Blanket Disclaimer: The writer does not own any characters created by Rumiko Takahashi but like everyone else wishes she did. All original characters or concepts are the author's Inuma Asahi De's (with the exception of historical figures).
Chapter Thirty-Three
The Red Arrow Points
The Captain of the Shikuro slowly guided his ship, its wheel firmly in his hands keeping it at a steady pace as they leisurely moved on the currents of the Gulf of Mexico, directed only by the moon and the stars. The Mouth of the Mississippi and New Orleans were far behind them by now; they had rowed, after all, for over three hours, the act itself giving them a substantial (that was putting it mildly) lead over the Thunder, if the Thunder decided to pursue them that is. Inuyasha's instincts told him they wouldn't, Kagome's barrier had made it too hard for them to gauge which direction to follow in, therefore it was logical to assume the Thunder would not try to pursue them right away (at least not in the dark). That would be unreasonable and potentially life threatening, after all.
Inuyasha glanced around, his eyes well adjusted to the lack of light. He could just make out a distant island, one he knew of, one he knew to be uninhabited. It was small a few trees here and there but was more of a glorified sandbar than an Island if he was being truthful with himself. He snickered, "Yeah, truthful—the truth."
He sighed a deep slow sound that was loud in the quiet night air. Leaning forward, he rested his upper body against the wheel of the ship his arms sticking out onto the wheel's other side as he supported his weight while steering at the same time.
"Does she know?" He asked himself as he tilted his head back, looking up over his head at the sky ceiling, his knowledge of the celestial map telling him it was probably close to four in the morning. He gulped, he had only been on deck for maybe half an hour since he left her in their—in his cabin. Yet, she still hadn't come out, she hadn't stormed angrily to him, slapped him in the face and screamed, she hadn't even yelled or raved from the cabin or cursed or even made a sound. Everything was quiet, he half wondered if maybe she had fallen back to sleep.
Inuyasha licked his lips wetting them down; they were dry, very dry, he blamed the night's air for that. "Maybe," He grumbled as he moved his body slightly to the left, affectively adjusting the ship's position without using his hands. "She didn't figure it out." He continued to mutter to himself before lowering his head and banging it against the wheel, an act done entirely on purpose, meant to be grating and painful. "I'm such an idiot!" He banged it again, the feel of the wood biting into his forehead actually comforting to him.
He took a sharp intake of air gritting his teeth. He knew he was lying to himself. Kagome Dresmont was smart, she was witty, and could think quickly on her feet, she challenged him with her knowledge (book knowledge it may be) but she had knowledge. She had read Shakespeare, she had good grammar, great retention for music, and she spoke French for heaven's sake!
He shook his head at the thought: she spoke French. "I really should ask her where she learned it." He snorted musing to himself, digressing. "Or why she learned it, I guess that's the better question." He nodded to himself agreeing with his own thoughts. "Maybe it was part of her education, she is an educated woman."
He smiled at the reflection but the smile didn't last long. It slipped off his face as the digression ended and he was confronted with something else—reality. And that reality was that Kagome Dresmont was an educated woman, a smart woman, a woman who would eventually put two and two together.
"What's she thinking," He whispered into the pre-dawn world his voice cracking, afraid of what she could possibly know or not know or think or not think. "Right now, what are you thinking?"
He looked up at the stars, for a moment he had the urge to count them all just to distract himself. But a task like that, he knew, would be too distracting, an everlasting distraction. It would be copping out, giving up, running away again.
He wanted to run away.
Inuyasha closed his eyes slowly, his brow furrowing from the action as he let his head gradually tilt downwards away from the stars, away from the break from reality they posed. "I can't run." He told himself, opening his eyes only to find himself staring at the wood of the Shikuro's old worn deck and his boots. It was a visual dead end mirroring his current situation—a dead end.
There was nothing he could do; either she knew or she didn't know. If she knew, he would have to face his demons (literally so) but if she didn't then he would be safe. The odd thought struck him as strange—he was safe, wasn't he? He was safe if she didn't know, right? All this time he had been thinking she knew the truth, she had figured it out but what if she didn't know, what if she wasn't as crafty as he was making her out to be? What then, what should he do then?
"Should I tell her?" He blinked rapidly at the thought, shaking his head slowly back and forth, saying no while his mind continued to process, vaguely coming to a different conclusion—yes. He bit his lip, clutching his fist at the same time as he squeezed his eyes shut, his nails biting into the flesh of his palms, not drawing blood but close.
He remembered back to that night so long ago, almost a month ago, when he had asked her if she had ever met a half demon before. Her answer hadn't been very forthcoming with information, it had been a simple 'no' she hadn't ever met one, she didn't know one (well she did but she didn't know that at the time.)
"She's never met one." Inuyasha mumbled, as his mind ran over the conversation again, rethinking and rethinking, studying every subtle shift in her breathing, in her words, inflections in her voice, trying desperately to remember exactly how she sounded. Had she sounded disgusted, had she whispered that 'no' with relief or with hate or with contempt? He couldn't remember or really he just remembered it being normal, like any other no he had ever heard.
"Damn it!" He cursed trying to drive the thoughts away, trying to push the memories out of his head. It didn't matter anyway, she knew, she had to know, she could deduce, deduct, she could think, she was smart and she was witty, she was a fast learner and an adapt thinker. And she was beautiful and kind, considerate and loving, she was accepting, forgiving.
"She's everything that Kikyo wasn't." He gulped, his thoughts actually causing him pause as for the millionth time he was confronted with the facts, "She's nothing like her." A tiny voice in the back of his head confirmed but he drove it off, he refused to listen. His memories of comparing the two women ignored, his heart not allowing it to happen just yet, he just wasn't over the pain she had caused him yet.
