A Class Apart
Chapter Four, A Bitter Taste
By: Merayna
Disclaimer: -- Yup, it's a disclaimer...if you read the other chapters, you would know what I'm talking about. ::mutters something about stupid people who would want to sue people writing on a place called FANFICTION.NET, which is a disclaimer in itself::
A/N: The beginning of this chapter was sort of inspired by Aejavu's Cyborg009 fic, Cataclysm. Great fic, by the way. Anyway, I hope this chapter won't take so long to write, and I hope you enjoy!! Thanks for the reviews!
"I'm not perfect, and she's not perfect, but we fit together perfectly and that's all that really matters."
~Dad
"Love is not about perfection. In fact, perfection isn't really real. Love isn't just about the feeling of longing, it's that caring about the well- being and wanting their happiness, it's that deep feeling of just *being* with someone."
~Me
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
The bitter taste of coffee coated his tongue as he sipped softly, the hot liquid flowing down his throat.
A rough hand gently clutched a smooth porcelain handle, the glossy rim of a white mug glinting in the candlelight. Worried eyes stared at him from the dark brown liquid rippling in his mug. Mist rose from the small cup, bathing his face in vapor, dampening his lashes, droplets forming in his hair. His face was blurred as he stared into the dark liquid, lost in his thoughts.
'Kagome...you were different from everyone else. You-...I shouldn't be thinking about this. Um...we accomplished a lot in that skirmish in my manor, the king's troops are on the lookout. Oh...I can't think right now, my mind is a mess.'
He sighed and slumped his head into his arms, reddish-brown hair falling over his arms, soft locks of hair tumbling onto the tabletop. Papers were scattered everywhere, a small trash bin overflowing with crumpled sheets. His glossy mahogany desk was covered in parchments and a candle stub, scorch marks everywhere.
A sharp rap on the door shook him from his thoughts and he lifted a heavy head toward the sound.
Calling out in a loud voice, he yelled, "The door is unlocked!"
The small click of a doorknob twisting sounded in the small room, and an ancient face appeared in the small crack of the door. Large, bulbous eyes stared silently at the young man, gray strands of grainy hair surrounding a creased face.
Houjo smiled, "Toutousai," he acknowledged.
Toutousai darted his eyes to and fro before closing the door behind him hurriedly. Scampering toward Houjo, he grabbed his shirt collar frantically.
"They're coming!" he whispered urgently in his gruff voice, large eyes filled with fear. Suddenly his back arched as a knife appeared in the middle of his stomach, dark crimson seeping out of his shirt. Toutousai slumped, his limp body collapsing on top of Houjo's.
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
Kagome screamed in frustration, her power spilling out of her. Something was blocking her from reaching that...glowing in the distance. She had to reach it! Daddy wanted her to reach it! Struggling, tears began pouring from her face, sobs wracking her shoulders. Gods, why wouldn't it stop?
InuYasha grunted as he fought to control Kagome's magic. It was immense...amazingly so. Quickly weaving a spell he thought up on the spot, he created a glowing net and wrapped her up, cutting her off from her power. Sweat poured from his brow from the extreme effort he used to make it work. Grinding his teeth, he forced his tired magic reserves to complete the one last spell. Praying it would work, he made the last casting and stopped, closing his eyes.
Kagome snapped open her eyes as the power...stopped. Just abruptly, it screeched to a halt and just...disappeared, dissipated. Her shoulders slumped as energy seeped from her bones. She fell limply to the ground, a small whimper making its way out of throat.
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
Sango stared at Kohaku in concern. There had been something unspoken in his words as he had hiccupped. Placing her hands on his shoulder, she stared into his eyes. They were dancing with fear, glittering with tears.
Whispering, she asked softly, "What do you mean it was all your fault?"
Sniveling, he turned his head, head hung in shame. Shadows danced across his features and his eyes were hidden by his dark bangs.
Looking up, his eyes emptied, pupils disappearing. His next words chilled Sango to her very soul.
"I made a deal with the devil."
~~~~~~~~End Flashback
Sango shivered as the memory came back. Kohaku's dead voice echoed in her ears. 'I made a deal with the devil.' She knew who he was talking about, that demon who had come into their lives, who they had tried to escape, who had killed their parents.
She knew his face, she knew his magic, his style, but...she didn't know his name. A cold shudder made its way down her spine as she remembered Kohaku's dead eyes. His dead eyes...they wouldn't go away.
