I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha anime series; Rumiko Takahashi does. I just own Yume. Myoga is going to explain Yume's intentions and reasons for being. Forgive me if it seems confusing. If his explanation is too long and difficult to understand let me know and I'll do my best to fix it up. But remember...constructive criticism is welcomed and bashers ignored! Got it? Good!
Translations:
Sama - Lord
Baka - Idiot
Youkai - Demon
Nani - What?
Demo - But
Yamero - Stop it
Hoshi - Low ranking monk (When Sango says it she's being nice to Miroku)
Hanyou - Half demon
Kitsune - Fox demon
Mou - Enough
Masaka - Impossible
Damere - Shut up
Chapter 8
Pacing back fourth with nothing but the change of his master on his mind; Jaken grumbled on as Rin journeyed on further through the field picking flowers of different colors and scents.
"What about this bouquet Jaken? Do you think Sesshomaru will like it?" Rin questioned; shoving a bouquet of red roses in his face.
"Do you think I care?"
"What?"
"It doesn't matter! He likes ANYTHING you give him!" Eyes wide as he blurted the sentence out.
Rin's eyes widening and a big smile came across her lips at the thought.
"OH no…why'd I tell her that!"
"EXCELLENT! Oh Jaken-sama!" She cried happily; squeezing Jaken's neck as she hugged him his face turning purple.
"I'm so happy!"
"WONDERFUL…! NOW Please? Cough! I can't! Cough! Can't breathe!" He muttered through breaths.
"Oh! Forgive me!" She replied as she let him go.
"Then these roses will be perfect!"
"Yes…" Jaken sighed as he picked up his two headed-staff from off the ground.
Searching around the field for more she sighed in slight dismay as she looked down at the lovely bouquet.
"What's wrong now?" Jaken sighed.
"Oh…white roses would be nice too!" She replied as she went a bit deeper into the field.
"EHH! RIN!"
"I just want to get a few!"
"But you have enough red ones!" Jaken protested; the thought of staying any longer in a field of smelly plants aggravated his stomach.
"I want to put them in my hair!"
"Your hair…?"
"I want Sesshomaru to tell me whether I look pretty with them in my hair or not."
Jaken just collapses on the floor in aggravation with her femininity.
"Unbelievable! This girl…!"
"I won't be long!"
"Hey! Wait a minute!"
"La la la la…Sesshomaru and Jaken…" Rin begins in a harmonious tone as she walks further into the fields for a white rose.
"RIN! Get back here! You can't leave without me!"
"Who says!" She teased; ignoring Jaken's orders.
"Now now…that's not how a lady should act." Replied a mysterious voice.
"That voice…" Rin muttered as she searched around the area for the familiar voice.
"Where are you?"
"Right here."
"Oh!"
In front of Rin was woman. She sat on a log with a white rose in her hand.
"She's…she's so pretty…" Rin thought as se walked over to the woman.
"RIN!" Jaken called out as he searched for her.
"Is this what you wanted my dear?"
"Yes…thank you…" She replied; amazed by the beauty of the white rose in her hand.
Rin gasped as she felt the woman placing her into her lap.
"Ummm…" Rin began shyly; confused at what the woman was doing.
"It's lovely…isn't it?" She asked; as she patted Rin on her head and fixed the flower properly in her hair.
"You put it in my hair…" Rin smiled as she felt the rose petals gliding off her finger.
"You look very lady like with this in your hair Rin."
"How do you know my name?" Rin questioned. Her eyes widening as she began to figure out the woman.
"Are you! Are you the woman from my dream? The woman who asked me to come here to the field of Ignorance?"
"Yes…" She smiled whole-heartedly.
"RIN! What are you doing!"
"Jaken-sama!"
"Why are you talking to this stranger! You know better than that!" Jaken yelled.
"I'm sorry…I…" Rin began.
As Jaken went to hit her the mysterious woman stopped Jaken in his tracks and forced him to hit himself with his own staff.
"Owch! How the!" Jaken growled as he rubbed the big bump that formed above his head.
"How cute…are you her babysitter?" The woman chuckled.
"WHA? Cute!" Jaken growled at the comment. "Lady! Do you know who I am!"
"Yes…Jaken…the toad demon…the loyal advisor to the great Lord of the Western Land; Sesshomaru."
"Wha!" His eyes wide at the woman's knowledge of himself and his lord.
"You know my Lord?" Rin asked innocently.
"Your lord? Hmmm…is he your father dear?"
"Ummm…well…"
"NO! He is not! My Lord never bared a HUMAN child!"
