Happy New Years. Here's chapter seven- enjoy!
"Who are you?" Kikyō demanded, narrowing her eyes at the foolish human in front of her, standing rather nonchalantly, ahead and slightly apart from the spawn of Naraku's she'd sought to banish from this world. "Why did you save that demon?" His words spoken moments before echoed in her head; he clearly knew this demon, this Kagura, and had even dared to be grateful to see her.
Another pawn in Naraku's game, then. Human or not, she couldn't allow another to fall under his dominion. Kikyō notched her next arrow, pulling the drawstring on her bow taut and back, getting the foolish man in her sights. She examined him in full, noting his tall stature and strange dress, the same sort of wear Naraku's spawn was encased within.
He was staring at her with steely eyes, a slight crease in his forehead the only insight into his mind she could discern. "I am not an unreasonable man," he said, his voice not particularly deep, nor light, "Leave myself and Kagura alone, and you might live to see the sun set upon a grateful horizon."
A threat, then. He carried himself well- Kikyō had come across many warriors in her life and somehow even more now in her un-life. This man was not some untrained brute. Kikyō moved not a muscle nor diverted the aim of her arrow, even as she saw Kagura, as she had been called, slowly rising to her feet. A frown marred her features at the sight of the pesky demon still being alive.
Was this man even aware of who he protected?! "Do you know anything about that demon? Has she smitten you? Deceived you?" Or, perhaps the worst option of all: "Are you really just a kind-hearted fool?" She certainly hoped not. It would be the most tragic possibility.
"Would you shut up!?" Kagura, finally reoriented on her feet, said as she moved to stand next to her strange savior. "I may be made from that bastard's flesh, but I sure as hell don't like him." Kikyō nearly blinked, but settled on glaring at the creation. She nearly released her arrow, then. Still, a warning seemed fitting.
"A pawn is a pawn, no matter how unwilling. Please," she began, addressing the man, "step away from that nefarious spawn." It was a polite request, and one she'd only give out once. She kept her sights on the demon, and as if to taunt her, the man stepped in front of her protectively. What a fool…
He flicked the axe in his hand and the blade extended further out. It's extended form was now pointing at her, in fact, and it seemed akin to a very long cleaver. What a peculiar weapon. "You will lower that bow, or I will do it for you." A simple statement which told her all she needed to know. There would be no reason here.
She would do what she must. Kikyō released her taut drawstring, the string hitching forward and launching her arrow at rapid speeds at the two. Their reactions, however, were much different.
The demon, much like her creator, scrambled aside like a coward, leaving the man in front of her to his fate. This Kagura was in a frenzy of self-preservation, and Kikyō briefly pitied the man whose existence was about to be snuffed out like a particularly weak flame.
He stepped forward and swung his blade as the arrowed arrived in the time it took Kikyō to blink; his blade's flat end was vertical as he swung, so that it had more surface room to hit her arrow as he swiped in front of him. In the moment of his swing, her arrow arrived, meeting the flat steel. Spiritual energy enveloped it, and she waited for his blade to be blasted aside, leaving him defenseless. She waited for her once holy powers to be used to slay mortal men.
Bright light enveloped him, so much so not even a shadow could be made out. There was an explosion of dirt and dust, and strangely, Kikyō noted that her arrow did not continue on past him. Typically, given the amount of spiritual energy she'd put into that shot, it would have simply torn through him and kept going.
She stared at where he'd once stood with a frown. She notched another arrow, staring into the dust cloud for any signs of movement. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Kagura staring, not at her, but at where the man who saved her had once stood defiantly. Kikyō sighed internally, vowing to say a prayer for him later, once Naraku's spawn had been slain.
In a quick movement, she turned and aimed at Kagura, pulling her drawstring taut. Kagura registered her actions a second later, and she stumbled backwards, turning her back towards Kikyō and running in full. A coward's approach, then. She would not blame her; her end was imminent, and it was natural to be fearful of death.
Steadying her aim, Kikyō-
Something ripped through her shoulder, piercing it and jerking her whole body sideways as pain shot through her senses. Her ears rang as something thundered a loud boom, moments so close from when something had penetrated her shoulder that she knew they had to be connected. She instantly released what tension she did have on her bow's string; the arrow notched previously fell uselessly to the ground, no energy stored within it.
Finally registering what had occurred, Kikyō realized the boom had come from the dirt and dust. She turned to face it, watching as it slowly cleared itself. She hesitated.
He was still alive. Somehow, that human had survived, though not unscathed. His hat had been blown off his head, revealing curly blond locks that were tinted red and stained with dirt. His mask had been displaced, showing him to be a young man in his prime years. His lips were turned down, and those eyes- grey and cold- met her own.
It only took her a second longer to realize what had happened. She saw it on the saw-like cleaver in his hands. A great crack in its center, right where her arrow had met it. She had expected it to shatter the odd blade, but it, somehow, had withstood her powers and actually deflected her arrow into the dirt beside him.
