Disclaimer: It is with great regret that I must confess to having stolen these characters and this universe, which belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Aerie belongs to herself - see, Aerie, you don't get to beat me up this chapter! - and Shayanui belongs to Melly-chan, who I would like to take this opportunity to thank for his loan.
De-dedication: That's right, this is no longer dedicated to Tinni-chan. This is because she deemed it not worth reading. I felt silly having dedicated something she found unworthy to her, so it is now de-dedicated. I'll find someone new to dedicate it to by next chappie.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAmedlii: Thanks. I'd love to hear your guess, since I haven't completely made up my mind yet who it is. (I think I know, I'm just not sure.) Probably it will be a made-up character, unless I go totally crazy over your idea, because working within the limits of an established villain is enough to give me a headache.
'Your mother': Mom, of course you count as a reviewer. Thanks, I'll work on the pronoun thing. I just bet you got tired of her digging out manga and shoving them in your face! Of course I won't pull her out. The story's about her quite as much as it is about Inuyasha or Kagome. Love ya!
'mom and maya doing smiley faces': "', ;- o O,O , ) : ) ;)" IS NOT A REVIEW! DON'T do that again! I know I already mentioned this to your faces, but that was really annoying. That is all I have to say. Evil parent and sibling. Die!
Just kidding.
biggest anime fan: Oh, wait. You haven't reviewed yet. (sobs) If the site won't let you review, send it to me in an e-mail. And hey! You know my real name now. Emma Willard needs to work on that. I mean, what if I sent an e-mail to someone I didn't want to know my name? And they tacked it on anyway? Maybe it's incentive for us not to e-mail anyone scary. Did you get mine? Sorry I ended it so quick. Turns out I didn't need to rush because anime club sat around and watched the popcorn machine the club head had procured for movie night pop corn for ten minutes before we started the movie. Yes, we're pathetic.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"I-Inuyasha?" Kagome asked uncertainly.
There was good reason for this to be a question. One, this person's hair was black. Two, black dog's ears rose from it, so he didn't look like Inuyasha on the new moon, either. Three, he had just bowed and smiled at them, which was not Inuyasha's style. Four, Inuyasha's head was hanging on a tree branch several leagues away. Otherwise, however, he looked exactly like the hanyou they knew.
He frowned slightly. "Inuyasha? No, you have it backward. The name is Shayanui." He smiled again. "So, you know my name now. How are you called?" They stopped to introduce themselves, and he greeted them cheerfully, then moved off with them when they started walking again, appearing to forget that he had been building a fire and presumably planning to stay for a while. "When I first turned around I thought my face was melting or something. You looked like you'd seen a ghost." He remarked. No one really felt like explaining that he was the image of a dead friend of theirs, especially not after what he did shortly afterward. They found out about it when Aerie heard a slap and 'hentai!' from behind her, even though she could see Miroku in front. Everyone turned and found it was Shayanui who had touched Sango this time, and now she was threatening him direly. The houshi ambled over.
"That's my job, Shayanui." He told the youkai, who was flat on his back and staring up at the enraged demon hunter with eyes like saucers. "Though," he added, smirking, "She seems to mind you a lot more than me. Ow!" he shouted, as she slapped him, too, for good measure. "What was that for?"
Aerie grinned. Well, this was a familiar scene! Except for Shayanui's presence and Inuyasha's absence…. She scowled. She still couldn't believe the great, obnoxious puppy dog was dead…she really had liked him better when he was two-dimensional.
"Come on, you lot," she said, hitching her pack up her shoulder. "Long way to go yet." Miroku gave Shayanui a hand up, since Sango was still fuming, and the tachi followed Aerie.
The ground had been rising steadily for some time, and now they were definitely in what might be called mountains. Sango started watching the girls for signs of fatigue. Kagome was definitely panting. Aerie seemed distracted, staring absently at the trail and correcting their course every so often. When she failed to notice the trail turning aside, so wrapped up in her thoughts was she, Sango tactfully relieved her of the duty. Aerie fell back to walk beside Kagome, but ignored the other girl. At first this made no difference to Kagome, who was too busy with the hiking to bother with talking - she really missed her bicycle; she'd totaled it three weeks before - but as they reached the mountains' crest and the slope began to level out, she noticed that Aerie was muttering to herself, sometimes pausing as if she couldn't decide what to say. Her face looked stern and distant in the setting sun.
