Chapter 8

From the Ashes

Time will leave

Faster than

Anyone ever could,

And there is no chance,

For it to come back.

- f.s. yousaf

Taisho waited for his words to sink in. The woman stared at him for a moment, her face pained, hands wrapped around her upper arms to contain her trembling. Her teeth chattered when she spoke.

"Demons aren't real," she said but her voice lacked conviction.

Taisho removed his suit jacket wrapped it around her shoulders. His hands stayed on the lapels and he pulled her toward him until their faces were in line. She shrunk away.

"Then choose a different word. He is real." He could see her parsing through everything he said, sorting, discarding, trying to rationalize. He needed her to understand. They no longer had the luxury of time. "Have you never woke in the middle of the night to see a shadow that shouldn't be there? Felt eyes on you in an empty room? Read the news about another unexplained murder? Things going missing when you knew exactly where they were? The world has forgotten that these things exist but they are very real and very dangerous."

He let go of the jacket and without his hands as counterweight she reeled backward.

"This is completely illogical."

"Yet, it is true. You believe me. Because somehow, this makes more sense to you than it doesn't."

She wrapped his jacket more tightly as if she could protect herself from both the rain and his words.

"So, what? You had a beef with a bad guy-"

"Demon."

"Demon bad guy. And what? You made a pointy magic stick and got your girlfriend killed and now the bad guy-"

"Demon."

"Demon bad guy is back to kill a bunch more people because he's got a grudge and he doesn't have anything better to do?

"More or less."

"That sounds like a real pickle, really. You have my sympathy. Best of luck. But what the ever loving fuck does this have to do with me?"

"Don't you remember the story? I need the protector of the sword."

Kagome's eyes went wide. "No. Nope. Absolutely not. No way. I AM NOT THE FUCKING SWORD WHISPERER! And I definitely want exactly zero to do with a homicidal bad guy-"

"Demon."

"Fuck me! You are infuriating."

"I thought I told you I wouldn't do that until we knew each other better."

"Shut up! This isn't even remotely funny."

"It is a slightly humorous that you keep making lewd suggestions and then turn around and deny them-"

"I'm going to hit you." Instead, she settled for shirking off his jacket and throwing it full force at his head. This wasn't going according to step 25 of Taisho's Master Plan. At this point, she was supposed to be a duly committed and on board member of team Let's Kill The Demon. Taisho scowled. Kagome ranted."This is a really mean practical joke. Is this what you do? You just go around and find the loneliest woman you can and tell her a sad story and see how long it takes her to believe you?"

She stalked down the pier. Her clothes were now plastered to her body and her lips were taking on a blue tinge.

"Where are you going?"

"Anywhere where someone's not asking me to be a part of an insane plot to kill an ancient asshole-"

"Demon."

There was a screech of rage and she was hurtling back toward him. The pier creaked under the force of her steps. She could be quite forceful when she wanted to be. She didn't stop until her forefinger jabbed into the middle of his chest.

"Let's say all this is real."

"It is."

"Ok, but let's say we live in a world where it's really real."

"We do."

"Be. Quiet," her finger punctuated each word. "Let's say it's real. Why did the sword want her? Why," she stuttered, "why would it want me?"

"I told you, the sword is neutral. It can choose its master. She was human. Flawed, imperfect, but able to discern worthiness better than any man with blood on his hands. She protected the sword from its enemies until the right one came to claim it."

"But why me?"

Gingerly, he wrapped his long fingers around the hand still jabbing her finger into his chest. He heard her sudden intake of breath. Slowly, with great care, he turned her hand over, palm up, and dragged his own finger across her palm. She tried to pull her hand away but he held her wrist steady.

"There's something in here it wants from you."

"What could I possibly do for you and your persnickety sword? I'm nobody."

"I dreamt of you."

"I'm flattered."

"The sword was beyond my awareness for centuries. I couldn't sense it. The world moved on and forgot. I didn't. I waited. And then, a few years ago, I felt it. It was back. Which meant the worst had happened. Even if I had known where it was hidden, I wasn't able to touch it or keep it safe. I needed the Protector. I dreamt. This time, I wasn't to bring the Protector to it. The sword would bring me to her."

