As of the 14th I am a college grad and it's very freaky. I don't feel very smart either and if anything my writing has gotten worse instead of better. I can write a decent academic paper but my creative writing is…urm….Ahem. Woe is me. Well, here is a chapter of Twisted moon. There is a lot of information so bare with me until I get it to my beta for reading. Oh! By the way, I have betas now so hopefully the chapters will get better. I have a beta for Twisted Moon and another beta for No Such Thing as Fate. WHOOT! Ummm Yeah, let's get started.
Twisted Moon
Chapter 6: Rules of the Trade
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"Ugh!"
Aneko brandished her wand like a throwing knife. Across the room, a jar popped into the air like a plastic child's toy. A blur tore across the area and she hissed angrily ignoring the crash and sound of scattering glass.
She turned eyeing the cluttered room warily. The tables were crowded with all manner of containers and paperwork, old battle worn closets were open allowing scrolls to spill out onto the ground, random bits of powdered and pickled ingredients dusted the floor creating a strange but colorful painting and all of this kept her from catching her prey. Walking the room slowly, she kicked a jar cap aside and listened to it slide across the floor. Another cabinet, one that amazingly could close, creaked ominously and swung slowly on its hinges.
Aneko's gaze did a wary sweep of the room as she stepped closer to the open closet door. It was quiet, almost peaceful, belying the epic battle waging between beast and womanish creature. The witch took a breath before wrenching open the doors of her good cabinet. With a snake's speed, she shoved her hands into cluttered shelves, scaring every creature hiding amongst the mess, all but the one she wanted. An old candle rolled out and fell to the floor.
The promise of death in her eyes, she swore painful torture upon the moth that drunkenly flittered away.
Just in the corner of her eye, a dark form appeared. It dropped down from the underside of a table, landed on its feet, and made a mad dash for the window.
There was a loud crack as she expertly shot a burst of dark colored magic from her staff. The window crutch fell away and the panel snapped closed. The blur slid across the powder-dusted floor and looked at her in alarm. Aneko hissed at the red fox that had crept into her study.
The Kitsune was cornered, hunched like a wild dog, ready in fight or flight state of mind; at least she thought so.
Purple eyes were calm, laughing, mocking.
Aneko's expression twisted in hatred.
"Damn fox, I'll make a pelt of you!"
Her threats in no way stopped the creature from teasing her. It yipped mockingly dancing about, weaving through her mess and dodging her attacks. The bells of her wand chimed sweetly, giving life to deadly projectiles. The Kitsune slid and swirled across the room on filth, vanishing into the clutter again. Aneko sighed and stood waiting for it to make its move.
Suddenly, the door slid open. Kagome stood in the doorway blinking uncertainly while two servants peered over her shoulder.
She provided enough of a distraction.
The Kitsune made a wild dash for freedom. Oblivious to the foxhunt in progress, Kagome quickly stepped into the room, blocked his path, and cooed. She slid the door closed behind her and blinked at the small beast curiously.
In return, he looked at her horrified.
Aneko cackled evilly and the fox glanced at her with the first hints of fear in his eyes. "Come here kit, aren't you just so cute," She mocked between high pitch coos.
A lunge to the left, a jingle, and a burn appeared in the wall seconds away from where the kit would have stepped. An attempt to go the other way resulted in the same.
Kagome stood tense in alarm, glancing at the scorch marks on either side of the door. Aneko flipped her hair, smiling with pride in her eyes. Only she could make violence appear fashionable.
"Why are you scaring him like that, did he pee on something?"
Silence reigned; very serious and piteous gazes considered Kagome. Whether it is for her stupidity or her general ignorance of the situation, one could only ponder.
Kagome smiled down at the fox. "He is so cute. Your pet?"
A hush lingered like the odor of foul old eggs. Kagome wiggled uncertainly realizing she'd said something that struck the two before her as odd, though she couldn't figure out what.
Aneko snapped from her daze first. The twirl of her wand prepared the next attack but the fox thought fast. He easily slid behind Kagome's legs.
Kagome thought that Sesshomaru and Aneko could exchange notes on effective death glares because until now, she'd never met anyone who could match him.
"Kagome move!"
"You have to promise not to hurt him? I bet he's sorry for peeing on your things and making a mess," Kagome nodded sagely.
Aneko felt the bubble of laughter well up in her chest
"He's so cute, did you make a bed for him yet?" Kagome asked with all the innocence of a certifiable idiot.
