Inuyasha
The Wicked Child
Chapter VII
Effort of Redemption
Just when you thought that things were bad enough, it gets worse. Suffering under the influence of my own grief and despair, I was forced to plan on a method of redemption. According to my conscience, my life as a ninja was never meant to be-- in which I think it is totally absurd. I've been living this way all of my life, without regret at that. I just have to search further...
To prove to myself that this is the life that I lead.
My Mother will understand... she always does.
But, as of now... there's a matter at hand that induces my immediate attention.
"You have hell to pay for the offense you've done to my friend!" Bellowed an enraged Nazuna as she initiated a charge at the suspect's direction. "And that time is now!"
"I haven't done anything to Kagome!" Inuyasha argued while he avoided the girl's attacks. From the looks of things, it looks like she isn't paying any attention to what he was saying. " And stop swinging that damned weapon like a fucking maniac!"
The disturbance of the room caused the heap on the floor to wonder, "What's... going... on...?" Her curiosity stirred, Kagura languidly rolled over onto her stomach and lurched her head slightly towards the ruckus. "What are... you... preaching... about now, Nazuna...?"
"This is unforgivable!" The said girl, raged. She delivered a shot to the head with her flail, but Inuyasha managed to knock it away from her hand by tapping her wrist. "Just because I'm armless doesn't mean that I'm a total lacking opponent! Prepare yourself!" She continues her assault with a barrage of punches and kicks in which Inuyasha either avoided or blocked. But the idea of retaliating on her wasn't right at all. He could not bring himself to hit a woman.
"Miroku, do something!!" He commanded.
The monk immediately did as told, as he abruptly grabbed Nazuna in a Nelson lock in order to restrain Nazuna's wrath. "Please curb your rage!" Pleaded Miroku. "My friend isn't one of those types of men that would do such a thing to your companion."
In response, Nazuna rocketed a back kick to his privates, and now his Lil' Jon and the East Side Boys were definitely burning in agony. Miroku balled up and collapsed on the floor as a fragile heap. "My nuts..."
Returning to her intended target after that brief distraction, Nazuna whipped out another pair of flail from her robes. Inuyasha braced himself once more as Nazuna swung with the weapon again. But...
"That's enough Nazuna." Kagome commanded with a slight edge in her voice. The damage offering end of the flail was caught articulately in her hand. "That rage of yours is going to be your downfall, Nazuna. Jumping to conclusions is always a foolish move. The reason that I'm here is because I've recently been in a dangerous duel in which I was injured. Inuyasha was the one that found me and brought me here. This is his house." She pointed to the long haired boy dressed in red whom Nazuna was confronting just now.
"Keh." Inuyasha snorted. "With friends like her, who needs enemies?"
Nazuna calmed down significantly, a sure sign that she accepted the story. "Ah... my bad, Kagome. I'd should have surveyed the scene more carefully. Although, that bemused and innocent look you had on your face now was kind of convincing."
"Don't worry. I'm fine." Kagome reassured to the younger girl. She directed a concerned glance towards Kagura. "What happened to her this time?"
"She took way too much alcohol than her body can handle. You've should of seen her." Nazuna responded.
Kagome took on a shocked look, "Again?!"
"Stop lying, Nazuna." Kagura squirmed. "I'm... totally... sober." A sporadic pain suddenly invaded her head. "Shit, that hurts!"
Nazuna regarded Kagome once more. "You said you were injured Kagome. Tell me what happened to you."
The said woman rested her hands on Nazuna shoulders reassuringly with a content smile on her features. "I've fought a man whom outclassed me in every way." She said with a disturbing clarity. "Unfortunately, I lost to him and now I'm suffering the consequences of burdens that I call my own." Nazuna seemed taken aback at by her friend's unusual composer about her defeat. "Forgive me for my sudden recklessness while you were at the town's festivals."
"Kagome..."
"I'm okay." She said. "I'm still hanging in there. Wouldn't you mind going to the den to wait on me. I have to change. I'll be there in a few minutes." She fingered the bad sheets wrapped around her form. "These sheets are definitely not my idea for dressing casually." She humored.
