Disclaimer: The day I own Inuyasha is the day that hell freezes over. Now that was depressing…
"…" – speech
'…' – thoughts
- change in scenery or time
--Previously, on The Sealed Garden:
{He would find a method to get into the garden.
One way or another.
He was going to crack this mystery.}
--[Review responses at the bottom]--
Chapter THREE:
Sighting
"I'm coming, damnit!"
Inuyasha jogged towards the main entrance of the house. Having lived here for 5 days had finally given him the knowledge of where everything was, and he no longer got lost in his own house. But that didn't make getting from one point to another any faster.
The doorbell gave another impatient ring.
"Fuckin…" he turned the final corner, and the shouji door came within sight.
The hanyou had been at the very back of the house, installing a new computer in a spare room when the doorbell had rung. Since he had never had any visitors before (the old codger didn't count), Inuyasha had been quite surprised. So he ignored it, thinking it was some salesman looking to try and sell something. However, the person had persisted.
Sliding the door back with a loud slam, the irritated hanyou walked across the small room to pull back the door leading out of the house.
"Yes?!"
Standing outside of the house was a man who had long black hair that was pulled into a ponytail at the back of his head. Unusual red eyes stood out from his face, and an almost evil smirk curled at the ends of his lips. But once Inuyasha blinked, the smile had become friendlier, and the red eyes had disappeared, to be replaced by brown ones.
He rubbed his eyes. 'What…?' He could have sworn that this guy had youkai blood in him, but now, he smelled purely of a human being…
It must have been his imagination.
The man smiled coolly, and bowed shallowly. "Good morning, Inuyasha-sama." His voice was smooth.
Returning the gesture, the hanyou raised an eyebrow. How did this guy know his name? Golden eyes narrowed in suspicion and took in the visitor's attire. A crisp black suit was accented by polished shoes. It was a far cry from his own baggy jeans and T-shirt. This person looked dressed for business.
The only type of 'business' he had been associated with being negative, Inuyasha acted on pure reflex. "Whatever it is, I didn't do it!"
The man chuckled, "No, Inuyasha-sama. I assure you, you have done nothing. I just have a matter with over which I must discuss to you. If we could move to a more comfortable setting…?"
"I'm fine right here." He remained stiff, not about to let some stranger into his own house.
The stranger was not fazed in the slightest. "Very well then. I gather that you are the new owner of this magnificent mansion?"
"Yeah. So what?"
"You are aware that the previous owners died of grief over a misbehaving daughter?"
Inuyasha's distrust for the man grew. "Your point?"
He smiled serenely. "You see, when I was younger, an… item of my possession had been stolen and left in this area. Over the years, it had not been found, but I had an agreement that should this item be found, it would be returned to me immediately. I am a simple business man working on the border of Kyoto, and I would greatly appreciate your co-operation."
Not willing to trust the man, Inuyasha inquired of the issue further, "What's it look like?"
Almost as if he were aware of his intentions, the man's tone had taken on an almost amused quality. "It's almost worthless to most people, really. Just a small glass marble about the size of a robin's egg. Smaller, even. It is of a pink hue, sometimes appearing to be purple. If it is found, I can guarantee a most generous reward."
"If it's so worthless, then why do you want it?"
"It may have little market value, but its sentimental worth…"
A nagging doubt kept on eating away at Inuyasha's mind. "What makes you so sure it's on my property?"
The barest of aggression flickered over the man's face, only to be smoothed over by calmness again. This guy was even worse than Sesshoumaru. "Because it was given to one of the people who lived here to be watched over, but she died, and the marble wasn't seen again. This was the last place it had been kept."
The dog-eared man suddenly had the desire to get as far away as physically possible from the stranger. His smooth demeanour, indeed, even the air surrounding him all spoke of hidden agendas. "Fine. Fine. If I find this thing, you'll be notified. How will I reach you?"
The man gave his cellular phone number to Inuyasha, smiling once more. "I'm glad we have reached an agreement, Inuyasha-sama." He turned away from the door.
