DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha.
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:Last Dream:
-an Inuyasha fanfiction-
by C.o.m.t.e.s.s.a
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"…." talking
(….) thinking
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:Chapter 5:Ryou:
Oh, the demon was angry.
He saw her jump down from that modern contraption with four wheels and climb the steps of the shrine with a jog. He spied her from the hights of the building across the street with a sense of hatred that very few people are able to come up with during their lives. It was the hatred bred from the frustrated ambition of a long-time maddened desire; the hatred spurned from years of coveting bloody revenge against someone over whom no retribution could be achieved anymore. Still, such a delirious feeling could not be locked up or let loose in any healthy way...like punching a sand bag really, really hard or going to therapy. No, it had to compulsorily be let out over the reason of his dark misery. But, as that reason had stopped existing on the Living Realm some...oh, 500 years ago, perhaps? He´d been obliged to choose it´s most similar replacement.
Luckily, he´d found her re-encarnation.
The demon with crow feathers chuckled, and the sunrays were eaten by the depths of his billowing black cloak.
The miko whom had locked him in the past was an almost mirror image to this one. Tall and slender, the once guardian of the Shikon no Tama had been the epitome of grace and skills; holy powers made human. On the past, he´d been warned against attacking her directly but he´d been young at the time...yes, young and impulsive and...too desierous. His want for the Pearl had grown to an obsession which had ultimately lead him to attacking with an almost non-existent sense of self-preservation.
He had called his most potent powers at the time, had raised his most deadly demonic ki in ofensive...and that girl, that miko-human with strange soulful eyes had to only fire a shinny arrow to have him writhing in a bloody mess at her feet, reduced to the crow-pieces of his once amazing self.
He shuddered at the memory, vile raising to his throat.
She hadn´t even taken the responsability for the honourable act of killing him. No, instead she had locked him. Why? Simple, she had felt pity. Pity for that poor old deranged youkai whom had been contaminated by greed and lust over the Sikon Pearl.
Pity, he scoffed at the word. Only humans would come up with such a ridiculous notion as that. What was pity, after all? Only the meaningless shadow of mercy, a twisted sense of compassion.
He had been wrapped and hidden inside a forgotten cave on the entrails of Inuyasha´s Forest with spells to keep him from awakening again. But not even her odd powers could endure the passing of the time...and soon he had been released.
His first thought was for revenge. He saw what he had been reduced to –pieces of his self scattered all around a world dominated by humans, flying about on the shape of birds like the night on wings...crows.
His second thought, then was for the Pearl.
The Shikon was the only way to regenarate his weakened body and he would search the recesses of the world if necessary to achieve it. All for vengeance...all for his neccesity of seeing her blood pool at his feet.
But this time, though, he wouldn´t be so careless.
With pupilless red eyes, he scanned her figure ascending the last steps. Even though the distance was embarrasingly big between them, his demon eyes caught every detail of her. He had purposefully chosen this location: from here she wouldn´t be able to perceive his youki, but he would be able to appraise her as he pleased.
Yes, she seemed the exact replica of that prietess. She carried that dead woman´s soul, power and charge. This little human whelp was the sole obstacle on his persuit of the Shikon Pearl.
From a distance one could presume she was a meaningless obstacle, easily disposable. Oh, but he wasn´t fooled. He knew her kind very well. She might seem a simple whelp but in all reality she was a strong priestess, possessor of the fine power descending from the direct line of that whom defeated him oh-so-easily once; smooth and professional on the crafty art of disposing of demons.
She was immense power made human.
His heart burned, lips rolling up in distaste. Who knew how many of his kind she had disposed of already just as swiftly as his predecessor had, just as easily as she had done with his spy?
She was an unpredictable force to reckon with.
The girl below reached the top and tripped with a loose flagstone. With a thud, she fell flat on her rear.
The demon choked his darkened thoughts and sweat-dropped. Well, ehmm...perhaps she was a clumsy force, but a force nonetheless. Moving on...
He smiled widely, eyes glinting gold under the swishing mat of his black hair. He knew her weak point though, knew exactly how to lure her directly to his claws...which he would do tomorrow night, with the rising of the moon.
He felt a bubbly feeling on his stomach and burst out laughing, a tall figure on the afternoon, cloaked in hollow darkness. She was just like her predecessor, he knew... too good with the helpless, too soft for her own goodness. And he would exploit that.
Looking at her arrogantly one last time, he spread his arms, bursting into dozen of red-eyed crows scattering away.
Below, in the distance, the Zojoji temple gleamed like a dark pearl under the glare of the sun.
Kagome laid flat on her rear at the top of its stone stairs, blissfully unaware of the horrifyingly graphic death a crow-demon was preparing for her just because once upon a time, 500 years in the past, her predecessor had stuck a shinny arrow up his arse. And everyone knows just how much of an evil grudge that can create...