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
A small sliver of silver light slowly crept onto the floor; its wavering strip falling on top of a shadowed figure perched on a tall chair. Thin legs reached the length of the chair as pale hands clutched the armrests. Dark, jade eyes glittered in fury as copper curls swung around an anger- darkened face. Mouth opening in a snarl, the moonlight hit his face, revealing youthful features, but ancient eyes and glittering fangs.
Things were not going according to plan. They were supposed to! They had to! THEY ALWAYS DID!
He felt like screaming, his body clenched and tense. Tightening his fist, the soft sound of grinding wood awakened him to his senses. Slowly uncurling his fist, his lip curled in a sneer as the powdery remains of the armrest fell to the ground.
He jerked his head around as a soft step barely sounded in the stifling darkness. A dark form stepped into the eerie light, illuminating elegant and pristine pale features, delicately sculpted on a smooth, perfect face. Silvery-white strands of hair framed a perfect face, as deep gold eyes stared piercingly at the tensed man.
A cold voice, as chilling as a winter breeze, swept toward the shadowed man, "Things are not going as planned."
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
Kagome slumped over her desk and sighed, eyelids drooping. Her wings of raven-black hair spread around her face, covering her desk. She felt so tired, oh so tired. She could feel her weariness in the very depths of her soul. She just wanted to sleep. Oh, God, she just wanted to sleep. Yet, it wasn't the kind of sleepy tired, but the bone-sapping fatigue. Slowly sliding her eyes shut, her hand limply grasped her father's Shikon, its pale rosy surface glowing slightly, her forehead gleaming in response, a strange symbol throbbing in the center, emitting a soft, pale blue light.
Kagome slept on, oblivious.
InuYasha watched the girl in contempt, nose slightly upturned. He had to admit, when she had fainted, it had worried him. Now, she was just slinking weakly around her manor, dragging her feet as if she were in a daze. What the hell was wrong with her?
Muttering, he clutched the smooth shaft of the broom handle he was grasping and continued to sweep outside her door, peering into the crack of her door ever now and then. He rolled his eyes as he saw the strange mark on her forehead. He had seen it after she had collapsed. It seemed to be a circle, but at the very ends of it, the lines stopped and curled inward. He unconsciously touched the glowing mark on his left arm; the exact replica of hers, except it glowed a raging red-gold.
It was freaky what had happened after she had collapsed, he didn't exactly want to remember.
~~Flashback~~
Kagome fell hard onto the paved street, slightly cracking the cobblestones. Her eyes, half-lidded, closed shut, and the glittering rainbow of lights disappeared in an instant. Blood trickled out of her mouth, crimson staining her forehead as it began to drip down her pale, ivory face. The skin seemed to be peeling off of her face; red muscle shining underneath as her face began to sizzle and her flesh began to dissolve, only patches of skin remaining. Blood trickled in streams, flowing onto the street, slightly steaming from her opening face, only red meat showing. A gurgling noise rose in her throat as blood began to spray out of her mouth, splattering her dress and a stunned InuYasha.
InuYasha backed away slightly, stumbling and falling to the ground. His eyes were round with horror as more and more blood seeped out of Kagome's body. No person could hold that amount of power without paying a price. In all his training, the lesson drilled into InuYasha's mind was that no person could contain such an immense amount of power without training. Kagome was paying for her loss of control...in blood.
Suddenly, the flow of blood began to stop. InuYasha's heart thumped deafeningly in his ears. Her blood was stopping...she was practically dead. He could do nothing to save her. But that didn't mean he couldn't try.
Lurching to his feet, he stumbled toward Kagome's mutilated form, red-gold light glowing in his hands, a dash of angry red moving as if alive. Hesitating for a split-second, he crouched onto his knees and held his hands over her body, moving them rapidly. The eerie light engulfed her entire form as the wounds slowly began to close and the color returned to her cheeks...but that was all that happened. The blood was still seeping, even though the wounds were partly closed. InuYasha fell slightly, putting out his hands to break his fall. On his hands and knees, he stared weakly at Kagome's ragged form, her blood covering everything.
Sobs began to wrack his figure, the tears dripping down his face. Nobody deserved such a thing, nobody!! He couldn't do a thing. He couldn't do a FUCKING THING! As the tears slid down his cheek, it dripped onto Kagome's forehead. A strange, blue light began to glow and a symbol slowly wound itself into appearance. The wounds began to fully close and the blood began to stop. Her face returned to her normal color as she made a small gasping noise. InuYasha stared in disbelief as he saw her being revitalized. Her small figure rose slightly in the air as blue wind blew around her, her raven-colored hair billowing around her now-rosy face.