He shook his head slowly back and forth, his memories of Kikyo gradually coming back to him, reminders that she had indeed been a totally different woman. He remembered her husky voice first, the way it sounded when he kissed that spot just below her ear. Next he remembered her smile, the smile she gave when he was human and she thought that their lives were full of potential and promise and hope. And then he remembered her sadness, the way she always looked off longingly into the distant.
She had always looked off longingly, away from him, away from the sea, away from the only world he could ever promise her. It was a world she rejected—just as she rejected the real him. Kikyo wanted the world outside of his, the world that laid in castles in ancient Europe, the world of money and handmaidens, the world of dukes and earls, duchesses and countesses, she wanted propriety, manners, etiquette, she wanted everything that Inuyasha couldn't give.
Inuyasha smiled at the irony. Everything Kikyo had ever wanted she had gotten in her next life—the only problem was she didn't want that anymore.
Inuyasha let that thought slide off of his mental landscape. He wasn't ready to admit that just yet because to understand that ironic sentiment, he would have to admit that Kagome wasn't going to treat him as Kikyo once had.
"Aa yuu still dwellin' on Kikyo-sama and Kagome-sama sharing-u a soul?"
Inuyasha's head shot up, his eyes snapped opened, the sound of the voice startling him back to reality. "Myoga." He whispered into the night air, he hadn't even heard the small man approach, he hadn't heard the soft footsteps of his bare feet or the wispy sound that was his shallow breathing. "So you knew?" He mumbled as he leaned against the wheel more, lowering his head in defeat.
"Ohu course," The small man nodded as he mounted the top step of the staircase and started to walk towards the Captain, his small body hunched with age. He was an old demon after all, older than even Inuyasha's father, having been his father's retainer as well and his grandfather's before him. "Myoga have-i seen itu before," The old man told him with a slight grin, a grin that seemed to say: I've been around the block a time or two. "It was not-to hard to tell."
Inuyasha winced but let the knowledge sink in. He had been right, Myoga had known, of course Myoga had known. He frowned dryly, "It only makes sense. He's almost as old as the earth itself so of course he'd be able to tell the origins of someone's soul without even having to try." Inuyasha felt the distinct urge to slam his head into the wheel again but refrained. "When'd you figure it out?"
"After-u Manten." Myoga admitted gingerly as he used one finger to scratch his brown carrot shaped nose.
"I see." Inuyasha mumbled as he looked up at the man from his position hunched over the wheel. The conversation petered out, neither man really comfortable with the idea of breaking the silence or pursuing the conversation further.
Myoga sighed heavily, his old eyes focusing on the man before him. He was so tall now, not as tall as his brother or father but still tall, over six foot, a giant compared to the small Myoga. Threading slowly he came to stand fully beside him his small frame only making it half way up to the Captain's waist even though the tall man was slumped with his knees bent dangerously low. It made Myoga smile slightly as memories of the once small boy plagued him.
"Myoga-jii-jii!" A small Inuyasha yelled as he ran towards Myoga, his hands outstretched reaching for his retainer, attempting to grab the little man's sleeve.
"It-u izu been many years since Inuyasha-sama called Myoga, jii-jii." Myoga thought with a smile as he watched the man turn the wheel with his whole body, still unwilling to talk. With a heavy sigh he scratched the back of his head and prepared himself to speak his mind, an act that would take courage he didn't really have. "Yuu know-u better, right?"
"Hmm?" Inuyasha snorted as he turned his face away from the man, refusing to look him in the eye—refusing to admit that he knew what Myoga was talking about.
Myoga eyed him stiffly, knowing his lord was dodging the question still. "Zaat young woman," He pointed below their feet. "Ze girl yuu share yuur chambers with-u," He added for good measure enjoying when the young Captain's ears went red. "Her soul may be Kikyo's demo," He paused for just a second sending Inuyasha a daring look. "Her heart and her mind-o are her own."
"I know." Inuyasha shot back mentally glaring at Myoga as he clamped his lips shut in contrast to his shouted mental words. He wasn't ready to say it out loud, not to himself and particularly not to Myoga.
"Inuyasha-sama." Myouga continued, administering softly, the use of his native tongue catching Inuyasha by surprise drawing him out of his glare to look at Myoga. "Yuu act more and more like Otou-san every-y day." He whispered, as if the words had been an afterthought to the conversation. "Otou-sama worried zaat Izayoi-sama would not-to like him for what he was either."
Inuyasha tilted his head to the side stunned; he had never known his father to be anything other than a prideful man, tall and intimidating, brash and confident, gentle yet undeniably strong. To think that his father had worried about anything was beyond Inuyasha, completely beyond him.
Myoga chuckled as he began to speak again. "I remember ze first-o time Otou-sama and Okaa-sama met, Otou-sama was so shy-y round-o her—."
"Shy?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyebrows and laughed. "My father was never shy."
"Round Izayoi-sama Otou-sama was." Myoga told Inuyasha bluntly. "Zeey were from two different-to worlds. Different—in every-y way-u: nation, race, linage, social-u standing." Myoga stopped and turned to Inuyasha giving him a blunt, almost stern look. "Yuur Otou-sama often thought zaat yuur Okaa-sama would hate him because of it-tu."
"Because of what he was?" Inuyasha repeated the words, his eyes looking away from Myoga to study the deck of the ship.
"Demo Izayoi-sama never cared-u." Myoga continued watching with interest as Inuyasha's head shot up at his words. "Kagome-sama," Myoga went on the honorific causing Inuyasha's eyes to go wide. "Reminds Myoga of Izayoi-sama."
Inuyasha blinked a few times, his ears twitching as he took in the words, his hands relaxing on the wheel, allowing his grip to loosen, causing the ship to tilt with the tide, turning towards the distant shore. Myoga chuckled at the action, reaching out to take the wheel in one small hand, directing the ship back on course as a sail ruffled above their heads, jarred from the change in the direction of the wind.