Raven hair and short light-blue skirt bellowed behind her as she quickly stood up, cursed soundly at her lapse into idiot-mode and passed the torii at a light run. Then, slowing down to a brisk walk she wiped her bum from dirt, groaning at its soreness. Yes, well she could be as much of a kluz as anyone else when in a hurry. Wiping the coat of sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand, she sighed. (Man! Those stairs are a true killer of composed beauty...Thank ´kaa-san for bringing me that I didn´t have to walk all the way from home, or they´d have had to pick me off the street with a spoon!
This weather sure makes a girl melt). She looked up at the decidedly clear blue sky, wandering when it would deign to rain once and for all.
(When was the last time it rained? A week ago, wasn´t it?)
She approached the Zojoji temple´s entrance and stopped at it´s base.Unease pooled at her stomach and she wished more than anything that her brain would keep sending her more of those gloriously meaningless thoughts that had seemed to plague her ever since receiving that phonecall. But no, as per usual, her head refused to cooperate and she was left alone and dumb on the face of important moments.
(And this is important, very much so...) She sighed and once again, ascended the last short stone stairs towards the main temple´s doorstep. (The Minister´s secretary told me the daisaiin had suddenly awoken—just like that...pop! and the child´s awake!) She shook her head, biting her lip. (That´s great news –awefully strange and great!- but still... why did Kikuhi-san sound so—stressed?
"The lady priestess has spoken. Please, Higurashi-san. Come as soon as possible," she said nervously...and that was it. She didn´t even tell me what she said or when she awoke, how she awoke or -or how she was doing...or anything!)
"Something´s not right..." she muttered, standing in front of the dishinjoubo.
Taking a shuddering breath, she pushed the grand doors open. They swung back noiselessly. It was the sudden wave of hushed voices speaking, coming from the inside that threw Kagome off-balance. A group of people dressed in Shinto garbs tuned their heads all at once upon her entrance, silence falling like a cloak
Kagome gulped, shyly stepping inside. Suddenly, the silly thought of being awefully under- dressed crossed her mind.
(Perhaps I sould´ve listened to jii-chan when he said using a short skirt was not befitting a priestess...) Self-consciusly, she pulled down at the hem of it. Bowing in salute to the general direction of the crowd with a mumbled "konnichiwa", she tumbled off towards the left.
Wherever she walked by, whisperes followed and eyes turned questioningly. "A girl?"
"Who´s she?"
"What´s a citizen doing here?"
"No, no...I think there´s something odd with that girl..."
"Oh, what a strange aura!"
"Unusual, yes, yes..."
"I´ve heard the Shikon´s guardian was to come...Do you think she might be...?"
"Oh my, look at her skirt! What scant clothes -so disrespectful!"
The subject of their scrutiny blushed and rolled her eyes, walking more briskly now and apologizing profusely everytime she bumped into someone –which was quite often, really.
(Agh, that was so awkward!) She thought upon reaching a secluded landing some passages away from the crowded engawa.
"...and embarrasing..." She placed cool hands on her still burning cheeks. The first time she´d come to the temple, she had been quite amazed for it´s lack of inhabitants. Now it seemed a bloody horde had gathered to assess her. "Mmm, by the way... where am I?" Looking about she realized with bitter dawning she didn´t know.
"Damn! I´m always getting lost."
Pushing herself away from the wall she paced forward, the golden light at the end of the passage beckoning.
All around her the wooden walls and sliding doors were completely sculpted to represent the history of the royal family and their divine connection to the Goddess. Pictures of previous emperors and empresses in their imperial garments surrounded by their popuplous entourage, filled the place. Accompanying these, were the forms of previous priestesses in their traditional garbs, honoring the emperors on each of the stages of Japan´s history.
Every corner was sculpted or painted, even the ceiling, with a complete representation of Takaamagahara in all it´s crowded glory. Kagome was awed at such minuteness details, making her glide through the corridors slowly as she drank in all. Nearing the end of the one she was currently treading, she sighed in relief. Some thirty feet away was the grand wooden doors she remembered from her previous visit, the dishinjoubo leading to the child-priestess´ chamber.
It took her another full minute though, to process what was at her feet.
From her standing position at the corner of the passage towards the end of it, dozens of men and women in priest´s garbs were kneeling, backs straight and hands interwined, all chanting hushedly in prayer. Their eyes were closed and minds focused, all facing to the great oaken doors and what laid behind them.
(T-they are praying for her...)
Suddenly, the uncomfortable notion that something was very wrong hit her full force. (Why are they praying here and not at the shrine? It´s not normal...what´s going on?
I thought she was ok, but--)
Worriedly, she slid past them tiptoeing, forcing herself to look as inconspicuously bothersome as humanly possible. Given the circumstances, she did quite well. She only bumped two ladies and kneed a man on the back of his head.
"Ah! S-sumimasen!" she whispered fervently to each.
