her hair and putting on make-up. "Oh, sorry if I woke you Marina" Marina yawned a moment "No problem, I wake up this early all the time." By matter of fact she slept as long as she could, this was not typical of her. "I saw your kimono last night I'd have commented on its beauty then but you were asleep." Marina looked at all the strange items lying around her room. "Will we need all of this just for our kimono's?" Riico nodded. "My parents run a kimono shop; I help them, a lot. So you might say I'm pretty good at this kind of stuff."
Marina walked over to the dresser and began brushing out her hair. It was thick, brown, and wavy; the tips of her hair reached just a little past her butt. She took great care of it so that it remained soft and shiny. "I wish I had hair like yours Marina." "No you don't Riico; it is a lot of work to take care of it." "Still, it would be nice to have." She giggled. Riico grabbed a piece of Marina's hair and brushed it across her face. The two laughed at Riico's fun. Marina pulled her hair up in pigtails then halved those putting two buns on each side of her head and the other half of each of the pigtails hung loose. She left a long small bundle of hair on each side in front of her ears hanging loose.
Both girls finished close to nine and where quite a pair. Riico with her short hair and cute flower clip, decked out in a green kimono with golden flowers and a red obi. Marina with her long flowing hair, wearing a white, turquoise tipped kimono with pink flowers and a gold colored obi. Marina's obi with a butterfly bow and Riico's with a rose bow. Their sleeves where long and hung halfway down the length of their bodies to signify the girls unmarried status. "Oh I can't forget!" Marina rushed off leaving Riico quite confused. Marina grabbed three hot water bottles and filled them with boiling hot water. She took several wash clothes out and one hand towel, a small bottle of facial soap, and a newly bought detangling brush. She placed all the items in a large draw string purse. "What was that all about?" "Did I forget anything?" "Forget what Marina!" "Oh, it's just for the shrine." Riico's face turned grim. "You're still set on doing it, aren't you?" "Yes, Riico I'm still determined to find out if he's real. It's on of the main reasons I came to Japan."
Riico remained worried the whole drive over to the festival. ("What's she thinking? Some one as gentle and kind as she is, wanting to get involved with a demon shrine doesn't make sense. I guess I just don't understand her.") Mr. and Mrs. Yamaki dropped the girls off and went to another point at the festival. They stepped out of the car with a 'clatter' and 'clunk.' Hikari and Yuka were already standing at the gates waiting for Marina and Riico to arrive. The group of friends heartily greeted one another complimenting the others kimono. They went together to show respect to the many shrines based around the festival square.
"I must go now." Marina smiled and walked away down a deserted alley way. The other girls stood shocked a moment then hurried after her. "Marina where are you going!?" Riico called. "Why ask a question to which you already know the answer?" The girls' once cheerful faces turned quite grim. They nodded to one another and followed after her. Catching up with marina was no great trouble she was slow and easily lost her breath. Yuka lightly grabbed Marina's upper arm. "Don't do this, no one expects you to." Marina had her attention focused on something just ahead to the left of the alley way exit. Yuka followed her gaze and saw the gates to the forbidden shrine unguarded. Yuka's face turned pail and Marina slipped out from her grasp.
The three girls' coward in the alley way while Marina ventured on. She paused for a moment at the gate to pick the lock, and the doors were soon opened. The companions ran on looking all around. Yuka went in after marina the other two stood on patrol outside glancing in at the activities within the gate. I t was a large stone wall which must have stood for several hundreds of years. The gate to it was gnarled and twisted to ward off any passers by. Within the walls were many trees surrounded by spirit wards and stone shrines. Yuka looked all around and saw no animals only the lowliest of insects. A dark chill seemed to creep up all around Marina and Yuka. They were defiantly not alone. But in the midst of this darkness were the beautiful petals of a Sakura tree a short distance ahead. The ancient tree was surrounded by short wooden posts that held up a rope covered in spirit traps.
Marina saw the blooming tree and headed strait for it. Yuka looked hesitant from the tree back to the gate. The other girls looked back at her, urging her to follow marina further. Marina smiled as she rounded the other side of the tree. ("What is it she sees?") Yuka kept a good distance between her and the mysterious tree. She walked around and gasped. At the base of the tree sat a man with long dingy dark gray hair and dog ears poking out from the top of his head. His clothes were tattered and worn bleached out to a light blue where the suns' rays had beat down on it for so many years. A touch of moss was growing on his face and clothing. His garments were of an ancient style, the only place Marina her self hade ever seen the likeness to was at Riico's parents shop in a glass case. Yuka's attention turned to an arrow that went strait through the man's heart and pinned him to the tree. The young man had been there so long the bark of the tree had grown in around the arrow, making it impossible to remove without breaking.