"Okay." Nazuna smiled. "I'll take Kagura along with me so she can recovery in the den." She tilted a glance at the downed monk on the floor, who was crying miserably while clutching to his 'boys'. "Sorry. Please forgive me Miroku. Maybe I should do something about your... um... twig and berries."
Despite the extreme pain the monk was in, he managed to smile at her. "Yes, that would help..." He groveled.
"Get any fancy ideas and the fruits will be singing again." Nazuna warned.
"Right." Miroku confirmed timidly. He allowed her to hoist him on one of her shoulders so he could lean on it while she guided him. She done the same for Kagura with her other shoulder.
"Now if any of you just so happen to tumble downstairs... it's your own fault." Nazuna instructed. "You've should of been more responsible for your behavior."
"Yes."
"Nazuna, if you let me fall downstairs... girl I'm going to whoop your ass as soon as I recover." Kagura seconded. The trio left the room and Kagome was now left in the room alone with Inuyasha. Blushing slightly, she took a slow glance towards him-- only to discover that he found the open window very interesting.
"Excuse me?"
The boy heard her query and disregarded the window in order to regard her. "Yeah? What is it?" He responded, his brow furrowed just a little-- not in anger, but in... concern. "You have something to say? That girl really had it coming if it weren't for you stopping her from acting a damn fool."
"Inuyasha, I've probably told you already but here goes: Thank you." Kagome replied.
"Keh. Just doing what I always do if I just so happen to find an unconscious body." He marked sarcastically.
"I bet..." Kagome punned, causing him to shoot up right in front of her face. She could tell by the expression on Inuyasha's face that he was a little embarrassed. Maybe he haven't received such affection from such a lovely young woman? Kagome though as she smiled widen a bit.
"You bet what?" Inuyasha spat, uncertain.
Kagome kissed him on his cheek. "That you're more interested in me than I originally thought. There's hardly any man that can resist the charms of little ole me." She stated playfully. " So, I did that in order to show you that I appreciate your help."
"Whatever." Was all he managed to say. He abruptly turned away from her.
"Well... since that is over with... do you mind stepping out for a moment so I can change into these robes?" Kagome requested. "They're a little too big for me but it will do."
"It's better than nothing." He said before cringing to the sounds of fabric being torn. He shot his focus back at the kunoichi. "Hey wench what the hell are you doing?!"
Her dagger already in her hand, Kagome looked at him innocently. "What? I'm cutting off a piece of these sheets so I can use it as a sash so your robes will not fall off of me. Can't walk around town and then all of a sudden I'm flashing the entire world."
"Fine..." He grumbled. "But you're responsible for buying me some new bed sheets."
"How are those jewels feeling, Mr. Miroku?" Nazuna asked pleasantly.
"Convalescing." He answered without hesitation. The ice pack was doing it's job well beneath the blanket.
"That's good to hear."
"If it weren't for you acting like a wild animal he wouldn't have to endure such pain." Inuyasha commented. "Scratch that... then again that punishment is sort of usual for him. Considering how perverted he is."
"I'm not perverted." Miroku complained. "I'm just have a healthy interest in the fairer sex. There's a huge difference between such an interest and perversion."
"Damn. I'm sure glad that I'm not the only person that think that way." Kagura chimed in. "There was this samurai dude I've seen a few weeks ago, and let me tell you that mother-fucker sure got a nice ass."
"Now would he consider you perverted for noticing him?" Miroku queried to Kagura hopefully.
"No. Not really. He noticed I was checking him out and he started blushing the whole while." Kagura answered.
"I rest may case." Miroku concluded as he laid back further on the futon. "There is a difference."
"Unfortunately, what he had in the rear didn't make up for what he had in the sacks." Kagura added. "His di--"
"That's enough details, Kagura." Nazuna acknowledged. She went on to change the subject. "So, Kagome been away fighting someone? She said she lost to him. I wonder what kind of fighter is he?"
Surprised by the revelation, Kagura shot up in the futon. "What did you just say? What the fuck do you mean by Kagome being roughed up by some whack-bag?"
"It means exactly what I said: She lost." Nazuna repeated.
"How come anybody didn't tell me about this?" Kagura beseeched, a look of pure disbelief on her features. "Kagome was never the type to lose to some mystery guy... at least, without me knowing shit about it."