…perhaps that laughter clawing up her throat was heartburn, the sheer effort it took not to strangle Kagome stirred all sorts of strange chemicals in the body.
Teeth flashed and snout skin folded as the Kitsune at Kagome's feet bit back a snarl and the urge to bite his only protection.
Unaware, Kagome was spared a trip to the future for rabies shots when Aneko stepped forward and snatched the obstacle between her and her prey. A blur of red tore across the room and vanished into the abyss – under a table.
Defeated by a rodent no bigger than a terrier, the witch let her shoulders droop in disappointment.
"Go sit down Kagome."
Aneko motioned to a low table across the room. Strangely enough, this area seemed untouched by the general trashed state of the room.
Kagome nodded, paused, and turned to open the door but Aneko caught her.
"Nevermind the servants, go do as I said. They've already gone."
Kagome hesitated but obeyed as Aneko turned. She walked away to rummage through the mess of her tables. It was suddenly apparent to Kagome that everyone she'd met thus far had mental issues but she kept her thoughts to herself as Aneko took a seat across from her. With a sigh, the witch laid her wand out on the table.
Settled and as calm as she was going to get, Aneko examined the piece of work before her. Perhaps not approving of what she'd found, she wrinkled her nose and snorted at Kagome. Displeasure was apparent in her expression as she took the younger woman's chin.
"Takumi-Masubi" She tsked, "Only you could tie yourself to such a monster. You probably tried to put a bow in his hair too." With a huff, Aneko crossed her arms over her chest.
Kagome rubbed her chin, "What are you talking about. What happened to me?"
"You died," Aneko responded dryly.
Kagome's eyes narrowed in irritation, "I know that but what happened?"
"You died in the battle with Naraku."
Fingers found Kagome's temple to ease a coming headache. Aneko grinned spitefully.
"You sure took your time coming back. I was prepared to put you back in your grave."
Kagome shuddered at the thought of waking up in her tomb, "I'm glad you didn't but where am I, What happened while I was…asleep?"
Aneko heaved a breath, "I brought you here and simply waited for you to come back from the spirit realm."
Still confused, Kagome glanced around the room.
"Where are we?"
Aneko smiled, shoulders lifting with pride. "We are at the temple of the Water God. It is a place of rest for him and his servants."
Kagome stared, "The god you serve?"
Aneko nodded, "The average witch or warlock receives their powers from one of the gods. You receive your powers from another god while I receive mines from the ruler of all the seas, Ebisu. This is the existence of a witch, though I have no idea what you're going to do. Those with common sense avoid Yue for a reason," she sneered, "I can't even use you; there is no temple to Yue that I can recall. Apparently, you're the only person who would beg to be a servant to such a creature."
Kagome waved a dismissive hand and Aneko twitched in irritation, "Who are these people, Yue and Takumi-Masubi? I didn't ask to be anyone's servant."
"Takami-Masubi is the god of the skies. He supports the sun and moon but most people with COMMON SENSE avoid him. Those of our inner circle would call him Yue. The saying goes that when dark skies find you in the spirit realm, only death can protect you from his cruelty."
Aneko's dramatic description was not appreciated.
Some part of Kagome recognized the name. The report of dark skies following an old friend of hers brought up fresh memories and she was suddenly able to put a face to the description.
"Takami-Masubi…you mean Blue," Kagome mused. "He's just a big brat. All he needed was a good scolding it's not worth ignoring him over."
Aneko's eye twitched, "Blue?"
Kagome waved a hand, "I just call him Blue 'cause he's, well, blue."
Aneko stared then nodded firmly as if coming to a decision: "You are an ignorant little thing."
Kagome blushed in shame but before she could defend herself Aneko continued, "Well, you are now his servant. I'm surprised he didn't kill you for calling him whatever name you liked, he certainly kills everyone else."
Aneko found herself highly unnerved by Kagome's baffled and embarrassed expression. She couldn't help but ask, "You did go and show your respect to him right?"
Kagome stared and Aneko continued on, "he has never taken a servant before so you had to do something pretty amazing. You were there longer than normal so I'm certain you were able to think of something to dodge being killed by him…"
Recognition lit Kagome's face and she nodded like a foreigner being sold dog poo, "Actually I bit him."
Aneko gave a short laugh, "You did what? That's nonsense. What really happened?"
Kagome snorted, "He kept poking me and it hurt like hell so I threatened to bite him. He did it again and I bit him."
Aneko let out a loud mocking laugh but tinged with fear. Kagome rolled her eyes.