She landed lightly on the ground, the blood but a forgotten memory. As she lay there, InuYasha glanced around him. Dust and debris had cleared; people he had seen screaming and bleeding were perfectly fine. They all seemed to get up slowly, wipe off the powdery dirt that had collected all around them, and blink in bewilderment. A few even sent confused glances his and Kagome's way, as if they were wondering what a young man and woman were doing in the middle of the road. They had obviously lost the memory of what had happened.
InuYasha darted a look at the girl who had pick pocketed Kagome. Her coffee- brown eyes opened blearily and at first, she seemed confused as well. Her eyes suddenly cleared, and she looked fearfully at him, raising a quivering hand to her mouth. Then, stumbling backward, she scrambled to her feet, and without a backward glance, scampered away.
Sighing, he picked up Kagome's limp form and began walking.
~End Flashback~
That was when he had knocked on the door of her house and her mom had been so grateful, he got to be hired as one of her personal servants. And blah blah blah.
Looking at the glowing mark on Kagome's forehead, he extended two fingers hesitantly toward her. Instantly, a small spark appeared at his fingertips and he jerked back his hand at the sharp pain that accompanied it. The mark was some kind of protection shield. Hell, he remembered when he got his.
~~Another Flashback~~
His father had strode toward him in his simple, worn clothes, somehow managing to look regal in a cotton shirt and pants. His silvery-white hair had been swept up into a ponytail at the nape of his neck and he had looked gravely at InuYasha with deep, golden eyes. A simple circlet of silver encircled his father's head, settled comfortably in his gray and white hairs.
Suddenly smiling in a friendly way, he reached toward InuYasha with a glowing red hand.
"Come here son."
"But Daddy-."
"No buts, Inu."
"Okay..." he had muttered sullenly.
Tottering toward his dad, he had looked up expectantly, chubby face of five trusting.
Gently grasping InuYasha's arm, King Inutaishou softly touched the small boy's arm, the strange mark appearing for an instant. InuYasha only barely flinched, a great accomplishment for someone his age.
Looking up, he said in soft, lisping words, "What does that do, Daddy?"
Grave eyes stared gently into his, "It's for when Daddy won't be around to help protect you."
His small form had shuddered. "I hope that's not soon. I want Daddy to be here forever and ever!"
But his wish would not be fulfilled. Only the next month would come the most tragic time of his life.
~~End Flashback~~
InuYasha sat down beside the sleeping girl, lost in thought. So many memories he had locked away. Did he dare to remember? It was so strange how he felt calmer all of the sudden, but closing his eyes, he reached into his mind and slowly began to push away the heavy doors of his mind.
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
Houjo gasped at the heavy weight of Toutousai's corpse, the sticky, wet feeling of blood coating his shirt. He was pushed under his desk; the only thing showing was Toutousai's limp corpse. He felt sick. Toutousai had been around for many years, his old frame tottering around and overseeing the smithery, though he had long passed the age where he could make a sword anymore.
The door burst open and the heavy thud of boots was thunderous. A dark pair of polished shoes halted beside him and bent down to check Toutousai's leathery neck. The hand went out and drew away with a shudder, wiping itself furiously on a piece of cloth. The unidentified soldier didn't seem to see Houjo. As a few more shoes appeared, he heard a melodic voice sound out.
"What's going on here?" the feminine voice questioned harshly.
The polished boots stiffened and a hesitant voice replied, "A-an old man saw us, so I threw my knife at him, and he...died."
A pair of pointed, cruelly polished boots stepped lightly toward Toutousai's still form. Houjo held his breath, panic rising. A scarlet- lacquered nail on a harsh-looking hand appeared. It inched closer, and the seconds seemed to drag on as Houjo stared fearfully at the approaching hand. Suddenly, there was an enormous explosion. As it rocked the building, the hand halted and the woman abruptly straightened and began running toward the sound, her boots clacking loudly before fading away.
Houjo waited a few moments before breathing again. Heaving Toutousai's limp body off of him, he panted heavily, chest heaving. Looking towards his desk, he sighed, relief washing over him like a wave. The papers had not been touched; at least a few secrets were still safe. But...how did the King's Men know where the rebel hideout was? Staggering to his feet, a rush of rage went to his head as his fist clenched until blood began dripping down his hand from where his nails had dug into his skin.