"Myoga?" Inuyasha whispered softly, shock still written on his features. "Do you really think, Kagome—," His voice froze in his throat, this wasn't something he could easily talk about, it wasn't something he could even talk with Miroku about. It was a taboo subject, the subject of his parents, the subject of Kikyo, the subject of—Kagome. Inuyasha's ears bent back on his head. He tried to will himself to speak but no words came, he sighed.
"Hai," Myoga mumbled as he turned and started to walk away un-expectantly. "Zeey have a lot in common: Kagome-sama, Izayoi-sama." He nodded his head firmly as he came to the top of the stairs, gingerly putting one small hand on the railing as he prepared to go back down to bed. Before he allowed one foot to hit the landing, however, he turned glancing at Inuyasha over his shoulder. The younger man was watching him, his eyes glued to Myoga waiting, anticipating the words that would come out of the older man's mouth. Myoga smiled and shook his head turning away. "First-to and foremost-to," He began as he took that first step down the stairs. "Zeey are both," He paused thinking to himself it appeared. Finally a distant smiled formed in his eyes as if he was remembering her—Izayoi-sama. "Buery accepting women."
With that he disappeared down the stairs, his feet making a soft almost inaudible sound as he disappeared from sight, the conversation over but the thoughts it had caused still running amuck in Inuyasha's head.
Kagome was an accepting woman. She had accepted everything so far with time. She had accepted an affair, accepted an unwed couple's relationship, accepted piracy, accepted being a claimed woman, accepted living in his cabin, accepted she was a reincarnation, accepted Shippo who had nearly gotten her killed, accepted being a Miko—she was one hell of an accepting lady.
Or really, she was a lady who couldn't hate. She couldn't hate Miroku, she couldn't hate Sango, she couldn't hate the pirates, she couldn't hate Kikyo, she couldn't hate Shippo, she couldn't even hate men who tried to rape her, who tried to kill her. She apologized when he punched someone for her, she felt bad when she killed Manten, when she hurt the crew. Kagome could forgive the man who killed her, that was how incapable of hate she was. So why was it so hard for him to admit that Kagome could never hate him either? Kagome could never hate anyone and he was no different but did that mean that she could accept him?
Inuyasha shook his head almost laughing to himself. There were two things he knew for sure about Kagome Dresmont, one she couldn't hate anyone and two she could accept anyone.
"Her soul may be Kikyo's but her 'eart und her mind are her own."
"I know." He took a deep troubled breath as he finally said it out loud. Even if it was only to himself, he had still said it. "Kagome—she's—," He gulped. "Not Kikyo." He continued to admit, the words hard to say out loud at first. He closed his eyes, part of him expecting something to crash down around him at the verbal admittance. Nothing did. The world didn't come to an end. He knew it wouldn't.
Inuyasha opened his eyes, amazed he had finally said that out loud, he had never said it before except in his mind but now it was out in the opened, he had said it, he had meant it. Kagome wasn't Kikyo, she never would be, they were too different and he knew that for fact. Where Kikyo had been cold, had been mean, had refused his demon heritage, Kagome had embraced it as she embraced everyone. She was—exceptional in that way.
He scratched the back of his head, his claws sharp but not threatening to his tough skin and hair.
"Kagome wouldn't care about what I am or who I am." He told himself, impressed that he had managed to admit it to himself while at the same time haunted by a sense of déjà vu. "Funny." He quirked an eyebrow at the thought but let it pass, instead focusing on the here and now. "Even if she doesn't know, I should tell her." He concluded to himself, feeling distinctly vulnerable. The last time he had told a woman he was a half demon she had abruptly decided that she only loved his human half.
Inuyasha frowned as he banged his head once again on the wheel in frustration. Would Kagome feel that way, would she decide she didn't like the half demon, that she only wanted the human he could be? "I hate my life." Inuyasha muttered to himself as he felt a headache start to form in his temple. Whether it was from the situation or the constant banging of his head, he wasn't sure.
Lowering his ears to his skull, he allowed his forehead to lean against the steering wheel, his eyes half opened, slitted, staring at the ground below his feet, imagining the cabin that laid beneath him. Not Sango and Miroku's, mind you, but the one just slightly to his left, the one he had called his own room for the better part of his life on the sea. She was in there, right now, doing gods knows what.
"Maybe, she's thinking too." He stared into the night's air. "I wonder what she's thinking about?"
That is to say: was she thinking, pondering, wondering about him, guessing about him, trying to figure out what he had meant by his words, or trying to determine what she should do just as he was now?
"Are you thinking about me, Kagome?" He whispered as he raised his eyes, tilting his head back until he could see the stars that were glued in the sky, slowly tracing all the constellations he knew. He outlined hundreds, his eyes knowledgeable, knowing the names of even the stars that made them. Abruptly, he stopped, his eyes landing on the star Polaris as it rested in the sky, shining brightly almost mockingly. Moving his eyes to the stars around it, he ignored the proper constellations that were noted there and instead carefully, unconsciously created a new one, one that was all his own.
He traced all the stars in Ursa Minor, creating her smile and ear before jumping upwards moving to watch the neighboring constellation of Draco, using the tip of the Dragon's tail to form the top of her head and hair, following it all the way around until it completed her profile with the end of that fashionable shoulder ponytail she had once worn, that first time she had ever set foot on his ship—her hair had still been long back then.
Inuyasha blinked and then shook his head roughly as his body slumped even more. "Damn it Kagome you better be thinking of me—," He brought a hand up to bury in his hair a sad and disappointed smile on his face. "'cause I can't stop thinking of you."
-break-
Kagome sat on her bed in the Captain's Cabin, her tears long since dried, her face a little pale, red and blotchy. Her legs were folded underneath her, the compass Kaede had bequeathed her resting on the top of her thighs, staring at her, the little red arrow moving in a slow circle, never ending never stopping. She watched it, vaguely wondering why it wasn't pointing in one direction, why was it just circling slowly. Was it as confused as she?