Sliding down the corridor with the grace of a drunken cat, she finally reached the doors. At the entrance were many guards in their customary rigidly watchful position. Tatakai Yiu was also there in an immpecable dark suit, talking rather heatedly to the tall captain Kagome remembered having seen before. Approaching them, she bowed.
"Tatakai-san? Konnichiwa..."
He didn´t seem to have noticed her until then, because he spun like a whiplash and...well, he squealed.
"Ah! Higurashi-san, at last!" He eagerly shook her hand in salute, at the same time bowing and pushing her forwards. "I was so worried I was about to send the kumichou himself to retreive you!"
(I wish I could have his stamina...) She thought dazedly as he drove her past the guards and through the doors in a blink.
"But you´re here now, everything will be just fine, then!" he said in such perky tones that gave Kagome the shudders. (Yep. There´s something awefully wrong here. But What-)
They entered. Once inside, the girl noticed with some bewilderment that the crowd only filled the outside. The chamber laid as peacefully silent and grand as the last time she´d been in it. Only two other people were in it beside them: A tall young woman and the still laying daisaiin.
Kagome gulped and paced forward, uncertainty making her bite her lip with a vengeance.
Upon their entrance, the woman turned her head slightly to peer at them over her right shoulder. Long chocolate hair was bound loosely at her back and cropped short at the sides of her face. Her eyes were almond in color and shape, lightly enhanced by the soft pink of her eye-shadow. High cheekbones, small sharp nose and mouth, all complimenting her young adult air.
There was a strange look upon the woman´s eyes when they rested on Kagome, something flashing too quickly for our heroine to catch it. She stood up, the folds of her deep purple kimono falling perfectly in place and swishing as she strolled forward.
Kagome frowned. She distantly thought she remembered having seen this girl before. (Where...where? I´m always such a mess for faces!)
"You must be Higurashi-sama, the guardian priestess of the Pearl, yes?" said the young woman in smooth tones.
Kagome blinked, frown deepening. That voice...those strangely unexpressive eyes...Argh! it all rang some distant bell yet Kagome couldn´t quite recall. (Where have I seen this woman!)
"Ah! Sango-sama! Yes, yes, let me introduce you to Higurashi Kagome," said the still too cheerful tones of Tatakai. "She has come especially to aid us in these dark times..."
Kagome suddenly turned her face and looked at him blankly. (Have I? What is he talking a--?)
"I see."
"Yes, yes, now that you´re both here, you´ll be able to consult and help our Lady!" He flailed his arms distressedly. "Oh! Whatever will we do, Sango-sama! With each second it passess this turns for the worst..."
Kagomes frown returned. Yes, she was sure she'd seen this woman before. The name rang a bell, too. But where--?
Kagome gasped as sudden knowledge dawned. The woman at the bus stop the day before, the one who asked her if she was alright... Also, Sango-sama, demon huntress extraordinaire and right hand to the Head of the taijiyas of Koufu.
She was the daughter of the man who had come to her shrine fourty years ago to reclaim possession of the Pearl. The man whom, allegedly, threatened to destroy the entire Higurashi Household.
Oh.
Kagome winced.
Sango eyed the girl in front of her with the mild look of someone assessing a potentially dangerous ground.
Kagome thought the other looked potentially interested in murdering her.
(Ok, Kagome, quick thinking: what to do if she starts asking for the Shikon no Tama? Right, look confident and explain patiently it´s really really bothersome side effects. Like city destruction, or soul corruption...how about world chaos, too...)
"Higurashi-san? Higurashi-san, are you alright there?" A male hand came batting in front of her eyes and she blinked. Tatakai was hovering in front of her, dark eyes worried.
The young woman was moving away, once again to sit near the daisaiin.
"Huh? Oh, hai hai. I-I´m fine," she smiled strainedly. "Just...lost in thought."
He didn´t look very convinced.
"Mmm...you called me? Kikuchi-san told me to come, that Kajiura-redi had...awokened?"
Kagome finished uncenrtainly, peering over the left of the man to the laying figure of the child. She was thrashing and moaning, eyes wide open.
Moving lightly forward, Kagome sat at Sango´s right. She was awefully wired at their closeness, the horrible things her grandfather had said about the taijiya´s family being murderers of her ancestor replaying in her contrite mind. (They weren´t true. ´kaa-san said he fell down the stairs after a long...ah...active participation during the drinking games on the Sake´s Day... Yet it is true they want the Pearl, claim it as their heirloom... Oh, but it isn´t theirs! It has been in our temple for more than 500 years!
Argh! stop it, Kagome! This isn´t the time for this. Look, the woman is not even paying attention to you anymore, so just let it chill. Focus!) Shaking her head, she looked attently at the child in front.