"I didn't think so. Sesshomaru is too good to give into the heart of a human woman…and yet…" Yume began. "You follow him around as if you were his daughter…how interesting…"
"Who are you wench!"
"My name is Lady Yume Harin. I am a priestess…commander of the elements and protector of the Field of Ignorance.
The little girl just stood there along side Jaken with a baffled look on her face. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think that she would come face to face with the woman who vowed to stop her pain and grant her every wish. Nor did she think would look so remarkably beautiful. She was as pretty as one of the dolls she had seen in one of the villages she had passed while traveling with Jaken and Sesshomauru.
Unlike Rin though; Jaken was unimpressed with the lovely priestess; she only reminded him of the undead priestess Sesshomaru met with a while back near the Tree of Ages.
"Rin! Come now! You've picked your dumb flowers! Lord Sesshomaru is waiting for us!"
"Oh? The Lord actually waits for you when your out?"
"Yes! Always!" Rin replied excitedly.
"RIN?" Jaken growled.
"What? He does!" Rin jeered.
"Baka!" Jaken yelled as he went to hit her with his staff; only to be hit (again) by Yume.
"Sorcerers! Stop your games! I tier of this nonsense!" Jaken growled as he rubbed his sore head.
"If you…my dear toad Youkai would be so kind as to leave me and the girl for a moment then perhaps I will."
"NANI?" Jaken's mouth fell open; watching as the white sakura petals that once laid on the ground began to rise to his level. "Enough flora trickery wench!" Jaken growled as he stuck his staff in the ground; it's two headed base opening up.
"Behold the power of the staff wiiiaaaahhhaaaaaaaa…." His small body flying off and over into the open base of a tree a few feet away from this spot.
"Of course…" Yume smiled as her brown eyes met with stern looking gold ones placed squarely on hers. "Lord Sesshoumaru I presume?"
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin jeered as she ran into the side of the tall dog demon.
Feeling the human pup clamp onto his leg as she greeted him he only placed a hand on her head and gently moved her aside so he could walk towards the human woman that kept his pup and retainer from returning.
"I'm so sorry…did I worry you?" Yume asked sarcastically.
Ignoring the woman Sesshoumaru looks down at Rin with his usual expression.
"Rin…what have I told you about talking to strangers?"
"You told Rin not to." She answered in a mind manner tone.
"Please…there is no need for reprimandment. I was the one taking time out of the young girl's flower picking." She answered as she picked up her baton. "She has such wonderful manners…you've taught her well."
Sesshoumaru said nothing to the woman. Out of the corner of his eye he only stared; he had nothing to say to such a fool hearty and idealistic being. He only nodded his head to prove he understood her statement.
"She is like this on her own accord." Sesshoumaru muttered as he showed her back to her. "Rin…go back to AhUn."
"Demo…" She whispered. Hesitating she sighed. "Okay." She replied quickly. "Thank you for the flower priestess Harin-sama." She answered as she ran back to the dragon transport; leaving the demon and the 'priestess' alone.
"Something bothering you Lord Sesshoumaru?" She asked one hand on her hip while the other was around her stick.
"You're scent…" He muttered in low a voice.
"Pardon?"
"Stay away from this field." He answered in a monotonous voice. "Or the next time we meet I will be forced to kill you." He growled as he walked away from the woman.
"Fine." She answered; watching as the Youkai Lord of the West disappeared in the falling flowers. "I have what I need."
"Ahhh…you have arrived." Greeted the old priestess; Kaede.
"You lecherous Monk!" Growled a more then infuriated Sango with a pleading Monk behind her.
"I apologize! A hundred times I apologize!" Miroku went on.
"Yamero hoshi-sama…" Sango mumbled as she sat down with Kilala in her lap.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha whispered to the silent priestess. She only glanced at him; a hint of anger in her eyes.
"You're still mad at me?"
"Sit…" She growled.
Inuyasha's face slammed into the ground with a loud thud.
"What do you think?" Shippou asked; standing on top of the hanyou's head. "GET OFF!" Inuyasha growled as he swiped at the fleeing kitsune.
"Mou, mou. We have more important things to be discussing; yes?"
"Yes Lady Kaede." Kagome replied as she pulled out the half formed Shikon Jewel from her bag; wincing as she palmed it.
"Kagome?" Sango replied as she noticed the pained look in her eyes.
"It's nothing Sango…I nicked myself yesterday when struggling with the jewel."
"Hmmm…what a magnificent cut." Myoga replied as he sucked at the graze on Kagome's finger.
"Get off her!" Inuyasha growled as he flicked the flea demon off of Kagome's finger to examine the cut.
"It's just a scratch Inuyasha…" She muttered as she snatched her finger away from the hanyou's hand.
