Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any character in this story.
AN: Italic = flashback
Chapter 8 – Core
It was warm for the last months of Autumn, the sun radiating slanted rays of light onto the world and those that dwell upon it. Kikyou stood in that light, yet feeling neither its warmth nor brilliance.
"What did you say to him?" Her voice demanded, it was flat, despite the cold scarlet burning in her eyes, she had not betrayed the loath in her voice.
The reply was one of denial as Inuyasha found himself stammering before her still form, never had he seen Kikyou in such fury, nor had he ever seen such wildness flashing in her eyes. He rejected the emotion he felt for the first time standing next to her, violently refusing to accept its existence.. .
Fear
He was afraid of the girl he loved.
"You must have told him things," She continued, her whisper more deadly than that of a serpents. "He came to me today, and told me that he never had feelings towards me."
A strained laughter came from him, possessiveness was in his nature and he had been vigilant toward his girl. Yet even knowing that she had certain feelings toward his half brother, Inuyasha chose to keep one eye closed.. he loved her too much to care. "Sesshoumaru wouldn't never have liked you, he has never liked any girl!"
"You lie," She told him. White loath ran through every vein and artery, searing and driving out the remaining light from her soul. She had been positive in her ability in gaining Sesshoumaru and she had been sure that she was close to success – if it had not been him, the half brother, the pawn. Eyes flicked to his face as she murmured three words, her voice perfectly even, perfectly calm.. "I hate you". A cruel smile played her lips as she watched his expression change, yet she would not stop. There was another reason she had approached Inuyasha and she wanted much more than his pain.
*~*~*~*
"What did you do to her?!"
Inuyasha stared, wide eyed, at the girl who had just broken into his living space without being invited. Even before his mind had interpreted the situation, he was ready to deny whatever she had meant.
"Kagome! What did you do to Kagome!?" Sango continued to scream hysterically at him, too worried to realize that she was standing on private grounds of someone she had always though to be a dangerous. "She wouldn't leave her room all night yesterday after she went home from the dance! And she was found unconscious on the floor this morning!"
"And you expected an answer from him?"
The voice was emotionless and Sango couldn't help but to stare as Sesshoumaru walked into the room, yet in her anguished state, she had not even considered why Sesshoumaru, who had charmed half the girls from school had suddenly walked into the room of the dangerous Inuyasha. "He- he was the last person she was with! I saw him yesterday!" She managed to accuse. Then, thrusting an object toward Inuyasha, she shouted, "She was holding that when she was found!"
An opened palm accepted the familiar sphere, but not before the elder brother snatched it away. Amber eyes traced over the Shikon and without a change of tone, he murmured, "Where is she?"
*~*~*~*
Lit candles surrounded her. Black candles, in different sizes and lengths flickered their eerie light, casting dancing shadows onto the wall.
On the floor next to her, she had placed a small clay bowl, one that could easily be identified as a vessel to hold water. But water was for purification and she.. no longer had a pure soul.
Kikyou raised her sleeve and exposed the pale skin of her arm, she picked up a blade with her free hand and sliced into her wrist, drawing a long, deep cut, enough to be lethal. Blood came out in spurts and instantly, a dark stain formed on her robe.
She grasped the bowl and let her lifeblood drip into the vessel, watching it fill with each passing second. Fingers slipped into the crimson depth and she smeared a large circle that enclosed her. An eternal line that would ran on forever, extending her life with it.
Reaching into her robe, she pulled out a colorless sphere. A white, transparent Shikon no tama that could have been mistaken for decoration. Inuyasha certainly had, he had absolutely no idea what this jewel was capable of doing! Her lips curved upward, he also had no idea how much she had known about the Shikon no Tama, giving her the jewel and believing that it was no more than a decorative piece, what a fool.
Blood continued to flow from her wound, yet she made no attempt to stop it. Instead, she picked up the Shikon, it was glowing, faintly, as if mourning for the evil that was about to seep in. She clutched it harder, her gasps came in union with glow as darkness enclosed around her.
Death was a powerful tool, an essence enough to bring out the greatest guilt. It was necessary, in order to gain the eternal life, she would trade in her shell and everything that made her.. It suited her well, she would watch in satisfaction as guilt enter Inuyasha, and perhaps Sesshoumaru as the news of her death spread.. and no one would know..
Yes, she will live. Eternally. Her soul will live on forever, inside the Shikon no Tama.. she will continue to make him suffer.. like he had made her..
Her last drop of blood splashed into the colorless Shikon no tama, staining it scarlet.
*~*~*~*
There was a single line on the newspaper reporting a teenage suicide, the reason was unknown.
She had literally drained herself of blood that night, believing no one would know its true purpose.
Yet she was wrong, even as her lifeless shell was laid into the earth. Someone watched her, knowing the ritual which she had performed.. watching her with a single pair of golden eyes.
*~*~*~*
She read it..
Sesshoumaru raced ahead of the group toward the hospital, still clenching the jewel. That foolish girl! She came back for his equally foolish brother, despite the warnings! Why would she do that? Was she not afraid of the dangers that she was warned against? Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Inuyasha, running breathlessly along side of him.. had Inuyasha followed him all the way?
He could barely remember himself running out of the house and could certainly not remember Inuyasha trailing behind. In his left hand, he had still clutched the shikon no tama, wisps of psychic energy occasionally leaked from the sphere, he shuddered as one surged through his arm and touched his mind.
The girl was in serious trouble.
*~*~*~*
End of chapter 8 – Core
*~*~*~*
AN: The first chapter uploaded in HTML! Hoping it'll work out.. other wise I'll take it down and there just won't ever be any Italics in any of my fics.
I think this chapter is the last of the confusion. You might have been able to guess some of the stuff that's happened, the inu/Kikyou bits anyway. This is not a Inu/Kik fic though and I'm not all that Kikyou friendly.. so be warned of future Kikyou manipulation.
No very many replies for chapter 7.. if there is anything wrong with it, please tell me!
Review! Thank you!
Ricepaper.