Kagome choked at what she saw. The previously porcelain skin was now sweaty and paper-white. The red hair fanned about her tiny figure like a pool of blood, sticking to her face and wet temples like crimson veins. And her eyes...they were wide and unseeing, glassy.
Now she looked more like a doll than ever.
Kagome shuddered involuntarily, distantly thinking she wasn´t sure this state was better than the little girl´s previously unresponsive one. If she didn´t know better, she´d say her spirit was trying to leave the body. Extending a hand, she brushed the girl´s liquid bangs off her forehead, worry eating at her mind.
"What´s wrong with her?" Kagome murmured, distraught.
"When the Lady awo—opened her eyes," Tatakai murmured, approaching from behind them. "She was moving and mumbling. We-I didn´t know what to do. I thought that...perhaps she was being possessed, what with the thrashing and all and-and not recognizing any of us around and not giving any response," he sighed. Kagome had the distinct impression that all the liveliness he´d been feeling had been only the effect of his shock. She recalled dazedly he did the same when they met at his office, changing atittudes in a blink (It´s like he is two persons at the same time...).
"You told me yesterday she might have been attacked by a spirit or something so...so I called the demon hunters and you, Higurashi-san." He was fidgety, moving from one foot to the other, now passing his hand through his hair, now fixing his tie or smoothing the non-existent wrinkles of his suit.
Kagome stared at him, meaningless thoughts crossing her mind. (...and to think this man is our country´s Prime Minister... My God, however does he cope with State pressure? Although this must be rather more stressing than elections. He looks so...flighty, well, what with having your entire life depending of a dummy like me to bring back the Emperor´s priestess to full consciousness... Mmm...now that I think about it, I´d be writhing in my own trousers, too...)
The man was talking again.
"...and Sango-sama came first. She assessed the Lady was not, in fact, being possessed but merely--"
"Dreaming... I don´t think she´s awake," the woman cut in.
Kagome looked at her, bewildered.
"You connected with her?" she asked in wonder. Only mikos could do that as spiritual powers were needed for it to work. But hunters were only common people, granted, exceptionally agile and daring to attack demons, but with no power above human strength whatsoever.
"Of course not. I just can´t feel her aura as being fighting anything. If someone were taking control of her body, anyone would be able to feel it retaliating."
Kagome slapped her forehead mentally. Of course. Oh, she was such a klutz... How could she have forgotten the basic notions on ki? She let her own spirit expand and brush that of the daisaiin. It was a soft, pulsing red-gold. It wasn´t flaring, or angry or even seemed offensive. It was just there, like yesterday, warmly surrounding the lying priestess in an invisible mist.
"Right, yes... There´s nothing inside her."
"So the Lady is fine, then?" asked Tatakai, still standing behind them out of respect for the powerful figure of the child. "Isn´t there a way to —uhm, help her relax? She´s so distraught..."
Kagome turned her head towards him and smiled as reassuringly as she could. "Hai, she seems to be fine... ehmm... dreaming. I can´t do anything to calm her, have you tried awakening her again?"
"They did. Four onmyou-ji from the Mashimo clan came," answered Sango, waving a hand in a vague gesture. "They couldn´t do anything, of course, as the child, though dreaming, is still in a trance. Apparently, they can´t reach her spirit. Her aura stops them."
Kagome nodded, tapping her chin with her right hand´s fingers. "Yes, it happened to me too yesterday." She cocked her head to the side and, after a moment, asked him. "Oh, now that I remember, Kikuchi-san told me on the phone that Kajiura-redi had spoken. What did she say?"
Tatakai visibly paled, his hands twitching. Kagome blinked at his odd behaviour, eyes moving towards Sango. She didn´t answer her either.
"Ehmm...Tatakai-san?" Kagome looked at him, disgruntled.
"Anou —well, y-you see Higurashi-san...T-the Lady," he coughed repeatedly, not meeting her eyes.
Kagome was slowly getting a horrible bad feeling out of this.
"Yes? What is it?"
"She wished us to kill her," came the blunt answer from her left.
Startled, Kagome stared at the other young woman, dumbstruck. "Huh?"
Sango raised hardened eyes. "The first thing she said. The daisaiin asked to be killed."
"What!" The word exploded from Kagome´s lips with a choke. "What are you talking about!"
At that moment, the daisaiin moaned, transparent eyes narrowing in distress. "Please..."
Kagome jerked around and gasped. Her right hand moved unconsciously to the girl, wiping the sweat on her cheeks and forehead. She murmured reassurences as her mind whirled desperately. Was this a joke? Could it be that she had—that this child had said something like that! Cold dread travelled down her spine, eyes looking at Sango in hopes of seeing something that would give the other away. Yet she found none, nor on her or the puddle of nerves that was Tatakai.
Something suddenly clicked. "Maybe she´s having nightmares. Yes...it can´t be anything else, right? —why else would she want to-to die?"
Sango shrugged.
