Plea of a Fading Soul
I hope you all liked the last chapter. And we've hit the 50 reviews stage (thank you!)
This chapter is dedicated to Miko-no-Kaze, for commenting on every chapter of this so far (except the seventh, but I can forgive you for that!) And also for always commenting on my stories, e.g. Flat Line and Erase The Past. You keep my fingers typing!
Chapter Eight
Song of the Suffering
Kagome woke up, dazed and confused. Her head was lolling sleepily on one side and when she focused she saw that she was standing upright in a torch-lit cave. No, not standing – hovering. She was sealed to the wall like she had been by Kaguya so long ago. She tried to scream but found her throat knotted up.
That was when she realised that she wasn't alone. When she looked around her brown eyes met and locked with an identical pair. There, on the opposite wall of the cave, was a young woman with long black hair. She seemed elder and more willowy than Kagome, but that was the only difference.
Kikyo…
"So you're awake," the woman said without emotion.
"Where's Inuyasha?" Kagome found herself snapping, lurching forward from the wall. Her face was flushed with anger suddenly, angry at herself and at Meiko. How could she have been so stupid? How?
Kikyo looked disgruntled and annoyed. Her hair was stuck to her face with perspiration, her eyes narrowed. "I don't know," she said with careful precision. "I was looking for you,"
Kagome's eyes widened suddenly. There was suddenly the sound of water dripping from the roof of the cave to the floor, a trickle catching Kagome on the cheek. She blinked furiously. "W-Why?"
The miko opposite looked away almost bitterly. Kagome realised that she, too, was sealed. Kikyo glanced at her briefly. "I heard that you went 'insane' yet you seem perfectly fine to me."
"Insane?" Kagome repeated, a pit opening up inside of her. She gulped back the urge to scream out in anger, and she clenched her fists.
Kikyo was continuing, though. "I came to ask… are you being stalked by a youkai?"
Kagome saw the glint of apprehension in Kikyo's eyes. She bowed her head and grimaced. "You've seen him,"
"I have," Kikyo admitted, nodding once. She seemed surprisingly calm about the whole situation, angry but not surprised.
Kagome smiled, knowing fully well it wasn't a particularly nice smile. "Shadow Man, or Kanuono, has latched on to Inuyasha now."
"Nani–? That can't be–" Kikyo began, before recovering. She took a deep breath and turned her face away. "Soka,"
The two bowed their heads simultaneously, falling into silence. Kagome glanced up once, saw that Kikyo was staring at the floor as if it weren't really there, and gave up. "So, how did you end up here?" she asked for want of conversation.
Kikyo didn't look up. Her face remained a mask. "A moment of weakness, nothing more. I was captured by that youkai I believe is… how can I put this…?"
"Stalking me? He's not a pervert; he's a nightmare, Kikyo."
Kikyo raised her eyes, disinterested. Her eyes flashed almost angrily. "You make it sound so over-dramatic. No wonder Inuyasha is always running after you, you're a damsel in permanent distress. Incapable of doing anything on your own?"
Kagome blinked furiously. Nani? Kikyo has never sounded like this before – I can't explain it! Is she jealous or something? She didn't know, instead she narrowed her eyes. "Since when does blowing things out of proportion crown me an invalid? At least I can have a bath without being afraid of my skin crumbling away," Kagome shot back.
Kikyo's own eyes narrowed. "I know how you got here, Kagome. I know how you were manipulated by that witch – she gave me the satisfaction of hearing her little scheme while you were out cold. You're not too different from me are you? Easy to see a betrayal when it's in black and white, isn't it?"
Kagome felt a laugh rising up inside of her, trying to escape no matter how much she tried to squash it down. "Since when is trying to make love with me a 'betrayal'? I just didn't like it that I wasn't in control of my body," she sneered back, only half-lying. Still, she winced inwardly at how bitchy she sounded.
She hated the arguments, hated being looked down upon by Kikyo. She always ended up hating herself for the way she acted around the other girl.
