Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha… or do I? Mad lawyers pop out of nowhere Ahhhh! I don't, I don't!
AN: I can take a hint. No one likes Ariana… sniff sniff Well two people reviewed so yeah! Thanks to Riath and C-chan for being my only reviews for chapter four. Give me more reviews people and I'll update faster!
Chapter 4
Trap
Inuyasha paced restlessly back and forth in front of the bone eaters well. His mind was going about a hundred miles a minute. He was carefully going over the information he had just received from his half-brother, Sesshomaru. Was he really going to do what the demon had planned? Would he stoop that low to get rid of someone Kagome liked, but he didn't? Hell yes!
He agreed to help Sesshomaru get Ariana, but why the great demon needed a human like her was a mystery to Inuyasha. A part of him said this sounded suspicious, but the other part was screaming get rid of the crazy girl! Miroku, Sango, and Shippou of course tried to stop him, but Sesshomaru took care of that problem. A little bit of his poison vapors was enough to knock them out and give them enough time to execute the plan. It was all going to be very easy.
All Inuyasha had to do was wait for the girls to get back. Sesshomaru was no longer near the clearing. He was in his respective spot waiting for his prey. Inuyasha was getting bored, so he flopped down on the grass and watched as the sun dipped down over the horizon. His senses told him he was tired from the day's recent events, and he was having a hard time keeping awake. He was about to nod off when he felt a familiar presence. It was coming at him fast. He could see a serpent like creature float above the tops of the trees. He immediately knew… Kikyo.
He ran in her direction, forgetting about waiting for Kagome and Ariana. He sprinted through the woods to a new clearing. There in the middle was Kikyo. Her porcelain, pale skin glowed in the now dark night. Her lifeless eyes stared back at him in a somehow piercing gaze. An evil smile cracked at the corners of her month. He hated what she had become, but he could never stop loving her. What kind of vicious circle had he gotten himself into? Even now he wanted to pull her into his arms no matter what her form. He still saw her as his first love. He took one step forward, but she raised her arm to signal for him to stop.
"You will stay where you are Inuyasha." Her dead voice spoke out. Inuyasha breathed out a sigh before he knew he was doing it. Kikyo narrowed her eyes at him, but held her ground. "You're a fool Inuyasha," she laughed. Why is everything about her so lifeless? Inuyasha wondered helplessly, but he knew the answer.
"Is that why you showed yourself to me? To tell me that I'm a fool?" he asked, his voice on the edge of cracking. Silence greeted him as light breeze blew past him and with it the new sent of Kagome and Ariana. It signaled that they had passed through the well and were back. He knew he needed to get back, but he couldn't leave.
"You are too quick to judge. It could cost you a lot. Be careful with what choices you make," and with those last words, Kikyo's soul collectors circled her and carried her off.
"Kikyo," he whispered. "Kikyo, wait!" he cried out, but she was gone. What that was about, he had no idea. Kikyo showed up before, but never had she said so little and been so vague. He didn't have time to sort out her message. Suddenly, Inuyasha remembered that the girls were back. He dashed in the direction of the well. He came up on them within seconds.
"All right," he started as he appeared in front of them. Both Kagome and Ariana stood perfectly still with creepy smiles and cocked heads. They were supposed to look like they'd listen to him, but it was too fake.
"Where have you been?" Kagome finally asked. Inuyasha was relieved when her tone wasn't suspicious, but more playful. She had no idea that he was with Kikyo. It stung at his heart to know she trusted him. He kept his cool as he answered.
"I got bored waiting for you!" It was the only answer he'd need. "Now I have a few rules. Psycho here can stay with us as long as she stays by you and as long as she doesn't bug me. Last thing is if she takes a bath," he finished.
"I guess that shouldn't be too hard, right?" Kagome turned to Ariana who nodded with a mock serious expression.
"You'll never know I'm here!" Ariana chimed.
"And about the bath, can't she take one in the morning? I'm tired, and I just want to sleep, not take her to the river," Kagome whined.
"No! She reeks of your time even more than you do!" Inuyasha said firmly.