A thought struck the hanyou. "Wait." The stranger paused in his stride. "What's your name?"
The man hesitated, and should Inuyasha had seen his face, the hanyou would have seen the cruellest of smirks on his mouth. There was a pause in sound, and Inuyasha felt himself holding his breath. Why, he did not know, but it was clear that this man was a lot more than what he introduced himself as.
The silence was broken, "… You may call me… Naraku. Naraku Onigumo."
And he was gone.
Inuyasha jumped, brandishing the katana he held in his hand, and brought it down on a wooden target.
"Hyaaa!"
He had been training for several hours now, just having gotten around to testing out the dojo's equipment. The hanyou had never had much interest in archery, but the collection of other weapons had been astounding- far better than any public training place.
Most of the ancient styled weapons had rarely been used before, although a select few were quite worn. Most of the bows had been used quite often in the past. Though by whom, and to do what, Inuyasha didn't know. So far, he himself had tried several of the different sized swords, and was going to get around to using the twin blades.
Sweat ran down his athletically toned body, as he had discarded the shirt as soon as he had begun training. He was tanned from constant exposure to the sun, and no scars marred the smooth skin. That was one advantage to having demon blood- one healed quickly and efficiently.
Silver hair had been pulled back into a tie to keep it from interfering with his vision, and doggy ears were trained for any indications of intrusion. He practised bare-footed, never really liking to wear shoes in any setting, and he was dressed in a sole pair of work shorts.
If one were to watch him perform, they would be convinced that Inuyasha was, indeed, a professional martial artist and expert in handling weapons. Yet strangely enough, he had never really received any in depth lessons about all of the different ways to handle a weapon. The hanyou had taught himself by studying techniques, and trying them out for himself.
Pausing in his workout, Inuyasha tilted his head back, cracking his neck. He then walked over to a wall and replaced the twin blades. Taking a brief drink from a cooled water bottle, golden eyes scanned the walls for the next weapon to test.
There were throwing knives, doubled edged swords, flat sided daggers, spears, you name it, and it was here.
But wait-
He caught site of a katana that was kept on a wall away from the others. It had its own space, and was encased in a glass box. Curiously, Inuyasha approached the sword, and leaned in closer to read writing on a metal plate just above it.
"Tetsusaiga?"
Just then, the half demon became aware of a familiar scent approaching.
He groaned.
Not him again.
"Hello, brat."
"Back to you, old man."
It was Higurashi-san, who had returned after two days absence to attend to the cleaning needs of the shrine, and to offer some worship to the gods. Their last meeting, being their first, had ended up with the old man accepting the fact that the mansion would have a new residence. He had returned home in a huff, insisting that he would be back before long to make sure that Inuyasha wasn't 'desecrating the house'.
The senior walked up to the hanyou. "I see you are studying the Tetsusaiga."
Inuyasha turned his attention to the priest. "You know about it?"
"Indeed. It has a long history dating back to when the land was divided into regions, each overseen by a powerful demon. This sword is said to have belonged to the great Lord of the Western Lands. Some say that it was forged from the fangs of that great dog demon itself. It has the power to cut through magical barriers!"
"How'd it get here?" It seemed as though he was asking a lot of question today…
"The young mistress Izayoi had brought it here before her announcement of engagement. She said that it was a gift from her fiancé to her parents to win their approval. Her parents had rejected it, but Izayoi placed it here, encasing it in glass. I, myself, have never before seen the actual blade itself."
The half-demon reached out to open the small door on the side of the box.
"Stop!" The old man was suddenly between him and the sword.
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Higurashi-san shook his head. "You can't touch it. Several years ago, some demons came to try and bargain for the Tetsusaiga, but when they attempted to remove the katana, they were shocked. Whoever has demon blood flowing through their veins cannot break through the powerful seal placed on the sword, and it will reject them."
"Move aside, old man. I just want to try."
The priest hesitated before grudgingly shuffling out of his way. "If you get shocked, it's not my fault," was the grumbled warning.