It wasn't fair! Glancing toward Toutousai, pricks of tears reached his eyes. Wiping them away angrily, he growled in the back of his throat. The King had done so many injustices toward the people. He taxed them until they barely had enough money for a scrap of bread, let alone clothing. He had seen scrawny, starved children wandering the streets, begging for food, with nowhere to go. Nobody had anything to give. People lived in broken- down buildings and slums, waste was thrown out in the street. A few of them tried to clean things; actually, in the beginning when the King was just newly come to the throne, whole communities had tried to clean. But soon, there wasn't enough money to go around, and people had to dedicate their time to work. The filth just piled higher and higher as more people began to wander the streets. Houjo's heart had gone heavy as he watched it all from the window of his comfortable manor. Then the fire came and took everything he had ever loved and cared about away from him...even Eri, his wonderful cousin that he had been betrothed to. They all left him. With nothing left to live for, he had done the unthinkable: he joined the rebels.
The growl grew in his throat as sharp, dagger-like fangs grew in his mouth and flashing, silver claws forced themselves out of his hands. His eyes darkened to an orange-red as his muscles hardened and grew. He was furious, the rage and anger coursing through his veins. Baring his fangs, he leaped out of his room. It was time to hunt.
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~* [A/N: heeheehee! I made Houjo a demon-thingy!!! HA!]
Jade eyes stared angrily at what seemed to be a mass of roiling strings of light, tangled together impossibly. Grumbling angrily, a clawed hand slashed through it, causing a mini explosion.
A handsome face was furrowed in fury, small, translucent flames lapping at his feet. Copper locks swayed as he turned his head to look at a small, glowing ball of light. Small, elfin ears poked out of the sides of his wavy, bright red hair. Mumbling incomprehensibly to himself, he began muttering in a chant-form. Bright lines of churning light shot out of the tips of his fingers, forming the rough shape of a sphere. As his chanting increased, the ball began to solidify and form a small, red globe of light. Sighing in satisfaction, he closed his eyes and began forming another.
Flitting his eyes up, Green eyes regarded the man who had just stepped into his room.
"Your Highness," he murmured, slightly bowing.
Emperor Sesshoumaru only glanced at him coldly before answering, "How is your latest endeavor going, Sorcerer?"
Turning from his spheres of light, the Sorcerer gave a wicked grin. "It's all falling into place, milord."
A small smile graced King Sesshoumaru's cold lips. "Make sure that THIS project does not fail. If it does, the consequences will be far worse than the last."
As he turned, a look of malevolence flashed across the sorcerer's face, emerald eyes glowing with hatred.
"Oh, it will not fail, not at all, but doubtless it will not succeed in the way you want, _milord_."
End Chapter
Hey hey! Sorry for the long update! It seems like I'll only update once a month. Eh. Not good, eh? Well, think of it this way: A month is only four weeks, and for me, it flies by like a flash. Sorry, though.
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Josie: Thanks for that compliment! Seems like you didn't spread the word, though. I'm just kidding! Anyway, thanks for reading! I really appreciate it!
Drow Goddess: I'm glad you liked it! I don't think that this chapter was much of a cliffie, so yeah. ^_^ I hope you liked this chapter! I mean, you've been with me since the start, and that means a lot! Wait...what are you doing with that axe? S-stay away from me!! ::runs away, whimpering:: ChristyKay: Hey! I'm still writing! See? I just don't update very often! HAH! I just get really busy. Or...I just lose track of time. I'm not very good at updating. ^_^ Sorry! I hope you liked this chapter!
Aejavu: I'm thankful for you being there since the beginning, too! I'm glad you like this story! And again, I will congratulate you on getting a guy you liked to ask you out! ::cheers and throws confetti:: Anyway, thanks for reading, and I really hope you liked this chapter!
A/N: I actually wrote a gruesome scene! It was so much fun! I mean it, you guys should try it. I wasn't even listening to any kind of music! I'm pretty pleased with the way this is turning out! I like to draw a lot, and I don't think I'm too horrible. You're probably wondering how this pertains to this story. Well, to make a short story even shorter, I'm making a webcomic! It's very early in the process, though, haven't even made a name yet, but when I launch it, I probably will be updating even more infrequently! (but if I do launch it, will any of you guys check it out??) Well, that's it for my ramblings! Hope you liked that chapter! And once again, sorry for the sporadic or monthly updates! ( I do try to make every chapter eight pages, so is that enough for compensation? Eh...not really.)