The blade withstanding was a surprise, but equally noteworthy was that he had the pure, human strength necessary to match the force behind her spiritual energy and divert it off its path. "You're alive," she finally said, voice unwavering. He could not know that, whatever he'd done to her shoulder, had hurt her.
Standing there, his blade cracked, his hair a mess, and his leathers, having already been torn when he arrived, somehow in even worse condition, he said nothing prior to him moving. His speed rivaled a demon. Perhaps not a particularly powerful one, but it was noteworthy given he was a mortal man.
His quickness, however, far exceeded what most demons were capable of. He twitched and moved. There was no excess movement, no malingering slowness. His every motion, in a word, was precise. She could not afford to let him get close.
She ignored the pain in her shoulder and retrieved another arrow, taking aim at the rushing figure. He had already crossed half the distance between them; she had her doubts she'd actually be able to hit him. As she prepared to release her arrow anyways, her gaze caught Kagura's figure retreating into the woods at the edge of her vision.
The demon was still fleeing, even with her human protector alive? Towards the village, at that. She could not allow it, and perhaps it might even give her the chance she needed to best her new foe. Kikyō diverted her aim towards Kagura, firing her arrow at the distant figure, assured her aim was true. Kagura was too consumed by her own fear to likely ever think to look back.
Her arrow exploded a moment later a mere dozen feet in front of her, nowhere close to her intended target. He really was too quick, then. She looked at the new dust cloud, already notching another arrow for when it cleared while ignoring the pain in her shoulder. And clear the dust did, showing that man in even worse condition; he was bleeding out of his stomach, and that cleaver of his had shattered completely when he'd changed his path to block her arrow. The shards must have buried themselves in his stomach. Still, he had done what he'd set out to do. Kagura had escaped.
He turned to her, a bit of blood staining his lips, complimented by a small smile. "Willing to sacrifice yourself for another with a smile. How noble." She meant it too, no matter how misguided he might be. Should she heal him? Perhaps he had seen the error of his ways, caring for such a demon.
Perhaps she was hypocritical, but… nothing good could come from Naraku. Nothing.
"I-I've little intention of sacrificing myself," he proclaimed, coughing lightly. As the crook of his elbow covered his mouth, she barely noticed his hand reaching inside his coat. A dagger came flying out towards her chest the same moment she registered its movement, and she only barely shifted enough to summon a barrier to absorb the blow. Still, the sheer force behind the throw was impressive, though nowhere near enough to break past her barrier.
He was already moving on her. He swung the handle of his former weapon like a club as she stumbled backwards; Kikyō leaned aside to avoid the impact, reaching out with two fingers and tapping his forehead to paralyze him. A fist crashed into her cheek a moment later, sending her flat to the ground.
Somehow, he hadn't been paralyzed. She'd felt her fingers touch his forehead, and yet, nothing had happened. Her mind raced as she felt herself get quickly pinned to the ground, her body roughly turned over until her face was flat against the dirt and a knee rested between her shoulder blades, forcing her down against the ground harshly.
She could feel his blood spilling out onto her back. It was mostly silent. All she could hear were the heaving breaths of the man bearing down on her back and the droplets of blood that fell from him.
"You know nothing about her," Kikyō said, voice calm and collected even in her current position. A lifetime of conditioning, even if she was more free to feel these days in her undeath. It was all that allowed her to think of ways to get out of this situation; he'd proven to be mostly… resistant to her abilities.
Attacks of the mind were not always so simple to beat.
He did not exchange words with her for some time, until finally he gathered his thoughts. "I know enough." But did he? Truly? What did this foolish human know about the demon who'd left him to die? What lies was he convincing himself of?
"Enough to know that she'd flee and leave you here?"
"Quiet, lest I quiet you myself." It seemed she had struck a nerve. "Why did you try to kill Kagura?" He asked her, and she considered it in full.
Why, indeed. The answer was remarkably simple, though she doubted he'd see the truth in her words, blinded by whatever fondness he seemed to have for Kagura. Enough fondness for him to dismiss her abandonment as a mere moment of weakness. "She is made from Naraku's flesh, and nothing good could ever come from that loathsome demon."
"Naraku. Demons," he muttered under his breath, and she could practically imagine the shaking of his head, "Pity's sake; it sounds as if the madness of Yharnam persists, even here. Speak clearly, miss."
Did… did he really not know? Did he know nothing about demons, spirits? And yet, he'd risked his life to save one. Kikyō laughed, unable to stop herself. She couldn't tell if it was in mockery or disbelief. Had Kagura really played this man for such a fool? Well, Kikyō would not allow this charade to continue.
"Kagura is a demon, created by a far worse demon. She is not a human, and is likely little more than a slave to that perverse Naraku." The knee eased up just a hair, relieving a minute amount of pressure. Only just, however. It seemed information was what he wanted.
"And a demon? What is a demon?" Kikyō stayed silent, considering her words. It was somewhat hard to describe to someone who had no recollection of their existence. To many, demons simply were. There were a great many, too; it would be impossible to describe demons in their sheer quantity and differing ways. Yet, she willed herself to try.
