Chapter two- The Vendor
"He must die, he must die, he must die," a dark figure repeatedly murmured as it trudged through the dark, enchanted forest, pushing its way through the dense bushes. The night sky was not glimmering as it usually did, but instead, was clouded up with dark grey clouds that covered the cloudy history of the past….showing only darkness.
It trudged up towards a cleared patch nearby. In it lay a shadowy figure, huddled closely beside a small crackling fire. "Jengatsu (A/N- sorry, I'm not very good with Asian names so I just randomly made this up:P)…you have come," it said.
The small little man looked up with his beady little eyes. The fire reflected his patchy complexion and cracked yellow teeth as he made an attempted grin at the dark figure.
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"What the hell is this!" Inuyasha yelled as he grabbed the paper from Kagome's hand. He blankly stared at the parchment paper, tracing the letters with his eyes again and again. Looking over every curve and dot made with the dark ink pen.
"I….I…don't know, "Kagome stuttered out loud in utter surprise as well.
"Is there something we don't know Inuyasha…something, someone you haven't told us about," Miroku said curiously as he eyed Inuyasha up and down.
"Not that I can think of…" he said in a confused tone as he scratched his head.
"Well something is fishy here, I mean, not just anybody would come and drop on a threatening note such as this on someone else's door," Sango replied.
"This is weird, just a while ago I saw someone out there…I chased them, but before I could see who they were, they just disappeared..." Inuyasha said.
"Maybe that could be the same person who left the note on the door..." Kagome answered.
"The chances are high, that could be a good suspect..." Miroku replied.
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"Will it work," it said huddled up beside the little man.
"I am sure of it…remember, I am Jengatsu, master of the possessive arts," he said as he slowly mixed a large copper pot that lay on top of the fire.
"Now, for the last ingredient, but the most important," he said as he slowly fixed his gaze towards the dark figure eagerly.
"I know, I know what I have to do," it said as it slowly took out a knife from its back pocket. It quickly placed its hand over the pot and raised its knife high, the reflection of the moon could be seen glistening devishly in the background of it. With a quick swift of the knife, a deep cut was inlaid at the tip of its index finger. At first nothing happened, there was but a cut, but slowly, blood collected at the tip of the cut and one sole drop of blood dripped into the boiling mixture of the pot. The cut had been inlaid so precisely, so exactly in the right position, that only one drop would come out.
"Excellent," Jengatsu snickered evilly as he dissolved the blood into the mixture. Soon afterwards he picked up the pot and brought it over to a nearby rock, but it was no ordinary rock in it laid a deep engravement- that of which looked like a necklace. He slowly poured the silky black liquid into it, making sure not to spill a single drop.
When it had been filled Jengatsu stopped….quickly the liquid cooled and glistened into a solid black necklace. The most beautiful necklace ever made.
"There you have it my lord…just as you asked for it to be. "
"Excellent, " it snickered evilly…."you know what you have to do now…."
"Yes….I'm right on it, " Jengatsu smiled as he grabbed the necklace and quickly walked towards the thickness of the forest.
"I will not fail you my Lord…."
I will make Inuyasha wish he were never alive…..(Jengatsu).
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Morning had risen in the small village, but the sun had not. Instead it had been blocked by oncoming dark clouds that blocked its sacred beauty.
"Seems like it's going to rain," Kagome said as she walked outside of the hut looking upwards.
"I agree….I don't think it would be a very good idea to go shard hunting in this type of weather, " Miroku said as he walked out alongside her.
"Ya I guess you're right," Inuyasha said as he peered his dog head outside.
Both Miroku and Kagome looked at Inuyasha with surprise. Had he just denied wanting to go shard hunting?
"What! Just cuz I don't wanna go shard hunting doesn't mean I've gone crazy or something! I was just saying that we should look into yesterday's matters. Who knows how dangerous that person could be," Inuyasha replied.
Both Miroku and Kagome nodded in agreement.
Suddenly….
"Jewellery, get your jewellery here! Low prices- top quality!" An old vendor yelled out loud.
