Disclaimer: I don't own Kagura, Sesshoumaru and the rest of the Inuyasha characters mentioned here. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi. But I do own Kagura's new identity.
A/N: This chapter contains locations and still some reference from the IY: JnK game.
Koeshi headed for the Field of Ignorance later that day, hoping to find Sesshoumaru. It was where he, his servant Jaken, and the human girl, Rin camped out. She took a forest road that led to a small town called Rindoh Village, which leads to the Field of Ignorance. Koeshi traveled on, thinking of what she'll say as a proposal to the youkai lord.
"Hmm…good day, M'lord. I am in pursuit of Naraku and- wait, that's not right!" Koeshi said to herself. She then went from sophisticated to uncouth. "Hey. I was wondering if an idiot like you would help me- WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING? He'll kill me!" Koeshi screamed. It was proving to be difficult. But she is merely in the stage of convincing Sesshoumaru, which was the easy part! Now that she's not Kagura, she can't bad-mouth or speak to Sesshoumaru like a commoner anymore. He'll hurt her for sure if she did that.
"Darn it…why does he have to be a youkai lord?" Koeshi asked herself irritably. "Now I have to be all noble and weenie-like…" But then, some other thing struck Koeshi. Since she was born out of Naraku, she has the same scent he has…and Seshoumaru would never trust her with anything if she smelled like that bastard.
"Oh great! There's no way I could get rid of Naraku's stench!" Koeshi fumed. "Now Sesshoumaru would never help me! He'll probably try to kill me instead. But I have to try…" She continued walking down the forest path, and then suddenly heard a scream. What the heck? Koeshi dashed towards the direction of the scream. She arrived at a forest clearing and saw a child being attacked by a demon. The boy screamed, in fear of losing his life.
"Please! Someone, help me! Help me!" He cried. The demon laughed menacingly, as one of his arms mutated into a blade.
"Blagahahahaha! No one will hear you scream, foolish boy!" the demon threatened. "Mmmm! And nothing satisfies me more than a tasty human kid!" He then drove his arm towards the little boy. The child shut his eyes tightly. But then, a shuriken appeared out of nowhere and deflected his attack. The demon was startled. "What the- who's there?" Koeshi then appeared in the clearing.
"You should be ashamed of yourself…picking on little kids." Koeshi said, walking over to the demon. She put one hand on the hilt of her katana. "Back away from the boy."
"Stupid ninja! Don't you have any idea who I am?" The demon asked furiously. Koeshi said nothing, a bored expression on her face. "I am the blade demon, Akuha!" The demon declared. Actually, he looked sort of human. Akuha had messy raven hair, a pair of ominous lime green eyes and he wore a dirty, gray kimono. He had pointy demon ears and green markings on his face, somewhat similar Sesshoumaru's red ones.
"Oh…that's a hoot." Koeshi yawned. "Y'know, that all high-and-mighty accent of your has gotta go. It makes you look like a jabbering idiot." The demon grimaced at her remark and the whole of his body started to alter. Akuha had both of his arms mutate into blades. Numerous sharp metal spikes generated from his back and stuck out of it, ripping the back of his kimono. Dagger-like blades wedged out of his shoulders and elbows. Even his feet became jagged shards of metal. Akuha has now become some sort of living blade himself. Koeshi became a little uneasy. She readied her combat stance, so she wouldn't be caught off guard.
"Impudent fool! For you insolence, I command you to DIE!" Akuha stormed and lunged towards Koeshi. He swung one arm blade at her, but the nimble ninja flipped back and evaded the attack. Koeshi drew her sword and stuck herself on the nearby tree, driving the blade into its trunk.
"Hey! I don't take commands from anyone anymore!" Koeshi taunted, still able to smirk in the middle of a battle. "What make you think I'll submit to a freak like you?" Akuha's frowned wrinkled even more. He reverted his blades back into his normal arms and raised them towards Koeshi. The ninja pulled her sword out of the trunk, and started to move. The blades on Akuha's back disappeared…and then started to shoot out of the palms of his hands. Koeshi ran as fast as she could, as Akuha still chased her with his projectiles.