Gingerly, she brought her fingers to the glass that covered the red pointer, her fingers leaving prints, smudges as she brought them away, dragging them along the perfect clear covering. "Why would he keep something like that," She wondered vaguely. "A secret?" She sighed bringing her eyes away from the compass to look out the window, away from the ever circling arrow in her lap. It was still dark outside with only small twinges of light coming through the window, showing her that it had to be early morning, close to dawn.
Her eyes felt unnaturally heavy (or really they felt heavy for a reason) but her mind felt unnaturally alive, it was buzzing even, with a million different thoughts, circumstances, questions. Did Miroku know the secret, did Sango, did Kaede, did—Kikyo?
That thought gave her pause, halting all the other thoughts before it. Did Kikyo know that he was neither human nor demon but lived with a linage that few would ever recognize or live with? She dragged her eyes away from the outside and looked at the compass Kikyo had never been able to open. Kaede had told her it was because Kikyo was clouded, blinded by self doubt and fear but was she—Kagome—any different?
She was afraid, she doubted herself at every turn, yet—
Kagome reached touching the ornate little compass with just the very tip of a finger nail, despite her fear and uncertainty, she had opened the box. She wasn't scared of taking the chance, of trying, of just diving in and not caring what the consequences were but that was only one side of the story, wasn't it?
The writing on the box said that it had opened for her for other reasons, "The person who opens me is pure of heart and mind." She recited the words just as the Captain had said them, just as the box read them. "Am I really more pure than you Kikyo? Is my heart and my mind that different from your own?"
She toyed with the lid of the compass for a moment, the slight squeaking of the hinges echoing in the silence that encompassed her. Maybe she already knew that she was more pure than Kikyo and maybe she already knew why as well.
"Kikyo knew." She concluded softly, without needing to think it out. "That's why she was, that's why—," She trailed off a little part of her heart breaking just for the Captain, just for Inuyasha. "She was ashamed, wasn't she?"
The tears returned but didn't fall, just swelled within her eyes as she stared at the compass in her lap, the compass she could open but Kikyo could not. It was proof that she was different than Kikyo in many ways.
"Kikyo," She whispered just the name, her mind trying to conjure up what the girl had looked like. According to Kaede and Inuyasha they looked remarkably similar. She wondered if she sounded the same too, was her voice Kikyo's voice, just as her body was Kikyo's body? When the Captain saw her did he see Kikyo all over again, feel her hate all over again, feel her shame all over again, did he feel inferior all over again?
Kagome picked the compass up holding it close to her face, trying to see her reflection in the glass, it was too dark. Closing her eyes she gently set it back in her lap, her hands letting it go so they could rest on either side of her legs as she took a deep, deep breath of understanding but also hurt.
"He sees Kikyo doesn't he?" She whispered to herself. "He hears Kikyo doesn't he?" She gritted her teeth. "And he remembers Kikyo, I'm not Kikyo!" In her head she screamed, too afraid he might hear if she screamed aloud, her fists clenched at her sides, the satisfaction of telling him off in her head not nearly good enough to quill her ire. Angrily she grabbed for the first thing she could throw, the compass coming into her grip as she reached blindly before violently throwing it across the room.
The sound of it thudding on the floor as it came in contact with the Captain's desk with a loud crack caused her eyes to snap back opened.
"Shit," She cursed, the Captain's foul language rubbing off on her as she scrambled to stand, her feet tangling up in the sheets causing her to lunge forward, falling flat on her face. She laid there on the bed for a second, glad she had fallen onto the soft mattress instead of the hard wooden floor. Slowly, she pushed herself into a sitting position before taking her time, putting her feet on the floor, standing gradually before she made her way across the room, her eyes searching in the darkness for the abused compass.
She found it without much trouble, it was the only thing on the ground by the Captain's desk chair, making it easy to identify even in the dark room. With a shaking hand she picked it up, her heart pounding, afraid it had broken. Her fingers grazed the smooth surface and she sighed relieved—the glass had not broken.
Kagome slid down to her knees once again, this time on the hard wood of the cabin's floor, the compass held in her hands, tightly against her chest as if it was the most precious thing in the world. Her body shook as she folded in on herself, cradling that one connection that made her completely and utterly different from her predecessor. She allowed the tears to fall, allowed them to finally leak from her eyes as she hiccupped and gasped and cried.
"I'm not Kikyo." She murmured, saying the words out loud as she shook her head harshly back and forth, the curls of her hair actually long enough now to touch her cheeks, getting stuck there once they made contact with her dampened skin. Her heart began to ache, a dull pain that started in her chest and slowly worked its way into her throat, causing a lump to form there as she tried to swallow. "I'm not Kikyo," She repeated knowing now what Kikyo had truly been afraid of, the real reason she couldn't open the compass, the purity that she had truly lacked. "I wouldn't have cared." She whispered into the air. "I don't care what you are, as long as you're you."
"You, don't care who I am, what I am, do you? You 'ike this form not 'ike her und him, 'ight?"
Kagome's eyes opened slightly, the memory coming back to her once again. Her lip trembled but her tears stopped as she reached up a hand to her face, touching the dampened skin, pushing the hair that was plastered to her cheeks away. "He said it himself, he knows I don't care," She told herself as her eyes were drawn upwards, looking at the ceiling above her imagining the Captain standing at the helm. But one nagging thought drew her eyes away made her look back at the compass in her hand. "—he was drunk."
"…when I'm this drunk, I don't 'member nothing."
She frowned deeply. He had been drunk, he didn't remember anything when he was drunk, he probably didn't even know, didn't even realize that he had already told her he could trust her, that he already knew she would never hate him, didn't he realize that she—that she—she l—
Kagome's eyes grew wide and her heart stopped dead in her chest. Her mouth went dry and her whole body began to shake. "I'm crazy." She told herself as a small feeling started to build in her chest, a pricking that she had never experienced before, not once in her life. It was a completely new sensation, a longing, a need—no something deeper than a need. She glanced up at the ceiling again her eyes glistening with old tears.