"At least she´s giving signs of consciousness...or something similar to it. When I spoke to Yiu-san I feared the girl was in a comma or too lost inside herself to reach her," the young woman said ponderingly. "But she seems to only be asleep...which is quite a releif. We can use that to our favour, I think...Yes, her nightmares could help us enter her mind and see what is happening..." her voice drifted, left hand lightly tracing the patterns on her kimono absently.
Kagome, on the other hand, sputtered indignantly. Was this woman serious! She couldn´t believe it...the nerve! (She´s glad Kajiura-redi is having nightmares! What in all Heaven´s glory is wrong with her?Here is a little girl suffering under Kami knows what horrible things that make her wish she were dead, for God´s sake! And this-this Sango girl is releived?) In the recesses of her head, Kagome felt the distinct need to throttle the other. Of course, she didn´t have a nice Italy-sized boot to do so but she supposed that, under the circumstances, her sandal would have to do. Trying to control her anger and not cause a scene by screeching, she balled her fists and asked through gritted teeth. "What?"
Sango blinked the renmants of her ponderings away and looked at her. Almond eyes clashed with stormy blue, and she shrugged.
"Yiu-san told me you couln´t achieve any response from the Lady beyond a simple aura-channeling. That´s because the daisaiin has been too submerged inside her own mind. What we didn´t know was that, inside that trance, she was still conscious -well, at leat conscious enough to dream," Sango said in clear tones. Her features were blank yet her eyes shone with that something that Kagome had only seen in Miroku possess.
(She´s planning something...)
"Everyone knows that dreams are the doors to the mind. When one dreams, the mind is left opened for someone to, having the necessary abilities, interpret them–which is what we need right now, I think." Her eyes fixed on the daisaiin, who moaned and turned her head to the side, mouth slightly opened in a silent plea. "She might even be replaying her attack right at this very moment...Yes, I think that we need to enter her mind, that way we´ll be able to know what´s truly wrong and help her...even what happened that day and who did it. It is the only way to know the truth."
Tatakai, whom had until then remained quiet at the back of the three most strange girls he´d ever had the "fortune" to meet, inhaled sharply and clapped his hands once. "Oh Great Kami! A-are you serious, Sango-sama! Oh, then...the mystery´ll be solved! How amazing you are San-"
"But that´s immpossible! Mind readers don´t exist," Kagome cut in, eyes intent on the taijiya´s face.
"No, they don´t," Sango replied softly, a smile slowly drawing on her lips. "But dream seers do."
"Dream seers?"
Sango looked at her over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "You don´t know of them?"
Kagome registered that the other seemed almost amused and that made her change the slightly intrigued state she´d just fallen into, for her previously fuming one. Raising her chin, she bit out, "Well, excuse me. I never knew there were humans that could enter dreams. I thought the only ones who could do that were mythical dragons and the earth ogres of the Yubari Mount." (Ha! That´ll show her I´m not as uninformed as she thinks.)
Sango shrugged and stood up. "There are no human Yume-mi; just like you said, only dragons and some ogres are." She moved aside, towards the grand shoji window. Gracefully, she slid them open to peer at the gleaming structure of Amaterasu´s pagoda on the yard. The evening light poured softly over her in a cascade of orange and gold. A strange smile was drawn on her lips and Kagome had the distinct feeling this young woman would make a great couple with Miroku. Meanwhile, Sango continued. "They can create and read dreams, enter anyone´s mind as easily as one opens a window. Pity earth ogres are extinct and dragons...well, they aren´t so common anymore..."
Kagome furrowed her brows, getting more and more puzzled by the minute. She passed a hand through her hair, trying to come to grips with what was being said. "I´m sorry but...I don´t think I follow you. Are you telling me that you want to use a dragon on the daisaiin, then?"
Sango laughed, a clear melodious sound. She turned to face Kagome and the minister, the sun lighting her hair like molten chocolate and her kimono like fine black silk.
"No, no that´s ridiculous! No dragon would ever help willingly and, even if you could bring one, they´d only end up breaking havoc." Sango shook her head, her tones once again unexpressive. "Actually, it isn´t only the dragon that can see dreams. I´ve heard that if you crush the scales that cover their eyelids into a fine powder, you may use their Vision for some hours, too."
Tatakai gasped, completely awed at this revelation. Kagome just furrowed her brows more deeply, one arm crossed over her chest, the other leaning on it to tap her chin. It sounded like a nice plan and certainly helpful to solve the case: enter the dreams of the victim, rove around for anything useful and probably come out with a yelp and the name of the bad guy. Then, applying the right amount of pressure here and a little torture on the hands of the government agents there, she was sure they´d be able to pacifically convince the wrong-doer to get a way to help the distressed child-priestess. The Lady would wake and smile, the bad guy would go to prison and mope, and everything would be right in the world again.
Yep, it sounded like an awefully nice plan to her. The minor detail was...well, they needed a dragon.