Chapter Four, A Bitter Taste
By: Merayna
Disclaimer: -- Yup, it's a disclaimer...if you read the other chapters, you would know what I'm talking about. ::mutters something about stupid people who would want to sue people writing on a place called FANFICTION.NET, which is a disclaimer in itself::
A/N: The beginning of this chapter was sort of inspired by Aejavu's Cyborg009 fic, Cataclysm. Great fic, by the way. Anyway, I hope this chapter won't take so long to write, and I hope you enjoy!! Thanks for the reviews!
"I'm not perfect, and she's not perfect, but we fit together perfectly and that's all that really matters."
~Dad
"Love is not about perfection. In fact, perfection isn't really real. Love isn't just about the feeling of longing, it's that caring about the well- being and wanting their happiness, it's that deep feeling of just *being* with someone."
~Me
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
The bitter taste of coffee coated his tongue as he sipped softly, the hot liquid flowing down his throat.
A rough hand gently clutched a smooth porcelain handle, the glossy rim of a white mug glinting in the candlelight. Worried eyes stared at him from the dark brown liquid rippling in his mug. Mist rose from the small cup, bathing his face in vapor, dampening his lashes, droplets forming in his hair. His face was blurred as he stared into the dark liquid, lost in his thoughts.
'Kagome...you were different from everyone else. You-...I shouldn't be thinking about this. Um...we accomplished a lot in that skirmish in my manor, the king's troops are on the lookout. Oh...I can't think right now, my mind is a mess.'
He sighed and slumped his head into his arms, reddish-brown hair falling over his arms, soft locks of hair tumbling onto the tabletop. Papers were scattered everywhere, a small trash bin overflowing with crumpled sheets. His glossy mahogany desk was covered in parchments and a candle stub, scorch marks everywhere.
A sharp rap on the door shook him from his thoughts and he lifted a heavy head toward the sound.
Calling out in a loud voice, he yelled, "The door is unlocked!"
The small click of a doorknob twisting sounded in the small room, and an ancient face appeared in the small crack of the door. Large, bulbous eyes stared silently at the young man, gray strands of grainy hair surrounding a creased face.
Houjo smiled, "Toutousai," he acknowledged.
Toutousai darted his eyes to and fro before closing the door behind him hurriedly. Scampering toward Houjo, he grabbed his shirt collar frantically.
"They're coming!" he whispered urgently in his gruff voice, large eyes filled with fear. Suddenly his back arched as a knife appeared in the middle of his stomach, dark crimson seeping out of his shirt. Toutousai slumped, his limp body collapsing on top of Houjo's.
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
Kagome screamed in frustration, her power spilling out of her. Something was blocking her from reaching that...glowing in the distance. She had to reach it! Daddy wanted her to reach it! Struggling, tears began pouring from her face, sobs wracking her shoulders. Gods, why wouldn't it stop?
InuYasha grunted as he fought to control Kagome's magic. It was immense...amazingly so. Quickly weaving a spell he thought up on the spot, he created a glowing net and wrapped her up, cutting her off from her power. Sweat poured from his brow from the extreme effort he used to make it work. Grinding his teeth, he forced his tired magic reserves to complete the one last spell. Praying it would work, he made the last casting and stopped, closing his eyes.
Kagome snapped open her eyes as the power...stopped. Just abruptly, it screeched to a halt and just...disappeared, dissipated. Her shoulders slumped as energy seeped from her bones. She fell limply to the ground, a small whimper making its way out of throat.
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
Sango stared at Kohaku in concern. There had been something unspoken in his words as he had hiccupped. Placing her hands on his shoulder, she stared into his eyes. They were dancing with fear, glittering with tears.
Whispering, she asked softly, "What do you mean it was all your fault?"
Sniveling, he turned his head, head hung in shame. Shadows danced across his features and his eyes were hidden by his dark bangs.
Looking up, his eyes emptied, pupils disappearing. His next words chilled Sango to her very soul.
"I made a deal with the devil."
~~~~~~~~End Flashback
Sango shivered as the memory came back. Kohaku's dead voice echoed in her ears. 'I made a deal with the devil.' She knew who he was talking about, that demon who had come into their lives, who they had tried to escape, who had killed their parents.
She knew his face, she knew his magic, his style, but...she didn't know his name. A cold shudder made its way down her spine as she remembered Kohaku's dead eyes. His dead eyes...they wouldn't go away.