This feeling wasn't one that could make her cry, no it made her smile, it made her want to see him but—she flushed—she couldn't just walk up there like nothing had happened, like nothing had changed because it had in more than one way.
"I can't," She told herself. "I can't face him, not when he looks at me and sees," She stopped speaking the words dying on her lips. She couldn't stand before a man with this feeling in her heart and know that he was seeing someone different, that he feared she would act like someone she was not. "If I go up there, I'll have to face that and I—I just—I'm not ready."
But she did want to face him, she wanted to face him and ask him, ask him if Kikyo really knew the truth (she was positive the woman had but clarity is a good quality to have in any social matter), she wanted to point out that she was different than Kikyo (something he already knew when drunk at least) and she wanted to show him that she didn't care who or what he was as long as he was himself (but she knew she didn't have the guts to do any of that anyway).
Kagome sighed heavily as she slumped her shoulders drooping as she ran a finger over the edge of the compass absentmindedly. Light started to fill the room and she grimaced, it was morning already—she would have to face him so soon. Gulping she looked down at the compass and her eyes widened as she realized it wasn't morning at all, that the light wasn't from the sun, it was from the compass, the compass that was glowing.
Startled she dropped the compass into her lap where it landed soundly continuing to glow as it had that first time.
"Kagome."
She shook as the voice filled the room again just as it had before. "What do I do?" She wondered as fright filled her, she didn't want to go all crazy powerful again. She could really hurt somebody this time and she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did that.
"Kagome."
She shook, her eyes staring at the compass in her lap, pondering her options. She could sit here like an idiot staring at the talking compass or she could do something about it. Her first thought was to throw the supernatural thing overboard but her second thought was much more coherent: answer it. "Yes?"
The glow went away instantly, the room going back to a semi-dark state. Kagome blinked in surprise as her eyes adjusted to the dark once again, showing her something she had not been expecting. The compass' arrow was no longer circling aimlessly, for some reason (a reason she might never understand) it was now firmly pointing, stark and straight in one blunt direction.
-break-
Inuyasha laid flat on his back, singing softly under his breath as he looked at the sun starting to rise through the spaces between the railings of the helm's deck; his gruff voice singing a song that he had learned long ago when he had been nothing more than a child.
"Flowers of spring," He mumbled his voice sounding almost drunk as he sang the lines vague memories of someone he had once loved more than life itself floating in and out of his head, "Of winter and fall," He chuckled slightly to himself, closing his eyes as he continued, imagining the beautiful woman as she played a violin, her fingers dancing over each string. "Fit in my hands, tiny and small." He licked his lips and closed his eyes wanting to see the image of her playing more clearly. "A field of daisy-s-s-s," He held the sound, drawing it out carefully, the woman in his head turning towards him and smiling, her beautiful brown eyes filled with love. "Tiny askew." He paused, the image of the woman's smile dissipating being replaced by a cold white face, unmoving, no longer alive. He opened his eyes and inhaled deeply, erasing the sight from his mind as he finished the little tune. "Will lead me back to you."
Sighing heavily, he glanced to his right, watching as dawn broke over the water completely, the sun now hanging low but pushing further into the sky with each passing second. Soon it would be hanging over their heads, beating down on them as they moved along the coast of the upper America to the tip of East Florida.
"I wish I could talk to you right now," He thought as he undid the rope that was keeping them on path, opting to navigate himself once again as he adjusted their heading slightly, heading towards the mainland to cruise the coast of West Florida keeping an eye out for a possible fortune to pursue. "You always knew what to do," He leaned forward, removing one hand from the wheel to run through his hair. "Especially when I couldn't even tell my head from my own ass—."
The sound of a door opening and light footsteps caught his attention bringing him out of his singing. His ears twitched as they caught the telltale sound of a door closing softly as if a gentle hand had guided it shut. He knew without needing his eyes that it had been his door. His mouth went dry as he heard the footsteps approach the stairs, the sound of something wooden brushing against something else wooden causing him to wince, his ears drawing back against his head in protest.
He heard the first footstep hit the first stair, it was timid, unsure, so unsure in fact that it didn't dare make a sound again, instead opting to be silent, unmoving, too nervous to take another step. He tilted his head to the side, waiting, there was no sound. He licked his lips, his hands that were perched on the wheel becoming sweaty with anticipation. He scented the air but the wind was not in his favor, it was coming from behind him, pushing at his back drawing the scent of whoever was below him away, out of his range and towards the front of the vessel.
He bit his lip but knew what he had to do. Reaching to his left side he grabbed the rope once again, carefully draping it on the wheel, using it to hold the ship steady as it had been just seconds before. They were nowhere close to the Florida Keys so he knew it would be okay to leave the ship unmanned for just a bit, just long enough for him to investigate the ghostly figure below him, even if he already knew who it was.
Walking slowly he approached the stairs, his own feet making a slight squeaking noise as he hit boards that were loose, mentally he made a note to tell Totosai to fix a few of them. He stopped at the top of the stairs, his footsteps sounding just a timid as her own. With a deep breath he looked down towards her, taking in the sight of her head bowed, not looking at him as she stood, the compass in one hand, her other hand holding the stair railing, one foot on the first step and the other frozen on the wood of the quarterdeck.
He gulped, fear hitting him to his very core as he took in the sight of her, standing frozen. Why was she standing like that? Why was she looking at her feet frozen, unmoving? Why couldn't she look him in the face? All of his worse fears started to build once again within him, every single one he had ever had, today or in days past, coming into his psyche as if they had never left him.