The dog-eared man pulled the small door open, and reached inside the box to take hold of the sword's sheath. He tensed in anticipation as his clawed hands grabbed onto the wooden cover, but nothing happened. He turned a dry glance at the old man.
"Well?"
The keeper of the shrine shook his head. "The barrier comes into affect when one tries to draw the katana from its sheath. Simply touching it will not activate the seal."
Inuyasha placed a hand on each of the sheath and the Tetsusaiga's handle. There were a few preliminary sparks, and Higurashi-san took several steps back.
"I told you so…"
Snorting softly, the hanyou exerted strength in pulling the handle, and without warning, the blade suddenly came free from its sheath. Having expected for the katana to put up more of a struggle, Inuyasha was left with extra strength that promptly threw him off balance, landing on the floor with a thump.
"Dammit…" He threw a victorious glance backwards up at the old man. "Couldn't draw the sword, eh, jiji?"
The elder stared at the dog-eared man in disbelief. "You… pulled it out?"
"Heh." Inuyasha turned his attention back to the sword in his hand. His gaze turned deadpanned. "This is the legendary Tetsusaiga?"
"Of course it is! A blade with the power to kill a hundred demons in one swing!"
Standing up, the half demon turned around. He thrust out the katana into the senior's face. "This is some rusty, useless blade that couldn't even cut paper… wet!" Verily, the katana he held really was quite beaten up, with dozens of scratches littering the surface and spots of rust over it. This looked hardly like the fabled sword of legends. "Old man, you've been gypped."
Higurashi-san stared at the blade. "But surely, that is the Tetsusaiga! Mistress Izayoi told us herself!"
"Maybe my mother didn't get her facts straight." Inuyasha sheathed the blade and placed it back into its glass case. "Or maybe this really is the legendary katana. Maybe it's just been worn down through the ages." The door shut with a click. "At any rate, it isn't of any use to me right now. Maybe I'll sell it to some collector later…"
The priest's mouth dropped wide open in shock. "Sell the Tetsusaiga?! Are you insane? Even if it isn't of any use in combat, it is still a priceless heirloom that should remain in this family…"
The hanyou turned around with a raised eyebrow. "I was kidding. Don't get all worked up." He picked up his shirt from the ground and pulled it on. "Besides, even if I did want to get rid of the useless thing, you couldn't stop me." Inuyasha stood up and made his way towards the main entrance. "Now, if you would excuse me, I'm going to take a shower. Have fun cleaning."
Higurashi-san stood, glaring disapprovingly at the spot where the younger man had disappeared. He 'hmphed' and walked into the mini-shrine, picking up a broom.
"Kids these days…"
"I heard that!"
"Heard what?"
"Keh!"
"Good. He's gone."
Inuyasha stepped into the main entrance once he'd made sure that the old man had left. After training, the shower had helped to relieve his nerves during that confrontation with 'Naraku'. All through the morning, he'd been thinking about that strange man, and how fake he had appeared to be. The training had only provided a distraction for his thoughts, but with that done, he needed something new to do.
What to do… Where to go…
Then, his thoughts turned to the garden.
It was about time he checked it out. At any rate, there wasn't anything else that Inuyasha had to do. All through the past five days, he had been busy examining and working on his house to really do anything recreational. In fact, if he thought about it, it'd been two days since he'd last been outside to just have fun.
The hanyou slid open the main entrance and walked outside, shielding his eyes from the bright afternoon sun. It was the summer, and the temperature of the days in this area could easily rocket into the high thirties. Luckily, the house had come equipped with AC and heating.