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
A small sliver of silver light slowly crept onto the floor; its wavering strip falling on top of a shadowed figure perched on a tall chair. Thin legs reached the length of the chair as pale hands clutched the armrests. Dark, jade eyes glittered in fury as copper curls swung around an anger- darkened face. Mouth opening in a snarl, the moonlight hit his face, revealing youthful features, but ancient eyes and glittering fangs.
Things were not going according to plan. They were supposed to! They had to! THEY ALWAYS DID!
He felt like screaming, his body clenched and tense. Tightening his fist, the soft sound of grinding wood awakened him to his senses. Slowly uncurling his fist, his lip curled in a sneer as the powdery remains of the armrest fell to the ground.
He jerked his head around as a soft step barely sounded in the stifling darkness. A dark form stepped into the eerie light, illuminating elegant and pristine pale features, delicately sculpted on a smooth, perfect face. Silvery-white strands of hair framed a perfect face, as deep gold eyes stared piercingly at the tensed man.
A cold voice, as chilling as a winter breeze, swept toward the shadowed man, "Things are not going as planned."
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
Kagome slumped over her desk and sighed, eyelids drooping. Her wings of raven-black hair spread around her face, covering her desk. She felt so tired, oh so tired. She could feel her weariness in the very depths of her soul. She just wanted to sleep. Oh, God, she just wanted to sleep. Yet, it wasn't the kind of sleepy tired, but the bone-sapping fatigue. Slowly sliding her eyes shut, her hand limply grasped her father's Shikon, its pale rosy surface glowing slightly, her forehead gleaming in response, a strange symbol throbbing in the center, emitting a soft, pale blue light.
Kagome slept on, oblivious.
InuYasha watched the girl in contempt, nose slightly upturned. He had to admit, when she had fainted, it had worried him. Now, she was just slinking weakly around her manor, dragging her feet as if she were in a daze. What the hell was wrong with her?
Muttering, he clutched the smooth shaft of the broom handle he was grasping and continued to sweep outside her door, peering into the crack of her door ever now and then. He rolled his eyes as he saw the strange mark on her forehead. He had seen it after she had collapsed. It seemed to be a circle, but at the very ends of it, the lines stopped and curled inward. He unconsciously touched the glowing mark on his left arm; the exact replica of hers, except it glowed a raging red-gold.
It was freaky what had happened after she had collapsed, he didn't exactly want to remember.
~~Flashback~~
Kagome fell hard onto the paved street, slightly cracking the cobblestones. Her eyes, half-lidded, closed shut, and the glittering rainbow of lights disappeared in an instant. Blood trickled out of her mouth, crimson staining her forehead as it began to drip down her pale, ivory face. The skin seemed to be peeling off of her face; red muscle shining underneath as her face began to sizzle and her flesh began to dissolve, only patches of skin remaining. Blood trickled in streams, flowing onto the street, slightly steaming from her opening face, only red meat showing. A gurgling noise rose in her throat as blood began to spray out of her mouth, splattering her dress and a stunned InuYasha.
InuYasha backed away slightly, stumbling and falling to the ground. His eyes were round with horror as more and more blood seeped out of Kagome's body. No person could hold that amount of power without paying a price. In all his training, the lesson drilled into InuYasha's mind was that no person could contain such an immense amount of power without training. Kagome was paying for her loss of control...in blood.
Suddenly, the flow of blood began to stop. InuYasha's heart thumped deafeningly in his ears. Her blood was stopping...she was practically dead. He could do nothing to save her. But that didn't mean he couldn't try.
Lurching to his feet, he stumbled toward Kagome's mutilated form, red-gold light glowing in his hands, a dash of angry red moving as if alive. Hesitating for a split-second, he crouched onto his knees and held his hands over her body, moving them rapidly. The eerie light engulfed her entire form as the wounds slowly began to close and the color returned to her cheeks...but that was all that happened. The blood was still seeping, even though the wounds were partly closed. InuYasha fell slightly, putting out his hands to break his fall. On his hands and knees, he stared weakly at Kagome's ragged form, her blood covering everything.
Sobs began to wrack his figure, the tears dripping down his face. Nobody deserved such a thing, nobody!! He couldn't do a thing. He couldn't do a FUCKING THING! As the tears slid down his cheek, it dripped onto Kagome's forehead. A strange, blue light began to glow and a symbol slowly wound itself into appearance. The wounds began to fully close and the blood began to stop. Her face returned to her normal color as she made a small gasping noise. InuYasha stared in disbelief as he saw her being revitalized. Her small figure rose slightly in the air as blue wind blew around her, her raven-colored hair billowing around her now-rosy face.