"Similar to us, in ways, except much longer lived. Many are evil, and some are able to use their demonic energies in differing ways." He mumbled something under his breath, likely about Kagura.
"I do not know how you two met, but she has been deceiving you. Not that I am surprised- anything made from the flesh of Naraku will be evil by nature-" the knee on her back forced down much harder this time, and she silenced herself. An overstep, then.
"Quiet. You harbor a grudge and are blind to your own bias. I am sure Kagura had a legitimate reason for keeping her history from me." Whether the words were meant for her or himself, Kikyō did not know.
"And her abandoning you?"
He remained silent. "Fear can cause you to do a great many things."
"You would abandon someone if you were fearful for your own life?"
"I think I won't kill you," he decided, avoiding her question, and she felt relieved at that in spite of herself. She was also equally curious. Was he not angry with her for attempting to kill Kagura- for attempting to kill him?
"And why? Why spare me?" It was a rather curious decision, given that she still intended to kill Kagura if the moment showed itself.
"Perhaps I could lie and say something noble, about how there are always more battles to be had. In truth, I simply intend to let Kagura decide your fate." Ah. She was probably doomed, then. "If you wish for an early demise, however, do try to escape."
Kikyō sighed.
Kagura heard the second explosion of spiritual energy and cringed. He was dead. He had to be. There was simply no way he'd survive against Kikyō. Her spiritual energy was just… overwhelming. Twice she'd felt it heading towards her, and twice she'd felt the hairs all over her body stand on edge. She'd felt this mind-numbing fear, an instinct that told her she needed to get as far away from Kikyō as physically possible.
Sure, Vasyl had managed to deflect it with his blade, but… well, she'd seen the large crack on his saw cleaver. Maybe he'd win. She didn't completely discount him, but… well, if he won, he'd come and find her. It wasn't as if she'd be of help against Kikyō anyways. No demon could ever hope to win against that priestess, reincarnated or no. She was simply that overwhelmingly powerful.
A human, maybe, since they didn't have the same weakness against spiritual energy, but it didn't change the fact that while spiritual energy was amplified against spirits and demons, it still had a physical presence as well. Odds are, she'd just survived at the cost of Vasyl's life. But, uh… didn't he not die? He'd just wake back up in that dream.
It had been the right decision, ensuring her survival. It wasn't as if he could really die.
Kagura slowed down as she neared the edge of the forest, giving a long glance behind her. The sound of… well, anything, had stopped. One of them had to have won, then. Kagura paced, debating the merits of sneaking back to figure out who. It wasn't that she needed to. Either Vasyl won, and he'd come find her. If Kikyō won, then going back there would accomplish nothing good.
Yet she felt a need to check anyways. She didn't have to fully reveal herself. She just needed to sneak around, see if Vasyl had won or not. It was probably safer for her to sneak around, anyways, than wait for Kikyō to find her. That priestess would just shoot her from afar with an arrow before she had any idea.
Decision made, Kagura allowed herself to sift back through the thick woods quietly, keeping her ears peeled for any noise. She wasn't sure how long she'd been standing here at the edge of the forest, honestly, but her instincts said it hadn't been a short time.
...Had he won? He was certainly strong and quick, but would that be enough against some force like Kikyō?
As if to answer her question, she saw him stroll out from behind a tree, Kikyō by his side, in the near distance. He walked with one hand gripping her wrist, and Kagura saw those white, serpent soul collectors trailing behind her at an even greater distance. Vasyl met her eyes, and she noticed his disheveled appearance.
His mask was down around his neck, and she could see blood, more than normal, staining his stomach.
"Kagura," he greeted, and she nodded in return, unsure on what to say. What was there to say? That'd she expected him to win? Because that was a lie, and while Kagura might typically have no issues lying, it made her skin crawl in this situation. In the end, she simply spoke.
"You won." Two words, but… not two she'd truly expected to say. Two words that, somehow, washed over her like rain, relieving the tension in her bones and muscles better than a hotspring ever could.
Vasyl inclined his head. "That I did. Now, I leave the decision up to you on what we do with this woman."
...He was letting her decide? Kagura opened her mouth, ready to say 'kill her' and be done with it, but hesitated. And, like most difficult decisions she was faced with, it all came back to Naraku. That monster didn't fear anything… except Kikyō. That was the sole being he felt could ever manage to kill him, because he couldn't find it in himself to ever harm her.
Kikyō met Kagura's own eyes with indifference, holding herself dignified even in defeat. That priestess terrified her; just a touch and she could banish Kagura from existence, such was her spiritual strength. But, much as she feared Kikyō, the priestess was still an asset against Naraku. Perhaps the most valuable asset.
"...We let her live," Kagura decided, smugly noting the shocked look in Kikyō's eyes. "Not out of the goodness of my heart, priestess, but for one reason: I need you to kill Naraku." Realizing her situation, Kikyō didn't seem to react at all. Probably because killing Naraku was something she'd already intended to do.