"You can't keep on running forever! I never run out of ammo to throw at you!" Akuha said proudly. Koeshi furrowed her eyebrows. He's right…the blades keep on coming from his body… Koeshi thought, still running in circles around the demon. She then spotted the little boy. He had his hands over his head, crying. Koeshi knew she couldn't run ceaselessly, so she just had to take the kid and leave.
"Give up, ninja? Eventually, you won't have the strength to run anymore." Akuha mocked Koeshi. She just ignored the demon and broke her running circle. Koeshi ran towards a tree, Akuha's blades still shooting at her. The ninja ran up the tree, as the blades followed her, leaving a trail on the trunk.
Pesky freak! She thought. As Koeshi was about to reach the end of the trunk, she kicked off of the tree and glided over Akuha, who still followed her with a steady stream of blades. Koeshi then swooped down from her jump and laded on the grass in front of the little boy.
"Let's go kid. I'm getting you outta here." Koeshi whispered to the boy. The child's eyes shone with relief. Akuha saw Koeshi preparing to leave with his victim and stopped shooting his blades, and altered his arms into sword blades again. He ran towards the two, not wanting them to leave the forest alive.
"I won't let you get away!" Akuha shouted, racing in for the kill. He lifted an arm and continued to run. Koeshi's eyes widened in distress, as the assailant came closer.
"Climb onto my back, kid! Hurry!" Koeshi directed the kid. The boy immediately complied and climbed onto Koeshi's back. Akuha swung his arm down for a strike. But Koeshi jumped up a tree, just in time before the demon had sliced them in half. Akuha's arm bashed into the tree's trunk.
"Damn you ninja! There's no where to run now!" He withdrew his arm from the trunk and jumped to slash the leafy top of the tree. Akuha slashed the top part of the tree, until it dropped to the ground…but then, there was no one in there. The ninja and the kid have escaped.
"Curse you, insolent ninja!"
Outskirts of Rindoh Village,
Koeshi was now walking with the kid she rescued. She worked up such a big appetite and fatigue from her battle against Akuha, and the little boy offered her to stay in his house as a sign of thanks. The kid still couldn't believe his luck.
"Thank you so much for rescuing me from that demon." The boy timidly said, eyes fixed on Koeshi. "I couldn't imagine what would've happened if you hadn't saved me!"
"It's nothing. You should only be more careful next time." Koeshi said to the boy, not making eye contact. "What were you doing there in the first place? It's dangerous for a kid to play in a forest full of demons!"
"Aww! You sound just like my grandpa! I was just collecting some nuts, see!" The kid showed Koeshi a bag with some nuts in it. Koeshi merely let out a subtle chuckle. "'Don't go in the forest…blah, blah…' But I can't argue with him. After all he is the village elder." Koeshi thought about what the kid said.
Village elder, huh? Koeshi pondered to herself, still walking. He might know something about how to counteract Naraku's essence. She then looked at the little boy. The child was wearing a yellow boy's yukata, and was wearing sandals. "What's your name, kid?"
"Who me?" The kid asked, looking at his companion. "My name's Chiba."
"Oh…ok." Koeshi said in response. After a few moments of walking, they came to stop in front of the village entrance. It looked peaceful and normal enough.
"Here we are! This is Rindoh Village!" Chiba said proudly, showing the ninja the fields and houses visible from the entrance. "Come on! My house is over that-a-way!" The boy pointed at a non-existent house. Koeshi then got the message that the house is further in the village. They entered and the boy showed Koeshi around his humble village. The villagers just stared at Koeshi, wondering what a ninja was doing in their village. Koeshi avoided eye contact as much as she could.
"This path leads to the secret hot spring..." Chiba pointed at a pathway to the east. "But it's not really a secret, since the grown-ups call travelers to it to make money." Koeshi just nodded, as they continued into the village. "And here're the fields! We grow different kinds of food here." Koeshi saw the cattle by the rice fields, and some chickens, too. Then they came to a two-way road. There was one path that led to the north, and another that lead to the east again.
