I understood now why I had been so uncomfortable and afraid around Anastasia. When she had touched my hand back in that jail cell… the reason why I had been so freaked out by it was because it was my hand that had been touching me.
Small, dainty, pale.
Her hand had been cold as death, yet was completely identical to my own. Her voice that sounded so much like my sister's… was a voice I could so easily mimic if I desired. Anastasia. A name bestowed upon a person who will rise again.
Just who was she to me? Who am I to her? Is it like with Kagome and the dead priestess-? Am I a reincarnation of this woman?
No… that doesn't make sense. Anastasia still has a soul, dead as it was. She needs a living one to be made whole again. She needed me.
Me or…
Maria.
Of all the people that could have been summoned to the feudal era, it was us two. A pair of sisters who resemble Anastasia greatly- whether it be in appearance or voice. We have no ancestors from this country, but Anastasia was clearly not of Japanese descent.
She must have travelled a long way from America to get here, especially in this era. It must
not have been easy, either. Perhaps that was why she died.
Gods, this… felt like utter insanity.
I had to be reaching for an explanation at this point, and yet, just maybe, it wasn't as strange a thought as my heart tried to make it appear. She needed a soul to be made whole, but not just any soul.
A soul… of a relative, perhaps? A descendant?
"You…" I felt so dizzy and lightheaded, I wanted to throw up. "What…?"
"What's going on!?" Kagome demanded, greatly alarmed.
"They're identical!" Sango gasped.
Anastasia just stared, unimpressed and unafraid. Her dead eyes bore into Inuyasha, the sight seeming to send shivers down his spine as he took a step back, his face contorting into one of confusion and disbelief. Anastasia tilted her head, dark bangs falling into her face. "You dare to point a blade at me…?"
Kagura huffed, flicking her fan open and holding it up to shield the lower half of her face. "Why are you all so tedious?"
"B-But that's…" Shippō stood up from his spot on Kirara's back, horrified. "She looks just like Irene! W-We can't… attack if she looks like Irene, can we?"
That woman… she…
Miroku stepped forward, swinging his staff through the air and glaring at the two women. "They're just trying to confuse us again! No matter what she looks like, Anastasia is just an unholy spirit. We simply need to destroy her body and pray for her soul to find peace."
"No matter what I am, huh?" Anastasia echoed, stepping forward. She outstretched an arm, a red snake coiling around it. "I wonder… is that all it will take for me to find peace? You don't even seem to be aware of why it is I'm here now."
"...It's my soul, isn't it?" Flames flickered to life amongst my fingertips. I ignored the protests of my friends from behind me, instead walking forward through the thick swamp and coming to stand face-to-face in front of Anastasia. "It's... sort of ironic, don't you think? You rose again, just as your name suggests... but just like mine does, you're unable to get any sort of peace until you get my soul... because it's my soul that will give you back the spirits you once had. It's my soul… that will make you alive again."
I was so dizzy. I feel like I'm going to pass out right here and now, and all this overthinking and puzzle piecing was only making it worse. Still, I was determined- and this was my one chance to get the answers I wanted before I died.
A crazed, tired grin spread across my lips and I held my arms out, the flames on my fingertips dancing and stretching up to my arms, coloring themselves blue. "Do you think… that this is destiny? Even though time… itself has been… rewritten? I-It all…"
I coughed, almost losing balance for a second, before letting out a heavy wheeze.
"It all comes together a bit… too nicely, doesn't it?"
"...You are a means to an end." She stated coldly, and the snake coiled around her shoulders, hissing and baring its fangs at me. It was disturbing seeing my own face twisted into something so cruel and lifeless, so pale and ghastly, but I stood my ground and met her stare. I don't even remember the last time I saw my own reflection. "It matters not what I have to do to achieve it."
"Irene!" Inuyasha yelled, and I blinked- barely turning my head in time to see him swinging his sword down towards Anastasia, mud from the swamp flying from the pressure and coating us both. I ended up stumbling back, and Anastasia quickly leapt sideways to avoid the blow. "Get away from her!"
"Hmph."
"This isn't working." Kagura scowled, tossing her fan out to the side. The winds began to pick up, and with it the murky brown water. "We should leave for now!"
What?
"No-!"
Just as it became near impossible to see who was where, the mud and water soaring alongside the whirlwind around us, I lunged- scrambling and running at Anastasia with a desperation I hadn't felt in a very long time. But… rather than a desperation to survive… it was one of need.
I needed to know more. I hadn't even gotten to ask my questions yet. She can't leave now. Not when I might die in the next day or two!
I could hear Kagome shrieking and Sango calling out to the others, Maria crying my name, but it was pitch black. The darkness was overwhelming, everyone covered and blinded by the muddy swamp water and fierce winds. Inuyasha shouted my name again, attempting to locate me, the half-demon having been closest to me before the chaos occurred, but as I ended up tripping over something and falling back into the water, heaving and gasping, an unfamiliar slender hand caught my wrist and pulled me roughly onto my feet.
"What are you stalling for!?" Kagura demanded. A deep cold washed over me, fear striking my racing heart. "Let's hurry and get out of here!"
No. Oh gods, please, no.