"Perfect, it seems we have an accord," Vasyl spoke, easing the tension some. "Now, that said: Kagura, Kikyō informed me of a few things, but I find myself rather lost. As partners," he said, emphasizing the partners part, "I'm sure you've had your reasons for keeping me in the dark, but withheld information can be dangerous. Please, tell me of Naraku and your troubles, of demons and this 'spiritual and demonic' energies."
Kagura pinched the bridge of her nose. "Alright, alright," she muttered, staring at the two looking at her with interest. "But let's go to that whorehouse I was at before I start explaining things. They owe me free sake. And… and we can get you bandaged up."
He certainly needed it, before he passed out. She'd even go so far to help him herself. A thanks for him saving her.
Vasyl nodded, turning to look at Kikyō. "Behave yourself, lest I rid you of your head." With those words, he released his grip on her wrist and approached Kagura, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you summoned me, Kagura. I fear the worst might have come to fruition had you not."
She smiled in spite of herself, ignoring the wrenching feeling in her gut that she didn't even know why was there. "Probably. But, hey… partners, right?" Somehow, the word partners felt a bit hollow coming from her, but he just nodded and chuckled cheerfully, scratching the back of his head in that manner of his.
Right. Partners.
Vasyl sipped the sake he was given, sitting with his legs crossed here where chairs seemed to be an afterthought. He licked his lips at the taste, debating the merits. It certainly wasn't bad, but truthfully he wasn't a huge fan of alcohol. Anything that dulls the senses would never sit well with him. Still, it would be rude not to drink given Kagura was, he felt.
Frankly, he felt vaguely uncomfortable here in general, though part of that was the bandages wrapping him now, squeezing against his abdomen and his arm, from the large gash he'd gotten prior to being summoned by Kagura, and then the shards of his saw cleaver buried into his stomach, now removed.
He felt somewhat weak from the blood loss, actually, but there was no need for the others to know that. Kagura had personally wrapped his wounds, so he felt the need to put on a strong front. He was strong. It was, perhaps, the only trait he valued in himself.
Glancing around the small table, he eyes his… guests. The priestess, given she was a prisoner, was behaving fairly cordially. Whether it remained that way, they would see. He certainly hoped so; it was pleasant to be around people with their wits about them. He turned to the boy, Kohaku, who sat rather stiff. Clearly, he was trying to behave in a manner that made him seem more mature.
Quite adorable. Vasyl had something of a soft spot for children. He smiled as he recalled the girl he'd escorted to Iosefka's, the joy in her eyes. It faded as he recalled the words of the man. He resolved to check on her upon a later return to Yharnam.
His eyes finally made their way to Kagura, who was sitting in a manner similar to him, her legs crossed. Kikyō and Kohaku, however, were sitting in some strange, formal way that he assumed was native to this land. They didn't have chairs here, just low tables and some padded places one might park their rear.
It was frankly overwhelming, the unfamiliarity. He was surrounded by people; more than a few rather… busty women had tried a few ways to capture his attention. He acknowledged this place was for women of the night, so it wasn't as if it was shocking for them to try and get his attention. They failed, of course, but it was just such a sheer contrast from his recent experiences with women or even people in general.
These ones didn't want to tear his eyes out of their sockets, you see, and in turn, he felt no need to skewer them with his saw cleaver. He frowned at the thought of his favored weapon, now little more than a club. Was it even salvageable? What ought he replace it with? He debated asking for the Stake Driver back but decided against it. He did not feel it was a weapon particularly suited for Kagura, but he'd given it to her regardless. It was hers now.
Kagura took another gulp of her sake, seemingly ready to finally begin whatever this discussion was going to entail. She turned to Kohaku. "Listen here, kid. Everything you hear here, you keep your mouth shut." It was not the most polite way to speak to a child, but it seemed to be effective as he nodded resolutely.
Kikyō stared at the child in curiosity before turning away. Kagura spoke once more. "Right. Well, what all did Kikyō tell you?" Vasyl remembered their initial conversation, as well as the words they exchanged along the way to find Kagura, a brief time it may have been. Truthfully, it wasn't a whole lot, but he did feel vaguely more informed.
He rubbed his chin. "She informed me that you were a demon, one created from another. And that demons were fairly similar to humans, only longer lived and possessing some sort of demonic energy. Not that I really understand what a demonic energy would be, outside of your abilities with wind.
Kagura regarded him for a few moments, nodding slowly. "Well, she's right, and you're right. I am a demon, created from that bastard Naraku. My wind is a manifestation of my demonic energy." As he expected, and truthfully it was a relief to know such abilities would not be vastly widespread. "He forces me to do his bidding, as he holds my heart in his hands and can kill me whenever he wants."
That he had not been aware of. Vasyl sat up a bit straighter, clenching his fists. Some demon held Kagura's life in his hands, treating her as little more than a slave? It would not stand. He would have to introduce himself to this Naraku, most violently.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. It was… not as calming as he might have hoped, given the emerald gaze that seemed to have painted itself onto the inside of his eyelids, always watching.