A dragon.
And we all know dragons just don´t live under the bed or sprout in the backyard, and most certainly you can´t get one at your average K-mart, so—
(Yep, we have a little problem there, then... Also, I´ve read they don´t tend to be very co-operative, least of all when you want to extract wheel-sized scales from his eyes...) "And how will we get a dragon to help?"
Sango shook her head. "We won´t get him to help. We´ll hunt him."
There was a pause, one of those that last for quite some time and are very meaningful...
(Oh, right. Hunt it. Of course. Why didn´t I think of that before?) Kagome sweat-dropped. Ask a taijiya to help you with something and, some way or another, you´ll always end up hearing that phrase.
"It´s quite easy, actually," Sango continued, unaware of her audiences expressions. Tatakai was paler than the colour white, eyes wide like saucers and sputtering incoherently. Kagome, on the other hand, just sighed and prepared herself to be the first-row eye witness of the pronouncement of her Fate. She knew, deep down inside, that what the young woman was about to say was exactly what she´d end up doing later. Somehow, it was always like that when she offeed her help and had to put herself into frontal peril for another.
"It´s better if we go after a sea dragon. They´re smaller and easier to control, also much easier to find... Let´s see, I think I recall hearing there was one hidden near here..." Sango drawled, eyes intent on a far memory. "Yes, it was at Tokyo´s coast but I dn´t know precisel where. I´ll have to ask father for more info." She crossed her arms, delving her hands inside the long sleeves of her kimono in thought. "It´s necessary for it to be lead away from the water, they tend to flee when feeling endangered. Also, we´ll need some abunai tranquilizers and hanone to numb it. Hmm...yes, if all´s well, we´ll be able to extract those scales without it suffering more damage than a bump and a headache to remember us." She finished, nodding, eyes closed.
To say the constant repetition of that "we" and "us" the taijiya just kept pronouncing made our heroine shudder...now that would be a big understatement which I don´t deem necessary to explain.
(Oh, yes, ladies and gentlemen, be prepared for Higurashi Kagome is going to hunt a dragon.) She groaned.
Tatakai finally exploded. "Are you se-serious then, Sango-sama? You are--" Tatakai choked. "You are going to try to catch a Dragon! That´s preposterous!" And you could clearly hear that capital letter on "dragon". He turned towards Kagome, panicked. "Higurashi-san! Is this —will you do such crazy thing!"
Kagome turned tired eyes towards the daisaiin. The small child laid almost swallowed under the golden linens and her red hair. She had stilled her movements, yet unseeing eyes remained open, staring lost to a side.
The young miko´s heart ached. She knew were her duty resided, knew by heart what was expected of her as miko and sole Guardian of the Shikon no Tama. But this...this went beyond that.
Nodding once she stood up, walking with her back straight towards Sango. Hardened eyes focused on the other´s, squarely. "Very well, I´ll help you."
Sango raised a brow.
"Help me? Please, that´s not necessary, Higurashi-san; my family and I can take care of this."
And just like that Kagome tripped and almost fell face first. (What!)
"A-anou...But I thought—you said "we" and I--" Kagome stuttered, hands moving from pointing to her to the other in rapid succession.
Sango just cocked her head to the left. "Iie. I meant my father and relatives. We are all a family of trained fighters. I myself have hunted two dragons of air already," she shrugged non-commitaly.
Kagome wanted to bang her head against the wooden wall. Of course she had. They were the taijiyas of Koufu, last family of demon hunters in all of Japan.
Kagome wasn´t suicidal –though one might have proofs otherwise. But this was her job and, though this might be The Most Dangerous Thing She´d Ever Done...and for the others would be probably Another Meaningless Bump On The Road, she had to do it. Somehow, it just didn´t feel right for her not to go and, though now she had the possibility to back off graciously, she wanted to hunt down that bloody reptile! Why? Well, because...because it was unfair! "But, this is my case! It is my responsability... I offered to do this, remember? I have to go, too."
The young huntress eyed the miko critically. Keen eyes rove up the long, slightly-scratched-on-the-knees legs; the scant little baby-blue skirt and white T-shirt; the nervous wringing of her hands, the slightly curved shoulders; and finally to the face of a girl whom probably hadn´t had had to face anything more dangerous than a rabid snail with megalomaniac airs. (Perhaps some minor youkai, too... She is, after all, a priestess and guards that cursed Pearl. I heard father say once that she defeated the fabled Centipede Lady single handedly, and also tricked a river spirit to give her his name...quite a fit for such a girl, but still--)
"Can you control any weapons?"
"H-hai. I know how to use the bow."
Sango scoffed. "That´s it?"
Kagome gulped and nodded, blushing. "Ehmm...actually, the bow is the weapon I use to infuse my powers. You see, I can´t use my spirit to attack unless I concentrate it in a material instrument," she sighed. "Jii-chan forced me to learn archery when I discovered my...ehmm...inheritance. I got so used to it that now the only way I can command it is through the arrows."