I tried to pull back, but she tugged with such force that I had no choice but to obey, too weak to fight back and lacking the oxygen and voice to protest. The wind sorceress pushed me down hard onto the transforming feather, and before I knew it we were riding high up into the air- Inuyasha letting out an angered roar as he slashed at where we had just been mere moments ago.
Holy-!
He just… attacked us. Attacked me. His amber eyes were furious, glaring coldly as the two of us flew away, and in my dazed and sickly state of mind it took a bit too long for me to realize why.
He had thought… I was Anastasia. Kagura, too- that was why she grabbed me, right?
In all that chaos, drenched in murky water and heavy mud, with faces so identical, they got us mixed up. They confused us for each other, and now I was being carried away farther and farther from my friends and my sister, who were left with one of our greatest enemies, and I…
I'm heading straight towards Naraku.
Kagura is right here in front of me, a demoness I despised so greatly, and she's taking me directly to the bastard who killed Otoki. Who killed the samurai that sacrificed themselves to save me and my friends. Who destroyed everyone and everything just because he could.
I could… I could end things, couldn't I? I could use what little strength I have left to attack Naraku. I could do it. If I'm going to die soon anyway, I might as well go out trying to avenge all the innocent people who have suffered.
I could… free Kohaku.
If I can get close enough to him, then I could end this entire war. But- am I… even capable of it? I'm the weakest member of the group; I can barely even defend myself. I might be able to get close to Naraku, but there's no feasible way I could destroy him. I don't have the strength. It would be a suicide attempt.
Gods, I think I see the castle in the distance. I can't believe this is actually happening. There was a dark purple barrier surrounding it, the inside full of demons and a hideous violet mist. That mist… was it Naraku's miasma? It looked so thick and corrosive; there was no way I'd be able to breathe that in and survive. Anastasia probably wasn't affected by it given that she's already a corpse, but I'm still human. I can't even put my slayer mask on without drawing suspicion.
I… I have no choice. I'm going to have to breathe it all in. It'll hasten the rate at which I'll die, but there's no other way I'll be able to get out of this. I'll have to pretend to be the person that wanted me dead the most.
There's no way this will end well.
Trying to steady my breathing and forcing my dazed expression into something more neutral and cold, I did my best to impersonate Anastasia. She always wore that mask- perhaps they didn't know what she actually looked like speaking without it? That was my hope, anyway.
Heart racing with anxiety and fear, the organ beating as hard as it could to keep me functioning, I watched as a hole opened up in the barrier as we approached it. Flying through, it closed up behind us, and I was not at all prepared for the sheer force of which the miasma hit me. It was putrid and suffocating, tearing away at my throat and burning the insides of my lungs. Eyes stinging painfully with tears, I hurriedly turned my head away so Kagura couldn't see my expression, feeling the strength drain from me faster than ever before.
My very life force was being eaten away.
Such a poisonous and deadly gas, so toxic it felt like my very skin was being burned at the touch. My entire body was screaming with pain, and my jaw was clenched so tight to keep myself from coughing and gasping it made my teeth ache. There was so much pressure building up in my chest- but I can't cough. I can't.
If I do, they'll know. If I show my pain they'll kill me faster and it'll be over. They'll win, I can't let them win, they can't get my soul, I won't let them, stay awake stay awake don't pass out ignore the pain don't focus on the pain don't show pain don't show emotion don't-
My palms and wrists were bleeding from my nails digging into the flesh, hands carefully hiding inside my long kosode sleeves. I could feel the sweat beading down my face, my neck, my back. I must have been pale as a sheet.
Yet Kagura didn't notice, probably due to the fact that I was soaked head-to-toe in dirty water and mud. Hell, if it wasn't for that… she probably would have noticed the purple and blue color my face had turned from me forcing myself to inhale and not choke by the time we landed. Climbing off the feather, Kagura turned to face me, watching with curious red eyes as I very slowly did the same, making sure I didn't stumble or sway or let my dizziness get the better of me. My skull was pounding, heart beating so loud it was throbbing and echoing in my ears.
"You had a hard time, didn't you?
It was so loud I almost didn't hear Kagura speak, my pained and nearly dead brown eyes looking up to meet her stare. I said nothing in response to her question, but thankfully Kagura didn't seem bothered by it. She actually looked like she expected me to just stand there and stare.
Like she truly believed me to be Anastasia.
Flicking her fingers as the feather transformed back into a tiny little little thing that she could catch, Kagura carefully tucked the moth feather into her hair bun. "Anyway..." She turned away, pulling her fan out of her sleeve and flicking it open to cover the lower half of her face. "Those wolf-demons aren't that big of a deal. It's just annoying that they saw through our plan. Those brats are smarter than they look."
I can't… breathe…
Black spots are… dancing in… vision…
Kagura eyed me then, only to turn up her nose in disgust. "You sure are covered in mud, aren't you? You should have a change of clothes in your room… well, whatever; I'm going back now. I have to keep an eye on Kohaku."
Ko… haku?
Kagura walked past me and through the hall into the castle, and I waited until she was gone from sight to carefully walk my way to the nearest open room. From there, I slid the doors shut and fell to my knees, hacking and gasping and coughing, clawing at my throat and at the dirty kosode I wore, shaky hands struggling to pull out the slayer mask that was hiding within. It was even harder trying to strap it over my face, and though it would filter the poison out of the air for me to breathe in it would do nothing for the poison I already have inhaled.
