Fallen Souls 17/25 by Cassandra

[paxbanana]

Standard Disclaimer

Fallen

By: Cassandra

Chapter 17



Miroku sat with his legs crossed, one elbow resting on his knee to prop up his chin and he looked vaguely ready to sweat-drop as Sango wrapped bandages around his good hand.

?And another thing! The next time you decide to go running off without me, so help me, I will throw my boomerang after you! Do not do that again! You left me half-sick worrying about you, not knowing whether to stay with Kaede or go after you! And then, when I go after you I find you unconscious! Of course I would find you unconscious! You went off without me! You didn?t even take Kirara!?

The feline twitched an ear.

?And you?ve reopened the wound, just as I knew you would! Now you?re burned and stabbed and I have no idea what-? She broke off in a squeak and whacked the hand that clutched her bottom.

Beside them Kaede sat silently, her head bowed, her face drawn. They had found her unconscious still when they had returned bearing Miroku and Shippo had looked ready to break into tears.

Especially at being told about Kagome.

Kaede turned her head and looked at Inuyasha. The hanyou sat leaning against the doorway, gazing outward into the sunset blankly. He had been quiet for the entire day, merely sitting in the exact same spot, gazing out into the same distance. And he looked wounded himself, alone. With a small breath she said quietly, ?Inuyasha.?

The hanyou turned his head to look down into his lap, an indication that he had heard her but did not wish to meet her eyes.

Kaede hesitated, realizing that the small room had grown silent the moment she had opened her mouth to speak. Sure enough, Sango was still diligently bandaging Miroku?s hand, her head bowed, but all senses alert. And Miroku looked at the old priestess, all the teasing over and done. Even Shippo lifted his head, looking very uncomfortable.

?I?m sorry,? Kaede said quietly.

Inuyasha made a face of impatience and looked back out to the sunset once more, his jaw clenching. ?I don?t blame you, old woman,? he said gruffly, and he squinted at the sun, not feeling its warmth. No warmth of any kind. ?I just?don?t understand what happened.?

?It?s obvious what happened,? Miroku said for the old priestess and Inuyasha looked at him, his face dangerous. ?That youkai has been with us for the entire time. It went after Kagome. She was the weakest. She was the most susceptible. And now that she has given herself to him he has the power of the Shikon no Tama at his command.?

Inuyasha threw another face, shaking his head and looking back out at the sun.

?It may not be what you want to hear, Inuyasha, but it?s the truth,? the monk said softly.

?But why?? Inuyasha demanded and he suddenly sprang to his feet, whirling on them as a group. Sango halted in mid-bandaging, looking at the hanyou and Shippo was stiff in fear at the hanyou?s sudden anger. ?Why did she join forces with it? Why was it strong enough to get to her? And why can?t she control it now??

There was a long moment of silence, one that seemed to last an eternity. And just as the hanyou was ready to sit back down Kaede whispered, ?She?s angry. Afraid. Hurt. And the youkai knew this and used it against her.?

Inuyasha merely looked at her as she broke off and with a patient look he said quietly, ?Just say it.?

Kaede bowed her head, inhaling. ?She wanted you. She feared the feelings you had for my sister still and she was afraid. She thought there was no need for her if Kikyo was here-?

?And she couldn?t find the Shikon no kakera?? Sango whispered in sudden realization.

Inuyasha looked at the exterminator quickly, his mind working.

?She thought of herself as useless. And if she couldn?t be of any use, why should she be here? What would keep her here besides the Shikon no Tama?? Kaede looked at the hanyou. ?Inuyasha, of course??

?But she feared that if she could be of no use, you wouldn?t want her. There would be no point to her, and especially not if you were still in love with Kikyo-sama. You could just as easily give the Shikon no Tama back to Kikyo and it could be the way it was before,? Miroku added.

?And it just all became too much for her, wasn?t it?? Shippo asked faintly, sadly.

Inuyasha looked around the entire room, breathing erratically. No one had said it but most likely because there had been no need to say it. Because it was an unspoken truth.

Kagome had turned because of him.

He turned away, leaning weakly against the doorway. ?And I chose Kikyo over her?? he whispered. ?That one day when she came back, that she said she?d stay with me even if I chose Kikyo?did it start there??

Miroku shook his head. ?No, it did not start there. But I?m sure that has stayed with her since. I?m sure it had some bearing on her decision in the end-?

?No!? Kaede raised her head to the group, to Inuyasha who seemed ready to keel over. ?Even in the end Kagome didn?t hate him.? She looked directly at Inuyasha, her one good eye narrowed. ?She fought in the end for you! She believed in you! You were all she wanted-?

?Then what happened?? Inuyasha shouted, whirling back around. He trembled faintly, holding out his clawed hands questioningly. ?What the hell happened??