"Holy powers...I see." Once again, something odd flashed through Sango´s eyes and the young woman smiled. It made Kagome bite her lip. "Very well, you may come."
The miko smiled hopefully. "Really? That´s great! How much time do I have to prepare? When do we leave?" (I hope she says in a few days, that way I´ll have time to convince jii-chan I´m not mad, tie Souta-kun to a tree so he won´t follow to take pictures of His Sister Embarrassing Herself In Front Of Professional Demon Connoseires, and practice concentration! I still got to be able to actually hit the mark on the first and not twelveth try...)
"Tomorrow morning."
Kagome almost hit the floor. "What? T-tomorrow!"
"Mmm...yes, I´d prefer it for this to be over with quickly. There are...other matters that my family has to deal with, so..." Sango said off-handedly, fixing her green obi.
Before Kagome could come up with an answer that was more articulate than her fish-gaping impression, Sango bowed to the Prime Minister –who wasn´t much better off, either- and to the lying grand priestess. She moved softly towards the doors but, before leaving, said over her shoulder. "We´ll be picking you up tomorrow at 6 in the morning. Please be ready." Bowed and left.
Kagome smacked her hand on her forehead, groaning. So much for preparation.
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The next day, dawn broke hot and merry.
At exactly 5.46 am, the first rays of the sun peaked out through the horizon in a variety of pinks and violets; at exactly 5.59 am, a van stopped at the foot of the Higurashi Shrine. Kagome climbed quick and sleepily, bumping her head against the door´s metal edge and twisting her foot lightly as she tried to fit her bow and stash of arrows, her yellow bag full of supplies her mother forced her to bring –"But ´kaa-san...it´s not necessary!" she had whined. "Oh, don´t be silly Kagome-chan! After hunting you might as well have a sea-side picnic! I´ll make you some treats,"she´d chortled-; and bowing in apology, all at the same time.
To her major surprise, only Sango and a young boy were inside.
"Ehmm...where is the rest?" she asked unasurely. (Oh, please tell me they are hidden in the trunk...please, please)
Sango started the van and drove efficiently through the blissfully non-existent morning traffic. "They aren´t coming," she answered, eyeing swollen eyed Kagome through the rear-view mirror. "Father´s busy with another matter. He asked me to bring Kohaku," she motioned with her head to the quiet boy at her side. "He´ll be coming of age soon so, he might as well start getting ready for battle now."
Kagome bit her lip hard to quiet the on coming groan. A young huntress, an underaged first-timer –he was Sango´s little brother, she later learned- and a mortified miko. What an efficient party... She distantly wondered if, given the rate of suicidal cases she was oh-so prone to be given as of late, she´d survive long enough to see the last chapter of her favourite anime. (Don´t think so...I hope Kami has cable tv for I sure as Hell won´t live the afterlife with that incognita...)
"Ehmm...where are we going exactly?" she asked, looking out to see the speeding city move behind her window.
"Southern coasts of Tokyo, near Kawasaki."
"Oh, right..." She´d never heard of any dragons looming on that area but —Oh well, surely they were after a little one, like one of those that resemble flying lizards or something.
The journey turned out to be short and silent. The siblings didn´t speak much amongst themselves, and they didn´t deem it necessary to speak to her either. No kind words, no meaningless assurences...nothing.
...and was she in need of assurences right now. She had somehow managed to survive the night –and her grandfather´s fit of hysterics-without any remarkable ado. She had dutifully spent the night praying and thinking over her options. Yet there were too many things to consider, too much pressure in too little time and she had found that practicing shooting on her house´s small dojo was an amazing nervous attack preventer. That single night she had fired more arrows against Koichi –her practice dummy-, than on her entire career as archerist.
Of course, that didn´t mean she had improved any...
(Let´s hope my archery skills won´t be necessary today... Sango-san said yesterday that she had everything under control, that she was used to hunting mythological reptiles, so... But she also said her entire family would be here --Oh God´s, let´s pray there aren´t any more unpleasent surprises...)
Shuffling a little to get more comfortable, she tried relaxing, her eyes straying listlessly to the passing background outside her window. How does one fight a dragon? She had read many stories on chevaliers riding white stallions, defeating dragons and ogres and evil spirits to save immpossibly fair maidens. The problem with those stories was that, though the dragons and umibozu and very evil spirits did, indeed, exist, they came lacking on the "dashing warriors with shinny horse and sword" department. And it was her job to save the fair maidens, instead.
She sighed, leaning against the cool surface of the glass and saying her morning prayers on her head.
By the time she was finished, the van had stopped and two pairs of almond eyes were staring amusedly at her.