"I do not reek!" Kagome flared.
"Hold it you guys!" Ariana stepped in before it got into a full on war. "I'll take a bath by myself Kagome. I remember where that river was, and I brought all my own supplies. I'll be fine," Ariana assured.
"You're not safe out here by yourself," Kagome insisted.
"Come on, what's out here to hurt me?" Ariana giggled. Inuyasha just remained silent with the most innocent look her could muster as he listened as the girls took their turn to argue. It was different from when Kagome and him fought. He noted girls were more cat-like when they fought. It was, in a way, amusing. He studied his claws; hopping their bickering would go faster and Ariana would be gone.
"Fine, for Inuyasha's sake, go take a bath. I suppose you'll be all right," Kagome finally gave in. Inuyasha's ears perked up when the fight ended. He looked from Kagome to Ariana as Ariana adjusted her backpack and got a towel from Kagome's backpack.
"Will you go make me ramen now?" Inuyasha's voice cut the silence as soon as Ariana was headed down the path to the river. Kagome didn't answer him.
"You better scream if anything happens to you!" Kagome lectured, clearly worried about her friend.
"You know I don't scream!" Ariana's now distant voice called back. Kagome let out a sigh and headed for Kaede's hut.
"Feh. What are you worried for anyway?" Inuyasha inquired.
"I just know it's not safe out there. Remember the first time I was out here, and I got kidnapped by bandits?" Kagome answered. He couldn't forget that day. It was the day she carelessly wondered off, got kidnapped, lost the jewel of four souls and shattered the jewel into a thousand pieces. Kagome turned and left towards the village. He watched Ariana disappear into the night. She was walking straight towards her trap. He hesitated a moment before he finally made his way to Kaede's hut.
The dirt path wound along the forest as Ariana skipped merrily to the river. Straining her ears, she caught the distant sound of water flowing. She continued in that direction using the moon and the stars as her light. Her mind was remotely clear. She focused on taking a bath and getting to bed. So much had happened in one day. It was hard to believe she had digested all the information that was forced on her today.
A clearing came into view with a rocky shore along side the river. Setting her bag down, she stepped carefully to the water's edge. She crouched down, resting on the balls of her feet and reached out to feel the temperature of the water. Placing the palm of her hand on the clear surface, she was in for a shock. The water was freezing and she quickly withdrew her hands. The water rippled from her contact, and she watched it as it went on and on. She tilted her head at a dark image reflected in the glassy surface of the water that stood to her side.
Very carefully, she shifted her eyes to the side to try to see if someone was there or if it was just her imagination. Her eyes caught sight of a figure standing next to her. With ease, she turned around and stood up, keeping her gaze at the person's feet. Her eyes casually drifted up. The figure was dressed in clothing that fit the era and it had two swords at their side. There was something fluffy wrapped around the person's broad shoulders which made her decide the person was male. Her line of sight finally fell on his face. His fair skin stood out from the dark night. The markings on his face stood out all the more. She carefully examined his two magenta stripes on each side of his face and blue crescent moon in the middle of his forehead. Gorgeous locks of silver hair framed his face. He was like an angle, but she knew he was more the opposite. This man was a demon.
Her breath fell short by surprise when she finally locked eyes with him. Molten golden eyes stared down at her with an intensity that she could not match. It seemed like there was no emotion to grab to in their depths. They were almost the same as Inuyasha, but Inuyasha's eyes were softer. Nothing like the piercing gaze she received now. She wanted to reach out to the statue in front of her to prove to herself that he was real, but she used all of her self-control to keep her arms at her side.
"You're so beautiful. I'm so jealous," fell from her lips before she could stop the words and her mouth cracked into a smile. The demon in front of her stood emotionless, but with her human eyes, she couldn't see his eyebrow rise just slightly.
"You are Ariana," the demon's cool, serene voice stated. His tone swirled in her mind as she wondered if he was always this cold.