Was there truly to be no respite?
"He is a truly evil demon," Kikyō chimed in, and Vasyl reopened his eyes to orient himself, not unaware of the yearning gaze he'd be away from until he next sought to blink, "It was he who deceived me in my life, manipulating and killing me. He was once a human," she explained, and his attention shifted from the madness within to that in front of him, "one I tended to in his injured state. He sold his soul to demons in his desire for me."
The delusions of man were truly unmatched. "What little that remains of the man he was still loves me with all of his wicked heart. It's why he can't bring himself to kill me." That was a lot to take in, but it seemed Kikyō had a vested interest in ending this Naraku's life as well. It made her disdain for Kagura more clear, yet the sins of her creator should not fall upon her, especially given how much she seemed to hate him.
Vasyl stroked his chin, giving a side glance at Kohaku who was looking at both Kikyō and Kagura in shock. He reached out, setting a hand on his shoulder. "Calm yourself young man. I do not know what you seem to think of demons, but they seem quite similar to yourself and I. You are safe here, rest assured."
Kohaku exhaled and nodded ."S-Sorry. I… I just don't remember much about me, and what little I do remember about demons isn't… great."
Vasyl decided to continue. Hopefully the boy could learn a thing or two. "Never allow your prejudices to blind you. Judge everyone by their virtues, not of preconceived notions." Kohaku seemed to absorb the words, and Vasyl released his hand from his shoulder. Kagura and Kikyō were watching him carefully.
He shrugged at their stares. "My experiences with demons, and whatever you seem to be, Lady Kikyō, has been far more fair than what humans I've dealt with. The wickedness of man has no limits, comparatively."
Vasyl took another sip of his sake as Kagura decided to continue. "Right. Well, demons: we live longer than humans, far longer, and the more powerful of us possess abilities. For me, it's my control of wind." That made sense to him, finally providing an explanation for her odd abilities that had eluded him for so long.
"Interesting enough. I'm hardly in a position to judge when it comes to a strange state of existence," he muttered, unable to forget that Heir-
-Curious emerald eyes flashed in his mind, looking him up and down as if he were a newborn-
-rune, as well as his life being binded to the dream. Demons seemed rather normal, in comparison. Vasyl rubbed his temple at the sudden onset headache from one wayward thought. He made the mistake of closing his eyes, and it only worsened.
"Right, well, I hardly see how you being a demon, and you being…" he said, still a bit confused at Kikyō's state of existence, "whatever you are, Lady Kikyō, changes much for me. Rather, I propose we shift our attention to a more pertinent matter: killing this Naraku demon, preferably violently."
Kikyō spoke up. "If we are to cooperate, then Kagura must stop hiding secrets." Her eyes flicked to Kohaku, and Kagura shifted uncomfortably. Normally, Vasyl might intervene, but recent events had revealed that Kagura had issues revealing things. It made sense; she was little more than a slave. Who had she been able to confide in, prior to him?
He could forgive that. He had to.
"Hey, kid, go tell one of those whores to get us more sake," Kagura ordered, and Kohaku grumbled but complied, rising from his spot. He saw it for what it was; whatever they were soon to discuss revolved around the boy.
As he hurried out of hearing distance, Kikyō spoke. "What is Naraku's plan with that boy?" She demanded to know, and Kagura was quiet. He was curious, too. Kagura had mentioned to him, briefly, that she'd been tasked to deliver the boy to a village by Naraku, but little more than that.
"...He's the dead brother to one of Inuyasha's traveling companions," Kagura began to explain, looking down at the table in front of her as she nursed her sake, "He wants to use him to kill one of them, I think. He doesn't tell me everything."
Vasyl blinked- and saw a flash of emerald which did little to help his confused mind- as he processed what he'd just heard. "Wait, young Kohaku is dead as well?" Did death have any meaning in this world? It at least seemed permanent in Yharnam, save for those hunters touched by the dream.
"Yes. Naraku seemed to have brought him back with a shikon jewel shard," Kagura explained.
…What?
"Shikon jewel shard? This is the first I've heard of such a thing." Was it important? It must be, if it enabled someone to come back from death.
"It doesn't matter," Kikyō dismissed, though Vasyl very much disagreed. "What matters is that it's corrupted, and Naraku can undoubtedly use it to control Kohaku. The boy must die."
Vasyl leaned forward, glaring at the woman who'd suggested such a thing. Killing an innocent boy, one who'd been given a second chance at life?! "No. You will not be an executioner to a young boy, much less one who's sister thinks is dead."
Kikyō's response was swift, "It would be safer to do so now, before that woman has to kill her own brother." He settled back after that statement, thinking. He would not allow the boy to be killed, certainly, but things were rapidly spiraling out of his plane of understanding. A remarkably common thing these days.