"Because you were drunk..."
"Shit." Kagura swore once more. "This world is cursed for real. I need to see this guy myself. So I can kick his ass to the curb."
"That will not be necessary." Kagome acknowledged as she descended the stairs on her way to join the gang in the den. "Just forget that fight never happened, Kagura. It was something much bigger than me. There's absolutely no need for you to intervene."
Kagura's shock doubled. Knowing Kagome, this... absurd fear of the mystery man is unheard of. So absurb that Kagura doubt that this was her friend for many years now. In her eyes, Kagome is the most skilled human warrior that she have ever met. It was impossible for her to lose like that... well out of the blue and fearing the victor at that. Kagura's shock grew into anger. She had to do something. "That's bullshit! You've got your ass kicked and now you're fearing this ass-wipe?! Girl, what happened to all that backbone you had?"
Kagome smiled sardonically as she sat near Inuyasha. "I have no such backbone. Well, not the one that you meant. Today, I realized that this life I lead... is all a facade."
Nazuna arched a brow. "What are you talking about?"
"You got that right, Naz." Kagura seconded. "This stuff you talking isn't making any sense. How could one loss cause you to act this way? I don't get this shit at all! Did you took a blow to the head?"
Kagome considered that. She allowed a hand to grope her entire head for any signs of contusions. Fortunately there was none. "I guess not. That's a big surprise. He really knows what he is doing when it comes down to fighting. Nearly ever corner of my body ached."
Kagura's eyes widened. "You was raped too?"
"Hell no." Kagome answered defiantly.
"Well, what's up with this little act of 'I wasn't meant to be a fighter' act?" Kagura wondered as she stood. "Because it's already getting on my nerves. And you seem scared of this guy. It doesn't make any sense."
Kagome tilted her head slightly in consideration. "Hmm... perhaps."
Finally that button was pressed. Kagura couldn't take it any more. "You know what? I have something to say..." She announced in a surprisingly tranquil voice. Abruptly she grabbed her friend by the collar of her garbs and held her a fair inches off the ground. "Kagome, what has gotten into you?! This is... is... full of shit! What's up with this? Why did you allow this defeat to go to your fucking head!?"
"Kagura... I'm sorry. Please calm down." Kagome urged.
"No! I am not calming down!! There's no need for that shit when you're acting like this, girl!! You know what? I never would have become friends with you if I knew that you were like this! If I knew better, I would of killed your pathetic ass on the spot!"
"So it would seem..."
"Why you..." She reached for her fan on her obi... but she denied it's use. She couldn't bring herself to do it. Nazuna and Inuyasha was already on their feet, ready to take action just in case things got ugly. "You're a disappointment. A real fucking disappointment." She scoffed as she dropped Kagome back onto the futon. Kagome returned her gaze with a hint of pure despondence. "You know what... what would your mother think of this if she was still alive?"
Kagome gasped.
"Hell, she wouldn't like this bull-crap either." Kagura finished. She sighed and looked over to Nazuna. "I'm leaving to participate in the UBC. If you planning on coming-- get off of your ass and come along."
"Right." Was all Nazuna said as she followed Kagura out the door. Upon exiting Inuyasha's house, Nazuna's head reappeared at the doorway. "I believe in you, Kagome. Please get over this personal crisis soon." With that, she left.
"I guess I'll be leaving now." Miroku announced nervously as he rose from his futon and left the house as well.
"Well?" Inuyasha arched a brow in Kagome's direction. "What are you going to do now? It looks like your best friends are not going to approve of what you are going through." Kagome's expression was hidden in shadow due to her bangs. Her hands balled into tight fists and she began to tremble.
"I don't know what to do..." She cried silently. "Inuyasha... I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm a disgrace to myself." Overwhelmed by blind sadness, she helplessly leaned her head against his shoulders. He expected tears in her current state but he soon realized that she wasn't shedding any. "How can I redeem myself?"