"Yeeaaasssss," she let the word seep cautiously from her lips. She may not have been afraid, but she wasn't stupid. She took a step back as he took a step forward. In a blink of an eye, he had taken another step tying the distance between them. He reached out for her chin with one hand. Ariana was too distracted by his claws to realize what he was doing. Again, she was reminded of Inuyasha, but this demon's wrist had two magenta stripes like his face and his claws had more of a deadly sharpness to them.
Her eyes finally glanced up to lock with his golden orbs once again. His eyes narrowed at her like she had done something wrong. She held his intense gaze not sure of what else to do. He made her feel naked… like she should worry about her every little feature. After what seemed like hours, he released her face.
Ariana's hand immediately flew up to her chin. She rubbed it at its sudden soreness, because of his harsh treatment.
"What do you want with me," it didn't come out as a question. Her eyes searched the hollowness of his. If only there was something, she thought. He remained perfectly still. Not an inch of him moved. At least humans fidgeted, like Ariana did now.
"You will follow me," his voice commanded, in no way did it sound like a request. The demon turned his back to her and started to walk. Ariana stared dumbly after him, not quiet sure of what to do. She wasn't just going to follow him. Why wouldn't he answer her, and why was he so lifeless?
Her mind was telling her to run although she wasn't scared. With her last thoughts, she decided to run instead of follow this mystery demon. It seemed liked a good idea, but Ariana still had no idea what kind of speed and strength a full demon possessed. She took off into the dark of the night woods. Everything was a shadow, creating shapes that looked to be alive. Her long legs strode faster, making her breathing become heavy and her head light. She thought she had lost him, for she didn't hear anything behind her. She stopped and looked around the empty path. A low tree branch hung out at the side of the road and she did the only thing she could think of.
She climbed into the tree hoping to hide. She had a lot to learn about demons. Her breathing was still heavy from the run and from the adrenaline that coursed through her. It was her life to reach an adrenaline rush. That's why she was always jumping off cliffs and what not. There were only a handful of people who were like her. To be human was to fear and fear would save your life. Ariana was never afraid, which was a human flaw. She was told on many occasions that her lack of fear would kill her. She hoped this wasn't one of those occasions.
As she climbed, her foot caught on a small branch. She slipped and fell back but was stopped when her knees held her to a larger branch and she was suspended upside down. Just her luck, she was face to face with the demon she was trying to hide from. Her eyes widened in surprise at how fast and silently he found her. Imminently, she held out her hands in defense.
"Look, I don't know who the hell you are and what you want from me, but I'm not going anywhere till you tell meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee," Ariana's knees slipped and she plunged head first into the ground. Her eyes were shut as she prepared herself for the impact but it never came. Opening one eye, she saw the demon had caught one of her ankles and her nose was just a centimeter from the ground. She let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank," thud The demon let her go and she collided harshly with the ground. She made to get up, but her throat was grabbed by a strong hand that lifted her off the forest floor, her feet dangling a few inches above the ground. She gasped for air as she struggled in the demon's iron grip.
"Put me back down! Please?" Ariana gasped with the last of her breath. Amber eyes bore into pleading green eyes. Ariana's lungs felt like they were about to burst before he lowered her enough so her feet could touch the ground, his grip on her throat loosened. She was thankful to once again be able to breathe.
"You would do well to start to fear me or you'll find yourself dead. Do not make your death wench. In other circumstances I'd kill you without a second thought. Do not make me kill you now, because I have no mercy," he brought her face so close to his that his eyes actually felt like they were burning her. She meekly nodded on the verge of passing out. The demon let her go and she fell to the ground, her legs suddenly feeling like jelly. Her eyes closed washing her in blackness.
AN: wow… that took me a long time to finish! I hope the wait was worth it….. I'm not sure how much I liked the ending of this chapter. I didn't want Ariana to black out, but it just kind of happened. I might change it, but for now it can stay. Please review and let me know what you think! And thanks so much for the reviews I got already! I've been gone for 6 weeks and I just got back! Sorry if I'm behind!
And I didn't reread this chapter as well as I should have so my bad if there's a lot of mistakes…. I'll get around to editing soon.