"What are you doing?" Kagome asked, curious.
Aerie jumped. "Huh?" The forbidding look vanished in honest surprise.
"You were muttering."
Aerie grinned slightly. "Oh, yeah. I was just listing gods. Like this." She drew a deep breath. "VishnuKaliBrahmanShivaLakshmiGaneshaParvathiSaraswatiIndraSuryaAgniVayaVarunaYamaKuberaSomaZeusAthenaHeraHestiaAresErisEosHeliosAphroditeHermesNikePanHephaestosIrisLetoStyxThanatosDemeterHadesPosiedonPersephoneArtemisHecateApolloDionysis…er…Lucifer -"
"Does Lucifer count as a god?" Kagome interrupted, "I thought he was a fallen angel or something."
Aerie shrugged. "If it gets worshipped, I guess it's a god. There are avowed Satanists out there. Although," she said, frowning momentarily, "I guess that would mean I could use the aliens that cult worshipped or the red rubber ball that woman adopted for her Higher Power for Alcoholics Anonymous." Then she shrugged and grinned. "Why not? ThoseAliensThatCult WorshippedTheRedRubberBallThat WomanAdoptedForHerHigherPowerForA.A.Elvis PresleyThorFriggViliAegirOdenLoki-"
"So this is like your way of praying?" Kagome interrupted again.
"Not really. I mean, I guess you could say that. If muttering their names could curry their favor it wouldn't go amiss, but really it just calms me down. Some people do their multiplication tables. I list gods. Do you know any? You're training to be a miko, right? I don't know eastern pantheons at all. Tell me some."
"The Shinto gods are as numberless as fallen leaves in the autumn," Kagome admitted. "But there's Amaterasu, of course, that's the sun goddess, and her son-"
"Excuse me," said Shayanui, catching up to them from where he had been deep in some kind of discussion with Miroku.
"Don't try anything perverted, Shayanui," Aerie warned. "What is it?"
"I was just wondering where we were going, actually," he said.
"Dunno. We're following these tracks. Someone killed a friend of ours and then left a trail that we were obviously meant to follow, and we are. I guess we're going -" she broke off. A tall, smooth stone tower - Aerie's first thought was of Saruman's tower Orthanc, but not as frilly as they made it in the movie - had just come into view in the distance, and wrongness oozed from it in every direction. "There." Aerie finished.
Shayanui's eyes widened. "You're assaulting the tower? The tower from which no one ever returns? I think now is about time to disassociate myself from you." He began to edge away.
"Too late." Said Miroku dismally. "Look."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAInuyasha was not happy. This could be considered a severe understatement, seeing that he was still blindfolded, still chained, and about to become human. A pair of beings - he couldn't smell what they were at this point - had picked him up and were carrying him somewhere. The chains that his captor had previously mentioned completely cocooned his body, rendering him incapable of motion. Since the foul-tasting gag had not been replaced, about all he could do was talk, so that was what he did. Unceasingly. He borrowed a leaf from Aerie's book and chattered without pause. Except that Inuyasha's grasp of the meaning of the word 'chatter' was loose, and he was doing something between babbling and haranguing. It was not particularly dignified, but it appeared to frustrate whoever was running this circus, because after five minutes of being carried up stairs he or she - Inuyasha was still uncertain which it was - stopped suddenly and said in a cold voice,
"If you do not button your lips instantly, I will torture you horribly when we reach the top of the Tower."
"But you were going to torture him horribly anyway…." one of the carry-beasts said, sounding confused.
"Not unless he's really stubborn, Abe. Now shush. We need to get him to the top of the Tower before the sun has fully set."
"I am really stubborn," said Inuyasha. "What's the frickin' idea here? What's this thing about getting me to the top of the damn tower before the end of the damn sunset?"
"You are a fool," said his captor comfortably as they began to move again. "But I don't mind telling you. It won't matter in a little while, anyway. Your little pack is coming scurrying after you, just as I expected, hot for revenge, but they don't matter. I can handle them, and when I have I'll have a great deal of that fascinating gem. You, however, are a most interesting creature, a hanyou."
He growled. "Feh. What of it?"