Kagome's face drained of all color and her green eyes darkened, reflecting the bleak day enveloping the city behind them.

"Me."

"You. When the sword was found I followed it, knowing it would eventually lead me to you."

"But why?"

He shrugged and now that he was sure she wasn't going to turn and jump into the ocean and cause all sorts of problems, he let her hand go.

Kagome chewed on her thumbnail, looking as if she might be sick all over the pier. "Wait. How was it excavated and moved here? You said that no one could touch it. If other people can then you don't need me."

Taisho was becoming increasingly drenched by both the spray of the ocean and the rain from the clouds. It was making him very cranky. Did she have to ask so many questions? And whose idea was it to come out in the rain and play Get the Lady on your Side?

"Sealing the demon was powerful magic. The sword disappeared, went dormant. Now that it's back it is… different," he admitted begrudgingly, "than it used to be. We live in a different time. Everyone isn't a warrior. Very few have the kind of power needed to use it and do damage with it. I imagine those too weak to sense it's power can handle it. If a powerful being tried to claim it, it would reject us. And now that you've made contact with the weapon, I think it will reject another's touch."

Kagome closed her eyes, deliberately measuring her breaths. "I'm Kagome Higurashi and I'm nothing extraordinary. I am not in the market to be a part of a fairy tale. When I said I wanted more adventure I meant I wanted to try wearing sassy hats or look into living abroad!"

Taisho failed to see what hats had to do anything. Slowly and deliberately, he took her by the shoulders. The sudden contact made her snap her eyes open and search his face.

"You are the Protector and I will prove it to you. But I need you to understand. You're in danger."

"So, it's a 'no' to the hats, then?" Her voice caught in her throat, hoarse. She was afraid. "I have to do this? I don't have a choice?"

"There is always a choice."

"What kind of choice is that? Kagome, you can either go back to work or you can stop the evil villain-"

"Demon."

"Evil demon villain from tucking in and eating the world. Oh and by the way I can't actually do it without you so if you say 'no' you're a selfish bastard! Yes, it's definitely a choice!"

"What if there is even a slight chance what I'm saying is real? The sword's discovery was broadcast to the world. If my enemies don't know that I have possession of the sword they will soon. And then they will find you, too."

"Enemies? Plural? What kind of enemies are we talking about?"

"Demons."

"There's more than one!?"

"If I were killed or they got their hands on you, you would take you to their master. Until the sword chooses, the only person who can touch the sword is the Protector. You. After they used you to get to the sword, you would be killed… at best. But there are things far worse than death."

His voice echoed of old, haunting ghosts.

"What about you? Are you using me?"

Taisho was losing her. Dammit. He should have known it wouldn't be as easy as 'hey, come with me or you'll probably die'. That was the problem with the smart ones.

"I will protect you."

"That didn't answer my question. And is that what you told her?"

Ghosts and ghosts and ghosts.

"I won't hurt you. Look at me. Do you really believe I'd do harm to you?"

She stared into his face, eyes darting as if she could read his intent simply by concentrating.

Whatever she saw, he knew the moment he had her on the line.

"No," she breathed, "you won't hurt me."

In the distance the sword pulsed. He could feel it's power even miles away. The feeling grew to a dull roar, and Taisho fought for control. The sword wanted it's protector. If this feeling was anything like what Kagome was feeling, he didn't know how she was still conscious.

Stop, you stupid metal toothpick, he commanded in his head. The sword's insistent, surging protest dimmed ever so slightly.

"I won't hurt you," he repeated. "Tell, me, if you could do anything, what would you do?"

He almost lost her whisper as another surge of power shot through his head, "I would have adventures."

"Then come with me."

The pain lifted then, leaving him oddly empty. Although the will of the sword was excruciating, it brought back familiar memories of the strength he once possessed.

In the distance, back by the boardwalk, his car pulled up. She stared at it, weighing her decision. Her shoulders were bowed inside his dark suit jacket. With the waves crashing against the shore and the rain creating a surreal haze that enveloped the city, Taisho waited, trying to ignore the fact that the fate of the very world rested on those tiny shoulders.

"Alright," she said and in quiet, beaten voice.

Finally, Taisho thought, as the wheels of motion began to turn.

Well, goody, Kagome thought, here's to bad decisions.