I can't… okay, calm down. Gods, I can't think through all this pain-! There's… a spirit I can use… right?I know I used one before with Miroku when he accidentally inhaled some poisonous insects through his wind tunnel, back in the village when I nearly had my soul sucked out of me.
"Sh… Shiki...gami…" I choked out, tears hot against my cold cheeks, my back slumped weakly against a wall. My fingers were digging so hard into my chest I was sure there'd be bruises if I made it out of this place alive. "P-Please… h-help…"
I'm scared.
I don't know what to do.
Everything hurts.
Fortunately, the spirits seemed to hear my plea- for a green light shone at my feet and a familiar fiery eagle leapt through it. It stared down at me, flapping its wings, eyes looking almost sympathetic upon seeing my pathetic and near lifeless state. Closing its eyes, the eagle dove forth- piercing straight through my chest.
The action seemed to rip the toxin right out of me, purifying my body of the miasma and causing the suffocating pressure to disappear, all the while leaving me absolutely breathless and winded.
Gasping and simply breathing through the mask, I ended up sitting there for a long time. So long, in fact, I ended up dozing off. When I awoke, my eyes remained half-lidded and my body felt heavier than before, like it was being weighed down by lead. I couldn't… really feel much of anything anymore, as if I had somehow become numb to the pain that encompassed me.
I had absolutely no strength to stand.
My body… it didn't want to listen to me. It was finally giving up, truly and completely. In this castle filled with deadly miasma and demons that would tear me apart given the chance, and… I would die without even getting a single question answered.
Damn it…
Why am I so weak? Why did I have to be born with such a useless body? I just wanted to help my friends, to find a way to send my sister home. I wanted to help end this awful war with Naraku, and avenge all the innocent people who died.
Otoki and her brother, the samurai and all the townsfolk, the villagers and their children. So many people were hurt and killed by Naraku, and I was too weak to stop it from happening.
I want…
I want to be stronger. Why is that so hard to do? I've come so far from that scared nineteen-year-old girl I had been, and yet I'm still so pathetic. If I'm going to die, I don't want it to be like this. Not in this place, where I'd be just a corpse among more corpses.
Suddenly… a sound reached my ears. It was a light sound, a soft sound. A gentle tap, tap, tap of… paws on the ground?
Blinking groggily, I waited for my blurry vision to clear- and I was left staring tiredly at a familiar calico cat. It sat in front of me, emerald eyes sad, and without realizing I was already holding my bloody hand out towards it, letting the strange creature walk over and lick the crimson liquid away before nuzzling it's head into my palm.
"You can't fall here." The tomcat said. "You've come so far… Irene, you must live on."
Heh. Didn't he say something like that last time we met? He told me to live a long and fulfilling life… yet that was clearly going to be impossible with me in such a weakened, dying state.
"Just a bit longer." The mysterious talking cat urged, emerald eyes looking up to meet mine as my hand fell limp against the decayed wooden floor. "You have to hold on just a bit longer, otherwise you won't be saved."
Saved? That's cute.
I don't think there's any saving me this time.
"Here."
The floor beneath the creature lit up with an ice bluelight. The star pentagram took shape, large and blinding and bright, and then there were birds flying upwards; beautiful ice blue and violet-colored birds that flew around me in circles before softly moving into my body, filling me with such an alarming burst of energy that I was left gasping, back arching before sitting up straight, my arms wrapping around myself to try and recover from the shock.
"This should be enough. I wish I could do more, but… so much of my power is still missing" The tomcat nuzzled my leg. "Please, be careful. I am relying on you, Irene. You are the only one who can break this curse… freeing all those who are haunted by it."
"What…" I wheezed, looking down at the cat with wide eyes. A strange thought came to mind, giving me an idea as to what and who exactly this creature was, but I didn't want to make assumptions just yet. "What are… you talking about?"
The cat just smiled, flicked its tail, and stepped back. "You'll see." Then, in a burst of flames, red and purple and blue and green, it disappeared.
…Okay…
Not the weirdest thing, I'll admit.
At least it seemed friendly; this makes twice that the cat had helped me out. Taking a few more deep breaths, realizing I had been given a surge of adrenaline more than actual strength, I tried to stand. "S-Steady… I can do this."
I carefully moved myself up onto my knees, then onto my feet while using the bookshelf beside me for balance. Noticing the door to the connecting room on my left, I limped over to it- peering in curiously and making sure there were no evil demons or half-spiders lurking inside. Save for an old lantern, a shelf, a few baskets, a barrel, and a couple of burned pieces of paper, it was pretty empty.
Wait…
Making my way over to the shelf, I reached out and picked up what looked to be a pair of clean clothes. Anastasia's clothes. Aw, yeah. Perfect. I can wear these for now and pretend to be her- at least until I can figure out a way to escape. I'm still totally soaked in mud, though, so…
What's in that barrel?
Haha! I can at least wash the mud off myself with the water in here. Nice.
Being careful in doing so, using a random cloth I found nearby, I took off the dirtied outfit I was wearing and cleaned myself. Once done, I changed into the onmyōji priestess attire that was left behind by Anastasia.