"I can't understand why your defeat is worrying you so much, Kagome." He stated reassuringly, a shinning glimmer of hope filling the atmosphere. "If you are such a disgrace, then why are you still holding on to that?" He pointed to the sheath at her waist. Kagome looked down at herself, gaining an odd feeling once she saw the dangling obi made from his bed sheets and that peculiar dagger tied to it.
"My blade..." She uttered uncertainly. "Why? Why am I still attached to it?"
"Because deep down inside, you know damn well that it's a key to your redemption. Otherwise, you wouldn't be carrying it around anymore." Kagome stared at him with wide eyes. "Listen, stop bellyaching and straighten up. You alone know what you have to do right now."
"Inuyasha..."
"Keh. It's best for you to get on the ball or lose your friends forever." He encouraged. "Is that what you want? Living with all that stress and personal grief? Hell nah!"
"You're right. There's still time, isn't there?" She acquiesced. She rose from her seat and pumped her fist. "Alright. I'll seek my answers-- mainly for my sake. Somehow I just know that they are out there." She unsheathed her blade and surveyed it. "And to think, I was foolish enough to consider disowning this."
"Now that's the Kagome I saw at the inn this morning." Inuyasha beamed mischievously.
"You Peeping Tom." Kagome admonished with a grin. "Since I will be out soul searching, what are you going to do for tonight?"
"I got to lay low for a while." Inuyasha answered. "Since my brother is in town that means that I have to keep watch for him. If I don't, who knows what will happen-- my house may be reduced to rubble knowing that bastard. I guess both of us have our hands full."
"I understand." Kagome said as she heads for the door. "Well, I guess I'll see you a little later, Inuyasha."
"Later. If you can't find your answers then don't bother to talk to me again." He teased.
"Well, that means that I must find my answer and soon." She remarked playfully, giving him a pass.
Hours later, Kagome managed to trek through the village and find her way to outskirts of the city. The rural area was a natural training environment in her opinion. The place was mountainous with an abundance of forest lands and streams which provided a tranquil air about it-- unlike the village. Kagome inhaled the night air, the scent of waterfall mists filling her nostrils. In such a nostalgic place as this, how could she deny her own lifestyle? Her previous sadness only proved to irk her.
"Damn!" She swore. 'How could I allow myself to feel so weak?' She took out her blade and swung furiously in the air. The small sword produced swishing sounds every time she slashed the waves of air. 'What's gotten into me?' She leaped away from the cascade, the creases of the robes flapping loudly like a crazed falcon as she flew momentarily. She landed on her feet with a crouch with a mask of determination. From there, she went into a series of swipes and kicks dementedly. She imagined that she was surrounded by opponents which were heavily armed as she boxed.
The estranged kata took on a more menacing appearance as she mentally swore and cursed to herself. She soon realized something about her: she was getting rusty. Lately she has been lacking power in her strikes. Her skills and techniques faltered over the weeks. And she has been slower than usual. She should have known. Since she has been dealing with only criminals for several months now, she knew that she was weakening. None the criminals never presented a real challenge for her-- only big talk and egotistical threats of murder. She would always defeating them without real effort and pitying them. What ever happened to people that lived for the thrill of battle? The ones that can truly showcase a real challenge. Sephiroth was one of those people and Kagome wasn't ready for him because of the usual 'crime busting' with hardly any time to undergo true training. Then again, Nazuna did once comment that Kagome was getting slow.
'How could this be?' She disdainfully thought. 'I've should have known. My friend have the right to be angry at me!'
She began running throughout the hilly area. She managed to avoid encountering wildlife and eloquently leaping over cliffs and chasms. In her enraged state of mind, she was behaving like a daredevil as she took risk after risk. On second thought, this was how she remembered her early years of training as a kunoichi. Jumping such dangerous spaces was really second nature to her.
Deciding to end her training (she barely made a leap by clutching onto the edge of a cliff just now), she came upon something that gained her immediate attention. Long trails of natural stairs that lead to a lone dojo that sat on a huge hill. Kagome climbed the landscape to inspect it only to make a discovery.
It was indeed a dojo-- a training hall for people in her art. But it seems to be several decades (maybe centuries) old, and it was abandoned.