She landed lightly on the ground, the blood but a forgotten memory. As she lay there, InuYasha glanced around him. Dust and debris had cleared; people he had seen screaming and bleeding were perfectly fine. They all seemed to get up slowly, wipe off the powdery dirt that had collected all around them, and blink in bewilderment. A few even sent confused glances his and Kagome's way, as if they were wondering what a young man and woman were doing in the middle of the road. They had obviously lost the memory of what had happened.
InuYasha darted a look at the girl who had pick pocketed Kagome. Her coffee- brown eyes opened blearily and at first, she seemed confused as well. Her eyes suddenly cleared, and she looked fearfully at him, raising a quivering hand to her mouth. Then, stumbling backward, she scrambled to her feet, and without a backward glance, scampered away.
Sighing, he picked up Kagome's limp form and began walking.
~End Flashback~
That was when he had knocked on the door of her house and her mom had been so grateful, he got to be hired as one of her personal servants. And blah blah blah.
Looking at the glowing mark on Kagome's forehead, he extended two fingers hesitantly toward her. Instantly, a small spark appeared at his fingertips and he jerked back his hand at the sharp pain that accompanied it. The mark was some kind of protection shield. Hell, he remembered when he got his.
~~Another Flashback~~
His father had strode toward him in his simple, worn clothes, somehow managing to look regal in a cotton shirt and pants. His silvery-white hair had been swept up into a ponytail at the nape of his neck and he had looked gravely at InuYasha with deep, golden eyes. A simple circlet of silver encircled his father's head, settled comfortably in his gray and white hairs.
Suddenly smiling in a friendly way, he reached toward InuYasha with a glowing red hand.
"Come here son."
"But Daddy-."
"No buts, Inu."
"Okay..." he had muttered sullenly.
Tottering toward his dad, he had looked up expectantly, chubby face of five trusting.
Gently grasping InuYasha's arm, King Inutaishou softly touched the small boy's arm, the strange mark appearing for an instant. InuYasha only barely flinched, a great accomplishment for someone his age.
Looking up, he said in soft, lisping words, "What does that do, Daddy?"
Grave eyes stared gently into his, "It's for when Daddy won't be around to help protect you."
His small form had shuddered. "I hope that's not soon. I want Daddy to be here forever and ever!"
But his wish would not be fulfilled. Only the next month would come the most tragic time of his life.
~~End Flashback~~
InuYasha sat down beside the sleeping girl, lost in thought. So many memories he had locked away. Did he dare to remember? It was so strange how he felt calmer all of the sudden, but closing his eyes, he reached into his mind and slowly began to push away the heavy doors of his mind.
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*@~*
Houjo gasped at the heavy weight of Toutousai's corpse, the sticky, wet feeling of blood coating his shirt. He was pushed under his desk; the only thing showing was Toutousai's limp corpse. He felt sick. Toutousai had been around for many years, his old frame tottering around and overseeing the smithery, though he had long passed the age where he could make a sword anymore.
The door burst open and the heavy thud of boots was thunderous. A dark pair of polished shoes halted beside him and bent down to check Toutousai's leathery neck. The hand went out and drew away with a shudder, wiping itself furiously on a piece of cloth. The unidentified soldier didn't seem to see Houjo. As a few more shoes appeared, he heard a melodic voice sound out.
"What's going on here?" the feminine voice questioned harshly.
The polished boots stiffened and a hesitant voice replied, "A-an old man saw us, so I threw my knife at him, and he...died."
A pair of pointed, cruelly polished boots stepped lightly toward Toutousai's still form. Houjo held his breath, panic rising. A scarlet- lacquered nail on a harsh-looking hand appeared. It inched closer, and the seconds seemed to drag on as Houjo stared fearfully at the approaching hand. Suddenly, there was an enormous explosion. As it rocked the building, the hand halted and the woman abruptly straightened and began running toward the sound, her boots clacking loudly before fading away.
Houjo waited a few moments before breathing again. Heaving Toutousai's limp body off of him, he panted heavily, chest heaving. Looking towards his desk, he sighed, relief washing over him like a wave. The papers had not been touched; at least a few secrets were still safe. But...how did the King's Men know where the rebel hideout was? Staggering to his feet, a rush of rage went to his head as his fist clenched until blood began dripping down his hand from where his nails had dug into his skin.