What fun! the sword seemed to say, and across the distance, both Kagome and Taisho could feel it's power thrum.

-o-

The rain was now coming down in sheets and she was unhappily soaked through all of her clothes. Taisho had promised her towels and either a hot beverage or a stiff whiskey. She was angling for both.

The car pulled smoothly to a stop and she recognized his home from the previous day. Had that been just 24 hours ago? That was a different Kagome. A different life.

Kagome became aware Taisho's long fingers curling firmly around her upper arm. He pulled her from the car and back into the rain. Looking upward, she saw something in his eyes that she had not seen before. He was unsettled. Roughly, he pulled her through the doorway of his home, slamming it behind him.

It was dark inside. The grey half-light from the afternoon did little to dispel the shadows lurking in the corners. They stopped in the middle of the large foyer. He seemed poised on a precipice, waiting. His eyes darted around the high ceiling and she could tell he was straining to hear something just outside his range. Kagome shivered. Cue large creepy house sounds.

"What-"

The man clamped his other hand over her mouth. He was now practically hugging her from behind. She squeaked with indignity and his fingers clamped around her jaw. If he wanted to, she was sure he could just squeeze the delicate bones of her face and shatter her jaw. But she could feel the tightly coiled power in him held back and checked.

That was when she sensed it.

It felt as someone had run a finger up the bare skin of her back. It was something innately wrong. She stiffened. She felt a thousand eyes upon her skin, assessing, sliding, violating.

Spurred, he led her slowly down the hallway, the same route she had taken only the night before. The estate was silent, dark, and, if she had to guess, completely empty. Empty except for the peculiar presence hovering somewhere nearby.

When they reached the room in which the sword was housed, Taisho let her go and stalked around the room, his eyes scanning for the threat. Walking up to the farthest wall, he gazed out the huge picture window, assessing.

When he seemed satisfied, he turned to her. Kagome had already sunk down into a chair, watching him warily from across the room as questions and concerns swirled in her head, making her dizzy.

"Stay here. Don't leave this room."

"Splitting up is exactly how every plucky sidekick has ever been killed!" she hissed.

His only response was to frown, stalk across the room, and out the door. At the sound of the door closing, Kagome jumped.

The room was eerily quiet. The only sounds were her sharp shallow intakes of breath and the tinny sound of rain hitting the wall of windows. She tried to make herself small in an attempt to warm her body and ease the fearful knots writhing in her stomach.

A glint of metal caught her eye. The sword beckoned, shinning in the semi-dark.

Slowly, Kagome rose to a stand, shoes squelching loudly. She froze and listened to the house around her. Not a sound. Carefully, she stepped out of them, her bare feet meeting the cold floor, chills rippling through her body. Steeling her nerve, she took a few tentative steps forward before she stopped, hesitant.

It wanted her to come closer.

Indistinct and transparent lines appeared around the weapon, slowly becoming cloudier. As if in a trance, Kagome closed the remaining distance, placing her cold hands on the glass case, peering down at the sword. The misty substance rose, sliding over her fingers and up her shoulders. Kagome, in her wonder, reached and stroked the flat of the blade, her fingers tingling. A feeling of warmth and contentment sparked where her skin brushed.

Hello there, it seemed to say. I've found you at last.

The most burning question in her mind found its way to her lips.

"Why me?"

Only the silence answered.

Her gaze fell on a sheath, placed next to the sword, its vermillion red sash falling across the blade of the sword like a splash of freshly spilled blood. She had not seen it the night before. It was as beautifully constructed as the sword, with the same unfamiliar etchings from the hilt. The scabbard was constructed of the same metal, too, fashioned to fit only this strange blade. Kagome could not recall where she had ever seen anything so breathtaking. Her sensitive fingertips danced lightly over the indentations and etchings of the protective case, marveling at it. How long had it taken to construct such a lovely piece of art?

A sudden searing pain in her head physically jerked her away. She bent double, her head in her hands, stomach roiling.

It took a long time before the pain faded enough for her to stand upright, still clutching her head. Her eyes fell on the huge windows lining the wall. Outside in the rain and gloom, she thought she saw a dark shape looming. Her heartbeat was a stone skipping across water. When, after long minutes of staring, nothing moved, she breathed a sigh of relief. Taisho's tale of demons and world destruction had addled her brain. Of course, she was currently having a nice chat with an ancient weapon that seemed to have boundaries problem, so, perhaps, she thought, there was something to his story.

