Chapter Forty-Seven, Bones in the Mountains
"I've never seen such terrible power"-Master Ungai
With the afternoon sun getting low, shadows lengthened all around Chiharu. She was standing at the edge of a dark, murky lake. She had absolutely no idea how she'd gotten there, or where there was, but her eyes were narrowed, her mouth puckered in a tight curious pout. Slowly, unsure of what to do, she ventured down the slope of yellowing grass, the hem of her hakama trailing feathery light over the soft skin of her ankles and her toes curled to find purchase in the muddy ground beneath her. The nights' had steadily been growing shorter, but she could still feel the remnants of late winter air against her skin. Her bare feet made almost no sound when she neared the water edge her gaze trained on the well-worn path ahead and she stilled when her toes reached into the darkened water. The sun coloured the small ripples of water a dark golden and she breathed in sharply when a wave lapped coldly up her ankle.
"Why am I here?"
"Because you're in the inbetween." A soft voice answered. Her head snapped to the taller form of a woman. She stood only a few feet behind Chiharu and smiled. "Hello Chiharu,"
"Do I know you?"
"In a way," she admitted and ran nimble, pail fingers through her long dark hair. She was wearing what appeared an old-fashioned armour — even old-fashioned for the Sengoku jidai time period — and Chiharu felt her eyebrows furrow together. "I've tried reaching you before."
"Reaching me before?"
"Hm," she agreed and stepped up beside Chiharu, dropping a kind hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "Who are you?"
"My name is Midoriko."
"Midoriko?" Chiharu echoed, before her eyes widened. "You mean Midoriko the Miko who created the Shikon-no-tama?"
"Indeed."
"I— Oh, Kami!" Chiharu's bare toes sank deep into the silt and the lake water spread across her ankles and darkened the hems of her hakama. Gooseflesh spread over her arms and she bit into her lower lip as hard as she could. "Am I— Did I die?" The priestess' expression was kind but somehow she looked sad as well. Chiharu felt her eyebrows furrow even more. "If I died where is everyone else?"
"You're dead— but your soul is clinging on. Spiritual power needs to be reborn."
For a moment it felt as if an electric current shot through her and her mouth slacked open: "You're— Was I you?"
"My powers and a part of me has always been with you, yes." The woman agreed.
"I don't understand—" Chiharu started, fingers rubbing gentle circles over her sternum, the exact spot where Hakudoshi's Naginata had pierced the flesh. "Because my Miko heritage?"
Midoriko gazed out over the waters, unperturbed drawing her bare feet over the still waters: "You are too early here."
"What?"
"I've always known— You were on borrowed time either way." Midoriko shrugged carelessly and Chiharu bit her lower lip even harder. Somewhere she'd always known dying was an option — how could it not when you travelled through feudal Japan — but now standing in— what was this anyway, she felt faintly ill. After surviving Sesshōmaru's mark, Chiharu thought she'd managed to survive the worst. She'd wanted to survive, returning to her mother, brother and grandfather— but now. That was not even an option anymore and unbidden tears started to cloud her vision. Each breath came like a hot, sharp knife, tearing deeper through her lungs. "Oh my God!"
"It's okay,"
"How is it okay?" Chiharu returned. "How— I mean my sister, my friends—"
"It's only temporary."
"What? What do you mean? How can this be only temporary? Am I going to be reincarnated? How does that solve anything? Ik like who I am now!"
"There must be balance, Chiharu-chan. The spirits will see to that. One way or the other." Midoriko explained. "When I died, part of my soul was bound to the Shikon jewel. It became tethered to this world when reborn, unless the right wish was made and it would forever be that way, but then Kikyō was reborn and with Kagome there was you."
She said it all in one exhale, sounding as if she was relaying the most logical bit of information even though it made Chiharu's head hurt. The riverbed was slick under her feet and she didn't get it at all: "I don't understand!"
"You are me."
It took her almost embarrassingly long to put two and two together and arrive at four and the furrow between her eyebrows grew so strong, it started to smart her forehead: "I'm tethered to the Shikon-no-tama?"
"Yes," she agreed, before meeting her gaze again, "now, you have to listen to me and understand what I am about to say. There must be balance. The Youki in your system is preserving your body, the jewel binding you to the world as it unstable—"
I-I. ⌡. Γ┐
The mountains surrounding the town stood out starkly; dark peaks with the lightest dusting of snow standing out harshly against the pale blue sky, and the rooftops of the houses glimmered darkly in a ritual Sesshōmaru wasn't familiar with. A day had passed since Naraku's reincarnations managed to fatally wound his Miko, yet her body remained perfectly preserved. Not even the first traces of degeneration had started and although Tenseiga was not working to revive her, something was stopping her body from further decay. He watched as Inuyasha carried the girl towards the Elderly Miko's hut, ears flattened to his head and expression morose. With every step the Hanyō took, Tetsusaiga thumbed against his hip. The sword he once coveted. The reason why he hated the Hanyō a sliver bit more. As the eldest son (not even solely because he was the full-fledged yōkai), he should have received it. However, since witnessing Inuyasha's transformation, he finally understood why his father had left the sword to him and not to Sesshōmaru. His eyes flitted to Chiharu's still form again. Her arm hung limply over Inuyasha's shoulder and her head lolled against his shoulder, colour bleached out of her face and his hand went to Tenseiga's hilt. It felt cold and lifeless beneath his fingers, not even giving the slightest stir. Ever since, he realised he could not see the creatures from the next world around that one girl, which made little sense. He should be able to see them. Especially, now he felt the intend of saving her.