Kikyo's mouth opened in disbelief, her eyes widening briefly. Kagome had never seen her look so shocked, so uncertain before. There was plain horror written all across her face, her skin unbelievably pale. She shook her head in fierce denial, her eyes aflame. "He's an arrogant, indecisive puppy. You're just spinning a lie,"
"No. You just refuse to believe the truth," Kagome snapped angrily. "Face it, Kikyo, you just can't stand seeing him letting you go,"
What's happening to me? Kagome thought, wildly. Why am I putting on such an ugly voice? Why am I being so horrible – we're both in this situation together, aren't we?
"You just can't face the past we shared together," Kikyo countered, her thoughts mirroring Kagome's exactly.
Her reincarnation just smiled back, nastily. "And you can't face the future that he'll share with me. Without you,"
Kikyo opened her mouth to snap back before a cold wind blew into the cave, kicking dust up into their eyes.
"Easy girls,"
Kikyo and Kagome snapped round, their faces filled with anger suddenly. The blonde miko standing at the mouth of the cave was smiling limply, holding a torch that she then began to hang up in a holster on the wall.
"Where's Inuyasha?" they both asked, their voices as cold as winter.
Meiko let out a flirtatious laugh, placing a hand on her chest amiably. "Why do you think I should know? You should calm yourselves; you're like a cat and mouse at each other's throats like that."
Kagome attempted to clench her fists, but found her body was turning numb. Her head felt light and she wasn't sure that she was even holding on to reality anymore.
Kikyo was sagging at her spot on the wall. "Why?" the miko asked. "Why are you doing this to us? Winding us up and letting us go…?"
Meiko laughed again, a laugh that reminded Kagome of the Shikon no Tama splintering into a thousand pieces. "You're quite right. Why, I wonder? Kanuono feeds off fear, not anger. And I feed off something entirely different," She briefly flashed Kagome a look, her eyes sparkling in the torch light casting amber highlights across her face.
She shook her head, beginning to speak almost as if to herself. Her voice was distant, wistful. "Yet still, I can feel it throbbing somewhere here… The source."
"The source?" Kagome repeated, dazed.
Kikyo lowered her eyes. "She's speaking of the source of her power. Her energy stock."
"And that doesn't include you!" Meiko cried, rounding on her. "Damn you, little miss high-priestess, why the hell do you think you know it all?"
Kikyo clenched her fists, her teeth set in a snarl. "I don't know what you derive your power from, but whatever it is – I'll put a stop to it,"
"Are you sure…?" Meiko purred, her eyes mocking suddenly. She looked almost sympathetically at Kagome, before turning back to Kikyo. "I expected you would say that. Well, why don't we let Kagome have her say in this?"
"Be quiet, Kikyo." Kagome said desperately, her eyes filling with tears.
Kikyo's head snapped up. "No. I'm sick of her games. Earlier, our argument, it was her – she was controlling us like a bunch of puppets. I refuse to be used like–"
"I don't care! Shut up!" Kagome screamed. Fear was curling around her heart, casting a dark shadow in her mind where only dark thoughts came forward.
I don't know what it is Meiko 'feasts' on. But whatever it is, I have a feeling I don't want it to stop. Something about the way she's smiling… the way she's asking me to have a say in its defence…
Kagome turned to Meiko, her chest heaving with pants for breath. "Tell me, Meiko, tell me one thing. What does Kanuono want with us – what do you want with us?"
Meiko grimaced, brushing back strands of angel-golden hair, her eyes sparkling like rubies. "Well, a civilised conversation at last. I think I can answer that," she smiled. She made her way over to where Kagome was held to the wall, her tanned skin laddered with light from the surrounding torches. "Kanuono has an obsession with you, Kagome." She whispered, her voice trembling almost with excitement.
She was so close that Kagome could feel her breath on her cheek. She pulled back away from her, flinching.
Meiko's eyes suddenly seemed to be looking right through her, as if she wasn't really there. She smiled ruefully. "He also feels the same with Inuyasha – with his fear. It's like a drug, and he's addicted. This little theatrical should keep him alive for– ooh, let's say for a good century."