This, in her mind, was a ghost town of nostalgia. 'This place is beautiful.' She thought that it could be the perfect place for her to redeem herself. 'It's just like the place where I was trained at.' She pondered further about the edifice as she allowed her gaze to the withered banner on the foyer. 'Shikon Ninjitzu? Why that's my primary style! I thought that there was only one dojo that trained in the art!'
Her disbelief turned into awareness as a shuriken nearly grazed her as it embedded itself into the wall. Her attention averted, she regarded the forces that was about to oppose her. "I know that you're still around." She signaled. "Show yourself."
This time, a series of shuriken flew her way. She brandished her blade and used it to deflect every last one of them. "I'm warning you. You're making this harder on yourself. I am so not in the mood for fighters like you."
"Ah. At last, a true challenger." A voice-- which was undoubtedly female chimed. Kagome heard air caressing the mystery girl's garbs as she moved in the darkness. "What are you doing here? Don't you know that you are invading on our property? Such an act could easily classify you a thief."
"A challenger?" Kagome beseeched as she surveyed the newcomer. A woman who was around her age or maybe younger. She had somewhat childish features. A round face and wide brown eyes accented with fair eyelashes and pink kohl. Her tresses are deep blue in color and tied elegantly in a long low ponytail. She was a tad shorter than Kagome and could be considered adorable-- if it weren't for her obvious hostility towards her. She wore a sleeveless midnight blue garments that was deeply reminiscent of a martial artist. She took a stance with a long staff at hand. "Are you sure that you want to fight me?"
The girl continues to size her up. "I, Botan, will never back down from a fight. Even if it is a fight to the death with an intruder, I shall never relent."
Kagome smiled at the opposing girl. "Hmm. You know what? I really like your style."
"Well let's see if you like this." Botan proclaimed as she charged, which caught Kagome a little off guard. She just managed to parry Botan's staff at the very last second as she assaulted. The force of the impact drove them both to a wide angle-- a definite opening if one were to take advantage of this lapse. Kagome was the first to capital as she spun around to deliver a quick low sweep with her weapon at her opponent's feet. But Botan evaded the blow by hand-spring somersaulting a safe distance from her.
"Not bad for a thief." Botan commented while she thrust her staff backwards. The attack successfully marked Kagome on her shoulder which caused her to plummet to the ground. Shortly, a victorious gleam appeared in Botan's eyes. "Now I got you where I want you!" She made several attempts to attack her downed opponent. Most of which Kagome blocked or rolled away from. "Stop rolling!"
"No can do." She replied as she caught the staff in her hands as Botan tried to press the weapon to her neck. "Now I got you." She held tightly on Botan's staff and used her leg to throw her off of her. Botan fell a few feet away from her with a grunt and Kagome rose to her feet and broke the damn weapon across her knee. Botan looked on helplessly at this. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself now?"
"Botan, you really need to work more on your technique." Admonished another female's voice.
The blue haired girl shouted, "Momeji!"
"Not another one." Kagome cursed, deciding to make use of her blade. But upon doing so, an unseen force knocked the blade from her hand and Kagome gasped as she helplessly watched her beloved weapon plummet down a very deep chasm.
"What's wrong?" Momeji taunted. "That look on your face tells me that the dagger was your main means of defense. If that so, that means you should give up while you're ahead." A woman, whom resembled Botan a lot-- save for the short auburn hair and the red and white gi she wore were the only contrast.
"You think so?" Kagome challenged with a sardonic smile as she put up her dukes. "If you are any kind of martial artist that means you should know that weapons doesn't always make the fighter."
"I should consider that." Momeji replied. "But never less, your defeat is at hand." She held out two short staffs, similar to Eskrima sticks used to bludgeon their adversary. "Prepare yourself."
"Let's dance."
END OF CHAPTER VII
So it begins. I engaged in battle with a seemingly worthy opponent. I wonder, will the same results occur again like the one against Sephiroth? Well, I just have to find out for myself. I'm certain that Kagura would like to know about it.
But wait! Who is this other woman? She is... unreal!! She appears ten times more dangerous than even Sephiroth! How can I overcome such an opponent like her? Second, what does she has to do with my past? I have enough on my mind as it is!
NEXT CHAPTER
CHAPTER VIII
MYSTERIOUS KUNOICHI