It got a little tricky with the weird red sash straps that dangled off my shoulders, but I was so used to kimonos at this point that it didn't take long to figure out. She even had a second mask I could wear, which meant I could keep my slayer one on underneath it. Oddly convenient, but I'm not going to complain. I think my biggest issues were the shoes- I've grown so used to being barefoot these past few months that wearing them felt almost wrong to me.
Once I was fully dressed, I placed my hands on my hips and looked around the room, basically marching to ensure I didn't trip in the shoes. Just… what in the hell am I supposed to do now?
I made a face beneath the mask, heart racing nervously.
I was in Naraku's castle. This was probably the riskiest thing I've ever done yet. Demons were lurking outside, and I didn't want to risk them attacking me if I tried to leave that way. I'm only walking right now due to that adrenaline burst I was given, but if I try to take down those demons I would die before I could get the first few Shikigami flames out.
My best shot is wandering around the castle and pretending to be Anastasia for now. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll be given some sort of evil quest that will let me go outside the barrier. Once out, I can make a proper escape. You know… assuming I haven't died before then.
Seriously, what did I do so wrong that I had to have such bad luck?
Ugh. Okay, stay calm. I have to be extra careful from here on out. My expressions will be hidden behind the oni mask, so while the miasma feels like it's trying to corrode through my very flesh it won't kill me just yet, and as long as I can act like Anastasia everything should be fine. I can do this.
I have to.
Steeling myself, I hesitated before leaving the room- wandering down a couple halls before arriving back on the wooden decks outside. The place was so eerie and run-down, it was a wonder how anyone could live in this place at all. I lost track of the amount of cobwebs I've seen, not to mention carcasses.
Even the rock gardens looked desolate and sad.
If I hadn't grown so accustomed to death and destruction during my time here in this place, then- wait. I stumbled to a halt, eyes growing wide behind the oni mask when I caught sight of a familiar eleven-year-old boy.
"Kohaku?" Oh, frick. I cringed, mildly horrified at myself for speaking with my normal voice, only to soon pause, furrowing my brows and stepping closer, noticing the boy hadn't reacted at all to my exclamation. I hesitantly reached out, touching his shoulder. "Kohaku…?"
He looked so… lifeless. Is he possessed right now? He's not acting like he usually does when he's possessed. Is this how he's like when he doesn't have any orders to fulfill? The poor kid… he doesn't even look alive in this state. If not for the color in his cheeks, you would think he was dead.
He deserved so much better than this. This would destroy Sango's heart if she were able to see him now, knowing the boy wasn't himself. I still remember the way she cried when she had to fight him to protect me, and how she clung to me and apologized in that cave so long ago. Knowing I was standing so close to him now, and mere rooms away from where that bastard of a puppeteer sat… gods, it filled me with so much rage and anguish that I… I don't even know how to describe it.
Naraku was so close. He was so close and I can't do a single thing to him.
It's so… pathetic.
"Don't waste your time with the kid." Kagura's voice suddenly said, and I barely stopped myself in time from jolting as I whirled around to look at her. She was standing in the doorway of a room further down the hall, closed fan pressed to her chin. Her red eyes were piercing, bitter and spiteful and cold. "He's just Naraku's puppet. He never speaks."
Why… did she sound so angry about that? She didn't care about him. Did she…?
Inhaling deeply, I tried to gather my courage. I then lowered my voice to imitate my sister, knowing just how closely Anastasia sounded like her. I just had to be careful to keep any and all emotion out of my voice. "If he's a puppet… then what are you?"
Kagura scowled, clapping her fan into her palm. She glared at me. "What am I? Haven't you figured it out yet? You're the only one in this place that actually wants to work with that man." Kagura blinked all of a sudden, her lips curling into a small smirk. "That is a rather curious thing; just what made you decided to team up with Naraku? Why is that sickly girl's soul so special?"
"..."
Irritated that I didn't answer, Kagura scowled again and hmph'd, walking out of the doorway and over to us. She leaned over, resting an arm on Kohaku's left shoulder, pointing her fan at me with a sneer. "Fine. Be that way. Don't answer my questions. Just hurry up and see Naraku- he wants to talk to you about something."
Oh.
Oh.
I am so totally dead. I don't know why I thought I could pretend. This conversation alone is incredibly nerve-wracking. Swallowing thickly, I looked at Kohaku one more time, then at Kagura- wondering if I should question her a bit more, before deciding not to risk it and forcing my feet to start moving down the hall towards the room she just came from- praying it was the right the way to go.
"He's quite moody today," Kagura called out, only making my nerves worse, "so I'd be careful if I were you. Not that I care about what happens to you, though..."
Gee, thanks, that's encouraging. Oh gods. I just… need to stay calm.
Can Naraku smell fear? Can spiders smell anything at all? I think I read something back when I was a kid about how they have to touch things with their legs to smell, so maybe he can't. Maybe he won't be able to tell I'm human and not… well, Anastasia.
I can't believe I'm doing this. Irene, this is the dumbest stunt you've pulled yet.
I wish I was able to pay more attention on the path here to the castle earlier, because then I could… no. I need to stop thinking ahead like that. I'm not going to last that long. I might not even last today. Downtrodden, heart sunken deep into my stomach, I braced myself for the fate I was sure to face and slid open the last door- entering the room without so much as announcing myself. I really hoped my trembling wasn't obvious.