He tried to find the words, tried to think of something to say but nothing came, even when he opened his mouth slightly, he found the words dead on his tongue and in his mind. He had no idea what to say to her, even after everything Myoga had said, even after everything he had thought about—he was still afraid. He was afraid of a little tiny girl (woman, he absentmindedly corrected) who couldn't even shoot a gun.
"That's not what makes her scary." He silently told himself as he shook the thought away. No. It was the potential that lay within Kagome Dresmont's words that truly was terrifying. He swallowed hard, about to force himself to at least say her name, when suddenly, her head raised and she looked at him, her eyes even more stormy than normal as if some great mental calamity was happening within her mind's eye.
"It's glowing." She whispered before he could say a word, her hand extending outwards to show him the compass she had been holding to her breast. "And the arrow, it's pointing."
Inuyasha froze, surprised, all thoughts and words dying on his tongue and mind before he had a chance to say them. In fact, the only word Inuyasha could bring himself to even say was, "Oh."
-break-
"So the arrows pointing?" Miroku questioned as he leaned against the desk in the Captain's Cabin. After Kagome had emerged and told Inuyasha of the strange occurrence with the compass, the Captain had immediately acted (after finally coming back to himself that is), waking Miroku and Sango (and Shippo consequently) for an emergency meeting in his cabin.
"So what's 'hat mean?" Shippo asked from his position on Kagome's shoulder, the small fox wide awake unlike the adults that were all still rather sluggish from the long night.
"There's a shard close by." Sango guessed as she stood next to Miroku leaning against the desk with him. She had been caught up earlier that morning on everything that had happened between the time she went on deck and the time she had been asleep. And just as it was with Sango—she was not the least bit surprised. She had, after all, always been the kind of person who simply took everything in stride.
"Yep." The Captain responded and nodded his head. "And if there's a shard that means we need to go after it and add it to the rest of the jewel."
"That means we'll need to dock." Miroku spoke softly as he worried his lip. "What do we tell the men?"
Inuyasha frowned deeply bringing a hand to his chin, scratching at none existent hairs. "The truth?"
Miroku practically choked at the Captain's words. "That'll go over well."
"What other option do we have?" Inuyasha fired back his face stern. "We can't hunt this jewel and not expect the men to get suspicious. This isn't the navy, it's a pirate ship!"
"So what?" Sango jumped in. "They can like it or they can leave."
"It's a democracy Sango." Inuyasha administered evenly. "Remember?" He crossed his arms over his chest before continuing. "They can easily remove me as Captain if they don't like what we're doing or the fact that we're not telling them about treasure they have a share in."
"If they get'a share of ta 'easure," Shippo mumbled. "Then don't they get'a share of ta jewel?"
"And therein lies the biggest fucking problem we've ever encounter." Miroku groaned as he buried his head in his hands.
"Well one thing's for sure." Kagome spoke up, her voice sounding almost lethargic. "They can't have a piece of the jewel."
Inuyasha nodded agreeing with her but didn't look her in the eye. "So what do we do then?"
"I think the truth idea is a good option." Kagome whispered as she fiddled with the compass in her hands, turning it this way and that, watching as the arrow moved with her, continuing to point in the same direction. "We tell them what we're doing and give them the option to stay and help or leave and find other work."
"But if we're hunting for the jewel," Miroku cut in bringing his hands down from his face. "We're not making money," He punctuated the sentence by stabbing a finger to the desk. "They'll rebel if we don't pay them every couple of weeks."
"Who says we can't look for the jewel and be pirates at the same time?" Sango pointed out dryly, her eyes looking from Kagome to Miroku and then from Miroku to the Captain.
"She has a point." Inuyasha muttered with a nod. "What if we tell them about the jewel, the truth," He forced himself to look at Kagome as he spoke. "Just like um-," He cleared his throat oddly before tilting his head towards Kagome slightly, indicating he was talking about her. "She said but," He continued looking at everyone else quickly uncomfortable with looking at her. "Tell them we'll still be actively pursuing money making in devours—,"
Miroku snorted, "That's a nice way to say: stealing."
"Shut up." Inuyasha grumbled as he glared at Miroku. "The only thing the jewel will dictate is where we go, while we're getting there we'll do what we always do—," He nodded satisfied with the idea himself. "They can't complain about that and if they do complain they can leave."
"Do you think they'll mutiny?" Sango asked, her voice actually sounding a little uneasy.
Inuyasha shook his head, letting the idea run down his back easily. "Naw, no one on the crew, to my knowledge at least, wants this old ship."
"Besides," Miroku started up agreeing seemingly with the Captain's idea. "None of them are dumb enough to try to fight you for it." Miroku added offhandedly. "Shit, you could probably take all of them at once."
Inuyasha only shrugged but seemed to like the flattery as he rolled his shoulders back making himself appear taller.
"Well if that's decided." Sango pushed herself away from the desk stretching slightly as Miroku discretely watched out of the corner of his eyes as her shirt rose up. "When do you guys leave?"
"For what?" Inuyasha asked with an eyebrow raised.
"To get the jewel shard." Sango replied while giving him an odd look. "When are you and Miroku leaving to go get it?"
"Miroku's not going." Inuyasha said matter of factly as he gave Sango an equally odd look.
"What!" Miroku exclaimed clearly surprised by this new bit of information.
"You can't go," Inuyasha told him bluntly. "If we're announcing this to the crew then I need you to stay behind and defend my post."
"But—but—," Miroku stuttered sounding almost lost. "I always go with you."
"Not this time, sorry pup." Inuyasha told him with an absentminded shrug. "I'm going it alone."
Before Miroku could protest further the quiet Kagome stepped forward between the two men, her eyes serious as she stared the Captain down. "I'm going with you."
Inuyasha blinked staring at her as if she had mysteriously grown a second head. "What the fuck, there is no way in hel—,"
She held up the compass, silencing him with the tool. "I have to or have you forgotten," She lowered the compass her grey eyes seeming to be on fire. "I'm the only one who can see where the jewel shards are, without me you'll be wondering around lost for days."
