The Question
"Clear your mind, Kagome-chan. Feel your Youki and Reiki in equal measure and fix a place in your mind, somewhere you would be comfortable discussing anything and everything..." Kagome sank slowly through the mist in her mind, pink and blue stained vapour swirling around her as she searched her memory for anywhere she had felt safe. Slowly the mist began to thin, revealing a clearing backed against a cliff face. A torrent of water fell hundreds of feet into a pool at its base, the water far warmer than it had any right to be, flowing from a mountain stream. As she watched, a young woman swam towards her across the pool, greeting an excited black dog which jumped up at her, licking her face. For a moment, Kagome felt the first stirrings of fear – the woman was a miko, and the dog certainly was Youkai... then recognition dawned, and she arranged herself with her back to the sun-baked rock. Once all three sides to her were arranged comfortably, the miko smiled.
"Welcome, Kagome. I was beginning to think you would never learn how to meditate." Kagome flushed slightly at the rebuke, but smiled as the dog gave what sounded suspiciously like a huff of amusement. No Games, too much important to tell. The rich voice seemed to bypass her ears and speak straight to her mind.
"Yes. Kagome, you must listen to us, there is little time. Firstly... He is coming, soon. We are training as best we can... but the final outcome will be up to you. Be prepared." Kagome flinched and whimpered as the dog growled viciously, pressing herself back against the rock... then straightened with a determined nod. She knew it would only be a matter of time, and once her miko training was complete she would be ready...she hoped. She started when her Youki's mind-voice spoke again, laced with more than a hint of impatience. Unimportant. Explain HIM. Kagome looked at the miko in surprise as her eyes misted over slightly and the faint scent of joy and desire hit her.
"Kagome... your Youki wishes to take a mate... and I agree. All we need is your agreement..." Kagome's eyes went wide in astonishment, before utter despair almost crushed her.
"But...Inu..." Is Mate. Please. Forest-scent is Mate. The utter delight that filled her was reflected in her vision-world, as a single beam of sunlight caught the cascade, refracting into a thousand rainbows that filled the clearing.
"I would never want anyone else... but... What if he rejects us?" The crippling fear shattered her calm, sending her back to her own mind, cramped and sore on the floor of the dojo, facing a proud monk, the last words of her miko echoing in her mind. "If he does not love us now... he will one day." Slowly a smile spread across her face, a wondering look in her luminous eyes as she whispered, too low for the human to hear;
"I love him. All of me, every part loves him."
A distressed whimper brought InuYasha out of his dreams with a jolt, his beast instantly flaring, demanding to rip to shreds whatever dared to cause his mate such distress. His coiled body registered the quivering mass curled in his embrace as his beast slowly retreated, grumbling in displeasure. His mate should never have cause for fear or pain, even in her dreams. Gently, he nuzzled at her mark, kissing and nipping it instinctively, coaxing her awake... or not. He frowned deeply as her whimpers merely became more intense, feeling her Youki twisting in distress, seeking his yet not finding it... she was trapped in the dream, and he felt a flood of fear as he remembered the last time she had dreamed this way. At least, he thought miserably, she didn't seem to be writhing in the grip of the sheer terror that that bastard Gekidoku seemed to cause. Nevertheless... slipping out of the bed, he stripped off his pajamas, tucking them around her in case his scent could reach her, before hastily throwing on some spares and going in search of his father.
Kagome fell, the rose mist enveloping her, dulling her senses as she began to fight it, straining against the pull of her soul as she fought to return to Inu's side... but he slipped away from her, her mind spinning with fear and pain until she was completely lost, sprawled in mist that slowly resolved into a cave, dark and forboding... Cautiously Kagome rose, padding softly through the damp passages, back tight to the wall as she strained her senses for any other presence. After what seemed an eternity, she emerged into a huge cavern, lit by a soft glow, as if sunlight was flooding in through walls of rose quarz. Curious, she crept forwards towards the statuesque figures at the centre, a granite monument to some ancient battle, a fearsome Youkai locked in the embrace of death with a miko, yet... her startled gasp echoed loudly... this miko was a Youkai... if she remembered her clan-marks correctly, she was from the North-east, although the cross of tears had not been claimed for years. The marking was undeniable, etched into the stone on her forehead as clearly as Sesshoumaru-sama's. Her attention was drawn from the stone by a gentle voice that had her spinning around, ears flat to her head ready to defend herself.
"I am glad you have finally arrived little one, for many years I despaired of having the chance to speak to you at all." dimly, Kagome realised that her legs had weakened, tumbling her to the floor in awe. The Inu that approached her was the same as the one carved into the stone at her back, the forest-green tear-cross standing in stark contrast to her fair complexion, eyes as richly brown as her own looking compassionately at her, the sense of her soul being touched, searched in the most painless way overwhelming. The Inu-sama gracefully dropped into a warrior's meditation seat in front of her, shedding the sword tucked in her obi and unbuckling the armored band across her sternum. Her soft voice continued, easing the tension out of muscles taut with fear, "I am Midoriko, An Inu-Miko... and the one who held our soul before you. There is much to tell you before I depart for my rest – this soul has made mistakes in many incarnations, learned the lessons which only come through error and suffering... I would not see you suffer when the memories of our soul can prevent it. Now, ijirashii, you must listen, and remember this time when you wake." Kagome nodded, mute with shock as the woman began to tell her a tale – the story which would become a legend, of her soul, her life... and her mistake.
