Title: Little Acts of Kindness
Author: damson rhee
Rating: PG-13 - Rated for language and mature issues.
Summary: AU - Sometimes, the smallest act of kindness can mean everything to someone. And in a world where nothing is what it seems, unforeseen consequences emerge as Kagome learns just how important those little acts of kindness really are.
"blah" - speaking
'blah' - thoughts
The large spaces are the scene changes/POV changes. It should be pretty obvious.
Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue. Me no own, you no sue. (Sadly, I don't even own the disclaimer. I read it somewhere and thought that it was funny... :sigh:)
A/N: This story has a moral that I hope gives a positive message to those who are reading. Rating just to be safe. This deals with some issues that may not be for young readers (like those under, say, 10 years old) but I'm sure that it's nothing you haven't heard before. It is a given that some OOCness will occur since this is an AU fic. I know that Inuyasha is OOC, but given the circumstances I think that he would act this way.
Sorry there's no individual responses, but a big huge thank you to everyone who reviewed. And on with the story!
x
Frantically pacing around her room, Kagome was in a panic. She knew she had to find Inuyasha, that much was for certain, but she had no way of getting there. Her mom, grandpa, and brother were out, and they had taken the family car. Kagome sighed. She would have to walk in the rain.
She didn't even bother to change out of her nightgown as a sense of urgency tightened its grasp on her brain. She slipped on an old coat over her nightgown and slid on her shoes. She hurriedly wrote a note to her mom telling Mrs. Higurashi that she was at a movie with some friends. She shot a sideways glance at the clock only to find that it was almost 11:30. 'I have to hurry.'
She bolted out the door and into the torrid rain. She was rapidly out of breath, and putting her hands on her knees, she crouched down, breathing heavily. But only one thing was on Kagome's mind, repeating itself over and over, the strange chant infusing itself into her mind and giving her strength.
'I have to find Inuyasha.'
After finding her second wind, she arrived at Inuyasha's house cold, tired and wet. It seemed like she had run for an eternity, and she had no idea how long it had taken her to reach the house. She only hoped that it wasn't too late to save him.
She knocked on the door, and it was only then that she realized how terrible she must look. She hadn't brushed her hair, she had no make-up on, and she still in her practically archaic nightgown. She felt exhausted, and she knew she must look it too. It then struck her as selfish to be thinking of her physical appearance at a time like this, and she hastily pushed the unwanted thought out of her mind.
The door crashed open unexpectedly, making Kagome jump in surprise. Her stomach gave a sickening lurch as she saw the figure standing at the door. He too had silver hair and golden eyes, but he was not Inuyasha.
"Sess… Sesshomaru?" Kagome gasped, and it was then she remembered. 'He'll be back tomorrow at noon,' Inuyasha had said. In her panic, she had all but forgotten about his older brother, the man who beat him, the man responsible for Inuyasha's suffering.
She was filled with a sense of hate, a feeling she had never truly experienced before. There had always been people she had disliked, but she had never known the awful sensation of loathing someone so much that it made her feel sick to her stomach. This man had put Inuyasha through hell – and could even cost him his life. She stood rigidly at the doorway, staring into his face and hating him all the more.
"Well, I come home a little early and what do I find?" Sesshomaru said, his voice misleadingly pleasant and conversational. If he noticed that she was still in her nightgown, he didn't show it. He narrowed his eyes suddenly, sizing her up from her head to her toes. "Who are you and how do you know my name? What do you want?"
It occurred to Kagome that she should be afraid of this man. He was large, certainly much larger that Inuyasha, and he looked rather menacing standing in the doorway with a scowl on his face and his hands clenched into fists. But she saw him as no more than a coward; a bully who couldn't stand up to people his own size, and one who took it out on others who were smaller than he.
"Where is Inuyasha?" she asked coldly, defensively, the courage in her voice surprising even to her.
His words were full of malice and perversion. "My brother's whereabouts are none of your concern. However, you may come in and look for him yourself, if you wish."
He held the door open to allow just enough room for her to pass through. His smile was twisted.
"You're disgusting," she spat, and she turned around and ran.
x
Inuyasha had been wandering around the town for what felt like hours. He felt numb, as if his body was there, but not his spirit. The houses were a blur of black and brown and grey, the trees a sea of green, the sidewalks a never-ending line of beige. The rain had muddled his world. Like a watercolor painting that didn't quite come out right– distorted, no distinct lines, everything running together.