Walking deeper into the room, I caught sight of a screen divider. Beneath the divider, there was a shadow… and slowly, fearfully making my way past it… I saw him.
Naraku was sitting against the wall, staring out a window. The room was cold and dark and damp, and the only light in the room was what was entering from the window. It was a sickening light, glowing an ominous shade of purple, and it illuminated the man I both feared and hated with all my being. Naraku had an arm draped lazily over his legs, and when he turned to face me with those piercing red eyes, hearing me approach... a chill went down my spine and my blood ran cold.
"There you are." His deep voice purred, a smirk playing upon his lips. "I've been waiting. Kagura told me what happened in the mountains with the wolf-demons. I can't believe you had such a hard time against Inuyasha- nonetheless that pathetic human girl. She should have been easy for you to grab given the situation."
I… I can't… breathe.
He's right there and I can't…
I-I don't… I don't know what to do.
"Anastasia?" Naraku sat up a bit straight, narrowing his eyes at me, and I felt my panic rise. He was so intimidating, even his half-hearted accusation left me frozen. When I failed to respond, his voice deepened, expression growing dark. His crimson stare was so intense it was as if he were trying to see through the mask that hid my terrified face. "What's the matter with you? Answer me."
"I…"
I'm so scared. I don't like this. I don't want this.
But, regardless, I forced myself to keep speaking, struggling to keep my voice low and steady, lacking in all emotion. Being who I am, it was far from easy, especially given just how panicked I was. "...I underestimated them. Rather than… turning the wolf-demons against them… they saw through the plan and… allied together to face us. We had no choice but to retreat."
Oh gods, I actually said it. My heart was racing so hard and fast and beating so loud I was worried he could hear it. I tried to tell myself to calm down, to get my racing heart to beat a little softer, but it was futile. I could only stand there in silence with my fear, waiting for him to either find me out or say something else.
We remained in silence for so long, that when he finally scoffed I almost leapt out of my skin. "Is that so? A heavy miscalculation on your part, I must say."
Oh, wow. Yeah. Blame me for what was obviously your plan, sir spider bastard.
"Anyway, I have a new task for you." I blinked, that having caught my attention. "I need you to find a child named Rin."
"A… human child?"
"What else would she be?" He asked, raising a brow, before turning his attention towards the thing he was holding in his hand, lifting it up for me to see. It… looked almost like an organ. Like he was holding a living, beating heart within the palm of his hand. Moving it close to his lips, he called out a name. "Kagura."
...Huh?
A gust of wind blew into the room, and then a few seconds later the woman in question entered. Realizing what just happened, a horrible understanding dawned upon me. The reason why she seemed so bitter about Kohaku being puppeteered by Naraku, the reason why she seemed to despise the half-demon so much even though she worked for him… it was because she had to. He literally held her heart in his hand.
She can't… go against him.
No matter how much she may wish to.
"What?" Kagura scowled.
Naraku just stared her down, unamused and unimpressed by her attitude. "Help Anastasia."
"You say it like it's so easy. But fine. I'll go." Kagura walked on over to me, clearly irritated by the new order. "I'll take you to the little brat, so come with me."
I… don't know what to do with this new information.
I also have no idea who this child we were supposed to abduct was, but this seemed to be the perfect opportunity for me to get the hell out of here, so instead of complaining I simply walked over to the wind sorceress, not saying a word as I followed her out of the room and onto the outside porch where she pulled out the very same feather we had arrived on.
The demons within the barrier paid us no heed, as if under Naraku's control and forbidden from attacking. As we left the castle's barrier... I found myself letting out the tiniest breath of relief. Things progressed a lot faster than I had thought they would, but… this was good.
I'll be able to escape now.
I just… dislike all these conflicting feelings building up inside of me now. Naraku was still as evil as I believed him to be, but Kagura… wasn't? He had hold of her heart… and used it against her. I think I actually remember her making a comment about not having a heart a while back, all the way from when we had encountered her in the destroyed castle town.
I'm pretty sure Kagome had threatened to shoot her, and Kagura's response was…
Yeah, I definitely remember now. Her exactly words were, "Go right ahead; it's not as if I have one that you can touch."
Kagura...
All this time, she's been suffering just as much as the others- a puppet that couldn't act out. I had no regrets about fighting her back when I did; she would have killed Kōga, nonetheless my friends, and I wasn't about to let that happen, but… I did feel a little less hatred towards her now.
And… this new mission- kidnapping some little girl named Rin, I…
I can't just… let them do that. I don't want to leave some innocent child to be kidnapped and possibly killed, especially not when I'm here and have the ability to prevent it. I don't… want another repeat of what happened with Otoki. I-I can't. My heart won't allow it.
I have to help her. With what little strength I have in this useless body of mine, I'll save her.
"If Naraku's intel is right," Kagura said, snapping me out of my thoughts as she flew us over some mountains and down into a heavily green forest, "the little girl should be around here somewhere- so let's split up and find her. The faster we get this done, the better."
Right…
I gave the demoness a short nod as I climbed down, seeing her in a strange new light, and I watched as she flew off on her feather. Counting to thirty, I waited… and when I felt the time was right I pulled off the demon mask and tossed it to the ground, untying the slayer mask immediately afterwards with an overly dramatic gasp. I felt so much less suffocated out here in the wild, with trees that gave an illusion of familiarity due to the constant travel I had grown accustomed to.