She raised her eyes, smirking cruelly.
Kikyo's eyes widened in confusion and Kagome turned to look at her. "Kanuono… He feeds on our fear. Mine and Inuyasha's,"
Meiko's grin widened and she ran a hand through Kagome's hair, snapping the girl back to face her. "It is his purpose," she smiled. Then she leaned in close to whisper in Kagome's ear; so close that their cheeks brushed together. "Just as it is my purpose to feast on your lo-"
Meiko stopped suddenly, her eyes widening so her pupils were mere pinpoints. She pulled away from Kagome, her skin the shade of parchment paper as she made noises as if she were choking.
Kagome's eyes widened as she watched the blonde girl collapse to the floor, clawing at her throat in terror. "I… I… c-c-c…can't b-b-b-breathe…" she wheezed, writhing in the air. She raised a hand in Kagome's direction, her eyes pleading. "P-Please…! Agh!"
She slammed her eyes shut, clutching the sides of her face as she began screaming at the voice resounding in her head. "Kanuono, stop!"
Kanuono? He's suffocating her? But how? How can he when he isn't even here? Kagome's mind screamed as she tried to pry herself loose from the wall. She couldn't. The bounds must have been put on by Kanuono, as she couldn't break free.
He's silencing her, the girl suddenly realised, staring at Meiko. He doesn't want her to give away his plan…
Mieko raised her eyes, and Kagome felt like she didn't recognise the girl's face anymore. The girl's eyes were completely black – no longer their unusual red. Her mouth opened in a scream but no it didn't come out. Instead, a voice reverberated in the air – deep and male. And it was coming from Meiko. "Tell them anymore and I'll slice your pretty throat open, my love."
"Kanuono!" Kagome shrieked.
Meiko turned to face her, her body shuddering. Except it wasn't Meiko. It was the Shadow Man. He began chuckling, using Meiko's body like a disguise. And he was talking to her. Talking to her through her own body.
Kagome felt bile rise in her throat. It reminded her of the way, when she was a kid, she would play with puppets and mouth out the words they were to say – make them repeat things like idle toys. Because, back then, that was just what they were. Toys.
Was that what Meiko was to Kanuono? A toy?
Shadow Man laughed pleasantly. "Inuyasha says he knows who I really am," he jeered, seemingly addressing Meiko. "But I want to play with him some more before I tell him the truth."
For a brief instant, Meiko seemed to take back control, her eyes remaining the endless black of night. "Wh– What do I–?" She didn't get to finish. That was when the two mikos sealed to the walls saw some form of electricity batter the elder girl's body. Purple lightning.
Meiko screamed. "Kanuono, please! It burns! You're killing me, Kanuono!" she shrieked, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Kikyo turned her face away, as did Kagome, in disgust.
Shadow Man regained control of her body. He sneered. "Don't forget, Meiko-Meiko." He pointed at the wall on Meiko's left, grinning evilly. "Corrupt her. I want to feel his pain."
It took all three of the mikos to realise just who he was motioning at for a moment, before Kikyo stared sombrely back. She smiled. "Corrupt me?" she repeated.
Kanuono smiled once. "If you were meant to be indestructible, you would have been made of stone." He grinned. "As it is, you're not."
"You can't!" Kagome gasped out. "You can't get Kikyo involved in this! This has nothing to do with her!"
"Oh, I assure you, Kagome." Kanuono countered. "It has everything to do with her." And then, without as much as a warning, Meiko's limp body pitched forward. Dishevelled blonde hair surrounded her in waves. Kanuono was gone.
Kagome couldn't tell if Meiko were dead or not. Kikyo just stared emotionlessly at the spot where the girl had fallen.
Kagome glanced up, her eyes wet. "Kikyo…"
"I don't need your pity," the miko snapped back. "Save the concern,"
The blonde spread-eagled on the floor raised her head slowly and Kagome jumped despite of herself. She thought, briefly, that Kanuono was back, but then realised this wasn't so. Meiko looked around, and then seemed to realise that there were tears rolling down her face. She wiped her eyes hastily, composing herself as she glared angrily at both Kagome and Kikyo.