InuYasha hovered next to the unresponsive girl, analysing her aura for any of the paralysing fear that had wrapped around her at the start of her dream... if it truly was a dream. Just as he was about to resume pacing, Mafuyu stirred from his meditation.
"Peace, InuYasha-kun. She is in no danger. This seems to be a result of her new ability to meditate – her unconscious mind found the gateway to the rest of her soul. It is large, as befits an old soul... and no doubt has many lessons for her to learn. She will awake once she accepts the whole of who she is." InuYasha frowned as his hand pulled her lip away from her fangs for the umpteenth time, unable to resist the thrill of pleasure that burnt his fingers at her softness... then drew in a shocked breath as a distinctive whine came from deep in her throat, lip pouting up, seeking the fingers that had released it, his love's back bowing slightly, seeking the warmth of her mate. Mafuyu chuckled at the poleaxed look on his face, rising smoothly and gliding towards the door. "Well, lad... mate, eh? It seems the affection is mutual. You stay here with your...mate... I must needs have words with Tougaou, it seems." He paused in the doorway, and glanced back at the stunned Hanyou, all mirth dropping from his aura as he imposed his will on the stunned boy. "I approve, InuYasha-kun. However. If you ever hurt my ijirashii... You shall answer to me." InuYasha nodded mutely, stunned, then slowly sat and curled his little wench into his lap, a joyful, disbelieving smile stealing over his face as she visibly relaxed, hands tangling in his shirt. Mafuyu smiled at the picture the two made, black and silver silk wound together in a sinuous coil – exactly as new mates should be... then left, seeking out his old friend. Best to broach the subject now, in case the two pups drew closer faster than anticipated...
Eyes black as the void between stars regarded the burning crimson orbs of his victim without a shred of mercy.
"You are a fool, Jadoku. I had thought you would revel in the chance to bring vengeance upon those mindless weaklings, why do you now defend them?" The snake Youkai gave a hissing chuckle, unafraid, his own poison protecting him from the toxic mire that had once been his den.
"It iss you who are the fool, Gekidoku... Thiss one hass accepted that Youkai cannot out-breed the humanss, nor can we sslay all without caussing an unending war between Youkai themsselves. Too many have gained, now, from the advancess the humanss have made. You will find few alliess here." Dismissing the Inu with a graceful twist, the snake sidled away, casting a parting shot back over his shoulder, "Bessidess, you have been defeated twice... by the very Inu you sseek to challenge again... and thiss time, they have pack ass powerful as themsselvess. It is ssuicide." A long barbed coil of acid wrapped around the snake's neck, dragging him back to the floor before the Inu's feet. Cold eyes blazed, mesmerising the weaker Youkai, as Gekidoku growled out viciously
"You will explain, snake. I face Mafuyu. His pupsare peaceful to the point of indolence, and I am not so ignorant that I do not know that Tougaou met his end at the hand of a dragon almost seven centuries ago. That mewling pup of his is hardly a match for me." The snake gurgled a snigger, the acid corroding it's scales slowly as it replied, a definite smug air to his sibilant voice...
"You are more ignorant than you know, Inu. Mafuyu'ss pupss are the peacekeeperss of the code – committed to peace yess, but viciouss warriorss when provoked. Tougaou-ssama died, yess... and wass revived a mere five centuriess ago. Ssessshoumaru iss truly formidable, he iss known ass the Ice-prince of the ssilver Inu... feared by all but relentlesssly honourable... and Tougaou hass one further sson... fearssome in hiss own right, the one to desstroy both the dragon that sslew hiss ssire and the monk Ungai... I sshould not dare face either." Gekidoku sneered as the loop of his whip grew taut, slowly cutting through the snake's neck like a hot knife through butter, half cutting, half melting, until Jadoku lay on the floor, iridescent scales reflecting the blood stain and sickly green light that coloured what remained of his den, his family. Smirking, the dark Inu turned, retracting his whip, and strode out, absently lapping the blood off his claws... innocent blood was so much sweeter – for a moment he regretted slaying that half-breed get of his, she would have satisfied his craving for blood nicely, such a unique taste... then he gave a sickening chuckle, his memories flooding with the knowledge of what he had inflicted on the little filth – he had truly outdone himself. The green marking along his arm glowed the green of putrefying remains as the Inu bounded away back to the house he had... appropriated.
-o0o-
A/N: There is nothing I can say except sorry for the massive delay between updates... but my uni course must come first, and I have really struggled this year. I worked my little cotton socks off this term in the hope of dragging my GPA up to a pass... so I have barely touched this story. However - school's out for summer! With any luck my muse will start cooperating again and I'll be able to update every week or ten days... but no promises as I have limited net access.
A note on Inu and 'Gome's relationship: no, they are not mates yet, but their subconscious has reached the stage of accepting that relationship, so they respond to each other as if they are... hence Kagome calling him "mate" in her unconscious state.
As regards Gekidoku's paragraphs... I really don't want to have to up the rating, but if anyone thinks I have gone beyond what is acceptable in "T" I shall up it to "M"... there will be more flashes of what he did to Kagome, but despite the fact that what happened in my imagination is truly horrific, I am trying to keep the descriptions fairly tame. I may eventually post a oneshot on mediaminer detailing it, just to get it out my system... but it WILL have an X rating for violence, non-con, uh... more violence...and "character death" - seeming if not actual.
Jadoku = venom (from a snake)... appropriate for a poisonous snake youkai, ne?
(from last chapter) Hekireki = Thunder(storm)