"Something isn't right…" Kaede muttered as she examined the Shikon Jewel.
"What is the matter Lady Kaede?"
"The Jewel of Four Souls…I sense a strange aura from it…"
"Are you kidding? It smells like the jewel. There can't be anything wrong with it."
"Doesn't mean that it is the jewel Inuyasha."
"Masaka…" He muttered as he tended to Kagome's finger. "Kagome would of sensed it." He replied as he tied the bandage on Kagome's finger. "Right Kagome?"
"I…ehhh…!" She muttered; her eyes widening as she stared at the jewel.
"Lady Kagome?" Mirkoku asked.
"What's wrong?"
"The demon…! Inuyasha?"
"What? Where!" He asked; getting into a battle ready position.
"No! The jewel…I saw that-that demon woman we saw last night at the Fukai Mori!"
"You saw her!"
"You mean Yume? Correct?"
"Myoga…" Inuyasha muttered as he noticed the flea sucking at his neck again.
"Squished again!" The flea cried as he fell into the palm of his Master's hand.
"That was weird…" Kagome muttered; rubbing her head.
"Are you okay Kagome?"
"I'm fine Inuyasha…but what was that? Why'd I see her in the gleam of the Shikon Jewel's reflection like that?"
"That demon has the ability to haunt the minds of the living at anytime…"
"What?" Sango and Kagome asked in unison; eyes wide when the flea mentioned haunt.
"What do you mean by 'haunt'?" Miroku asked suspiciously.
"She is the guardian of the subconscious realms…with that title she knows of every thought that goes on and seeks out anyone she desires for her own purposes."
"What kind of purposes?" Inuyasha questioned; raising an eyebrow and the flea demon.
"To infiltrate dreams."
"Infiltrate? You mean to bring upon dreams…good or bad?"
"It is of her choosing."
"What kind of demon would take on such a role?"
"Guarding the subconscious realm is a job passed down to each demon that was born from the minds of others. It is difficult and usually tiresome so there is usually a time of when the guardian becomes lax and bores of the duty…and decides to take the job into her own accord."
"The guardian doesn't take his or her job seriously?"
"Oh no. She takes it seriously."
"Wait! The guardian is only female?" Miroku asked; optimism is heard in his voice.
"Oh brother…" Shippou mutters as he sits back in Kagome's lap.
Suddenly Miroku's skull meets with Sango's Hirikotsu. Tears of pain well up in Miroku's eyes and he falls back.
"Why do you care Monk?" Sango asked as she placed the big boomerang behind her.
"This is a demon we are dealing with! Not some common girl you see out in the villages!"
"This is getting complicated…I think I'll stop." Myoga mutters as he tries to get away.
"Oh no ya don't gramps! Start talking! I know she is an enemy of Sesshomaru! And if she's done anything to the Shikon Jewel then she's gonna become an enemy of mine as well!"
"Actually Inuyasha…this guardian of the Subconscious Realm is an enemy to everyone…even yours."
Inuyasha only stared at the flea in surprise; he had no idea that she was already an enemy; but nonetheless. All that meant to the hanyou was that she was just going to become another demon to slay by his hands and by his Tetsuaiga.
"How can that be?" Sango asked.
"Inuyasha…did you get into a fight with her?" Shippou asked stupidly.
"NO!" He yelled. "I didn't even recognize her."
"Of course you didn't. But you're brother knows her very well."
"I can see that…" Rolling his eyes at the thought.
"You never met her but when you and your brother were younger your Father; the great Inu-taiso was forced into a fight with her and her demonic brethren. The war was easily won…being that she lead her troops into death at the fangs of your Father but after she had realized they were dead and she could take their powers for her own through their subconscious she made it her business to come after either you or your brother."
"Why did she come after him and not me?"
"She assumed coming after a hanyou would be pointless…she thought half breeds were too weak to fight."
A mumble of incoherent words and a low growl from Inuyasha was heard as his fist slammed down on the spot Myoga sat.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome roared.
"I…I-m okay…" Myoga muttered dryly as he popped up from his pan-caked spot on the floor.
"I AM NOT just some stupid half demon…" He mumbled; disagreeing with the comment.
"Well that's no reason to hurt Myoga." Kagome protested.
"Whatever…" He scowled. "Just keep talking Myoga."
"Very well Inuyasha…" Myoga muttered as he straightened himself out. "Yume was very young at the time but she had driven you're brother's mother; Toki into madness before and after her untimely demise."
"Wait Myoga!"
"What is it Sango?"
"You said after her demise…you mean…this demon…she can?"