"Fresh air~!"
I coughed a little, holding a hand up to my throat.
"Ow…" Note to self, don't be so loud. Now, to find the kid before Kagura. I blinked, looking around as I tucked the demon slayer mask into my kimono. "Which way to go…?"
It's been so long since I've been alone like this… it feels so strange. I was starting to get used to the abductions at this point, but I never really traveled by myself before. I always had someone with me, and by the time I grew strong enough to handle myself I became too sickly to actually be left alone. Where should I even begin looking for Rin? Maybe… there? Let's try that way.
If I was a little girl, I would want to go where there were flowers.
Hmm…
I began walking, nearly tripping over my own feet due to the stupid shoes I was wearing. Not seeing anyone, I let out a sigh and ruffled my hair, looking around in exasperation as I pulled my bangs out of my face. I could feel the adrenaline starting to run off, too, now that I've recognized my surroundings as one not to be afraid of. This isn't good. "Hello~? Anyone there?"
I feel so ridiculous.
Snap-!
My head whirled around, hearing the breaking of a branch, and I found myself meeting the wide-eyed stare of a child who couldn't possibly be more than six or eight years old. She was so short I doubted she'd even reach my elbow. "H-Hello?"
She took a hesitant step back, clutching some yellow and white flowers to her chest, moving to hide partly behind a tree. From what I could see, she had messy black hair with part of her bangs pulled up into a tiny ponytail, the girl wearing a dirtied orange-and-yellow checkered kimono. "Hello…"
Frick, I think I scared her. I turned to face her and carefully knelt down, flashing her a weak smile and wave. I spoke as softly as could, ignoring some of the pain that leaked itself into my voice. "Hey. You don't have to hide- I don't bite, I promise. If anything, I think I'm the one more likely to get bit."
I tried to laugh, pressing a finger to my cheek as I grinned.
"I'm not exactly the healthiest person around, y'know? Look at me, I'm like a ghost!" The girl relaxed a little bit a my words, becoming less cautious upon hearing my jokes and seeing my goofy smile. "You can probably see right through me, can't ya? A-Anyway… um… what's your name? I'm… I'm Irene."
Phew, that was running me out of breath. I need to hurry this conversation up.
"I'm… I'm Rin." She said shyly, slowly coming out of hiding and stopping just a few feet away from me. She held the flowers tightly. "It's… nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you, too." She was actually the kid I was supposed to find? Huh. What are the chances? Maybe all my bad luck is finally changing now that I'm about to die. Sweet. I tilted my head, pondering my next choice of words carefully. "Can I… ask what you're doing here, or is that too weird?"
"O-Oh, um…" She blinked, looked down at her hands, and then held out the flowers. Deeming I was not a threat, she brightened, flashing me a big smile. "I was picking some flowers. I wanted to make a bouquet!"
"Ooh~ really?" I tried to play some excitement into my breathy voice. "That's an awesome idea! Do you want me to help? It'll go a lot faster with the two of us, you know. Oh, but I'm… sure your guardian wouldn't want you to be away for too long. They're… probably super worried."
Rin hummed, pressing a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "I guess they'd be worried… Before I go, though, I wanna pick six different colored flowers."
"For the bouquet?"
"Nope!" She giggled, rocking on her heels and doing a dramatic spin, throwing her hands up in the air- all the while being careful not to drop the flowers. "I'm gonna put them all around the campfire, and show them to Master Jaken and Lord Sesshōmaru!"
My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment I wondered if I misheard. "Did… Did you just say… Sesshōmaru?"
"Yup! He's super strong!" Rin nodded, smiling ear-to-ear. She held her arms out, as if to demonstrate just how powerful her guardian was. "He saved me from demons dozens of times!"
"O-Okay, but like… this Lord Sesshōmaru of yours…does he have, I dunno," I squinted, gesturing with my hands as I spoke to emphasize my questions, "long silver hair, pointed ears, one arm, and two swords? A-And is this... so-called Master Jaken an annoying little green imp that just… never stops complaining?"
Rin gasped, eyes wide, raising a hand to her lips. "Do you know them?"
"Eh~ kind of…" Now I know why Naraku wants me to abduct her. I made a face, raising a hand up and scratching my cheek. "You... could say that Sesshōmaru saved my life."
"No way!" Rin was astounded. She moved closer to me, any and all inclination to not trust me gone from mind. Her eyes were practically sparkling. "He really saved you? Lord Sesshōmaru must really like you, then! I don't think I've ever seen him save anyone other than me and Master Jaken."
"Uh… what?" I was baffled by the change in topic.
"You're so pretty, too! Although…" She tilted her head, eyebrows furrowing as she looked at me with worry. "You don't look very well. Are you really sick? You said you weren't very healthy earlier… Are you sure you want to help me pick flowers? Why don't I take you to Master Jaken, and we can wait for Lord Sesshōmaru there at the camp? I'm sure he'd be happy to see you!"
My tired brain can't keep up with all these questions, holy frick. Calm down, child. I can barely breathe as is. I'm starting to feel the pain now that I'm out of the miasma-ridden castle, and let me tell you- it hurts. I'm not even sure how well I'll be able to stand up after kneeling for so long.