The older woman suddenly reared up and slammed her hands on the table. "You did what!" She roared in Kagome's face.
"I. bit. him."
Aneko trembled in laughter but there was panic in her gaze, "You bit a god! You can't do that!" she cried.
"I did and he stopped being an ass. I told you all he needed was a scolding."
"You cannot bite a GOD!"
"Says you, you weren't there being stalked and poked." Kagome retorted calmly, confused by Aneko's alarm.
It was only Blue.
Dabbing delicately at her forehead with a decorated kimono sleeve, Aneko sat down slowly.
"Ok," she breathed out slowly, "what did you do after that?"
Kagome shrugged, "Explored, kept Blue from poking people, etc."
Aneko blinked once and stared for a long moment.
"You didn't beg to be spared or taken on as a servant – anything like that?"
Kagome shook her head looking irritated, "How was I supposed to do all that when you wouldn't tell me anything!"
"I don't know, how about common sense!"
Both women huffed at one another.
Kagome drummed her fingers absently on the table. Aneko's eyes narrowed and zeroed in on the other girls fingers but Kagome continued to drum, ignoring the blood tinged glare she got. "How did you know who I'd been talking to anyway?"
"Every witch worth the attention serves a god, we are their vision of the world," The sea witch recited loftily.
The strange look Aneko got was not missed, "It means our eyes mark us. The gods see the world through us. We are the mediators between the mortal realm and the plain of spirits and gods."
Kagome seemed awed by the description but still a bit confused.
"For example my eyes are the ocean." Kagome stared for the first time noticing Aneko's strange eye color: the darkest depths one moment then a lighter shade that quickly faded back to deep sea blue moments later.
"That's amazing, does that mean…"
"Yes, your eyes reflect your masters," Aneko assured.
"Blue isn't my master!"
There was silence as Kagome fidgeted. Aneko smirked and stood to move about the room lazily.
A glimpse of red caught Kagome's attention. She glanced over to see the mischievous kitsune from earlier inching across the room. The clatter of bottles startled them both and Kagome chuckled as the fox darted behind her and peered out at Aneko.
The witch stared with gleaming eyes. She chose an item amongst the mess, what appeared to be a serving platter, and came back to her seat. Kagome watched Aneko twirl the pan uncertainly before she rubbed her hand across its face; smoothing away scratches and leaving behind a mirror like surface. Aneko considered her own reflection before passing the platter on to Kagome.
"Is that me?"
Suddenly Aneko reached for her wand, her archenemy 'damned fox' leapt onto Kagome's lap. Still rather oblivious to the situation, Kagome squeezed the fox close like one would a kitten.
While he struggled, Aneko pondered ways to maim the beast as she watched him flail like a dying fish.
"My eyes!"
Aneko jumped in alarm and looked back to Kagome confused, "What?"
"My eyes look freaky," Kagome complained staring into once brown orbs, her pupils were a dark yellow instead of the normal black and the brown of her eyes had turned a very pale yellow.
"Yellow? I look blind," Kagome whined, mourning the loss.
"Not yellow," Aneko scolded, "Moonlight. I'd like it if not for the fact those eyes speak of painful death for us normal people," she eyed Kagome with what might have been labeled disgust.
Kagome sat the platter down, dully noting that the fox was suddenly docile in her arms. Opposite them, Aneko stroked the wand in her hands lovingly, watching the fox like a starving man might watch a bowl of rice.
"Ok fine. How did you know I would come back, I could swear I had died in that battle."
"You did die and your cursed little bead destroyed Naraku to bring balance in the world," Aneko announced with a shrug.
Her thoughts were suddenly cluttered and fuzzy. Kagome struggled to focus on the subject at hand.
"Midoriko said I was alive."
"Midoriko?"
Kagome nodded, "I – um – met her in the spirit realm."
"Ah strange, but what do I truly know about that land," Aneko shrugged, "Well, I knew you would come back to life. I didn't waste my time only to have you not come back."
Kagome felt a chill run up her spine.
"I died in battle. It had nothing to do with you."
Aneko shrugged again, "You were going to die anyway. I wasn't going to let you waste all my work. Still, had the battle come a day earlier you would be long gone, it's a good thing luck was on my side."
"What do you mean I was going to die!" Kagome sputtered.
Aneko rolled her eyes, "How did you think you were getting to the spirit realm? You were to fall ill, die a 'natural death', and my spells were to preserve your body and provide an anchor for your soul after it had matured properly. All witches should die and go to explore the spirit realm. There is much to learn there before you begin your apprenticeship."