"My Lord?" Jaken squeaked.
"What is it Jaken?" He asked, his face a mask of expressionless once more. They made their way towards the main square at the centre of town, Sesshōmaru about to follow his brother into the hut as well, when he picked up on Jaken's worried breathing.
"Someone is coming." He whispered.
"This one is aware." Sesshōmaru agreed. He'd noticed the scent of death and dirt for a good while and heard the stirring of leaves and flutter of energy. He knew who it was too— The death Miko. Inuyasha's first love, the resurrected corpse— and there another one, nearing the village. This one was unknown to him, but none of them, none of the ex-humans nearing quickly posed any harm to him. He didn't care. Anger and frustration stirred within him, once again, and his aura flared, turning towards the tall grove trees he himself had been standing under. It took several minutes, before serpent like creatures moved out of the trees first, followed by a woman, her hair reaching her knees, clad in a Miko garb and a boy, dressed similar as the female slayer of Inuyasha's friends. He was walking stiffly, his back ram-rod straight and his face a complication of tense lines. The woman, Kikyō if he was not mistaken, let her eyes glide over the village centre with almost wistful eyes.
"Kikyō!" The elderly Miko who'd opened her home to his Miko was the first, beside him, to notice her. Her wilted face a painting of horror and worry. "Aneue!"
"Hello Kaede," Kikyō whispered softly and more people seemed to notice the latest arrival. The Slayer the one who reacted the strongest.
She bristled when the boy stepped out from the tree line, his face scrunched up and child-like. Her face flushed darkly and she snarled, unslinging her boomerang-bone and Sesshōmaru watched the impending confrontation with a mildly-curious expression belying his anger and irritation. His patience was rapidly thinning already and if the child, the flare of a shikon-no-tama shard noticeable even to him, put one toe out of line, he would kill him.
"Kohaku!" The slayer hissed. "What are you doing here?"
"Aneue," he whispered and the slayer's shoulders tensed, her mouth drawing back in a tight, thin line.
"What did you just call me?" She tried slowly, faltering and Sesshōmaru would have scoffed. What was it with humans and hiding so little of their emotions?
"Aneue!" The boy whispered again and his shoulders shook, his eyes troubling and the woman who shared a face with both his Miko and the barely-clad sister, Kagome he remembered, nodded to him. Pushing him forward and the boy dropped his boney weapon to the ground, stumbling over his feet before he flew across the clearing, right into the girl-slayer's arms. She too had dropped her weapon and the both of them fell to the floor in a fight of limbs and whimpers. Kikyō acted as if she didn't see what Sesshōmaru now considered was a sibling reunion and stepped closer to the elderly Miko.
"I'm here for the girl, Kaede."
"There is nothing that can be done for her."
"I must see her either way."
"Why?" Sesshōmaru asked with authority.
"It's too soon." She decided expressionlessly and Sesshōmaru's eyes narrowed before he gave her a quick nod. If the death Miko tried anything he would see her beheaded in the blink of an eye. The elderly Miko led them into her hut without a word and Sesshōmaru watched the death woman paddle past a shell-shocked Inuyasha and kneeled beside his limb Miko girl, fingers carding her hair out of her face.
"Kikyō?" Inuyasha gasped. "What are you doing here? Are you—"
"I'm here to help, Inuyasha." She said curtly, intertwining her fingers together and pressing them gently against Chiharu's sternum. Holy power sparked to life around her fingers, glimmering her hands a pale blue and Inuyasha spluttered helplessly. The death Miko's face was a blank mask, even Sesshōmaru found difficult to read and he could only watch as the blueish tint expanded around his Miko's body. Flickering, but remaining strong it became brighter and brighter until disappearing into her flesh and—
Nothing else happened.
The reiki shimmered inside of her, but it did little more and with a growl, Sesshōmaru turned around and stalked out of the hut, lest his scant patience disappeared completely and he started ripping heads off. It wouldn't do losing his temper with beings so far beneath him. He heard both the Elderly Miko as the death one scramble to their feet to follow him, but he ignored them. Rin was sitting on Ah-Un's back, the young fox-yōkai next to her toying around with colourful sticks. He nodded at her when she waved excitedly and moved further away from the Elderly Miko's hut. As he reached the end of the clearing he stopped his ears twitched. It was slow, a twitch, a flutter of a heart muscle and he was back inside the hut in the blink of an eye. Chiharu's body was twitching before she bolted upright, breathing in sharply as if she'd been diving into the water and lacked oxygen and Sesshōmaru's eyes widened. She spluttered, her pale cheeks flushing with colour and— it wasn't possible, but her heart kicked up a steady rhythm. A strong even rhythm and his eyebrows lifted a fraction as his eyes glued to her gasping form. She was alive again.