"Well, you see, the higher-level sort of demons have an ingenious sort of mental shield that drives someone like me up the wall. So hard to get inside just to have a good rummage, never mind taking over. You've got that, too, though your control is shoddy. If I wanted to spend a week at it, I could probably break you. Not like your brother," he or she whistled appreciatively. "I met him a few months ago. Now that's shielding. I doubt even he's aware of half of his own thoughts. But that's not the point. The point is that tonight your natural defenses will be at their lowest, if not gone, and I'll be able to get in. Humans can sometimes be very hard to deal with in their own way, but that requires a lifetime of practice and anger and a good emotional support system. If I could bring down Sesshoumaru's shields he'd be quite helpless. Doesn't let himself get attached to anything. You have a heart like a prune, serious commitment issues, and walls behind your eyes. This won't be hard at all."
Inuyasha felt the aforementioned prunelike organ clench. This wasn't going to be good…. "Plenty of people have said I wouldn't be a problem," he snapped. "None of them were right."
The other yawned. "Please. I grow weary of listening to your bravado. You're terrified. Admit it. Hang him up here." The last was addressed to the two carriers.
"Keh," said the hanyou, as the creatures, whatever they were, hung him up by a spare loop of chain. He felt the chains tighten as they took all his weight.
"And couldn't you please say something more original? Why not 'Gah,' or 'Ugh,' or 'Woof?' 'Keh' is already boring."
Inuyasha let loose a stream of obscenity that I don't care to go into both because my own vocabulary is not extensively colorful and because I want to keep my rating down. "And stop swearing, too. My oath, every eighth word from your mouth is a curse."
"…" said Inuyasha.
"Yes, I think I'll deal with that while I'm in there," said the person decisively. "Alright. Let the ceremony begin."
The blindfold was pulled off and he bit back a yelp as the setting sun met eyes that had spent so long in darkness. Whoever it was that had kidnapped him stood silhouetted in front of him, but all he could tell was that they were humanoid, slightly built, and wearing some kind of robes. They raised their hands and began to chant something that sounded mostly like gibberish to Inuyasha, though he caught an occasional phrase like 'break walls' and 'bring to me.' He stopped paying attention as he felt his claws go, as his ears performed their monthly migration down the sides of his head. He growled deep in his throat, then scowled at the depressingly human sound. He hated being this vulnerable. Especially now, when being human left him particularly vulnerable in a way he could neither avoid nor fight. As the room sank into gloom, the personage stopped chanting and sat down.
"And?" Inuyasha said, feeling no different.
"We wait. And I talk to you. My voice on your ears will enforce the voice of my mind against yours." And they began to talk. Inuyasha tuned them out after a little while, though he did note with interest that his pack thought he was dead, due to some faked-up severed head and trail, and were on their way to avenge him. He hoped Kagome wouldn't get herself hurt before he could get out of this mess.
The pain came without warning. It bit into him, startling him into emitting a faint cry. The other nodded with satisfaction and shut up at last. If he'd known that that would do it he would have whimpered ages ago, but now he didn't really care. He made no more noise, but it felt as though he were being carved to pieces from the inside with a very small, very dull knife.
Inuyasha. said a voice. What was it, he wondered irritably. He was busy being in pain. Yes, pain, pain is good. It said cheerfully. He ignored it resentfully through the haze of pain. Sure, he'd been stabbed before and everything, he was no stranger to pain, but this was slow and excruciating and he couldn't fight, couldn't even run, couldn't do anything at all. Don't you agree, Inuyasha? Inuyasha? Who was that? Inuyasha wondered momentarily. He was, of course! What was wrong with him? How could he forget his own name? Of course, it must be Mr. Don't-Swear, slipping in to mess with his mind while he was distracted by pain. Damn! He hated tricks like that.
Inuyasha, Inuyasha, Inuyasha. he chanted in his head like a mantra. This was one of the stupider things he had ever had to do. C'mon, I know my own name! I'm Inuyasha!
And who's Inuyasha? said the voice.
Me! he roared.
So? Who are you? What makes Inuyasha a person? Who cares about you?
Who cares who cares? Inuyasha snapped.
Inuyasha doesn't belong anywhere…he has no roots, no family, no home, no life.
Shut up! This is a stupid trick! Let me go!
Inuyasha has no reason to live. He wanted more power, and then he was in love…he was going to become human and give up everything….
Shut UP!
But then he was tricked and trapped, and the woman died….
SHUT UP! How do you know this stuff?
And then when he was free he wanted more power again…not too imaginative, is this Inuyasha? And he tried once again for the jewel. Then it was shattered, and he went on a quest for the shards of it, all the time planning to use it to become a full demon once it was whole again….