Kagome trembled in alarm, "I-I had to die to become a witch?"
"Well no-"
"Then what the hell are you talking about!"
"Oh hush apprentice, I did you a favor." Aneko cooed to the outraged woman across from her. "A witch who goes to the spirit realm while alive cannot learn and mature in the way a witch separated from her body by death can. Those weaker witches are quickly cast aside. Do you want to be left on your own or placed in one of those lesser sects with no respectable clan ties?"
Aneko waved a hand dismissively and Kagome stared in horror.
"What's this about Naraku," Kagome tried, desperate to change the conversation.
Aneko indulged with a smirk, "If the most powerful Miko is destroyed, to bring back some balance and protect itself, the jewel had to get rid of Naraku. Selfish little bead if you ask me."
There was much about the Shikon Jewel that Aneko didn't know and Kagome didn't intend to tell her.
"But I'm back. Does that mean Naraku has to return too?"
Aneko laughed, "You aren't the world's most powerful Miko anymore. There is balance, and so no all-powerful evil is needed to cause its havoc. It doesn't really stop the collective efforts of the small fries but..." The sea witch suddenly seemed disinterested. Aneko waved a hand gracefully and an intricate silk fan appeared in her hand. She hummed and began to fan herself absently.
Kagome stared wanting to comment but deciding against it. She still felt as if she were missing parts of the conversation even though Aneko was before her laying out the story as best she could.
She suddenly paused and let the conversation sit on replay in her mind.
"I'm not a miko anymore?"
"How can you be a demon and a miko you stupid girl," Aneko asked irritably.
The insult did a cartwheel clear over Kagome's head.
"I'm a demon?"
She'd been aware because of Midoriko, but Aneko's confirmation somehow drove the fact home.
"Yes, you are a demon, and a witch, and my stupid little apprentice," Aneko cooed. Kagome got the impression that Aneko would have pet her head indulgently had it not required the witch to move. Aneko, however, didn't know that Kagome was in a biting mood right then and Aneko had nothing on Blue when it came to scary things one didn't mess with – or bite.
Meanwhile, Kagome was oblivious to the insults.
"I don't feel like a demon," She blurted out.
"I cast a spell on you. Can't you sense the magic around you? Can't you sense anything?"
Kagome sat quiet a long moment. She'd always been able to feel youki on the edge of her senses, now there was nothing. It was…quiet.
"Nooo," she whimpered tearfully.
"Don't cry now apprentice. What's done is done, you must move forward."
Aneko received a glare.
"Aren't youkai super-powered or something? I don't smell anything, I don't hear anything weird."
"I just told you I cast a spell over you. I can't teach an insane apprentice. Your new abilities would overwhelm you and so I tucked them away for a short while." Aneko paused as if realizing something and she turned with a dead serious expression on her face, "I didn't warn you about many things but I will warn you about this."
Kagome swallowed nervously.
"First, youkai hearing will come to you, it is going to hurt and all you can do is wait until your mind and body adjust. Once you get past that you'll find your own ways to cope with the other changes."
There was silence between them. Kagome rubbed at the kitsune's back. Though he wiggled and growled irritably, he didn't move to leave her lap.
Kagome picked up the tray again and turned her head. She freed her hand from red fur and trailed a finger over the pointed tip of her ear. "I don't believe this," She murmured numbly.
"It is a lot to take in," Aneko agreed.
"I was killed in battle, how is my body still–"
"Functioning?"
"Yeah"
"That was quite annoying. Returning to a badly wounded body is rather counterproductive. I've been working at it awhile. Your body healed itself as long as we were careful with you and applied medicines, a bit of magic helped you along too."
Kagome grunted, "I feel fine, it's like none of this really happened. How long was I out?"
Aneko shrugged, "You were in the ground for about three months while the standard time for trials in the spirit realm is six months…" Kagome shuddered but said nothing.
"I'd say you've been gone a year."
Kagome's eyes widened, "A year!"
"More or less"
"I've been dead a year! What do you mean more or less!"
Aneko shrugged and Kagome moaned.
"It felt like I was only with Blue for a few days," she sighed.
"Time in the spirit realm is very different than time here." Aneko sighed, "Anymore questions?"
Kagome nodded shortly, "You said my soul had to mature for me to be a good witch or something like that?"