How was this place more complicated than Yharnam? He'd hoped Kagura's homeland would make more sense than that cursed city, but it seemed madness followed him everywhere.
Kagura's spoke, dragging him from his thoughts, "Can't you just purify it? You're a priestess, aren't you?" Kikyō sat silently as both Vasyl and Kagura sought an answer.
"...My powers are not as pure as they once were," Kikyō explained, "I am not the same priestess I was in life-"
"Oh, would you shut the hell up?!" Kagura said, leaning forward, "I've seen what your abilities can do. You're still plenty powerful, you're just doing this whole righteous act. News flash: me and Vasyl here don't give a shit, and the kid's sure not gonna give a shit either if you stop him from killing his sister in whatever scheme Naraku has planned."
"Watch your tongue," Kikyō said, tensing up slightly. Vastly felt the need to interject, having been informed more by Kagura, when she had dressed his wounds, the full extent of Kikyō's powers. She really could kill Kagura with just a touch.
"Allow me to be clear here, Lady Kikyō. I am not a good man. If I have to force you to purify that boy's corruption under threat of your life, I will do so." She wasn't truly alive, either, so his feelings on it would be decidedly muted. The child, however, deserved a chance at life.
"Hmph," Kikyō crossed her arms with a nod. "What will Naraku do, when he learns of your betrayal?" That… was a decidedly good question, actually. He turned to Kagura, an eyebrow raised.
"It's simple. You're going to stay in this town with the boy for a bit, and then leave with him, that way Naraku has no way of knowing I was a part of any of this." An interesting idea, actually, and one with merit. They could write it off as a coincidence- or, given Kikyō's distaste for Naraku, active sabotage by the priestess.
"...The shard will simply corrupt again, if he's left with me." Kikyō insisted. Vasyl gave a humorless chuckle. Really, was that the best excuse she could come up with?
"Then you will simply purify it again and again. Are you really so heartless to leave a boy to such a nefarious fate?" Kikyō was silent before finally shaking her head. As if on cue, Kohaku returned with a container of sake, setting it on the table.
"Thank you, young Kohaku," Vasyl said, inclining his head. Kohaku gave a nod in return, shuffling to his seat once more. Vasyl refilled his drink, taking another sip of the exotic alcohol as Kagura did the same.
Did it fall to him to ease tensions? "A fine discussion. I feel we've reached something of an accord," Vasyl said, turning to Kohaku. "Young man, Lady Kikyō here will be remaining in this village for a few weeks. Assist her as she needs." The boy nodded, happy to be addressed in this discussion between adults.
"Kikyō, keep the two of you safe." She nodded, and Vasyl stood with a long stretch. "Myself and Kagura ought to be on our way," he decided, speaking for the both of them. Kagura didn't protest, so he assumed he was right. He felt the longer they waited here, this Naraku demon might unearth their presence and cooperation. It was best to make a swift exit, lest their plans come crashing down.
"W-What? Already?!" Kohaku protested, looking at Kagura in particular.
"Yeah. Sorry to say, brat, but I've got things to do. Kikyō will be sticking around for awhile, though." Kohaku looked between the two women, his gaze lingering on Kagura and skipping over the polite smile from Kikyō.
"Already?" Kohaku asked, and Kagura appeared vaguely uncomfortable. Vasyl scratched the back of his head, deciding he needed to intervene and avoid any awkward situations that might arise due to Kagura's… personality.
"Unfortunately, my boy. Don't fret, however; our paths will cross again, of that I'm sure." It seemed to relieve some of the tension in the boy's shoulders, but he still seemed a bit upset, naturally. "Kikyō will take good care of you. But the work of a hunter is never done; Kagura and I must be on our way."
Where did they need to go? Truthfully, he had no idea, but from his glances around, he simply wanted to enjoy this place before the dream called him back. Kagura rose from her seated positioning, standing next to him. "Take care, brat."
Curt final words from his partner, sure, but it was more than he'd expected.
As they left the whore house, leaving behind Kikyō and Kohaku, Kagura spoke. "What a day. C'mon, we'll figure out where we're going along the way.
Kikyō watched them leave, the pair striding side by side, with interest. What strange individuals she'd encountered, primarily the man. Kagura… a part of her still wished to strike her down, but she squashed it. While she may have been born of Naraku's flesh, she clearly had nothing but disdain for her creator.
Shifting her gaze, she glanced at Kohaku, the young boy held alive by a shikon jewel shard. A corrupted shikon jewel shard, at that. Certainly not one beyond her abilities to purify, but it was as she said; Kikyō was not the woman she once had been. Her powers were not as pure, not as strong.
Such a fall from grace had begun when she dared to love, and what a fall it had been. Sighing, Kikyō dismissed her own ire. "Kohaku," she said, capturing the boy's attention, "Let's leave this place. There are things I must explain to you." The odd pair had left before giving him a proper answer on who he was, so it seemed to befall on her.
"O-Okay Lady Kikyō ."
Kikyō gave a small smile. "Please, just Kikyō is fine."