Inuyasha clamped his mouth shut tightly, his eyes staring her down as he tried to find an argument, any argument that would make her stay behind. He couldn't think of even one, she was right, she had to come. He had no idea where this shard was other than the fact that it was somewhere in East Florida in the direction of the colonies. That was nowhere near enough information to find a shard. With the compass however, constantly pointing them into the correct direction it would be a no brainer; he'd practically be able to find the shard with his eyes closed. But the only way that could happen was if—Kagome came with him.
"Stupid compass." He chastised mentally. "You just had to work for Miko's only, I'd rather take Sango at the moment over Kagome." He sighed, that wasn't totally true. A part of him (a much larger part than he would like to admit) was thrilled at the idea.
To be alone with Kagome, no distractions, just a drop dead gorgeous girl traveling with him, dependant on him, supported by him. The demon inside of him stirred at the idea as he licked his lips, yes, to be alone with her, this beautiful creature that bared his mark upon her neck, it was a dream come true. And yet—
If he was alone with her, he would have to actually face his demons, as he had promised he would. "Damn it." He mentally muttered. "Damn it, damn it, damn it."
"So what's it gon'na be?" Kagome finally asked, growing inpatient because of his silence, her lack of proper speech actually catching Inuyasha off guard for a moment. It had only been a little over a month and a half and he was already rubbing off on her.
Smirking, his pride actually growing from her words, the half demon Captain finally spoke. "Alright, I guess I have no choice."
Kagome smirked as well, the expression an odd one for a face as gentle looking at hers. "So when do we leave?"
"Wait just a minute!" Miroku cut in finally interrupting the conversation. "She gets to go?" He stuck his thumb out pointing it at Kagome as his lip curled upwards, clearly upset or perhaps disgusted. "How is that fair?"
"Don't be jealous." Inuyasha told him, sounding as if he was talking to Shippo instead of Miroku. "I'll spend time with you when I get back."
"I'm not fucking four," Miroku said dryly. "You didn't even know me when I was four."
"Well, sorry 'bout that." Inuyasha told him with a shrug as he shoved Miroku aside heading for the desk. He yanked out a couple of papers, grabbing his chart of New Orleans and Louisiana, his eyes glancing at the cost, deducing their current position passed solely on his memories from the night before. He tilted his head to the side when he realized they were no longer on that chart. Cursing under his breath he reached underneath the desk to a pile of charts that rested their. Grumbling to himself he pulled one after the other out, looking for the one he had of the Florida's.
"What are you doing?" Miroku groused as he crossed his arms over his chest in a clear pout.
"Tryin' to find my chart of Florida."
"Why?"
"So we know where to go to get to land." He spoke harshly as he finally grabbed the correct chart bringing it out to put on his desk. He unfolded it, putting two great weights on either side to keep it from rolling up as he pointed with one claw to what he thought was their most likely current position. "We're somewhere around here at the moment, the compass is pointing straight in land which means," He looked up in thought for a second before pointing at Mobile Bay. "We can anchor there, there's the French sea port, it should be a good place. The French tend to ignore pirates."
Miroku nodded, he had to admit it was a good choice, Mobil Bay was a calm area and the French settlement there was pretty lenient. As long as you didn't attack and minded your own business they really didn't seem to care.
"We might even be able to get some honest work if you ask around." The Captain concluded as he reached inside one of the desk doors producing a quill and well of ink. He opened the well quickly before licking the tip of the quill and shoving it into the ink. Removing it gingerly he eyed the chart before he slowly marked some leagues onto the map.
"Us honest? No—o." Miroku drew out the word but nodded his head none the less, he was right, the French were always looking for someone to do business with. If they could acquire some fur or tobacco for cheap they could up the rate and sell it back farther down the coast for a profit. It was honest work but sometimes honest work paid the bills.
"Either way as soon as we get there we'll start the search for the jewel."
Sango glanced over the Captain's shoulder, watching as he continued to mark each league, there weren't really that many. "How far are we from the fort?"
"An hour or two at the most." Inuyasha concluded with a shrug. "I've been keeping us pretty close to the coast." He told her as he marked the last league. "We just have to start heading inland to get there."
"I'll go turn us about." Miroku informed as he walked towards the door, leaving the cabin without any further orders.
Inuyasha nodded before turning to Kagome preparing to give her a command as well. Their eyes met and he quickly looked away before speaking, his voice gruff and harsh. "Keep an eye on the compass, if there's a change in direction tell Miroku or Sango."
Kagome nodded but didn't respond verbally as she shifted back and forth awkwardly.
Sango raised an eyebrow at the odd exchange, sensing that it was time for her to leave. "I'm gon'na go help Miroku, come on Shippo." She told them as she looked between Kagome and her Captain. She knew without any words having to be said that something was not quite right between the two. They were acting awkward and shy, not wanting to look at each other, not wanting to really speak to each other. Perhaps this trip would be a good thing for them, they would have time to sort out everything that happened—Kikyo, the jewel, the reincarnation principle, the Miko in Kagome—everything.
She nodded to herself as she felt the familiar weight of the tiny Shippo jumping on her shoulder, the small boy leaning towards her ear to whisper, "What's wrong with them?"
She silently shook her head, putting a finger to her lips to silence any further questions from the small boy. "Nothin' lets go help Miroku." With that she opened the cabin and disappeared leaving Kagome and the Captain alone.
Silence filled the room, a deafening silence that made both Kagome and the Captain uncomfortable. Inuyasha shifted slowly from foot to foot, not sure what he should say to the woman before him or if he should say anything at all.