Inuyasha surveyed the perimeter of his property and was suddenly struck by how lonely it was here. He had never really lived alone, either living in a house full of servants, or with a roommate. But now, here he was, in the middle of countryside, in a huge mansion, living all his lonesome self. The nearest house was a good ten miles down the road, and Inuyasha had yet to buy a car. -Not that he'd really visit his neighbours…
The golden-eyed man made his way around the house, taking almost longer that five minutes to reach the back. He could have saved himself a lot of time by simply using the smaller doors located on the sides of the house, but he hadn't surveyed the extent of his property just yet. The surrounding land was a spacious area with a small man-made stream running along the sides. There was a small bridge extending from one side of the stream to the other, and as he neared the back, he noticed a small fishpond at either corner of the back yard.
Upon closer inspection, Inuyasha found that the entire property was based on symmetry and balance. Where there was one bridge, another one mirrored it on the other side of the house. In fact, even in the mansion itself, the different room each had a counterpart on the other side.
Then, just past where the river bent to run along the back of the year, the stones of the legendary wall came into view. A solitary bridge of white stone stretched across the river, leading to the enclosed area. The hanyou could only gape at the sheer height of the thing.
"Holy shit."
It was so high that even the half demon was certain that he wouldn't be able to leap over it. It rose easily five times Inuyasha's height, ending at the top with a flat row of worn down stones.
The half demon jogged around the enclosed space that seemed to be about one third of the area of the house itself, He could find no doors- at least, doors that weren't covered by the thick growth on the lower wall. It seemed as though the plants grew on the wall, rather than through the cracks. Every square inch was covered in green, and not a single speck of grey interrupted the colouring. However, there were small flowers dotted here and there, growing among the twisting vines. The flowers came in all the different colours of the spectrum. Of what kind they were, he could not tell.
He had completed a full circle around the structure, and could find no evidence of entry. The half demon studied the wall. As his gaze moved higher, Inuyasha noticed that that the vines thinned out near the middle, and then receded so the upper wall was left completely bare. He reached out a clawed hand and tentatively touched the overgrowth.
Nothing happened. These so-called 'magical' vines felt no different from normal ones.
"Psh. It's just a bunch of plants," dismissed the half demon. He cracked his knuckles, readying the sharp claws. Then, the hanyou suddenly brought his right hand down. "Sankon Tetsusou!"
At first, it seemed as the attack had worked as leaves fell from the wall, and vines littered the floor before the wall. An adequate chunk of the greenery fell to the ground with a soft thump. Inuyasha could clearly see the grey stone, and raised his right foot to kick through it. A smirk made its way onto his face. But just as his bare foot came into contact with the wall, there was a sudden pulse, and the hanyou was thrown clear across the grass…
"Uwah!"
…and into the waiting river.
Surfacing from the cold water, Inuyasha spluttered irritably. "Damn it! I just took a fucking shower!"
He climbed out of the river, silver hair sticking to his back and face. The half-demon stood up and shook himself dry, much in the fashion of a dog. He raised his gaze back to the wall and glared darkly at it. The space that had been cleared was once again, covered in a new growth of vines. The flowers seemed to twinkle innocently at him.
'Stupid enchantment…'
Suddenly, the sound of light laughter reached his ears. The dog-ears twitched, and Inuaysha frowned. It was extremely faint, almost as if it was from far away. A subtle scent invaded his nose, and it smelled almost… like the freshness of spring. The scent was like a fresh breeze of wind carrying a hint of spring flowers. It came from…
…but it had to be impossible! The scent seemed to originate from the garden itself!
Slowly, almost cautiously, the hanyou raised his gaze along the vine-covered wall. As the stone became more prevalent, his nerves began to tense. There was an almost tangible tingling in the air. A strong wind picked up, circling around Inuyasha and blowing torn leaves around him in a swirl.
Golden eyes continued to travel upwards, and then they widened in pure and absolute shock.
'Wh- what the hell?!'
A pair of sandal-covered feet had entered his vision, and even as he looked up, red fabric joined them, followed by a pair of delicate entwined hands. Then, the red cut off, and was replaced by white. Finally, raven locks covered the white, and his sight stopped on a face.
A strangely familiar face.
Gold rested on ocean blue, and Inuyasha's heart stopped beating. His mouth dropped open.
"You…"
It was her.