"I'm not sitting here with you for my health Kagome, What do you mean or something like that? I'll kick you out I have no time for idiots"
Kagome nodded quickly, "But about the soul thing."
Aneko rolled her eyes, "Yes, your soul had to mature for you to become a witch. The 6 months in that realm ages the soul about a thousand years."
"You mean to tell me my soul is over two thousand years old?"
"Or something like that," Aneko mocked.
"Sensei!"
"What!"
"My soul!"
"Yes, your soul needs to be a certain 'age' to handle being a witch. That little trip in no way matured your mind and body because you're still a stupid little apprentice."
Kagome scowled, already tired of the insults. Aneko glared, already tired of Kagome.
"The purpose of your trip was to shove tons of information into your rock solid skull over a short period of time. Don't worry though, you still have plenty of studying to do."
Kagome easily picked through the bullshit and insults.
"What kind of information did I learn?"
"Who is who, what gods do what, what spirits do what and why you piss some off while you leave others alone. The basics."
Aneko leaned forward curiously, "Speaking of souls. Where is the Shikon jewel?"
Kagome's thoughts slid to a halt.
It's not here.
Her thoughts floundered uncertainly, going through lies and cover stories for no apparent reason other than fear not quite Kagome's own. She heard the lie in her own thoughts; she knew exactly where the jewel was. The wish made, things had gone as everyone had assumed they would except the jewel was supposed to have vanish ending this cycle of hell on earth. In a sense, it had vanished. It'd gone to completing Kagome's apparently fractured soul. Still, for some odd reason Aneko's question made Kagome decidedly nervous.
"It's gone for good," Kagome lied, a little too easily for her own tastes.
Aneko's nostrils flared (only she could make the action appear feminine) and a smile curled her lips.
"I can smell your petty lie apprentice."
Some part of Kagome was wary but she only smiled, "I'm a witch sensei, don't witches lie all the time?"
Aneko nodded allowing her that victory.
Kagome pet the kitsune in her lap hoping to divert attention, "You don't strike me as the pet type sensei?"
Aneko's gaze darted to the fox youkai and she sneered, "He's not my pet, he is an ingredient for a spell."
Kagome held him close, "You can't kill him for a stupid spell sensei."
Aneko looked like she would bite Kagome's face off and it didn't help that the fox blinked innocently at her as if to add more insult to injury.
"He's going to die whether you like it or not."
"But he's cute, can I keep him. I'll keep him from irritating you."
"Kagome!"
"Oh please Sensei." She pouted with those wide eerie colored eyes. Aneko only stiffened in anger.
"No! Katsu is-"
"His name is Katsu, how cute!"
Aneko gave up, too tired by the question and answer session they'd just finished.
"Get out you little twit!"
"Who are you calling a twit you-" Kagome only slapped a hand over her mouth in alarm but Aneko didn't seem particularly offended.
"Get out or I'm going to turn you into a rat for your damn pet to play with."
"I can have him!" Kagome cried excitedly.
Aneko gripped the table.
"I hope he gnaws your ears off."
Kagome squeezed Katsu tightly and the fox yipped sharply. The sound of the gagging beast made some part of Aneko skitter in delight. She smirked at the creature who looked miserable but seemed willing to play the pet to escape certain death with Aneko.
"Out!"
Kagome hopped to her feet with poor Katsu in her arms and scrambled from the room.
Aneko sat a moment breathing deeply before finally slumping forward, letting her forehead produce a lovely cracking sound when it met nthe table.
A low moan rang in the room.
"Damn twit, I never finished warning her."
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This was a nightmare.
Kagome stared blindly ahead at a wall. She worked to remain perfectly still, she didn't want to move, she didn't want to breathe, she just wanted the pain to stop.
Another crash of the waves outside made her body shake in pain.
It felt like someone was shoving something sharp and jagged her ear. It was as if her eardrums had been turned into Congo drums. It felt like every beat of her heart would make her head explode.
The side of her face itched and her ears itched even more. Something warm made its way down her face and across the bridge of her nose. The sound of liquid hitting the floor reached her with startling clarity.
She glanced down with petrified-open eyes. Little drops of blood stained the mats. She moaned in pain then immediately went quiet when she was sure an earthquake had started.
