Innocence
by Sarah Barah (a.k.a. Sarah G. a.k.a. firesstar)
*Author's note
Heya! Sarah here! For this chapter, I wanted to do something completely unexpected. Something soo unexpected that.... you wouldn't expect it..... hahaha...... Ahem... -.-;;; yeah.... anyways... this chapter has nothing to do with the story, it is only something I thought would help all of you to understand why Etsuko feels the way she does about Inuyasha, and a bit about her history. Now, without further ado... I bring you, Chapter 8.
~Etsuko: Oh, this sounds interesting... -.-; ~
Shut up! It's the best I could do okay! I'm short of names right now.... ( *glares at Etsuko*
~Etsuko: Yeah yeah... *amused smirk*~
*Deadly glare*
~Etsuko: @.@; *backs away*~
~Chumoru: Aw.... I'm not even in the story anymore! ( *growls menacingly*~
Hehe.... yeah.... I realize that.... but uh.... Goodbye! *runs away* ENJOY!
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Things are so complicated now. Love, betrayal, hate, all these things are linked together between Kikyo and Inuyasha. But now, we come to find, that the same thing is true between Etsuko and Inuyasha. Though the circumstances aren't the same, the feelings are.
Inuyasha had known Etsuko since they were both youngsters, and Etsuko had slowly grown to love him. But Inuyasha hadn't a clue about her feelings (of course, because we all know how oblivious Inuyasha is. lol ^.^). So, he left , leaving Etsuko behind, and finding Kikyo. Soon, he and the priestess fell in love, and he decided to stay with her. And of course, you know the rest. But what you don't know is that, unlike Inuyasha, Etsuko hadn't forgotten him. She waited for him for more than ten years, but he never came back. So she went to find him. Along the way, she came across Kikyo's village, and there found Inuyasha. She stayed in the shadows, watching him, not sure if she should speak to him, not sure if he had forgotten her. Finally, she found him, with Kikyo. She witnessed their kiss, and saw them embrace each other at the dock. That was when she knew, he had forgotten her completely. From this, grew her hatred for Inuyasha. For fifty long years after his death, she still hated him, yet a part of her, still cared for him, and mourned his loss. Her thoughts and feelings were so mixed up that she stopped feeling altogether. But she didn't stop thinking about him. His face haunted her dreams, as did the kiss he shared with the priestess. From the day he died, until fifty years later, she slaughtered and destroyed anyone and anything that got in her way. When she joined her father's pack, she began going on missions for him. He would ask her to spy on another pack, or steal a sacred item from a nearby village. Or sometimes, even murder an entire village or pack. This was her favorite kind of mission. She would disguise her self as a commoner, befriend some of the locals, and then, destroy them all. Betrayal came naturally to her, for she had felt the sting of it before, and knew all about it. After that, she would return to her father to let him know that the deed was done. Her younger brother Chumoru, began helping her, and together they wiped out entire villages, even faster then before. One village would only take a matter of a few days to destroy, whereas it had taken a week before. Then, as Chumoru grew older, he became arrogant. He thought that he should be the next in line to be the pack leader after their father passed. But Etsuko was already next in line, and so would have to be bumped out of place for that to happen. Soon Chu and Etsuko both grew apart. No longer were they just brother and sister, they were rivals. And as rivals they were always looking for a way to out do the other. Their next mission, to kill the one who held the Shinkon Jewel and take it from them, was just another one of those opportunities. But Etsuko grew tired of their rivalry, and decided to let Chu win. She had no real wish to become leader anyway. All she wanted to do now, was carry out their mission. Things soon changed though, when she learned that Inuyasha was still alive, and the girl who held the jewel, was Kikyo's reincarnation. She became ecstatic, for this was a chance to carry out her revenge, and kill the one who stole Inuyasha from her. And, to destroy Inuyasha. Her hatred could finally rise again, and her old feelings, returned.
But lets skip a bit to when Etsuko read Inuyasha's memories. She could see and feel everything that he did, and so, could feel all his anger and sorrow. That is what changed her, and that is why she couldn't kill him, or Kagome. So, what will she do next? Stay tuned to find out....
Sayonara,
Sarah Barah
@.^
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As I said before, this isn't part of the story, it's a mere filler chapter, so that you may understand why Etsuko is the way she is. I thought it might help you to not feel so much that Etsuko was evil, because she wasn't in the beginning. It was not Etsuko's fault that she became this way, nor was it Inuyasha's. He had thought that no one cared about him, and that was why he left. He felt like he was all alone, and needed to find a place for himself.
Well, anyways, I got to go now and work on the next chapter! ^_^ Bye!
- Sarah