"What's over there?" Koeshi pointed to the east path.
"Oh, that's the village shrine." Chiba said. "My house is over there in the north." The child pointed at the other pathway. "Let's go!" They continued to move north. Chiba kept on pointing at houses and things around the village, while Koeshi did nothing but nod.
"Um…Chiba, you said that your grandfather is the village elder, right?" Koeshi asked the boy.
"Yeah, why do you ask?" Chiba asked back. Koeshi shook her head, instructing Chiba to forget about what she said. The two of them then arrived in a village segment where there was a house, a little larger than the others. Next to the house was wooden well. Koeshi greeted the people hanging around there. They greeted the boy, but ignored Koeshi.
"Okay! Ninja-lady, welcome to my house!" Chiba said enthusiastically to Koeshi. "C'mon! Grandpa might pass out if he doesn't see me soon." Koeshi agreed and stepped inside the child's humble home. The inside was as simple as the exterior of the house. There weren't too many decorations, just a few scrolls hanging on the walls with proverbs written on them. There was a small kitchen, and a small gathering place right in the middle. Koeshi and Chiba saw an elderly man sitting on the wooden "living room" (I don't know what that gathering spot is called) floor. He had long gray hair, which was tied back, a lengthy beard and a pair of sharp, beady eyes. He was wearing a dark blue kimono. His eyes immediately shot at Chiba and his visitor.
"I'm home, grandpa!" Chiba said happily, running to his grandpa. "Look grandpa! I got some nuts!" The old man just sighed and shook his head.
"…You went in the forest again." The old man said. Chiba lowered his head in guilt. Chiba's grandpa turned to his grandson and held his shoulders. "The forest is a dangerous place for a small boy like you. There are demons and other bad elements there!" The old man lectured Chiba. But his voice wasn't threatening or hostile in any way. Chiba simply agreed and apologized to his grandpa.
"That is alright. Just heed my warnings next time." The old man said to Chiba, patting the boy's back. Chiba's grandpa then noticed a ninja standing at the doorway. Koeshi did nothing but stare at him with scarlet eyes. "Ah, a visitor. Please, make yourself comfortable."
"Yeah! Sit here! Sit here!" Chiba a spot on the floor, ushering Koeshi in a place to sit. Koeshi complied and sat down opposite to Chiba's grandpa. "She's the ninja I met in the forest!"
"I am the village elder, Yosaku, and I see you've met my grandson Chiba." The old man introduced himself to the ninja. Chiba just smiled. "And you are…?"
"Koeshi. Pleased to meet you." Koeshi said simply to the old man.
"So, what brings a ninja like you to a humble village such as ours?" Yosaku inquired, smiling.
"I'm just passing through this village. I'm headed for the Field of Ignorance." Koeshi explained the whole deal about why she's there.
"Oh, is that so? Well, did you have any trouble coming here?" Yosaku asked. Koeshi looked at Chiba, whose eyes seemed to say "please don't tell grandpa!" or some other worried remark. Their eyes connected in communication, and that didn't escape Yosaku. Koeshi then decided not to tell about the whole demon thing.
"No. Not at all. Your grandkid just guided me to your village." Koeshi hid a large chunk of the previous events. Yosaku merely nodded, while Chiba subtly raised a thumb. Koeshi smiled a little. "And he offered me to stay in your house…I think I'll be leaving soon. Thanks anyways." But then, Chiba stopped her.
"No, please! Stay for the night! You must be tired from…uh…" Chiba thought of an alternate reason why Koeshi is tired, so that his grandpa won't find out that he was attacked earlier, and Koeshi used her energy to save him. "Helping me gather nuts! Yeah, the nuts!" Chiba grinned nervously. Koeshi tried to keep herself from laughing.
"Oh…alright. Koeshi, you are welcome to stay the night in our house." Yosaku said to his grandson and then to the ninja. Chiba smiled joyfully at her, rejoicing that his savior would stay. Koeshi remained silent, but deep inside her, she was so happy that she is welcomed by these considerate people.