The sliding screens squealed on their tracks and tears spilled from her eyes. She stared at the accursed door that slid open gratingly slow and the bare feet that entered. How could something so simple cause so much noise? How could someone breathe so loud? Why the hell-
Kagome let out a horrid shriek watching feet scamper across the floor toward her. She bit her tongue to shut herself up just as black danced across her vision. The blood was a distraction but a short lived one. Warmth ran down the side of her face. She whimpered but didn't make a sound beyond that. The person banging through her room seemed oblivious to her pain. She wasn't coherent enough to even tense as someone uncurled her body from the fetal position so that she could be turned on her back. Kagome could hear every rumple of her clothing and the crinkle of every strand of hair.
After hours of screaming and suffering, shock finally set in. She stared at the ceiling dead to the world yet somehow aware of everything.
"Her ears are bleeding!"
"She tried to bite her tongue off, what's wrong with her!"
An attempt to keep what was left of her sanity finally kicked in with a vengeance. Her mind pulled the plug; the white noise, her vision, faded with a low hum and click.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"I wonder what you taste like?"
Kagome's eyes opened a bit. She saw red and eerie purple eyes watching her.
"I could kill you now, end your suffering. A miko turned demon, shame!"
A pause.
"…suicide makes sense for you."
A Cheshire grin
"But that's no fun. I'll make that bitch pay and you've guaranteed my life."
Kagome felt her mind slip away once more.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
The sound of rain pattering against the roof was almost bliss.
Kagome glanced around uncertainly. Everything was muted grey. The smell of ocean and alcohol reached her from some far off place. The waves and rain sounded like the deafening roar of a crowd. It was continuous, thankfully never getting louder or softer. It was something you could ignore with strong enough will.
The wind whistled fighting to get through cracks and crevices of her walls. Kagome shut her eyes to concentrate on the rain instead, knowing the sharp whistle would hurt more than the lull of water hitting water.
The wind stopped soon enough and Kagome concentrated on the noises in the temple, the unmeasured erratic noises of life. Footsteps echoed in the halls. Murmurs of voices reached her but were so quiet she was able to brush them aside. There was a hum in the walls. It was like the electricity you were only aware of once you turned everything off and paused. Once aware of the noise in the walls, she noticed that the floor moved to a slight sway. It was like being in a boat and she wasn't quite sure how she felt about that.
There were footsteps, closer than any of the others. It was a second later that she realized everyone had been avoiding her door, her hall.
A hand touched the door and Kagome tensed ready for pain.
Instead of screeches and the grating sound of a door sliding on unsmoothed wood, it was the sound of paper tearing in silence, apparently made louder by an invisible speaker phone.
"You're awake?"
The voice came as if spoken from a funnel. It echoed in Kagome's head but she could bare it, she could still function.
"If you lay here you're going to continue suffering. You need something to occupy your mind; to block out the noise."
Kagome propped herself up, swaying to the rocking movements of the waves crashing outside. Aneko stood in the doorway oblivious to her pupil's predicament. She wore robes of emperor green, her black hair had been pulled up, and she'd been decorated with jewelry. Around her neck, wrist, and ankles were bits of gold, beautiful stones, and trinkets worthy of her body.
She looked at Kagome, eyes shifting rapidly between midnight and ice blues.
"Get up and come to my study."
Aneko began to close the door but Kagome called out to her.
"I don't know the way," She whispered weakly, satisfied when her head didn't split in pain.
Aneko sniffed hauntingly, "You have a nose don't you, learn to use it."
With that, she shut the door.
Kagome sat in shock a long moment before she only lay back down…slowly.
Two hours later found her at the door staring at the painted screens as if they were her worst enemy. She pried the screen open and stood in the doorway a moment. She squinted into the dark halls, spotting small fashionable torches hanging fastened to the walls. Halves of glass orbs sat in gold hoops and eerie blue fire hovered a few inches above the glass candleholders. They lit very little of the hall, creating a creepy atmosphere, but they gave you something to search for and move toward as you wandered in the dark.
You have a nose don't you, learn to use it.
With the roll of her eyes, she took a deep breath through her nose that had her coughing violently seconds later. There were so many scents, most of which burned her nose. There was the smell of the sea, strong and heady; the musky aroma of food reached her, bamboo wood, paint, moldy marsh. Kagome gagged and gave another sniff searching for something a little more Aneko like.
She didn't catch the witch-demon's scent but there was a light smelling perfume that struck her. Focusing in on that scent, she followed it down the hall.
Her stomach turned upon reaching a well-used and very funky intersection in the hall.