Behind her, she heard the telltale creak of a floorboard.

"Taisho?"

Nothing.

She stepped toward the door, feeling a thread of anxiety wind its way through her. It pulled taught high and keening. The cloudy fog of the weapon trailed after her, billowing gently as she moved through the room.

"Taisho?"

Still nothing.

Stepping up to the door, she reached tentative fingers out toward the door handle. Something cool, like a frosty breeze, brushed a wayward strand of hair that fell across her cheeks.

She whirled around.

The room was still empty.

"Hello?"

Her skin crawled and her hands began to sweat. Something was wrong.

"Is someone there?"

The air began to hum in a high, silent wail. She scurried into the middle of the room as the feeling disrupted the sensitive hairs on her arms, backing up until her back hit one of the other columns.

Pain exploded across her face. It was the feeling of raking, invisible claws on skin. Kagome to dart to the side trying to get away from the pain, gasping with fright and astonishment. Raising her fingers to her face, she felt the warmth of blood, oozing from the three scratch marks along her upper cheekbone.

A rumbling laugh pulled her eyes from the blood on her fingertips to the picture window. There, through the cascading water on the windowpane, she could make out a dark blurry shape, drifting, hovering, scratching at the glass. Darkness bloomed and grew, feeding on her steadily rising fear.

Hello, pretty little thing. Would you like to come out and play?

Oh. Hell. No.

Come and play with me.

The voice ripped through her mind with an intensity that made her clutch her hands back to her head, nearly screaming from the discordance.

Kagome ground her teeth against the pain as it sharpened, tears springing to her eyes. "I refuse to be the plucky sidekick," she gasped and she didn't know if she was saying it to the thing that shouldn't exist, the sword, or the bravery that had tucked its tail and fled.

Bring me the sword. Come and play.

Staggering to the sword case, Kagome gripped the glass between her fingers. Gasping, she put her weight on the pillar, hoping her knees wouldn't give out. There were dark claws raking against the window, screeching painfully across the glass.

"Fuck off, creepy ghost!" She very nearly passed out as another pulse of piercing pain washed over her.

An explosion of glass, the defining sound of a thousand car crashes.

Her hands grasped the hilt of the sword, still lying within the case. Kagome grabbed the sheath, slipped the red sash across her chest, and spun the scabbard to hang against her back.

Inky black tendrils rushed into the room. In the fog there was a shadow of a figure too tall to be human, bent oddly, skittering closer with a horrifying sound.

Kagome did not have time to question the natural instinct to grab the sword.

Bracing her elbows on the edge of the glass box, she lifted, straining, raising the sword several inches before it fell back into the pillar.

"Now is not the fucking time, you temperamental piece of tin foil!"

She could not lift it. She felt a sob catch in her chest.

And through the darkness, a deathly white hand reached for her.

-o-

Taisho crept through his halls, following the demonic entity as it paced outside his home, just beyond his perimeter. The man paused when he felt the woman brush her hand across the sword, sending a shiver through him. For a moment, as she touched the blade, he had felt a gentle caress, whispering across his being, feather light. It was almost as if she had run her fingers along the back of his neck or across the sensitive skin of his jawline. It was a replaced a moment later by repulsion, a sick feeling in his gut.

Outside, right outside.

Rushing to the window, he frantically searched the property below. There, standing in the rain, was the shadow of a tall slender woman, sneering up at him, her eyes burning red with fury. It's mouth quirked up to reveal rows of shark sharp teeth. Blood painted its mouth and ran down its chin.

He couldn't hear it speak, but he could make out the movement of its mouth through the rain.

"Hello, Se-"

"Do not say that name," he snarled.

The woman laughed, the sound of a hammer to concrete.

It was not until he felt the second demon, testing his barrier, a few precious feet away from the woman he'd spent so long searching for that he realized his error. He ran, felt the barrier crack and shatter, Kagome's hands grasp the sword, felt the long forgotten feeling of adrenaline power through his veins, a warrior's soul rising from the ashes.