Everyone raised their heads in curiosity- it wasn't usual a vendor would come to the village- and usually it would be a pleasant surprise for all the villagers- it being a nice change to their daily routine.
Children ran out onto the street, calling out their mothers and fathers for them to bring money. Young women rushed out of their daily chores to see the elegant display of fine jewellery hanging off the stand and young men jumped up from their duties to see for anything interesting for their loved ones.
Kagome glanced over at Inuyasha- he could tell she wanted to see also very badly.
"Fine, go, but I'll come with you, " Inuyasha sighed as he rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Thank you!" Kagome giggled happily as she rushed over to see the elegant display.
"Wait up- don't get so excited, " Inuyasha yelled as he ran to catch up with her.
"Woooooooow," Kagome said as her eyes glistened with eagerness. "These are so beautiful".
She looked up at Inuyasha who was standing right beside her….she could tell even he was interested.
"Interested young lady..," the old vendor said as he walked over to the couple.
Kagome glanced over. The vendor was pretty old. His was hunched, his hair was balding and he had small beady eyes with broken yellow teeth and his complexion was patchy in many places. He looked more greedy than nice, but as soon as she heard his voice, her heart melted, he had to be nice!
"Why yes I am…" Kagome said as she smiled at him.
"Well then young lady I have just the thing for you. This has been newly made by me just the other day- it is made of the finest stones and gems and has been polished to perfection. It can be worn by either male or female- that's the beauty of it," he said as he held up a long black, silky looking necklace that glistened beautifully.
"Wow….what is it made of?"
"Black jade, one of the hardest rocks to find in the area if I may say so myself." (A/N sorry I don't know if there is such a thing as black jade or not, but I just randomly made this up as well..:P)
"….and it brings good luck and prosperity to those who wear it and are around that individual"
Kagome looked up at Inuyasha eagerly…"can I have it?"
"Keh….I don't care, just hurry up, I have better things to do. " Inuyasha said as he shrugged and turned the other way around waiting.
"I'll take it!" Kagome squirmed happily as she quickly paid the money.
"Nice doing business with you, I'm sure that you'll have great prosperity and luck," the vendor smiled as he turned to tend to another customer.
Though inside his head he was gleaming with pride. He had done it- he had done it….the Lord will be so happy.
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Kagome twiddled the necklace in her hand as she lay across the wooden floor…thinking. She was thinking quit hard actually. She didn't really want to have this necklace for herself, quite frankly, she wanted to give it to Inuyasha…..
Inuyasha had noticed Kagome twiddling the necklace and it was annoying him. "What is your problem, you got the necklace now wear it for goodness sakes!" He said in an annoyed voice.
Breaking her concentration, Kagome looked up suddenly. "Oh…sorry Inuyasha. See I was just thinking…I didn't really buy this necklace to wear myself… "
"What the hell…then who'd you buy it for…" Inuyasha asked angrily.
"You."
"Oh…well I don't want this stupid necklace- why the hell would I want it!"
Kagome looked up with hurt eyes, she couldn't believe that Inuyasha had said that. She had gotten him such a nice gift and now he was rejecting it!
Inuyasha stared into Kagome's eyes, he couldn't take the pain that he saw in her them.
"Fine…I'll wear it," he said as he rolled his eyes. Slowly he took the necklace from the small hands of Kagome and placed it over himself. "See….I'm not that bad after all," he said as he smiled at her slowly.
"No Inuyasha you're not," Kagome smiled and said as she hugged him tightly.
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Night had fallen over the quite village and all was silent. Everybody was peacefully fast asleep inside of Kaede's hut as they steadily breathed in the crisp night air.
Inuyasha on the other hand was struggling in his dreams. Sweat glistened off his forehead as he shook his head aggressively from side to side.
A dark voice echoed repeatedly in his head, again and again the same message played… he didn't know who was saying it or why they were saying it and he couldn't make it stop….but all it said was…
Kill them Inuyasha, kill them…..I have not forgotten.