?He tricked her,? Miroku said simply. As the hanyou looked at him once more he began to explain, ?In everyone?s mind, they are the strongest person. They can determine what goes on, what they see, what they hear. To have an intruder come in would pit them against that intruder and naturally the mind should win out. Such was not the case with this youkai. This youkai has been around for a very long time and he is very good at what he does??

Inuyasha glared at him, breathing heavily.

?First, Kagome was in no way strong enough to defeat this youkai. None of us here really is but we all would have had an easier time with it. It is why we are not as affected by it as she was.? He looked at Sango slowly. ?We spoke of this??

Sango nodded wordlessly.

?For another, as Kaede has explained to me, Kagome thought herself strong enough to take the youkai on by herself. To be a barrier between a person and an outside influence does not, in any way, protect you from that person.?

Inuyasha stared at him, growling faintly. ?Explain yourself.?

Miroku nodded. ?What Kaede and I did was to become a barrier between Kagome and that youkai. In doing so, we basically blocked off the youkai from taking over Kagome?s mind. It isn?t the easiest thing in the world, believe me. But, in blocking off Kagome from the youkai, we didn?t think that we would also be attacked by Kagome.?

Inuyasha frowned.

?In someone?s mind, nothing alien is welcome. We were just as alien as the youkai. So on one side we had the youkai fighting to get in, which is pressure on the barrier. On the other side, instead of allowing us to act as her barrier, Kagome began to fight the youkai herself, which, in effect, became an attack on the barrier from her side as well. In other words, we were kicked out,? Miroku explained.

Sango nodded in understanding, Inuyasha leaning back against the doorframe.

?She had no idea what she was doing and she wasn?t strong enough to take on the youkai,? Kaede said quietly.

Inuyasha looked at the group in its entirety, eyes shifting from the monk to the exterminator and then to the old priestess. ?So, that?s it then. Kagome?s gone,? he stated flatly, amber eyes burning.

Sango straightened a bit, sitting back on her shins. ?We can try to find her, but?you saw how easily she took us on. She was already in control of that jewel-?

?No,? Miroku said and he frowned. ?She wasn?t in control of it. Did you see her face? Any of you, at all? She didn?t know what she was doing. She was reacting. She isn?t in control of the Shikon no Tama, not yet. The youkai is teaching her and, with her, he does whatever he wants. Maybe if we get to her before she learns to fully control the jewel-?

?He needs her alive,? Kaede said quietly.

The entire group looked at her.

Slowly, with a tired sigh, the old priestess rose to her feet. ?The youkai can not survive without a body. Without a mind to control. Not now that he doesn?t have one of his own. He?s going to hold on to her for all he?s worth. And he knows he?ll be rewarded if he does. What can be more powerful than a black priestess with a jewel of power??

?She isn?t a black priestess,? Inuyasha barked at her.

?She will be, ? Kaede replied just as curtly. ?Believe me, I know-?

?Stupid hag, you don?t know anything,? Inuyasha growled. ?You have no idea what she?s going through, none of us do-?

?I?m the only one who knows!? Kaede cut him off and she bristled. ?I?ve seen this before, I?ve been in this place before! I know what she is going through!?

Sango looked at her over her shoulder, Miroku straightening as complete and total silence filled the room. And then Sango frowned, slowly. ?You?ve fought this creature before?? the exterminator whispered.

Inuyasha looked at the old priestess with a murderous glare.

Kaede hesitated, her old frame inhaling wearily. With a shake of her head she floated over to Kirara and looked down at the creature, her gaze distant. ?No, not I. Kikyo fought with this youkai. Such a long time ago.?

Kirara cocked his head quizzically, looking up at the old priestess.

?She spent days dealing with him. He attacked her any which way he could. Through spells, physical attacks, mental attacks. All of it. And she had been so tired in the end. But she had the Shikon no Tama and that jewel saved her. She banished him, defeated him. And I haven?t heard from him since. Not until these last few days??

?You knew?all about this?? Inuyasha whispered.

?Not until I saw him,? Kaede replied quickly. ?Not until I saw him in Kagome?s mind. I knew then who he was. I remember everything Kikyo had told me about him and I knew, looking at his faces, I knew who he was.?

?It doesn?t matter,? Sango cut in, seeing as how Inuyasha was looking more dangerous than usual. ?What matters now is how to defeat it. How do we get Kagome-chan back??

Kaede shrugged faintly, shaking her head.

Sango?s shoulders fell limply at the response and she looked at Miroku then Inuyasha. ?There has to be something we can do?? she said although it sounded like a question.