Marina stepped over the small barrier of spirit traps that surrounded him. She knelt down and brushed the moss from his body then took out her purse and opened it up. The first thing she pulled out was the new brush; she picked up the end of his hair and began brushing out the tangles, leaves, and limbs. Yuka could have turned to stone. ("She's crazy, insane, the girl has lost it!!") Yuka motioned for Hikari and Riico to come over. The two looked hesitant then checked the street and ran over. Riico shrieked out for a second before Yuka covered her mouth. "It's true and here I thought those where only just stories. What am I talking about this is just an illusion." Hikari pinched her "Yeeeouch!!" "I guess you're not dreaming then Riico." "GEEERRR, HIKARI THAT HURT!" Marina smiled, ("So much fuss over you. Poor thing trapped here so long.")
Hikari pulled out her camera and began taking pictures of Marina brushing the young man's hair. "It's a Kodak moment, now you'll have pictures of doing something in your photo album." Marina pulled out the soap squeezed some on a washcloth and pored out the now pleasantly warm water. She picked up his hand and began cleaning it off. "Leave him alone, you may wake him. I've already got bad vibes about this place, especially from him!" "Yuka's right lets go, you've seen the shrine." "I'm getting the same feeling but this is also pretty cool too." "He's fine, look." Marina pointed to the arrow in his heart. "this magical arrow seals him to this tree." then she lifted his bangs to show all of the spirit ward on his forehead, normally only half was visible. "this traps him in sleep." she drew and imaginary circle following the barrier line. "and these lines of spirit wards trap him around the tree." The three girls looked amazed.
"How do you know so much about him?" Marina stopped what she was doing and reached in her purse, she pulled out several pieces of paper folded together and held it up. Hikari inched over just close enough to snatch them from her. Then Marina went back to work. Hikari unfolded the papers and the three gazed at them and retorted back in shock. The papers each had the same Japanese national Governmental seal. "This is highly classified government property. How did you get a hold of it?" Riico demanded. Marina rung out the cloth she had in hand and pulled out another from her purse. I made friends with a man who works in the office of the national building. He felt the information was not vital to the security of the government and sent me some copies." She smiled, "Honestly, I don't think he believed the captive demon actually existed living at the shrine, well semi living." "You mean not even the national people are willing to come on these grounds to verify if their own papers are accurate!" Riico almost bolted right then and there if Yuka hadn't caught her by the arm. "The paper says right here that he rests under the only Sakura tree growing on the sacred grounds. The grounds are clouded with fog every day of the year but during the Sakura blossom festival." Hikari looked over at her, "That's why you had to go today. It didn't have anything to do with the guards did it?" Marina lifted her head a moment "No I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything, but I knew with what good friend you all are to me you'd have never let me come. Either that or think I was crazy."
She set down his left hand and picked up his right and began on it. "I'm going to be a while you three mine as well go. I'll be fine." She turned around and smiled. Hikari leaned over to Yuka, "Do you think we should?" Yuka watched Marina ring out her washcloth. She lifted up the hair and spirit ward to reveal his face. The girls stared for a moment. "He's a cutey that's for sure." Yuka winked to Riico who was still petrified of her surroundings. "What you said Yuka" Hikari smiled back. "At least you have good taste despite it being a little strange Marina." Hikari joked.
Marina felt her legs beginning to weaken from crouching so long. She focused intently on keeping balance while holding the sleep entrapment out of the way of her work. But it was all for not, her ankles wobbled and gave way to exhaustion. Her other arm flung wildly to catch something before she fell. Her fingers touch something and gripped tightly around it. Her other hand kept its grip tight to the sleep spell. The old spell pulled loose and she felt the other object snap in half. She fell back with a thump on the petal covered ground. She looked down at what she held in her hand. One half of the arrow lay in one hand the sleep entrapment lay in the other. She stared up at the demon man. The other girls stood scared and horrified at the site. The only word that passed in the blank space was from Marina's lips. "Woops."
Marina lifted herself up hurriedly and began to step over the spirit barrier, when the man's eyes snapped open and he lunged at the culprit who disturbed him. He just caught her by the hair, she 'yelped' out in pain. The three girls all screamed at once and bolted off the ground as an eerie mist reached for their heals. Yuka slammed the gate shut behind them and stared back for a moment at the man holding Marina by the neck a foot off the ground before the mist moved in and there was nothing left to be seen.
I hope you enjoy the beginning of Inuyasha Beyond the skin (Don't ask me where that name came from probably my @$$.)
Come again if you wonder what happens next..
I can be so cruel sometimes...