Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha or Red Lantern. It's copyrighted to someone else.
Red Lantern
Chapter 3: Unexpected Hate
Author's Note:
Sorry I'm a day late! I couldn't get on ff.net for some reason! I'm sorry everyone! I must say that was not a very nice cliffy I left off… But that's okay because this chapter is up! Does anyone remember who Sayo is? Or has a guess of who the 'Master' is? If you do, review and tell me. So, tell me your guess and you shall get your story! This is the last chapter you can guess! Next chapter their identities will be reveled! Well, that's it! Thanks for all the reviews! I'm so very, very happy now!
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Chinese Glossary (Thanks so much, Xue!)~
N/A: I'm Chinese myself, but I'm not 100% sure on the spelling of these words/phrases. If anyone knows for sure, tell me! They are in order they appear in the story.
San Jie: "Third Sister."
Iie Jie: "First Sister."
Er Jie: "Second Sister."
Cheongsam: Traditional Chinese dress.
Wia she ma: "Why?"
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Author's POV~
Inu Yasha lay in his bed, thinking. 'Kagome… She is so different from the rest of them. Why --how-- did she get forced to come here?'
"Young Master! Your carriage is ready!" a nearby servant called.
Inu Yasha jumped from bed and out the door. He went into the courtyard and towards the main gate. Taking one last look at Kagome's 'house', he left without a word.
'Back to the university… I wonder if I'm doing the right thing?'
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Author's POV~
"Sayo…" Kagome whispered. The inside of the maid's room was lit was dim, red lanterns. They were battered and torn, probably from past generations, but still Sayo had lit them. "Sayo, do you know what this means?"
Sayo whimpered, and nodded.
"They could kill you! You know tradition is important in this family and that this generation is no different!" Kagome continued.
Sayo looked up from her bowed head. "P-please, Lady Kagome! Please don't tell anyone! Please, I beg you!"
Kagome's eyes softened. "I'll make you a deal, Sayo. You give me back my sword, and I'll keep your secret."
Sayo violently shook her head. "Lady Kagome, I swear! I didn't take your sword! Please, believe me!"
Kagome's rage once again returned. "Let me check this place. Let me search it."
Sayo's head shook on. "No, Lady, I can't let you do that!"
Kagome could stand it no longer. She rushed into everything. Like earlier, she started looking madly. She flipped through the ragged possessions of the poor serving girl.
Suddenly, she stopped. In her hands, she held something. Kagome turned around slowly. In her hand was a voodoo doll with pins stuck all over its stuffed body. And written on it was her name.
Sayo gave a muffled sob. "L-lady it's n-not what it seems, please-"
Kagome's glare froze Sayo in her spot. "You hate me, Sayo? I think you do. Yet I know you are illiterate. You must have gotten one of the other wives to write it for you. Who?"
Sayo's face was covered in tears. "I-I can't tell you t-that, Lady Kagome! I would be betraying her!"
"Is it San Jie?" Kagome asked.
Sayo shook her head.
"Iie Jie?"
"Bu."
Kagome gasped. "Lady Kikyo? Er Jie? She's the one?"
Sayo nodded slowly.
"She hates me?" Kagome was still disbelieving.
Sayo fell to the floor. "Please, Lady, I'm begging you for the last time, please leave! I told you what you wanted to know, and I swear in the name of Buddha that I don't have your sword, so please…"
Kagome was still in shock. This time, it was her who nodded. "Yes… I'll leave, Sayo…"
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Author's POV~
'Lady Kikyo? How can that be? How can she hate me? I thought… I thought we were almost like friends! How could she betray me like this?' Kagome thought, now back in her own room. She lay on her silk covered bed.
Another maid interrupted Kagome's thoughts. "Lady Kagome! Lady Kagura asks to come in."
"Let her." Kagome's voice was as flat as the ground.
Kagura walked into her room. She studied the newly wed girl's face. "You are confused," she commented.
"No. Yes."
"Why? Is it because of Lady Kikyo?"
Kagome's eyes went wide open. "W-who… How?"
Kagura laughed, the sound of twinkling bells. "You think I hate you, but you are wrong." Kagura sat down. "Let me tell you a story…
"Five years ago, Kikyo and I both got pregnant at around the same time. As it is always, we both wished for sons to carry down the Master's name. When I was about 7 months pregnant, Kikyo decided once and for all that if there were to be two wives, then there would be only one child. She bought drugs, you see, and slipped them into my tea.
"But I was lucky that time. I got away with my life and my baby's. When we were both about to give birth, she wished me luck. More like death…
"Luckily, I gave birth to a boy, while she had a good for nothing girl. I was lucky. You may not be."
