Dance with the Devil
Summary: When Kagome finds a little boy marred with bruises and clothes stained with blood, she carries him back to camp. He seems nice enough, but is what she sees before her the truth...or is there something darker, hidden behind those chocolate mocha eyes?
Anime/Manga: InuYasha/Shaman King
Pairing: Kagome/Hao (In much, much, much later chapters.)
Genre: Romance/Adventure/Angst
Rated: M for Mature
A/N: Unlike Playing with Fire: Chained, this won't go through the tournament. Sorry folks! But, I hope you like it all the same! Take's place mostly in his past, but the last six or seven chapters will be in the future, with the occasional, Kagome returns home for some good, R&R and restocking supplies. Also, it won't follow the timeline of Shaman King much.)
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Chapter Three
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Kagome found herself sitting on the hillside with Hao next to her. They were looking down at a nearby village, a woman was crying at a gravesite, no one else was near her, no one else showed her sympathy or even pity. No, she was crying over the loss of her child, the child she'd gotten killed herself.
"Parasites...all of them are pitiful parasites." Hao said firmly, watching the scene with distaste.
"I think it's more sad, than it is pitiful. Humans are always making mistakes, and will always make mistakes."
"It's true that people make mistakes...and will continue to do so. It's also true that often times these mistakes can be learned from and even fixed, however, often times, people only receive one opportunity and the choices they make can ultimately lead to mistakes that cost lives, and cost them their humanity. Many other times...people don't even own up to the mistakes they make, for a chance to make things better. Those people, will never know the glory of achieving greatness."
Kagome nodded, "but mistakes are there to learn from..."
Hao frowned, "the only thing that should be learned from making a mistake, is to not make anymore. You can rule the world in cunning and intellect...ruthlessness and influence...but you will only fall from the grace of your peers with the mistakes you continue to make.'
"...Hao...your eyes are filled with sadness,"
"No...There filled with animosity. This human race which has tossed me aside, called me a monster, killed my mother...this human race that continues to make the mistake of making me their enemy...they will learn, or they will parish. They won't receive a second chance."
Kagome lifted Hao into her arms and buried her face in his neck as she held him close to her, hugging him with everything that she had, she hopped his heart would heal. Whatever had happened, even with the details he'd given her, she just knew that there was much more to his tale than what he'd told her. His mother was killed, he was out-casted, calling him a monster..."For what reason...for what reason could anyone have...for calling you a monster?" Kagome shook her head, running her fingers through his chestnut brown hair while he stared over her shoulder in shock.
This was how they stayed for a good few hours until finally...Hao fell asleep...
Kagome, on the other hand, continued to watch the village below. The woman had left the grave sight of her dead child, and as she walked towards her home, rocks were hurled at her, insults were thrown like knives, and incisions were made along her body. 'Humans...have they really always been so dirty? Such cruel and heartless creatures...I...never noticed before.' Kagome scoffed, "No...I noticed, I just ignored it, turned a blind eye to it, maybe even hoped that they would understand that what they were doing was a...mistake...not all humans are bad though. Right?"
Perhaps if she'd been paying attention to everything around her, she may have noticed the jewel darken slightly in its shade for a mere second of a moment before returning to its bright pink coloring. However, she didn't notice, and after returning to the camp, no one else was any wiser of the change taking place within Kagome.
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(Three Weeks Later)
"I have to go back, Miroku, but I'm going to speak with Hao first about it before I do. He doesn't understand that I'm not from this time yet." Kagome whispered softly to the monk beside her. She and Miroku were sitting at the fire watching the wood crackle and pop, splitting at the burn of the heat as they both watched the sleeping duo across from the fire. Shippou and Hao were both warmly curled up together with a large Kilala laying behind them both, her tails laying warmly around and over them.
"...I'll watch over him while you are away."
Kagome nodded, her eyes looked to see Sango was asleep, though, not that she would have wanted to talk to her at the moment. The two girls had been in a rather abnormal argument concerning Miroku that morning. The argument itself had taken Miroku by surprise, as he had merely done what he normally did, groped Sango, and gotten hit for it. It was his shock when Kagome had commented about the abrasive abuse that he put up with. Which spurred Sango on the defense...and now neither were really seeing eye-to-eye about anything.
"What about Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, not necessarily wanting to bring up the other problem in their group...but really, he was gone.
"...what about him?" Kagome asked, honestly not caring, for the first time in so long, what another individual thought of the choice she made. "He is off doing whatever with Kikyou, so be it. If that's what he wants, then fine. All I need to worry about is Shippou and Hao."
"And me?"
Kagome frowned, looking to Miroku who shrugged.
"Kagome, what set you off today? You've never gotten upset before when Sango hit me? If anything, you supported her claims to my lecherous personality, as well as any punishments I might have incurred."
Kagome nodded, understanding well what he was implying. "I feel...like all I do is watch bad thing happen around me. I don't ever act on what I see, Miroku. The horrible, ugly things, that take place in the villages we pass through, don't stop at Demons hurting humans...humans are a far cry from innocent victims. I...honestly, I just want them to see what it's like to be treated the way they treat others. Is that so wrong?"
Miroku shook his head, "no, I wouldn't say it's wrong, I do think that you are directing unsorted emotions at the wrong people though. Maybe, while you're back in your own time, you could take a couple hours to meditate and sort through everything."
"...alright. You're probably right in the long run anyways." Kagome stood up and walked towards Shippou and Hao, laying down before the two boys, she smiled as she stared at the two. She fell asleep watching over them.
Miroku never slept that night, he stayed up taking in the whole of the day, until the morning sun started to rise. He was sure his body would regret this later on, but he would deal with it later. If anything, he could find them a village to take refuge in later on and take a nap then while the kids played elsewhere. Sango was against both him and Kagome, so he wasn't sure if asking her to watch the boys would be in his arsenal of acceptable questions to ask. All the same, this would all be for the morning, and well after Kagome was down the well and back home. Until then, he was going to keep watch over his friends, and wait for Inuyasha to return...if he returned.
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Me: Here is chapter three. I recently wrote down the names of ALL OF MY UNFINISHED STORIES, on pieces of paper, folded them and put them in a container. I shake it, and then draw one. WHATEVER I DRAW gets written, and then placed back in the container. I can't redraw. Now...I WILL UPDATE FOR SURE! Next up is...Avengers/IY..."I Got You"! See you all soon!