Kagome groaned and turned to go back the way she'd come when a man walked past. He was all wiry muscle on a thin old body. The only bit of clothing he wore was a loincloth, and a full length apron splattered with frightening and unmentionable things. He paused, squatted as if it hurt his legs to stand straight like any normal person, and considered her with large beady eyes that threatened to fall from his head. He puckered his lips as if to blow a kiss and stared at her.
Totosai apparently had a cousin.
Kagome swayed feeling a bit ill, he smelled of fish guts and urine. The fact that he smelled of those two things together bothered Kagome like nothing else. It was when he suddenly gave a whooping laugh that the young witch knew he was evil hell spawn sent specifically to torment her. He smacked her on the back like one would an old buddy and continued to laugh, "Drink a little too much did you?"
It was something frightening that made them both pause when Kagome actually growled at him. Not her annoyed little human growls, but an actual growl that would have made Inuyasha stare and practice his own growls. The strange man blinked at her before waving a dismissive hand, "You human looking demonesses' always have bad attitudes. Don't go vomiting in the halls or something." He stood up straight and looked ready to walk off, but Kagome caught his arm.
He looked back and Kagome smiled tightly, her face taking on a frightening green tinge. "Can you tell me where to find Aneko?"
Looking as if he would deny her, they stood a long moment. He finally sighed before lifting a gnarled shrunken little finger and pointing down the hall, "That way, past two halls and to the left."
Kagome released him and bowed slowly, "Thank you," She whispered.
She turned and rushed away as quickly as her headache would let her. The only open door in the hall revealed Aneko's location. For all the pain she'd suffered through, the soft glow of orange candle light soothed her eyes and eased the throbbing of her head.
Aneko stood at a podium, absently thumbing through what had to be the biggest tome Kagome had ever lay eyes on.
"Finally get up did you apprentice?" Aneko glanced up like a wary mother scolding her child who liked to sleep till three in the afternoon.
Kagome stared at her miserably.
"Why didn't you warn me?"
"I did try to warn you," Aneko retorted. "But what is a warning anyway. There was nothing that could be done to spare you that part of transformation. Humans idealize being demon, make hypersensitive hearing sound like the greatest thing since breathing. It has its good points but as you now know, it has its bad points."
Aneko eyed Kagome, her eyes light colored like sea foam, "Congrats on your first step to being an angry and irritable female demoness."
"You say that as if I'll always be in pain" Kagome whispered, unaware that she stood trembling in fear at the thought.
"You'll learn to control it, you've already learned to adjust your hearing to make it here. I imagine the sound of a laugh or your own heartbeat would have left you in horrible pain otherwise." Aneko's eyes gleamed and Kagome sighed realizing she'd been heard all the way down the hall.
"Why did you want me to come here?" Kagome asked quietly.
Aneko stepped from behind the podium and moved about the room, her jewelry tinkling lightly.
"There is information you need and I want you to start reading."
"Reading what?"
Aneko hummed in thought before she beckoned Kagome. They made their way through the messy room and Aneko stopped before a closet and opened the cracked door.
Scrolls were revealed, crammed into every inch of space available. Kagome stared in fascination, the avid reader in her squealing in delight. Everything else forgotten, she stepped forward and touched the scrolls in fascination.
"Are all these yours?"
Aneko sniffed, "Of course they are you silly child."
Kagome looked back to the bulging closet of scrolls with fascination in her eyes. Aneko's face shined with approval. Kagome appeared to be a fellow scholar and that made her life so much easier. Other witches complained that their students couldn't read or refused to read, Aneko found she'd been blessed.
"Take one" Aneko coaxed quietly.
Kagome licked her lips before stepping forward and grabbing hold of a dingy yellow scroll. It took a while but she was able to pry it away from the others. Kagome finally stood before Aneko with a glowing smile as she examined the parchment curiously.
"It's old" Kagome said uncertainly.
"That was my first scroll" Aneko responded coolly.
Kagome blushed, "I didn't mean it that way, I just don't want to tear it."
Aneko's eye's gleamed in amusement. "You're right and if you rip any of these I'll ring your neck." Kagome paled as Aneko continued, "Your duty is to go and study these scroll and to copy down the directions for your own use. One day you and your apprentice will stand before a full closet of scrolls and you will direct them to do the same."
Kagome glanced at the scroll she held then back to Aneko.
"What is it," Kagome asked quietly.
"It's a spell, one of the basics. This particular scroll turns your magic into light. I personally think it's better than candles," Aneko explained. In a decidedly good mood, she called her student over to the podium. She placed Kagome before the book and put a delicately manicured finger to the page.