"I-well, um… it was… i-it was just a… promise we made at the time, you know?" I can't think. How does one use words again? I've forgotten. "S-Sesshōmaru was just… lost, so I helped him with directions and he promised to protect me during that time. I-It wasn't… anything weird, Rin, I promise."
"What do you mean?" She tilted her head. "What could be weird about it? If he saved you, he must like you! Oh, I know-"
Rin reached over, snatching my hand, and I yelped, finding myself being dragged onto my feet and forced to follow.
"We'll make you a bouquet to show him, too! It'll be such a surprise!"
I mean, I'm pretty he'll know I'm nearby with that nose of his, but alright. I'm not gonna burst her bubble. "O-Okay, just… n-not so fast, Rin, I-I can't- I can't… keep up…!"
I'm so dizzy. I forgot just how much energy little kids can have. I ended up wheezing and collapsing onto my rear when she finally found a flower patch for me to pick flowers from, and as she collected six different colored ones I just picked some simple blue and white flowers to carry. I coughed a bit, and Rin looked back at me worriedly. Seeing how much paler my face had gotten, she decided we'd done enough and that it was time to head to the campsite.
"I'm so excited- I can't wait to see their faces!" Rin giggled, tugging on my hand and skipping a little.
I don't have the strength for this. I think I'm just going to warn Sesshōmaru and pass the frick out into the afterlife, because good gods I feel my insides struggling to keep me functioning. Thankfully, the campsite didn't seem to be too far away from where I found her, and I ended up just letting her lead me up the forest road to a small clearing with a lake.
There I saw a familiar green imp, and a… two-headed dragon just chilling and chewing on some grass. Jaken had hold of its reins, and when he saw us… he nearly jumped out of his skin, yellow beady eyes bulging out of his skull. "R-Rin!? What're you doing with that woman!?"
"She helped me pick some flowers! See?" Rin beamed, holding the bouquet up for the imp to see. Jaken simply sputtered, utterly flabbergasted, and Rin laughed, tugging me further into the campsite. "C'mon, I wanna introduce you to Ah-Un! Say hi, Ah-Un!"
The two-headed dragon in question simply raised their heads and stared, before letting out a small noise and returning to eating. Rin pouted.
"They're just hungry. I'm sure they'll ease up around you sooner or later. Let's go spread these flowers before Lord Sesshōmaru shows up!"
"Th-wha- flowers?" Jaken was still a mess, only able to watch in shock as Rin released my hand and ran over to the campfire, setting the flowers down carefully around the firewood. "What're you doing with them?"
"This! Aren't they pretty spread out like this?"
"No, no, no!" Jaken exclaimed, scowling as he reached down to try and push them away. "Don't put those useless things around the fire- Lord Sesshōmaru will be furious!"
"No, he won't!" Rin fervently protested, glaring at the imp. She put them back into place. "I think he'll like them."
Yeah, you tell him, kid. Though honestly I have no idea how the demon lord will feel about them, given his personality. I barely understood him from the short time we met in the destroyed castle, and he only become more confusing based on the things my friends told me.
Whether he was good or bad, I didn't know- but considering the circumstances surrounding the feudal era and how easily it is to kill or be killed… I'm not ready to make an assumptions. I think he's… kinder than he'll let on or even admit, and I think I was right about him having a change of heart when it comes to humans. This child he apparently has travelling with him… just further strengthens that theory, but what it all means… who knows?
I took a few deep breaths and pressed a hand to my forehead, feeling myself start to sway, and I stumbled forward before falling to my knees and plopping onto the ground. Breathless and dazed, I watched as Jaken and Rin continued to argue, and during that time I heard several loud thumps from behind me.
Ah-Un.
I looked at the two-headed dragon weirdly, but decided not to question why it chose to sit behind me. I instead leaned back against it, careful not to be too fast in case it didn't like it, and when it didn't move I relaxed my shoulders and closed my eyes… holding the blue and white flowers in my lap as I found myself dozing off.
I'm not really sure how long I slept, but when I awoke I was back to my weak and pathetic state of chronic pain and lack of oxygen. I groaned, shifting in my spot against Ah-Un, before slowly opening my eyes and staring at the ground- momentarily wondering where I was. It didn't long for the memories of everything that happened to come flooding back to me.
Kagura, Naraku, Rin… right.
Okay. Eugh. I grimaced, wincing as I pressed a palm against the ground and sat up. I blinked groggily, looking around, before my spotted gaze focused on Rin near the fire- the child humming as she played with the flowers she collected. Jaken had his arms crossed, sitting against a log with a scowl on his face, and that scowl only deepened when he saw I was awake.
"You annoying little-" He began, raising his voice, but he was unable to finish.
The sound of footsteps caught everyone's attention, and we all turned- my eyes growing wide as a tall and regal figure stepped into view, moving with the very same grace I recall seeing the last time we met. His long silver hair flowing behind him, his amber eyes surveyed the area before landing on me, the demon lord's expression as hard to read as ever.