-o-o-o-o-
It soon became dark in Rindoh village. The townspeople were beginning to finish off for the day. The cattle were back in their stalls, the chickens were back in the coop, and most of the people are back in their houses, enjoying a good meal. Chiba, Yosaku and Koeshi were also feasting on a delicious stew Yosaku made from beef and mountain vegetables.
"This sure is great, grandpa! Mmmm!" Chiba said with his mouth full, bits of rice around his mouth. Yosaku chuckled happily. "Don't you think its great, Koeshi?" Chiba then asked the ninja. But it was like Koeshi didn't hear anything. She just continued eating. Of the three of them, Koeshi was the one who enjoyed the food most of all.
"Wow…she seems to really like your cooking, grandpa." Chiba said, observing the ninja eat. And why wouldn't she? This was her first true meal since she ran away from her life as Naraku's pawn. She had to put up with makeshift meals of hunted animals and fruits from forest trees. Koeshi continued to scarf down her bowl of rice, savoring the flavorful dinner. She was already eating her third bowl. Yosaku and Chiba were amazed at how much Koeshi can consume, that they paused just to watch her eat. Koeshi sensed that they were watching her eat. She slowly stopped chewing the vegetables in her mouth and swallowed them with one big conscious gulp.
"…I'm sorry…I haven't eaten in days." Koeshi said, putting down her chopsticks and bowl. Yosaku and Chiba were driven to apologize.
"No, no! Go ahead, eat! It was rude of us to gawk at you while you were eating." Yosaku said, directing Koeshi to resume eating. Koeshi just managed to let out a short, but carefree laugh. When the three of them finished eating (actually, when Yosaku and Chiba were done waiting for Koeshi to finish eating! ), Chiba had a sudden idea for fun.
"Hey, hey! How about we do shadow puppets?" Chiba proposed happily. Koeshi said nothing. She knew what shadow puppets were, but never actually got to do them. She seemed keen to the idea.
"That's a splendid idea, Chiba." Yosaku said in acknowledgement. "How about we let our guest go first. We'll try to guess what you will form, Koeshi." Yosaku said to the ninja. Koeshi then pointed to herself.
"Me? But I don't know any-"
"Come on! It's easy! You just use your hands to form an animal or something else, and then cast its shadow on the wall." Chiba pointed at a blank, white wall. "It's kind of a visualization game, really. You can do it!" The boy smiled at the ninja. Upon seeing the boy smile like that, Koeshi couldn't bring herself to turn him down. Besides, she secretly wanted to try it. Koeshi sighed and raised contorted her fingers by the candle. A sort of mangled shadow of a hare was cast on the wall. Chiba then raised his hand in excitement.
"Ooh! Ooh! I know! Pick me, pick me!" Chiba volunteered eagerly. Yosaku chortled at the sight of his willing grandson. Koeshi called Chiba to answer. "It's two worms fighting over a boulder!"
"No it isn't! It's supposed to be a rabbit!" Koeshi contested, but with a happy tone in her voice. "Look, there're the ears!"
"They look like worms!"
"Ahahahaha! It's meant to be a bunny! But the ears do look like worms…" Koeshi found herself having fun with these two people. She never expected that she would experience happiness with humans. She also seemed to have forgotten about her problems with Naraku and Sesshoumaru for a while. But something else in Koeshi was moved. Yosaku and Chiba treat her like she belongs. It seems that she does have a real family at that time.
-o-o-o-o-
After a while of eating, talking and a little fun, the night grew deeper. Chiba was put to sleep by Yosaku, while Koeshi was outside, looking at the stars again. She stood by a tree, watching the radiant lights frolic in the night sky.
"Sesshoumaru…" Koeshi whispered. "…I wish there's a way to cancel out the essence." She then remembered the main reason why she did come with Chiba in Rindoh Village. Koeshi returned inside the house and saw Yosaku still awake. The gathering place was lit by the same candles they used for playing shadow puppets. Koeshi noticed that Chiba was already asleep.