"Ka—," His voice strangely died in his throat as he started to say her name. It felt natural to call her Kagome, he had her permission, he even knew he had already said it in front of everyone during their most recent series of ordeals but for some reason, right now, he felt awkward saying it even if they were alone. Ducking his head, hiding his expression behind his bangs he started again. "Miss Dresmont, gather some supplies, whatever you think you'll need, as soon as we hit land we're gon'a go—you know—look for the jewel." He glanced at her through his hair but unfortunately couldn't make out her expression through the mop.
"Okay." She whispered sounding sedated.
"Okay." He repeated her words before dropping the quill he had been using onto the desk as he straightened up his back. "It'll be about an hour or so, so you better hurry." He finished quickly as he started towards the door, turning to exist the uncomfortable situation as quickly as possible (he had no idea how he would survive being on land with her alone for an undisclosed amount of time).
"Inu—," She started to call but her voice froze just as his had.
"Yes Miss Dresmont?" He asked almost shyly as he turned back to face her, his expression shocking her.
He looked petrified, his eyes a little wild and his breathing uneven. Was he scared that she was going to ask the question, was he scared she was going to say something about his heritage, was he reliving Kikyo and her prejudice over and over again as he looked into her face? If eyes were the gateway to emotions, then yes, yes he was. "Nothing." She opted to say, her hands falling to her sides in semi-defeat. She knew now was not the time, they were both too raw, too wound up. Now was the time for patients, they would be alone soon and alone she could wear him down.
"Alright, I'll see you in a little bit," He said softly, almost sounding disappointed as he walked towards the door, opening it stiffly. "Miss Dresmont."
Kagome felt her heart clutch in her chest as she heard the door close behind him, the formal address echoing in her head as she stood in the middle of the room, mad that she hadn't just said something. Her lip trembled and she felt tears in her eyes again. Angrily she reached her hand up to her face and wiped them away, now was not the time to cry, now was the time to prepare. She walked over to her side of the room looking around it, trying to think if there was anything she really needed to take—truthfully she had no idea. The only thing she owned here were her clothes and shoes, so what could she possibly take?
She breathed deeply, her breath hitching in her throat as the tears came back. They weren't from her confusion though, or even her own frustration with the current situation. These tears were forming because of the name that was still echoing in her head.
"He called me," She whispered to herself. "Miss Dresmont." Kagome's lip tremble, for some reason, when he said it now, it made her name sound dirty. It was as if everything she had once been back on Port Royal, every proper nuance she once had adhered to were being shoved back in her face. It was like he was saying—you're still that girl, you'll never change. You're Kikyo.
-break-
Naraku Morgan's boots hit the earth hard as he walked down the streets of New Orleans on a mission. Beside him Hiten followed, along with the miraculously still living Mr. Dresmont. Both men flanked him, Hiten's head held high as he tried to pretend he was not being ordered around by a small boy and Mr. Dresmont's hung low as he prayed silently over and over again that Naraku would see fit to keep him alive even just a little longer.
"So where does she live again, Mr. Hiten?" Naraku asked, his voice stressing the mister he used with Hiten's name. To most people it would be seen as a polite word said by a polite if not abnormally pale boy but to Hiten it was an insult—a jab at his pride—Naraku didn't consider him worthy of the title Captain.
"Rumor says she owns a tavern." Hiten replied calmly as he clutched his fist at his side.
"A tavern?" Naraku snorted as he raised one of his hands motioning to the street around them, lively with people, lively with taverns and cafes. "Any idea which one?"
"Cunnings." Hiten told him smartly, his eyes drawn towards the tavern that was just down the street from them, across from a small book store. "I was told she owned Cunnings ser."
Naraku chuckled as a smirk formed on his face. "How convenient." He spoke softly if only to himself as he started to walk again. Mr. Dresmont and Hiten following without objection—they knew better than to even think of objecting. "You do know Mr. Hiten," Naraku started casually as he glanced at the man to his right. "If you're wrong, I will not hesitate to kill you."
Hiten gulped, visibly gulped, somehow he knew even if Naraku Morgan had no gun (as he had used against his father) he would still easily kill him. "Aye, ser." He confirmed with a curt nod of his head, his pace not slowing as they made their way to the tavern. His hands started to sweat from nervousness as thoughts ran through his head. What if the rumor was wrong, what if the woman had died, what if it all was a hoax? He glanced down at the slightly shorter Naraku—he hoped to God it was not a hoax.
They reached the tavern, the small and human Mr. Dresmont running to open the door for them, his head still held down—he knew how to survive, he may be human but he had usefulness in education and in his ability to be a adapt servant.
"Thank you." Naraku said out of habit as he stepped into Cunnings Tavern his eyes adjusting to the lack of light in the room quickly.
"Naraku Morgan."
He heard an old voice, one filled with wisdom and age, raspy from use.
"I've been expecting you."
End of Chapter
Please Review
Congrats to Kate101 for being reviewer 800! Chapter edited for content as of 9/28/2011, 4/15/2012, and 6/5/2013**.
Bonus Point:
**Since the original version of this chapter, this part of the fiction has been removed.**
Where does the pirate song Inuyasha sings in this chapter come from? (Hint: A pig doesn't sing it but she was in the movie. Oops did I say pig? *looks around in terror* I hope she didn't hear me.)
Last Chapter's Bonus Point:
The answer is Episode 82 The Gap Between the Ages. Another great episode that if you haven't seen it you better! I laughed, I cried from laughing, and then I actually tear up because it was sweet. Anyway congrats to the winners!
Glon morski, TheRealInuyasha, Purple Dragon Ranger, InuKag4eva, AriaLuvsInu, crazyanimelover326, Warm-Amber92
Notes:
At the time of this fiction 1778, Florida would be divided into two halves. Firstly, East Florida which is where present day Florida is and secondly West Florida which would be where the modern day states of Mississippi and Alabama are.
The Florida Keys – A chain of Islands located at the tip of modern day Florida.
Next Chapter:
Another Half Demon
See you then!
UNEDITED
POSTED 9/15/2011