It wasn't fair! Glancing toward Toutousai, pricks of tears reached his eyes. Wiping them away angrily, he growled in the back of his throat. The King had done so many injustices toward the people. He taxed them until they barely had enough money for a scrap of bread, let alone clothing. He had seen scrawny, starved children wandering the streets, begging for food, with nowhere to go. Nobody had anything to give. People lived in broken- down buildings and slums, waste was thrown out in the street. A few of them tried to clean things; actually, in the beginning when the King was just newly come to the throne, whole communities had tried to clean. But soon, there wasn't enough money to go around, and people had to dedicate their time to work. The filth just piled higher and higher as more people began to wander the streets. Houjo's heart had gone heavy as he watched it all from the window of his comfortable manor. Then the fire came and took everything he had ever loved and cared about away from him...even Eri, his wonderful cousin that he had been betrothed to. They all left him. With nothing left to live for, he had done the unthinkable: he joined the rebels.
The growl grew in his throat as sharp, dagger-like fangs grew in his mouth and flashing, silver claws forced themselves out of his hands. His eyes darkened to an orange-red as his muscles hardened and grew. He was furious, the rage and anger coursing through his veins. Baring his fangs, he leaped out of his room. It was time to hunt.
@~*@~*@~*@~*@~* [A/N: heeheehee! I made Houjo a demon-thingy!!! HA!]
Jade eyes stared angrily at what seemed to be a mass of roiling strings of light, tangled together impossibly. Grumbling angrily, a clawed hand slashed through it, causing a mini explosion.
A handsome face was furrowed in fury, small, translucent flames lapping at his feet. Copper locks swayed as he turned his head to look at a small, glowing ball of light. Small, elfin ears poked out of the sides of his wavy, bright red hair. Mumbling incomprehensibly to himself, he began muttering in a chant-form. Bright lines of churning light shot out of the tips of his fingers, forming the rough shape of a sphere. As his chanting increased, the ball began to solidify and form a small, red globe of light. Sighing in satisfaction, he closed his eyes and began forming another.
Flitting his eyes up, Green eyes regarded the man who had just stepped into his room.
"Your Highness," he murmured, slightly bowing.
Emperor Sesshoumaru only glanced at him coldly before answering, "How is your latest endeavor going, Sorcerer?"
Turning from his spheres of light, the Sorcerer gave a wicked grin. "It's all falling into place, milord."
A small smile graced King Sesshoumaru's cold lips. "Make sure that THIS project does not fail. If it does, the consequences will be far worse than the last."
As he turned, a look of malevolence flashed across the sorcerer's face, emerald eyes glowing with hatred.
"Oh, it will not fail, not at all, but doubtless it will not succeed in the way you want, _milord_."
End Chapter
Hey hey! Sorry for the long update! It seems like I'll only update once a month. Eh. Not good, eh? Well, think of it this way: A month is only four weeks, and for me, it flies by like a flash. Sorry, though.
REVIEW REPLIES!! YAY!!
Josie: Thanks for that compliment! Seems like you didn't spread the word, though. I'm just kidding! Anyway, thanks for reading! I really appreciate it!
Drow Goddess: I'm glad you liked it! I don't think that this chapter was much of a cliffie, so yeah. ^_^ I hope you liked this chapter! I mean, you've been with me since the start, and that means a lot! Wait...what are you doing with that axe? S-stay away from me!! ::runs away, whimpering:: ChristyKay: Hey! I'm still writing! See? I just don't update very often! HAH! I just get really busy. Or...I just lose track of time. I'm not very good at updating. ^_^ Sorry! I hope you liked this chapter!
Aejavu: I'm thankful for you being there since the beginning, too! I'm glad you like this story! And again, I will congratulate you on getting a guy you liked to ask you out! ::cheers and throws confetti:: Anyway, thanks for reading, and I really hope you liked this chapter!
A/N: I actually wrote a gruesome scene! It was so much fun! I mean it, you guys should try it. I wasn't even listening to any kind of music! I'm pretty pleased with the way this is turning out! I like to draw a lot, and I don't think I'm too horrible. You're probably wondering how this pertains to this story. Well, to make a short story even shorter, I'm making a webcomic! It's very early in the process, though, haven't even made a name yet, but when I launch it, I probably will be updating even more infrequently! (but if I do launch it, will any of you guys check it out??) Well, that's it for my ramblings! Hope you liked that chapter! And once again, sorry for the sporadic or monthly updates! ( I do try to make every chapter eight pages, so is that enough for compensation? Eh...not really.)