Kagome was awed by the story. "You mean…"
"Yes, behind the priestess-like face lies a venomous snake in wait. You have to watch yourself. I could not win against her, but maybe you can. You have fire. You have spirit. You could be the one to end her reign of terror. Before she gets the Master's attention again, of course. You have to try."
Kagome nodded. "But why-"
"Why she hates you?"
Kagome nodded, her eyes holding a confused glint.
"Well, I think the reason is this: she is jealous. When she was married to the Master, the first wife was already old, blemished. She held all the attention of the Master. Now look, she is not as comely as she was, and the Master is much more attentive you, and on a bad day, me. She almost never sees him anymore, except at meal times, and even then, he pays her no heed.
Kagome nodded slowly, showing that she understood. "I see… So she wants the Master's attention?"
Kagura smiled. "Yes. And if that happens, you are ruined. What do you think a married woman can do? Look at me! I was a fine dancer, and that was my job. Now, I can't dance anymore. I can only sing, and when I do, it brings displeasure to everyone else."
Shaking her head and showing pity, Kagome sighed. "But," she cut through, "if she wants the Master, she can truly have him. I can return to the university. There was no rule against married women."
"You are selfish!" Kagura's hard feelings had once again returned.
Kagome's eyes flashed. "If you think I am selfish, Lady Kagura, I suggest you leave! Let me be self-centered in peace, without any pleas for alliance and help!"
Kagura held her hand up to her mouth. "I will!" And with a swept of her cheongsam, she left.
Kagome, in her room and now alone, buried her face in her arms. 'Wia she ma?'
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Okay… Another chapter finished. Pleas for reviews! Tell me about what you think of Kagome's new 'alliance' with Kagura! And remember, the first person that can tell me who Sayo and guess the 'Master's' identity gets the next chapter of any story! Nest chapter, "Differences Unsolved"!
Responses to Reviews (Dang! There was a lot of them! Keep it up, peoples! I luv ya all!):
FixexAngel: I'm so glad that you agree! I loved the movie, but when it ended, I wanted to cry! It made me so mad that she just went crazy!
BoOkWoRm145: Yeah, tell me about it! I hate Inu Yasha's dad!
Dark-coyote: THANK YOU! I love when people give me advice and stuff! AZN PRIDE, right? I'm also 100% Chinese, although I was born in the US.
Xue: I could jump through the screen and hug you! Thanks so much on helping me with the spelling! I changed everything, thanks to you!
Meeko: Sorry to say, but Kagome's not going to kick any butt in this story, action-wise, that is. She's going to go through a lot of stuff though!
AngelOkibi: We must join forces and make the producers make a new ending for Red Lantern! The ending of the real one made me want to puke!
CrazyBandMember: I'm updating, I'm updating! Thanks for thinking this story isn't too bad!
Tani Gesakusha: I don't like cliffies either, but I couldn't resist! Don't worry, I'm updating!
Inuko: I'm so glad a lot of the readers are Chinese! I'm glad you want to read more! No, the sword is not Tenseiga (Dang! I should have thought of that!)… I wish I did it like that, though… Thanks for the suggestion!
JMC: I'm glad you guessed! You were one of the few that did! But no, Sayo is not a young Kaede and the Master isn't Miroku, although both of them will come into the story! Keep reading and reviewing; I'm loving it! :)
Lolo: Yes, Inu and Kagome are going to end up together. I am an absolute Inu/Kag fan, although I would go for a good Sess/Kag if Inu died or something… Nope, the Master is not Toutousai or Myoga. Myoga is going to appear in this story, though… Yeah, I was going to make the Chinese words Japanese, but then I thought it wouldn't have the Chinese-y atmosphere. Thanks anyway!
Sunshinemf001: OH! I feel loved now! Sayo is going to be a bad girl, yes, yes. Of course this is going to be Inu/Kag! I wouldn't stand for anything less! Hehe, don't take that too seriously!
Fire Phoenix: Thanks for offering! I'm glad you like this story, too! I still take Chinese classes… my parents and their traditional ways!
Lil' devil: Hey! Another Chinese! I'm so glad you are reading this! You know, you're right! I should write out the pronunciations with the words! That is… When I get off the couch and aren't lazy!
Whatever: Here you go! The next chapter has arrived! Thanks for reviewing!
Duke of spades: Courtney? Is that you? JK, but I have a friend just like you. My Asian friends and I call her God's one mistake. The movie Red Lantern is almost just like this story. If you follow the story line, you will see what the movie was like. I'm sorry, but I don't speak the type of Chinese you typed down. I think it was Cantonese, though… Thanks for the review!
AnimeObessionFantasy: Hehe! I'm glad you like my story! There's more to come soon!
Lonely Angel of Sadness: Thank you so much! Not only did your review make me happy, you also made me want to update this story! You da best, girl!