Blushing, she eyed around to see where they were. The van was parked at the foot of a grand looking shrine that wasn´t situated at the hight of a hill –as is customary in most of them. No, it´s stairs, made of light-coloured wood, led down towards the beach. The shrine was facing the sea, it´s tiles and walls gleaming blue-violet under the morning sun.
Kagome gasped clasping her hands on her cheeks. "The Sensoji no Jinja..." she hushed, awed. Her head turned towards Sango whom was standing next to her, surveying the beautiful structure spreading under them on the sand. "Ehmm...but isn´t this the temple for the God Dragon?" she asked.
"Yes, Ryou-ue is said to live in the depths of the Suruga Bay with his servants." It was Kohaku whom answered her softly, standing to his sister´s side, both dressed in their tradtional combat suits. Kagome smiled at how similar they were, remembering just how different she was from her little brother.
Yet her smile quickly vanished when her brain put two and two together.
They were looking for a dragon to hunt.
Now they were standing at Ryou-ue´s temple, the God Dragon of the Ocean´s home.
Oh.
Kagome´s colour left. (Oh. Beloved. Kami... we are hunting down a God!) She began sputtering, this time needing the reassurences, please; when...
"Ane-ue, look!" Kohaku startled her, pointing to something in the distant beach.
Sango and Kagome both turned and focused on a strange white figure that was standing still over the bouldy surface of the honden. Their brows furrowed and Kagome squinted her eyes against the sun as she tried to perceive it clearly. (Who is that...?)
She gasped. A flash in her mind appeared...oh, she knew that regal posture, that white-clad figure. She had seen it looming over a torii, staring at her. (Is that--! Yes, it´s him, the demon of the old shrine! What´s he doing here?)
"Come on! There´s a demon there!" Sango cried, quickly snatching their equipment and rushing down.
"Wait! No, that demon isn´t--!" But they didn´t hear her, by this time already half way down. "Matte kudasai!"
Kagome rushed behind them, heart pounding, eyes locked on that strangely long-haired figure looming on the middle of the ocean.
As she tripped the last steps onto the sand and stood panting next to her companions, the demon turned his face towards them. She had him rather near now, could see his features more attently. And oh wonderous Kami, did she not desire she´d ever set foot on that coast... A demon on perfect human form, clad in what had obviously been a white ensemblage from ancient times but now looked better for the trash-can . He had long, really long hair the colour of the deepest white and some odd markings on his face. Kagome had the wild sensation that he looked like some regal bird of prey...waiting. He was also giving off that cool youki that seemed to freeze her very soul and, as their eyes clashed for a second Kagome had the distinct feeling she´d pass out any time soon.
That was, until Sango gasped and Kohaku squeaked. "Look! Something´s coming out!"
Beyond the standing figure, the until then realtively calm surface of the sea began agitating, waves raising high and clashing senselessly in a non-existent wind.
First, there was a big mass of unidentifiable blue and black, splashing rivers of salty water everywhere as it glided up. Slowly, as the sea parted around it, the strange mountain-like thing shifted and extended. It uncoiled a long, sleek neck from behind and faced the beach, two glittering eyes looking at them and then at what was standing right in front of and way beneath it, merely a breath away. Kagome looked at it and blanched, feeling fear curl tightly on her stomach. She eyed the demon, bewildered at seeing it didn´t even flinch at the humungous presence of the sea serpent. (...what a backbone he must have...)
The dragon yawned, long and wide, displaying a row of teeth to make any swords crafter proud. Then, rolled on its back, and snapped its jaws shut, eyes intent on the demon standing over his sacrifices´ altar.
"Mmm...Lord of the West," it grumbled like a storm. "You called...?"
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Glossary of Japanese words:
Ryou: Dragon.
Dishinjoubo: doors similar to the shoji ones, but made of carved wood.
Engawa: sparce porche or exterior corridor that extends throughout a typical japanese house or temple, connecting its rooms.
Takaamagahara: japanesse heaven.
Yume-mi: lit. "Dream Seer".
Abunai: dangerous susbtance used to daze big animals.
Hanone: it´s said to be the Devil´s fang in powder. Only a legend, but apparently, it was used to sleep monsters.
Umibozu: ogres.
Sensoji no Jinja: lit. "The Sensoji Temple". Located over the Suruga Bay, it is best known for it´s wide –and not high- edification. It spreads and lies against the side of a hill, facing the ocean where its God protector –the Dragon God-is said to lie. Also different to other traditional temples is that it´s honden (the place of the God in a shrine, small building that houses the deity of the shrine) is not inside the shrine but outside. Actually, its a big rock with little blue and white rombodial flags, standing over the waters, in the sea. This is also the place where the ritual sacrifices of food and offerings to the God are placed for the ocean to take it.
And this is where Sesshoumaru is standing ).
Ane-ue: older sister, in old speech. This is the way Kohaku addressed Sango during the anime and movies.
Matte kudasai!: Please, wait!
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C.o.m.t.e.s.s.a