"She can haunt the minds of the dead as well." Miroku finished.
Inuyasha's eyes widened. The demonic wench could bother dead souls too?
"Kikyo…" Inuyasha muttered in a low whisper; low enough so mostly none of his friends could hear him but one.
Kagome sighed and her anger she felt for Inuyasha softened into worry for him as well as herself. "I knew you would think of her…" She thought sadly.
"Yes, unlike her ancestors she was the first to discover this ability. Discovering it at such a young age was difficult being that was somewhat difficult to control but she eventually understood how it worked and then went on using it to her own advantage and for her own purposes."
"So, what your saying is…we have a crazed demon from the dream realm with an ulterior motive?"
"Yes, something like that." Myoga answered. "But if anything she seeks to destroy your brother and the remainder of you're father's family."
"That being Inuyasha and Sesshomaru…" Kagome replied; holding the nearly formed Shikon Jewel in her hand.
"But she is with Naraku isn't she?"
"We can't be so sure of that Inuyasha." Myoga replied.
"That beast that was fighting Sesshomaru…she said it was her pet. And it had a shard of the Shikon jewel in it's stomach."
"That is suspicious…"
"Where else would of the demonic wench have gotten a shard, huh?"
"Perhaps…but it would be strange of her to work with someone like Naraku…"
"Why's that Myoga?"
"Demons of the Subconscious Realm from your Father's time were said to have no conscious of their own. At that time they acted out on their own accord with no shame and no real plan of their own when going on attack."
"You mean they were dumb enough to go out on a full scale attack on any other demon despite the knowledge of it's strength or ability?"
"It didn't care for the knowledge. Guardians of the Subconscious were given one purpose and one purpose only…to guard the subconscious realm and carry out visions and bring nightmares. With Yume's birth brought a type of change in this order…born from the minds of the living and dead she acted on her own and carried out her own purpose. She knew of her duty but after discovering the consistency of the duty put before her she no longer had the desire of holding true to such things."
"That doesn't make any sense…" Inuyasha muttered.
"Why do you say that?" Kagome asked.
"We still have dreams and nightmares…and even visions…how could she have given up on her job if we still?" Sango asked.
"You misunderstood…" Myoga replied. "She is a demon…who once believed in consistency with her duty as the guardian of dreams…after delving deep into the source of her new found powers as the Guardian of the Subconscious she vowed from there on out to use her power to manipulate and cause harm and even death to those she despises."
"She wants Sesshomaru…" Sango replied.
"She wants to cause him pain." Kagome answered.
"Hmph…NOTHING can hurt him…I don't think she has the power to actually stand up to him…especially if she lead her troops so easily into battle with my old man and allowed them to die in the process." Inuyasha replied.
"That was only a part of her plan to lure one of you out." Myoga replied. "Her desire is to kill the remaining sons of Inu-taiso's family; that being you and your brother. She desires Sesshomaru's head first being that he is as a Lord as the ability to command demons like her to obey his every bidding. She is different from that of any Youkai…free spirited if you will."
"So the only reason why Yume wants to kill me and Sesshomaru is because she knows in the end she will have no choice but to do whatever he says according to demonic law?"
"That is correct Kagome."
"Ha…" She muttered. "Good thing your all hanyou, huh Inuyasha?"
"If she succeeds she will surely come after you Master Inuyasha."
"Bring it!" He answered confidently.
"This demonic wench of the subconscious will stop at nothing to get her revenge upon you and your brother…I suggest you be aware of everyone and everything around you. She is dangerous and not to be toyed with."
"She's nothing." Inuyasha answered. "As long as I have Tetsuaiga she's nothing but dead meat."
"Forewarning though…she will make an attempt to pit you and Sesshomaru against each other…"
"I'll kill him too!"
"Not as long as he has Tensaiga!"
"You're saying I can't do it?" Inuyasha growled; grabbing Shippou by his collar.
"Put me down Inuyasha!" Shippou whined.
"Take back what you said first!"
"I never said anything!"
"Shippou is right Inuyasha-sama. It would be pointless for you to battle against Sesshoumaru in hopes of defeating him and ending his existence for good."
"Damere…" Inuyasha growled as he slammed his fist into the ground; again squashing Myoga.
"Ehhh…" He muttered as he floated up into the air; landing in Kagome's palm.
"Take heed Master Inuyasha…" Blowing himself up to normal size. "She is as devious and almost as powerful as Naraku. The only thing that makes her truly formidable is the fact that she still lacks knowledge in using her powers."
"She has a weak point…I'll gladly expose it! I have no problem chopping her to bits!"
"It won't be that easy…" Myoga sighed.