Rin brightened immediately upon seeing him, and she stood up with incredible speed- running towards him before tackling Sesshōmaru in the leg. She didn't even reach his knee, she was so small. Honestly, as adorable as the scene was… it was oddly surprising. He didn't even looked upset, simply staring down at her as if this was a normal occurrence.
"Rin." He said. "Have you been good?"
She nodded, smiling up at him. "Mmhm! I even made a friend! Look!"
Rin pointed at me from her spot next to the demon lord's leg, and Sesshōmaru focused his stare on me. Not knowing what else to do, I flashed an awkward grin, holding the flowers in my lap.
"H-Hey. It's… been a while, huh?" I was definitely dressed a lot nicer than the last time we met, covered in a lot less blood, but my face probably looked several times more ghastly. I had no doubt he could smell the excruciating pain I was in, nonetheless the miasma that had probably soaked into my clothing. Forcing myself to stand, I stumbled- nearly falling back over if not for Ah-Un suddenly reaching one of their heads out and pushing it against my back to keep me standing. "O-Oh, uh, thanks. Thank you."
I guess Rin wasn't kidding about the dragon warming up to me. Patting the head that helped me, I slowly made my way over to the obvious foster-father-and-daughter duo, being careful not to drop the blue and white flowers I picked earlier. I stopped about two feet away from Sesshōmaru, flashing him a bright smile.
"I, uh… wasn't really expecting to… s-see you today. Funny how... things work, huh? Small world."
He said nothing. Ouch. Not surprising, but still.
"Um." I blinked a few times, looking down at the flowers in my hand, before holding them up for him to see. "R-Rin and I… picked some flowers for you."
"We picked all sorts of flowers!" Rin piped up, tugging on his pants leg to get his attention. He looked down at her briefly, then turned his gaze back to me. Judging by the way his eyes moved afterwards, he must have caught sight of the flowers around the campfire. "Aren't they pretty?"
Oh gods. Okay. This is so awkward. I held the flowers up again, not sure what to do with them. "D-Do you want them? Rin said you would like them and, uh… yeah" I had absolute no idea what to with them.
When Sesshōmaru continued to remain silent, simply staring at me as if to ask why I was even here or how I was still alive, I felt the slightest bit of despair come hurtling down upon me. He was not making this easy, like- damn it man, work with me here! I'm a dead girl walking, okay? I can barely speak as is! Just give me a nod or something, please.
I fumbled for a second, throbbing brain failing to come up with a way to continue the conversation, and ended up tripping all over my words. "Y-You can just… not answer either; that's cool, too. I'll just, uh… here."
Mildly panicking, I stepped closer so we were directly in front of each other, and ignoring the way his stare intensified I carefully tucked the bouquet into the top of his chest armor, letting the blue and white flowers hang out there for everyone to see. Hurriedly moving back, I observed my handiwork before giving him two thumbs up and a strained smile.
"There! Perfect." I'm even nervous laughing now. What the hell. "B-Blue really suits you."
Oh gods, I think I made him angry. He was practically glaring at me now.
Rin didn't seem to notice- or maybe she just didn't care. She moved to stand between us, clasping her hands in front of her chest and flashing him a beaming smile. "Can she stay with us, Lord Sesshōmaru? Please~?"
"What!?" Jaken squawked, unable to believe what he was hearing. He jumped onto his feet, waving his staff in the air frantically. "Absolutely not! That human woman had the audacity to fall asleep after coming here completely uninvited! M'lord, I say we kill her and get on with it! She's done nothing but cause us trouble in the past!"
Rin gasped, and wasted no time in running over and giving Jaken a hard push, knocking him over. "Don't you dare! Big Sister's done nothing wrong!"
"Big… sister?" I echoed, voice breathy in my bafflement.
Is she calling me that because she genuinely viewed me as a sister after only meeting me for half an hour, or was it just the normal way honorifics worked here in Japan? There were still so many customs and traditions I had absolutely zero understanding about, and even less time to learn. I still don't even know how to read this language.
"G-Get off me!" Jaken shrieked, caught in a wrestling match with the small determined child. "She even dared to put such useless things as flowers in his armor! How dare she touch him! If not kill her, we should at least cut off her hands to make sure it doesn't happen again! It's disgraceful! Insulting!"
"S-Stop it, Master Jaken! Lord Sesshōmaru likes those flowers, and you know it!"
Oh gods. Feeling the sweat bead down the side of my face, I took a small step towards them, outstretching my hand. Funnily enough, I could care less about the threats he was making, not at all perturbed with the threat of death permanently looming over my head. Dealing with him almost felt like a joke after mistakenly being brought to Naraku's castle. "G-Guys, it's… fine. You don't… have to-"
Rin let out a tiny scream and fell back onto her rear as Jaken finally managed to climb out from under her, the imp sporting several large bumps on his head, and he charged right at me- swinging the staff wildly in the air. "Take this, you impudent mortal! Fear the wrath of the Staff of Two-!"
He wasn't able to finish. The jaw of the old man's face couldn't even open all the way to start spewing fire, either. No, there was a flash of white and then the staff was being yanked out of Jaken's grasp, the demon lord lifting it high into the air and then ramming the bottom of the staff hard against the imp's skull. Jaken fell face-first into the dirt, and Sesshōmaru dropped the staff on him, staring down at the servant with cold eyes.
"The woman can do as she likes. It has no affect on me."