Inuyasha's mind was spinning. Instinctively, his feet guided him to the place he always turned to when he was in trouble or needed to think – the old Tsukimine Shrine. He sat under a particularly large oak tree, taking a little pleasure in the shelter that the leaves offered from the rain. He felt somehow safe there, protected, even though being there reminded him of some of the worst times in his life. In essence, that place was his lowest point. And yet, he was happy there.
He allowed himself a small smile. Fleeting, but still there, reminding him of her. Again. Somehow, it always came back to her. Kagome represented happiness in his life. However little happiness there had been, however little time he had had to spend with her, it made him feel like maybe there was some hope in his life. Maybe even the lowest of the low, the most diminished person had a chance. Maybe even he could be saved. Maybe…
Shaking his head, he stood up and walked away. There was no hope, no perpetual savior to come to his rescue. Inuyasha was alone, and there was no turning back.
x
Kagome ran from the doorstep down onto the street as fast as she could. Risking a quick glance back, she saw Sesshomaru standing dumbfounded in the doorway. Her relief was short-lived, however, as she saw him dart down the sidewalk towards her. She felt her heart leap out of her chest.
Her mind was racing as she looked for a solution. Nothing became apparent until she noticed a small church on the corner of the street. She didn't know why she was drawn to it, only that she was. 'If I can just make it that far, I might have a chance.'
Sesshomaru's giant strides were much longer than hers, but she had a head start, and she reached the front entrance of the church faster then he did. The door practically flew open at the touch of her hand, with Sesshomaru not far behind.
The main door led to the back of the church. The rows of pews reached the stage, where the pulpit stood. A huge cross was mounted on the wall at the front of the church, its shadow consuming the tiny stage. Kagome ran up to the pulpit, and hid behind it. She heard the door burst open, and the sound of footsteps as her predator entered the seemingly empty church. But he knew better.
"You can't hide from me. I willfind you sooner or later. You might as well come out right now and tell me what this is all about." Sesshomaru began to search the church, starting at the back of the church and making his way to where Kagome was hidden.
Kagome held her breath as she listened to his footsteps. Each footstep was counting down the time until he found her. She had no way out, no saving grace. A million scenarios ran through her head in an instant, and still nothing. When he found her, and it was a when, she would be caught and that was all. She would not be able to get to Inuyasha.
'How pathetic. I need to save him, and I can't even manage to save myself.' Desperation was beginning to take its toll on Kagome.
Sesshomaru had reached the altar now, and was looking under the long, wooden table. He wandered over to the pulpit, taking his time. His smile was ominous as he caught sight of a white shoelace sticking out of underneath the pulpit. His eyes gleamed as he heard her ragged breathing.
All of a sudden, the front doors of the church burst open with a strong wind that raced through the church to where Sesshomaru was standing. It took him by surprise, and he lost his balance, falling. Kagome peeked out of her hiding place, in shock.
And then the feathers started falling, seemingly appearing from nothing, an unknown force bringing them into existence. As they met the wind, they began to swirl, twisting and turning in the squall, gaining power. The angels started to appear then – two of them – at first only transparent. But slowly, as if gaining power also, they became more lifelike. Kagome felt as if she could touch them. They were in the air, yet a tangible presence. She felt the strength radiating from their bodies, their brilliance exuding, and she took heart in them.
It felt to her like she was in another world, and time seemed to have frozen. She watched in awe, now standing, as the angels took hold of Sesshomaru's arms, one each, and lifted him up. They took him up to the cross, bearing his weight with ease. They stretched both arms along the sides of the cross, and his legs hung down in the middle, crossed at the ankles. He did not fight it, did not even utter a sound. The angels began to sing; a slow, melancholy tune.
And then the unthinkable happened. Kagome gasped as the feathers that had been flying around flew towards her pursuer, one piercing each of his wrists and one his ankles. Sesshomaru screamed in agony, and he was silent again. The angels released him now, and floated to the top of the church, their purpose completed, their voices quieted. The remaining feathers circled his head, eventually settling onto his head like a crown. His blood trickled down the sides of the cross and onto the walls. The wind died down, and faded away.
"What's happening?" Kagome whispered in the ensuing silence. "What's going on? Why is this happening to me?"
She remembered the angels, and she looked up to see if they were still there. Which they were, regressing into the transparent forms they had been when they first came. They seemed to be telling her something. "Go!" they mouthed silently, and then they were gone.
Kagome didn't know whether to cry or to rejoice. Deciding on neither, she fled from the building, wanting nothing to with it.
x
That's all folks. I decided it was better to post something then nothing. I am so sorry for my hiatus, but I am back. The conclusion to follow shortly… Please tell me what you think.