"When you have mastered all the scrolls in this room, I will allow you to begin making your own spells." The two females glanced at one another and had anyone looked in, it would have appeared a mother teaching her daughter.
"You will write down the special spells of your own creation and put them in your own spellbook. When the time comes I will teach you to make your spell book, and how to enchant it for your use only."
Kagome frowned, "Why does it need to be enchanted?"
"Because there are idiots in the world," Aneko sighed in exasperation, "and on the other end we have genius's that can steal you're spells and use them against you. For example, we have a fox youkai amongst us." Aneko pointed to the door where Katsu walked past at that second. The fox glanced up, his eyes flashing red as he sauntered past without a care.
Kagome hardly saw the little fox as a threat, but she didn't doubt that he would get into trouble with the right resources.
"Besides casting spells to keep the common folk out of our secrets, how do you expect to organize your book? There are spells that fit in multiple categories and there are spells that don't fit into any categories at all."
Kagome shrugged, "Well it can be organized alphabetically."
Aneko looked at Kagome as if she'd grown a second nose. She shoved her apprentice aside irritably and Kagome cried out angrily. Aneko held her hand over the book and Kagome stared as the pages slowly began turn, quickly picking up speed.
"You should be able to think of what you want your spell to do and the book will provide a few options."
Kagome nodded, her eyes glowing in fascination.
Aneko took Kagome's scroll and unrolled the parchment. She scanned it quickly and nodded, "I expect you to have studied and copied this scroll before nightfall." She shoved the scroll back into Kagome's hands as her young apprentice flailed wildly.
"But I don't know what I'm doing , why do I have to learn so fast!" She hissed.
Aneko snorted, "You sit down and study, how else do you learn it. I'll have a servant come fetch you when I'm ready for you."
Kagome stood staring stupidly, rocking back and forth.
"What are you doing girl," Aneko asked with huff.
Kagome blushed, "Well I don't have anything to write with or any paper."
Aneko blinked as if realizing this fact. She walked around the podium and considered her trashed study warily. "I have paper somewhere in here…"
She walked to a table and prodded at foam looking mess under an unrolled scroll. With a grunt she moved on, walking carefully across her ingredient painted floor. She paused and looked up, "Ah, found them," She grabbed an armful of scrolls and walked over with a calm smile. Behind her, a disturbed jar fell to the floor and shattered glass across the floor.
Aneko tsked, "Now I have to clean," She complained.
"Good luck with that," Kagome replied immediately.
Aneko shot her the nastiest glare and Kagome shrunk in on herself. She wasn't very surprised when the sea witch shoved the parchment in her arms.
"Get to work apprentice."
"Why do I have to do this all today, you're going to get me blown up or something."
Aneko turned, her good humor gone, "You're my apprentice and you're going to assist me with my work, you're going to be my guinea pig, and you're going to learn even if I have to beat it into you, and you're going to do what I say or you can get out."
Kagome gulped.
"I need light to work at night and you just volunteered," Aneko sniffed.
Kagome pressed her lips together, wanting to protest but common sense made her reconsider.
"D-Do I get a wand to practice with or something?" She asked hopefully.
Aneko blinked at Kagome surprised before throwing her head back and laughing, "A wand? For you, a mere apprentice? What do you need a wand for," The sea witch squealed in laughter.
Kagome blushed, feeling horribly foolish.
"So that I can practice. Isn't that's how it's supposed to work?"
Aneko hopped in laughter and Kagome's face turned an unflattering shade of red.
"Get out of here you little brat! I'm not giving you a wand. Why would I make it easy for you!" Anko snarled going from gleeful to royally pissed in seconds. Kagome gasped and looked like she would flee but she stood her ground.
"Why are you still here? Would you like for me to scream your ears bloody," Aneko asked sweetly.
Kagome refused to be intimidated.
"I need ink," she said dryly.
"Oh," Aneko leaned back, glancing to the ceiling thoughtfully.
"I suppose you do, I'll have a servant bring you your supplies," Aneko assured with a dismissive wave. "Now that doesn't mean you can't actually read and practice before your supplies arrive."
Kagome paused in surprise.
"Go on shoo, it's past midday and I'll make you clean my study if you don't have that spell ready to show me later."
Kagome cursed under her breath and was out the door like lightening. Aneko threw her head back and laughed once more.
"Keep that red rat out of my hall too," Aneko yelled.
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That was a confusing chapter. Tell me what you think readers, I always love a review.