I-I. ⌡. Γ┐
Her lungs burned, her limbs ached and Midoriko's parting words echoed around in her head. 'Kami will send you back, will extend your borrowed time to ensure the disappearance of the Shikon-no-tama.' Once the jewel ceases to exist, you will cease to exist as well. In order for it to disappear, you have to die, Chiharu-chan.' It sent gooseflesh over her skin, made her eyelashes flutter and her heart sped up its steady rhythm. Her body felt alive, but— was it? Was the blood once again pumping through her veins an illusion? An illusion by encroaching death? She wasn't sure. Perhaps, if she hadn't been the one in possession of their collection of jewel shards, she wouldn't have been fatally wounded. Perhaps, she would. Chiharu had no way of knowing.
"Chiharu?" Inuyasha's voice was tentative, gasping and she met his eyes over the fire in the centre of Kaede's hut. "You're— fuck!"
"As eloquent as ever, Inuyasha," she sniggered, her voice hoarse from disuse and her face smarting from the strain on her facial muscles. "How long was I—"
"Several days," Sesshōmaru answered and Chiharu's eyes widened. The Daiyōkai was standing in the door opening of the hut, the human hut, and she met his stare head on.
"I see,"
He looked rumpled. Chiharu had never seen the Daiyōkai rumpled before, but he was. Mud and blood ruined the perfect white of his haori and his hair had some dirt in it. It was odd. However, before she could comment on it the flap of the hut ruffled and Kagome stormed inside, throwing herself on her younger sister.
"Oh my God!" She gasped and squeezed her so tight, Chiharu was glad she had supernatural healing. "You're okay."
"I— I am. For now, at least."
"What?"
"Not now," Chiharu mumbled and rubbed her hands together. Her eyes landed on Kikyō. "Did Midoriko come for you too?"
"She explained to me what had to be done."
"I see."
"Midoriko?" Kagome mumbled. "Wait, isn't she the Miko who made the Shikon-no-tama?"
Chiharu nodded, feeling oddly calm. "Yes, she is." she explained and intertwined her fingers in her lap. "She spoke to me. She explained to me that the Shikon-no-tama disrupts the balance of nature. Which we already knew of course, but she gave me a way to sense it."
"I don't understand," Kagome mumbled. "We can already sense the shards—"
"Yes," Chiharu agreed, "but I'm— her soul and mine—"
"She's her reincarnation," Kikyō explained easily, and Chiharu wondered how long the other girl had known about it. "In a sense, your sister should have been able to sense what was hers for a long time. I would."
"Good for you," Chiharu retorted drolly, shrugging as Kagome spluttered for a reply, "anyway, what Kikyō said is true. If only partly. Midoriko and I share a soul, but I never was like you Kagome. I never had all of Midoriko's. Either way, what I meant to say, she shared with me a way to connect to the part of the soul inside of the Shikon-no-tama. I might have always been able to do it, but— I never knew."
"If you can connect to it, what does that mean?"
"I can sense it, even when Naraku hides behind one of his kekkai's."
Inuyasha's mouth curled into a furious grin and even Sesshōmaru looked somewhat pleased. It was almost amusing how similar their murderous expressions had become.
"Fantastic."
To be continued…
A/N, Why, hello there, my long-suffering readers of this story! (If indeed there are any of you left.) After a long absence, and kind of a horrible cliff-hanger, here I am again. This chapter was hard (to be honest the last few chapters of 'A tale of two Sisters' have been hard) and again I'm staring at a rather blank page with some hashed out paragraphs for the next chapter. The problem— the final parts of the story are difficult to write. Both the signalling of a definite end and the final fight against Naraku make me a bit queasy.
Another thing that made me quite queasy is the Inuyasha spin-off. It's not exactly the idea of the spin-off, I've got a problem with, but rather but the idea of a Sesshōmaru and Rin paring. I like Rin. I adore her even, but to me Sesshōmaru was like her surrogate dad. I just— the idea that he somehow groomed her to be his wife/lover/baby maker— ewww.
I never got into the whole dad-daughter fetish (and I will never), but I respect anyone who thinks differently about this pairing. You're free to ship them however you like. It just isn't my cup of tea and I find it out of character too. I can see Sesshōmaru get together with someone like Kagome (even if I didn't particularly liked her in the manga; a bit too whiny at moments), who was an extraordinary Miko. And I can see how Sesshōmaru might learn to care more for humans in general by learning to care for Rin, but— them together as lovers instead of father and daughter? Nope, not my cup of tea…
Either way, I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. I liked to read all your thoughts and beliefs of what would happen, many of whom I had considered as well, and I'm quite curious to learn what you all make of the latest turn of events.
I promise I won't make you all wait so long this time. Only two-three more chapters left (including the epilogue). As for the Inuyasha/Chiharu altered story line. I will start fully working on that once I've finished this story (I have the first chapter ready to go, but, I know myself, I need to finish this first).