"Oh, he's sleeping already." Koeshi said to Yosaku, sitting in front of the old man.
"Yes. All that fun must've worn him out." Yosaku chuckled merrily. Koeshi just subtly smiled.
"…So…Chiba's living with you." Koeshi said. "What happened to his parents?" Yosaku paused for a while.
"His parents were killed by Naraku. When his parents were traveling one night in the forest, Naraku attacked them." Yosaku said sadly. Koeshi felt her absent heart well with anger. Damn you, Naraku! Now I want to kill you even more! It was then that Koeshi realized that she has grown fond of the little boy.
"I can sense something bothering you." Yosaku suddenly said in the midst of silence.
"…" Koeshi remained silent for a while. "…Yes. There is."
"Would you like to tell me? I could give you some advice." Yosaku offered. Koeshi just nodded. "Okay then."
"You see, I'm in a personal mission to slay Naraku." Koeshi explained. Yosaku continued to listen. "But…I couldn't do it alone."
"Hmm…I see. You are an interesting one. You want to annihilate your creator." Yosaku said. Koeshi was surprised. How did Yosaku know about that? "There is no need for apprehension. I knew you were one of his detachments from the moment I saw you." From that point, Koeshi just stared in astonishment at the old man.
"I felt Naraku's dark aura around you…" Yosaku continued. "But there was something different about it. There was a sort of contradicting energy." Koeshi leered a bit.
"It's gotta be my hatred. Naraku is a tyrant." Koeshi clenched her fists tightly, as if Naraku's neck was in them. "I want to kill him."
"Hmm…and because of that hatred, you went to the extent of becoming someone else." Yosaku's voice grew very serious. Koeshi listened intently. "You aren't a true ninja, are you?" Then there was a short lull. Koeshi confirmed that she wasn't a true ninja.
"I'm formerly known as Kagura, the wind demon. A servant of Naraku…I tricked him into thinking I died. Now everyone I know thinks I'm dead." Koeshi's voice became faint. But it suddenly became sturdy again. "But that's as far as I'm gonna go! I can't take it anymore! He deserves to rot in hell!" Koeshi shut her eyes tight and let her head fall in frustration. Yosaku stroked his beard, thinking about Koeshi's strange, but sad past.
"Hmm…I sense another problem." Yosaku said. "Killing Naraku isn't your only problem, is it?" Koeshi pulled herself together and continued to chat with Yosaku.
"No. I want to get the help of Sesshoumaru, the demon lord." Koeshi explained. "He's also after Naraku. But since I carry his essence, Sesshoumaru might refuse…or worse…hurt me. He also doesn't know I'm still alive. If there was only some way to neutralize Naraku's aura from me…"
"Neutralization, eh? I think I can help you." Yosaku said. Koeshi's eyes lit up with hope. "There is an old rumor about a talisman that could cancel out the essence of evil from a being. The Amulet of Negation…yes, I believe that's what they called it."
"Where can I find this talisman? Please tell me!" Koeshi begged Yosaku, fists clenched even tighter.
"It is said to be located deep within a cave in the heart of a forest west of here." Yosaku informed Koeshi. "Although they say that the cave has many traps and challenges. Many have tried to get that amulet but failed."
"Well, count me as different! I'm going there first thing in the morning." Koeshi bravely declared. Yosaku merely smiled.
"Okay then. Well, it's getting late. You have to save all that energy for your journey tomorrow." Yosaku said. Koeshi agreed. "But remember this: the challenges in the cave may be difficult, but to every problem, there is a solution. Be alert." Yosaku said his final words to Koeshi.
"Okay." Responded the ninja. "Thank you, Yosaku." She went to a futon next to Chiba and laid herself to rest for the coming day. Koeshi felt happy when she went to sleep. She didn't expect to be welcomed by these people. An on top of that, Koeshi didn't expect that she would come to care for these humans. They treated her like one of their own. She really felt like she fitted in for the first time in a happy, normal family.