He nodded at that, and they rose from their place at the table.
'Are you really so heartless to leave a boy to such a nefarious fate?' Vasyl. What an interesting man.
Kagura had no idea where they ought to go. She couldn't very well go back and report to Naraku that her job was done. Well, she could, but that'd force her to more or less leave Vasyl behind, and she had no intention of doing that. She also had no solid timeframe for her expected return. Given Naraku wasn't one to micro-manage outside of his own schemes, she felt comfortable spending some time away.
It left her, more or less, free to do what she wanted for a few days. She spared a glance at Vasyl, seeing his wandering eyes scan the trees and dirt roads with a softer gaze to them than was normal for him. So, he'd been honest when he spoke of preferring more… natural surroundings.
"This land is truly beautiful, Kagura." She nodded, not necessarily feeling the same, but the grass was always greener. It was also familiar, and familiarity often seemed boring. They walked, side by side, in silence for some time. Vasyl finally broke it.
"...Why did you never tell me of Naraku?" There it was, the question she was dreading. She'd been debating how to handle it, yet all those imagined conversations went out the window the moment he spoke.
She snorted, crossing her arms. "It's not exactly something I like to advertise." She wasn't lying, after all. She'd simply never told him, because it had never come up. Vasyl inclined his head slightly before speaking.
"I do not blame you… but I've been upfront with you regarding my situation-"
She turned to face him, scowling. "Really? Cause if I remember right, you only told me when I cornered you, after talking to Alfred!" He looked away, remembering the details as clearly as she did.
"You're correct. I was not entirely up front." Good. So, he acknowledged it. He couldn't hold it against her, then. They continued walking in silence, each waiting for the other to speak.
Once more, he spoke first. "...Would you have told me of your own accord, eventually?"
Would she have? Probably, given she'd been considering using him to kill Naraku. Would she have admitted to being created by him? ...No. Still, that wasn't Vasyl's question.
"Yes. I was going to bring him up to you sooner rather than later." Vasyl heaved a great breath of relief, turning to her with a soft gaze and a softer smile.
"I'm glad to hear that. Rest assured, Kagura. The elimination of this Naraku and your subsequent freedom are my highest priority." It felt good to have someone give a shit about her. And sure, it'd be hard. Very hard. But, just maybe...
"He has my heart, you know," She clenched her fists as the words left her, but it needed to be said. "He can kill me at a moment's notice, if he ever finds out about all this."
Vasyl chuckled softly, taking a step closer to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Then we will simply kill him first." If it was anyone else saying those words, she might have laughed. Instead, she smiled.
"I'm beat. We should find a hot spring."
Vasyl laughed. "Such a thing does sound pleasant."
Gods, she couldn't have said it better herself.
Vasyl allowed his nose to dip into the water, only his eyes and above not below the steaming surface. An internal sigh escaped him as the hot water relaxed his tense muscles, the steam giving off a pleasant smell to his nose. He had already wringed out his hair, washing what blood he could away. Lucky this hotspring flowed down away from him, so he was not bathing in his own blood.
Most of his wounds had healed, a product of the blood he'd consumed so long ago. He had a few more small scars around his abdomen from his saw cleaver exploding; if he did not die from the wound or heal it directly with Yharnamite blood, the scars tended to stay.
Kagura would be joining him soon, but said she'd do after he had cleaned up some.
'You're absolutely filthy, covered in blood and dirt and whatever the hell that sticky coating on your gloves is. Go wash off and I'll join you a bit later.'
He'd debated the merits of telling her that it was probably from crushed eyeballs. ...No, he would have to tell her what he saw. They were partners; he couldn't preach accountability and trust if he was scared to be honest. Hypocrisy was not a part of his creed.
As if summoned from his thoughts, Kagura finally arrived, still mostly clothed. She took a glance at him in the water before nodding. "Guess you cleanup okay," she muttered, leaning forward to take off her boots. Wait, was she really going to change right here?
Vasyl diverted his eyes, staring off in the opposite direction as he heard the many layers of Kagura's wear land against the ground. He did his best to not think too much about that. It was a bit after that when he heard her sigh of bliss as she lowered herself into the water. She scoffed.
"You're such a prude," she commented, and he decided she was likely decent enough for him to face. He was correct, as she was submerged and the water was somewhat murky.
"It's a matter of respect," he replied, being sure to keep his eyes from gazing anywhere but her face. Not that he had particular difficulty with that. Moving over towards her, he allowed himself to rest against the edge of the spring by her side. "This is pleasant," he said, "something I'd never find in Yharnam. This land is nice."
"I guess." She moved forward off the wall, her back towards him as she lowered herself deeper into the hot, pleasant water. His eyes were immediately struck by something he only just now remembered seeing.
The spider tattoo on her back. Only it was different. Much, much different. He could see… more, embellished in the dark ink. Was it even ink; was what he was seeing even real? It called out to him, begging for him to come forward and examine it closer. No, even that wasn't the correct word for what it was doing.