Shut up.
And found out about the trick, and vowed his vengeance, but he still had to get the power of the Shikon…
Shut up…
And what now? Does Inuyasha still want to be a full demon? Does he still want to be human? Does he still love the Lady Kikyou? Does he want anything? Does he belong anywhere? Is he anything is he anyone?
Shut up…
No one. No one at all. Inuyasha is nothing and Inuyasha is…gone. The voice sounded certain that he was no more. It was almost right.
Inuyasha bit his lip. I am…I am…I am Inuyasha….
The voice was amused. So you refuse to go? I can overcome that, don't you worry. You're not going anywhere.
I am…I am Inu…Inu….
NO ONE!
No one…. No…Inuyasha…I'm Inuyasha…. No one…. Inuyasha…. No one…. He could hear his heart, pounding with…fear? Why would he be afraid…?
You are no one, and no one cares about you. Not the monk or the little fox. Not the hunter. Certainly not the girl, with how you insult her and run off to the dead miko every time she shows up….
Girl…Kagome. Kagome. Kagome! I remember her. I…I'm not sure who I am, but for Kagome…. Her face floated in his mind and he grabbed onto it, refusing to let her go away.
You can't keep this up. You don't really care about her. Come to me….
"What?" said a voice, aloud in his ears. "They're early. I'll handle this. Unchain this lunk and take him to the dungeon, would you? I'll finish him later. A shame," it said, addressing him. "I had hoped to have you in proper shape to send against them when they arrived. Oh, well. Another time."
He shook his throbbing head. "Ghah…" he said, busy trying to remember his name. That was important. Name… He had the feeling it had something to do with dogs…. The chains that held him loosened as footsteps retreated, and he fell to the ground, trying not to throw up. There was a hole in his chest…odd…. Someone grabbed him by each shoulder.
"Is it safe to take off the chains?" asked one of them. "This guy's tough."
"The Chief's been in his head. He's not in any state to give us trouble." Replied someone else with certainty as he was lifted and carried somewhere. They were talking about him, he noted vaguely. "See, he's still got his sword and everything."
Sword…? His hands went to it without having to think and as he gripped the hilt he jumped. Why the hell was he letting himself be dragged around? His eyes flicked open and in one smooth movement he drew the blade and swung it. It hit one of the people carrying him, and they said 'oof.' Then they laughed. "No wonder it wasn't taken away. It's pathetic, and that was a feeble blow if I ever felt one. Here, you." they said to him. "Put your little stick away and come quietly." He looked in bewilderment at the sword in his hand. He had the feeling it was supposed to be a lot bigger. Wait…this was the Tetsusaiga…and he was…he couldn't quite remember. But his sword wouldn't work tonight, he seemed to remember, so he sheathed it. He'd have to do something else. He grabbed both of his keepers by the backs of their necks and heaved. They were on a staircase…. All three of them overbalanced and began to tumble down the stairs together, with him, whoever he was, mostly on the top.
Whose bright idea was it to build a flight of stairs that went on forever? He thought after the third minute. The people under him had ceased to groan a while back. He wondered if they were dead.
"Oof." He said, as they fetched up against something. A door. He dragged himself slowly upright. The other two just lay there. He turned them over to check that they were breathing. They were. Good. They were human…odd. He'd expected something else for some reason. And so was he, he realized, looking at his hands. Even odder. Oh well.
He stumbled away from them, through the door, trying to get out. He was almost certain that there was something outside somewhere that he needed to get to. Something. He wished he could remember who he was.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Kukukukukukukuku! Aren't I terrible? I think I'm getting good at this. Well, so I must hope, anyway.
Inuyasha: Who are you?
Trisak: I'm the sakusha here, remember?
Inuyasha: I don't even remember my name, stupid!
Trisak (aside): Did I overdo it?
Inuyasha: Huh?
Trisak: You're even more clueless than usual.
Inuyasha: Huh?
Trisak: This is dumb. Inuyasha, go back to the tower and keep skulking. And sulking.
Inuyasha: Huh?
Trisak: Oh, go away.
Inuyasha: Huh? (vanishes)
And that concludes our session for today. I think I like him better when he wants to kill me. Review me! Please, I beg it of thee! I waste away here in my medieval tower (yes, medieval towers come complete with computers,) waiting to be reviewed.