The Messenger

Chapter 2

By: Rachynn

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

---This is the Start of the Chapter---

Kikyo returned home. The first thing she did was plop down onto her oversized leather recliner. It was one of the few possessions in her apartment that she felt remote attachment to. Closing her eyes, she unconsciously fingered the long rip in the tan leather of the arm. The white stuff had begun to peak through and she couldn't resist burying her fingers in the fluffy softness of the material. She would have to get it sewn someday, she told herself absently.

As per tradition, she allowed herself to drift off for a few moments, letting the chair embrace her. She needed to relax after work and her chair was the perfect place for it. When she wasn't out and about being a Messenger of Death, Kikyo did try and live normally.

Well as normal as one in her situation could.

1) She herself was not 'alive' in the physical sense. She could vaguely remember having life as a human, but that time had been centuries ago. 2) She lived in a huge complex that served as living quarters and workplace to countless others like her, the living dead who worked tirelessly to keep the universe in balance, as well as perform menial tasks that had been in place for millennia. 3) Her only reason for being was to tell subjects that their loved ones had passed on.

Despite this, Kikyo tried to make a life for herself. She kept her apartment clean, and added a few homey touches (the chair and a couple paintings being the main ones). She tried her hardest to be friendly, but for some reason, most people tended to avoid her. Everyone tended to avoid Messengers. It was just how it was, nothing to be done. As a result, the few 'friends' she had were other Messengers. (Messengers as a whole tended to be a solitary breed, though mostly by circumstance not choice.)

The computer beeped. Yes, she had a computer; the Agency had aged with the times. Kikyo lazily opened one eye and glanced at the machine in the corner. The small blue box in the bottom right corner told her that she had a message. It wasn't often that she got emails, unless they were work related.

Kikyo slowly lifted herself from the chair. She padded her way across the wooden floor, bare feet creating the softest footsteps. Her apartment was small, consisting of a large room and a bathroom. (Since she was not alive, she had no need for sleep or food. The bathroom was merely an excuse to add more storage space.) The whole complex building had running water, electricity, heat, and cable. (Again it was a sign of the Agency aging with the times.)

She sighed when she slumped into the significantly less comfortable wooden computer chair. It was a few moments before she opened the new message however, one must ALWAYS begin a computer session with a quick game of solitaire. Kikyo quickly skimmed over the email, but paused before reading it again, resisting the urge to yawn.

Every week they emailed her a list of new subjects to visit. To her, it seemed that the list grew longer each time it came out.

A Messenger's work was never done.

---This is a Scene Change---

Tonight's subject was a teenage boy. The shrine at which he resided was dusty and overgrown with weeds. Kikyo was disappointed; few people had any respect for history and landmarks these days. She found the subject playing video games. Again she was disappointed. It was a beautiful day out, so why was he depriving himself by staying in the house all day? Things had changed so much since she had been alive, but that was only to be expected.

He must have sensed her presence when she appeared in the room, standing behind him. He didn't take his eyes off the screen, but called out to someone.

"Hey sis." He said, "Is that you?"

"No." Kikyo replied, stepping into his line of sight. "Though your sister is the reason I'm here."

The video game went on pause.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" he demanded, immediately jumping to his feet.

"I'm a Messenger, and I have a message for you about your sister."

He rolled his eyes. "I don't need crazy psychos in my house. I don't know what you're selling or who you are, but if you leave now I won't call the cops." He was edging closer to the shelf, slowly. He was going to have an immediate reaction.

"I'm not crazy. I'm perfectly sane." She replied. "Just listen to me, and then I'll leave. OK?"

He was almost at the shelf now. Kikyo took note of the vase on the end; it looked like it could be thrown a reasonable distance. There was silence for a few moments, so she assumed that he was going to let her leave her message. Oh joy.

"Kagome Higurashi is your sister correct?" It wasn't unheard of for a messenger to give the message to the wrong person, but it was rare. Sometimes it was better to make sure, if you were at all uncertain. He nodded. "I'm sorry to have to say this, but your sister died tonight. There was a fire at the library she was studying at and she didn't make it out."

CRASH

The vase shattered against the wall behind her. She turned her head around to look at the pieces that now littered the floor and the water that was seeping down the wall. If he had been aiming at her head, he was way off. If she had any substance in the human world, the vase would have hit her in the hip. However, since she was not human (though she appeared as such) the vase simply sailed right through her and continued until its inevitable demise.

She turned back to the boy, who was staring at her with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Well that wasn't very nice." She stated.

He screamed at her, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. Angered that she had a vase thrown at her, Kikyo didn't stick around much longer, lest her anger get the better of her. The boy was still screaming when she left.

---This is the Start of the Author's Note---

I'm only writing this story until my writers block for Bread Crumbs (and to a lesser extent Awaken to Confusion) wears off. I can't decide to make this story AU or not… any opinions?

This chapter doesn't have much in it, 'cept that I FINALLY killed Kagome. I've been waiting for this for a long time, I must say. (I'm not a Kagome hater or anything, but … there is just something about her that bugs me. It's a shame the story didn't call for greater detail on her death.) I have a list of people who haven't died in any of my stories and it only has like… 2 or 3 people on it now. So sad…

School started Tuesday. It's possibly the joy of my life. Not! Sadly it's only the third day and already I want to smack people, and burn text books. It's the 3rd day and I spent 4 hours doing homework tonight. What is that? Teachers have no souls… (Which isn't true, but saying it kind of makes me feel better.) The new grade 9's provide endless minutes of entertainment though. So with the start of school, I have no idea how my writing/updating schedule will be affected. It could get better or much, much worse.