He touched two fingers against the center of the tattoo, tracing out to the edge and following the lines. He could see more, coming off from the tattoo and all going in the same direction. Lines so thin he wasn't sure if he was imagining them or if they were real. He tightened his grip around one and listened.
Thump
Vasyl blinked, "...ing?" Kagura had just spoken to him. He shook his head, banishing the strange thoughts from his mind. Kagura had a narrowed gaze as she looked at him, though he wouldn't say she looked upset. Moreso confused, and frankly, so was he.
He saw his hand, grasping the empty air. Only he knew it wasn't empty! There'd been something there, just beneath the senses of man. A connection. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head but didn't dare to close his eyes.
Kagura looked at him expectantly, and he struggled to speak for a few moments. What… had that been? It certainly wasn't like that rune he'd found; rather, looking at it, he'd felt he was staring at something more. Not that it was never there, but rather, he could only now see it.
"S-Sorry, Kagura. I suppose I ought to update you on what I discovered in Yharnam during your absence." She crossed her arms but gave no scathing words, so he assumed he was good to explain.
He more or less brushed over his exploration of the village and encountering the insane women, as well as their subsequent slaughter. Those details were rather grizzly and overwhelmingly unimportant. Madness was dime a dozen, as was death. No, most of his detail pertained to his encountering of the strange witches.
Of the black, shadow-like figures who climbed up from the earth as if it was a chasm to the abyss; of the eyes upon eyes, lining the robes of the mad witch like exquisite jewelry. All of that was strange, certainly, but…
"I found him, afterwards. An old hunter, strapped into a chair, dirty, rusted nails holding up his eyelids and penetrating his skull all at once. His sockets were empty; I'm forced to imagine the witch had been responsible for that." Kagura seemed uncomfortable. Naturally. Who wouldn't be, when confronted with the darkness of man?
"Still, that was not what was so disturbing. There was a bag on the work bench nearby, and…" Should he explain in full, the extent of his madness?
Those cursed words, flayed inside his -become one with the cosmos- head? Of the constant, dull throb in the back of his head every time he saw or even thought about the rich, emerald color he couldn't shake from the back of his eyelids? She- and Gods above how did he even know that thing was a she- was always watching.
Did he dare explain that hunter staring at him, his eyelids empty, skin pale? How that corpse had spoken, and even now, he wasn't sure if it had been imagined or not. Did he dare to mention the way Kagura's eyes and face had just melted into one featureless flesh, blood spilling out from her skin in the form of those damn lines, Heir, Heir. HEIR
Vasyl took a deep breath, looking away opposed to closing his eyes. It felt like the only safe option, frankly. He turned back to Kagura, grateful to notice her features had returned. Those crimson eyes calmed him.
"There were strange runes inside that bag. They… invoked some sort of vision, or hallucination, in me. I'm still attempting to sort through the meaning, but it certainly feels significant, and… well, when I was looking at that tattoo on your back, I saw… something.
I grasped at it, heard a thump, and then your words knocked me back into my senses." That was a sufficient enough explanation, was it not? And it wasn't that he didn't want to tell her. But what point did elaborating on his hallucinations really do beyond paint him in a poor light?
Companions were scarce. He couldn't scare her off. Wouldn't. Especially not now, when he needed someone the most to calm his addled mind.
"You heard a thump, huh?" Kagura asked, and he nodded in confirmation. A very distinct thump, in fact…
"It's… your heart. I heard your heart," Vasyl muttered, more to himself than anything. Kagura nodded, staring at him strangely.
She sighed softly. "I remember when things weren't so complicated." Vasyl chuckled at her words. He certainly longed for that first few hours of the hunt, simply thinking this night of the hunt was so simple.
"We'll worry about that later, though. Lets just relax… who knows how long you'll get to stick around." That was true, and admittedly, it made him fearful. To be dragged back to the dream… would it put him back to that large, stone gravestone? Would he awaken in the dream? He certainly hoped it was the dream. He had no desire to walk that accursed Hemwick again.
Kagura put a hand on his shoulder, and he jumped. "Relax, jeez. You're so high-strung all the time." He… was forced to nod. He knew it himself.
She maneuvered her way back towards the edge of the spring, resting against the stone. "Now, shut up, stop thinking, and just enjoy the water." She closed her eyes, lowering herself into the spring.
Vasyl decided it was a good enough idea and followed suit, allowing himself to relax against the stone. He lowered himself deeper into the hot water. He closed his eyes, staring into those welcoming emerald orbs, so filled with concern and curiosity.
His muscles unclenched, and he almost felt at peace.
'Tell me, Little One. What else did you see?'
And speak little one did, so merrily. Of the Strange One and her fixation, of the place even they could not feel. Reality shifted with her whims.
Yo. Chapter seven, complete. I was a bit busy, but managed to meet my goal of a new chapter within a month. Hope y'all had a good holiday season. Not too much to say, outside of thanks for the reviews. Beyond that, hope you enjoyed the chapter, feel free to review if it suits you.