They had caused her weakness – it was them she should punish. Meiko snarled and she turned to Kikyo, descending on the miko. The woman just stared back, amused.
Kagome's lips trembled with desperation suddenly and she surged forward. "Meiko! Listen to me! You survive on– on l-love right?" she cried urgently.
The blonde froze and turned to face her, her expression cold.
Kagome gulped back the nausea and continued, hearing her blood roaring in her ears. "On m-mine and In-Inuyasha's love?"
Meiko's eyes narrowed. "I do. Sadly for myself, it is not a love I like absorbing. Watching one grow day after day so happily while seeing mine fail,"
Kikyo clenched her fists, yet said nothing. Kagome felt some form of triumph or ecstasy rise up inside her at the sound of the word 'grow', yet she took it in her stride and kept her face neutral.
"Then why are you making us suffer? Why are you letting Kanuono do this?" she cried. "I know that you love him, it's obvious, but if he's just going to use you and abuse you like th–!"
"Shut up!" Mieko snapped. "Don't you see? When your life is in danger, his love grows just as his fear grows! It's a risk I've got to take! Love and fear go hand in hand, yet I know that if Inuyasha chooses that bitch then I'll probably die – I know that! But I trust Kanuono; I want to stay by his side! That's my only reason!"
Kagome's eyes widened suddenly and her heartbeat seemed to still.
"I want to stay by Inuyasha's side. That's my only reason…"
Almost her exact words, repeated by the least likely person. Meiko was trembling, and Kagome realised that she wasn't angry at her captives. She was angry at herself, at Kanuono. She loved him, she hated him, and she couldn't let him go.
Meiko clenched and unclenched her fists, looking away. "But… But if he chooses you…Well, I'm set up for life."
Kikyo jumped back into the conversation then, her voice cool and commanding. "So you're working with this "Kanuono" so you can both get what you want?"
Kagome shook her head, calm. "No," she said softly. "No, Kikyo. Meiko… you're– you're doing this out of love, aren't you? You're a demon forged from a shell – just like Kikyo. Your soul was taken from the base of your cr-creation – and so you have to take things from them to keep the life your living. Stealing… Stealing from… m-me," Kagome whispered, suddenly realising what it was she was talking about.
Meiko growled. "I am nothing like her!" she roared, jabbing furiously in Kikyo's direction. "How dare you? I would never betray the one that I love! I would never ever believe for one instant that he didn't love me!"
"It's much more complicated than that," Kikyo spoke up defensively.
Kagome, contrary, turned a lop-sided smile on her incarnation. "That's funny. I thought you said betrayal was in black and white."
Kikyo glared, while her reincarnation just stared silently back.
Meiko shut her eyes and took a calming breath, gaining composure. "If I had my way, there would be no suffering in this world. No pain, no heartache. But I have to do as Kanuono says – I want to. I need to prove my love to him… and the only way to do that is to get rid of you." She turned, her eyes narrowed in Kikyo's direction.
"You need to be out of the picture forever. With you gone, I'll have eternal life. How can you stop absorbing an eternal love?" she said icily.
Kikyo's face paled. "Eternal lo–?"
Kagome looked up to the ceiling of the cave, her eyes distant and widened. Meiko's confidence was filling her with a new kind of feeling. With a new hope... And a new guilt.
An eternal love…
Of course, Inuyasha. She thought, remembering a line from her last English class. One that spoke in unison with the soft voice in her mind. Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you I had no control over…
"Do you still want to put an end to my power source?" Meiko asked softly as she stepped over to Kikyo, her voice reverberating in the air. "Because if you do, it's not just my life you're threatening."
She smiled nastily, cupping the necklace dangling freely from her neck. "Oh no, it's not just my life you're threatening. It's Inuyasha and Kagome's… isn't it?"