The girl from the painting.
It must be! She was sitting on top of the stone wall!
Even from this distance, he could make out the small smile on her face. Light laughter reached his twitching ears. Yet in those eyes, those deep blue eyes, there was a layer of pain and sadness.
He stepped closer.
Then stopped.
There was something wrong with that girl.
"What-?"
She seemed almost translucent, as if she weren't completely there. In fact, he could just make out the contours of the rocks behind her through her hakama. Raven hair blew gently in the wind that seemed to have only just picked up. Inuyasha stood, transfixed by the vision in front of him. She was so… otherworldly.
"Who… are you?"
There was no answer as she seemed to steadily study him.
An unexpected snap of twigs snapped him out of his daze, and the hanyou whipped his gaze to his right on reflex.
There was nothing there.
But once he raised his eyes to the top of wall again, he found nothing. He searched desperately for the slight indication of a person having been there, anything at all, but there was absolutely nothing at all.
"Where…?"
She was gone.
That is, if she had ever been there to begin with.
But as if sensing that Inuyasha had begun to doubt his eyes, a soft wind blew around him, carrying with it the scent of spring. The familiar tingling of soft laughter reached his ears even thought there was no source of it. He closed his eyes, suddenly calm, and he knew.
It hadn't been an illusion.
The legendary spirit truly was real.
Now he just needed to figure out how to get through with her.
Chapter THREE (obviously)
Thanks to all my lovely reviewers… you guys inspire me to write more since someone coughbetacough refuses to help me on this story… However, she seems to have no aversion towards bugging me to write for LD…:
-- Katami:
Thanks for the compliment! And the review too!
-- Inuyasha Chick210:Movie? Which movie? And, the romance will come soon. I'll look into your suggestion when, and if he finds a way to enter the garden…
-- animemistress419:
Thanks for your review! I'm trying to type these chapters out as fast as I can with all these interruptions…!
-- FieryDemonFox:
Mystery? Then what did this chapter do? Add more mystery? I sure hope so… Thanks for the review!
-- Clearwater-Faerie:
Who doesn't? But alas, not everybody is as rich as he is… you think he'll give it away once the story's done? Oh lala…
-- Samieko
I fully intend to stick by this story to the end… Thanks for the review!
-- kokoro
Miss sadfacepoopohead? o.O Okay… I'm not sure what to say to that one… .;; But he'll get into the garden soon… I hope.
-- Sarcasm Girl8
Review responses? Yeah. So, did this chapter provide any clues on how he's going to get in? And… Kagome? Did I say anything about Kagome? innocent expression I fully intend to keep you people doubting my motives till I reveal everything… XD (It's not working, is it? -.-)
-- sashlea
Isn't he? He is now a combination of Toutousai, Higurashi-ji-chan, and Myouga. I just can't figure out a way to have them all in the story… -.-;;
-- Love ur story .
A rock or a bush? That could be a fitting role for Kikyou, but no, she's not going to be non-existent. She'll play a (be it a minor) part in Kag's life while she… whoops! I've said too much! Thanks for the review!
-- Poison Death Tree
Interesting penname! Thanks for the review, and- 10/10? Wow. Thanks!
Translation:
Hakama - pants
[What is there to say? I may have gotten a little… descriptive somewhere near the beginning half of the chapter… (Oooh… shirtless Inuyasha) Keep in mind that Japanese names have the family name before the given name, so in the Americas, he would be: Onigumo (given) Naraku (last).
Now, let's have a vote:
Inuyasha/Kagome or Inuyasha/Kikyou?
My mind is pretty much already set (Inu/Kag all the way, baby!), but I'm just interested in what you readers out there like… And, any guesses as to how he'd going to get in?
Ugh. I've gotten used to typing in HTML format, and now I can't switch back to Word. Just when fanfiction.net decides to allow .doc documents, I can't revert back to it… -.-;; Oh well. I'll just have to use quickedit more often… Thank heavens for that.
Till next time…
Ja!]