Inuyasha shook his head, turning to look back out to the sunset. It was going to be a cold night, in more ways than one. The rain had passed through, showering the morning and now all the humidity was shifting, moving with the storm clouds. He leaned against the doorframe once more, the blinds lifted away to allow the sunset in. He frowned, looking out and about blindly.

?Inuyasha??

He didn?t respond to the exterminator for a long moment, focused on the world outside. ?I can?t smell her, I don?t know which was she?s gone. It would be pointless to go one way if she?s off in the opposite direction??

Sango glanced toward Miroku cautiously. He nodded to her and she slowly said, ?I need to stop by my village. I need to re-forge the boomerang and that?s going to take me a few days. I can go along, take Kirara with me, and I?ll find you wherever you go-?

?No,? Inuyasha said, bringing her to a stop. Arms crossing over his chest he exhaled, eyebrows drawn low over his eyes. ?We?ll go with you. While you repair the boomerang. Maybe I?ll catch a scent of Kagome as I go. It?s better than staying here the whole time.? He glanced toward them, his eyes resting on Miroku. ?What do you say, bozu? Are you up for it??

Miroku managed to look thoughtful and unperturbed at the same time. ?A long trip while I am wounded and burned-?

?I already warned you-? Sango began, looking faintly murderous.

?I?ll go!? Shippo spoke up, raising a hand.

Inuyasha looked at him, frowning. ?No. You?re staying here,? he said firmly.

?Why??

The hanyou leveled a glare at him. ?Because I know the way you are around Kagome. You don?t want to see her the way she is right now. When we straighten her out you can see her as much as you want. But for now you stay here with the old bag-?

Kaede made a small sound.

?And watch over the village,? Inuyasha finished. And his tone left no room for argument. He maintained the glare for another moment before facing forward once more and looking back out into the sunset.

?Tomorrow morning?? Sango asked.

Inuyasha nodded. ?Tomorrow morning.?







She cocked her head, watching the hanyou as he turned from the doorframe and looked back inside the small room once more. He hadn?t smiled all day, his face retaining its usual scowl. She loved that scowl. She smiled faintly as she watched him, her legs dangling from the tree branch she sat on. It was going to be such a warm night. She herself felt very warm, the evening breeze blowing passed her, through her.

?So?anything I wish, I can do?? she asked.

Anything your heart desires. Do you want to fly? You can. Do you want to make yourself invisible? You can. Invincible? Might take a little more work than you?re putting in?

Her smile widened. ?You?re angry with me?? she asked innocently.

Of course not. I do, however, wish you wouldn?t sit around and waste time. You have much left to do and sitting here watching him won?t accomplish anything. No matter how much you think it will?

She gazed at the hanyou, her gaze distant. ?But it?s so much fun to watch him?? she murmured distractedly, staring. ?It?s almost?a comfort?? and she hesitated, her eyes caught to the hanyou.

The half-demon nodded at a question asked him and he looked out once more, gazing at the sunset. It caused him to burn copper, his silver hair brilliant in the sun, his skin a golden bronze. His white top hung over his pants and she frowned. He didn?t normally look like that. He usually had a red top as well?

They?re making plans. To repair the boomerang weapon. It?s for you. They?re planning how to finish you. If you give them the chance they will-

Why was it that when she stared at him her heart softened? She frowned faintly, caught by his presence, her thoughts springing about in her mind. The voice in her head was momentarily lost in the shuffle of thoughts and she found that she couldn?t look away from him. What did he look like when he smiled? Did he have a soft smile or was it the wild one that automatically seemed to be associated with him because of his scowl? She wanted to know. Did he smile at all? Had anyone ever made him smile?

Are you blocking him away again? I?ve told you many times the only way to become stronger is to face your fears. He is one of your fears. You must overcome to move on. I am here with you, I will help you along this path?

?Why am I afraid of him?? she questioned. ?If I have all this power, why should I fear him??

Interesting question. Have you asked yourself that?

She frowned, pausing. ?I fear him because?he has something I want. Something I wish I had??

But he doesn?t, does he?

?He does,? she whispered, eyes trained on the hanyou. ?He has?love. He?s in love with someone and I want him?to be in love?? she suddenly grimaced and lifted her hands to her head, wincing painfully. So many thoughts suddenly, too many contradictions. The babble in her head was incessant, no matter how much she tried to shut away all thoughts, all words. They continued to run through her, loud and soft, buzzing.

?I want him to be in love?with me??

We?ve been through this before?

There were so many thoughts. She clenched her jaw, teeth gritting, and she drew in her shoulders to stop the sudden madness raging in her head. But it was too much, too many words, too many thoughts. Too many emotions.

?Why can?t he love me??

There came a definite sigh from the voice inside, the prominent one, and then he spoke again, sounding like a tape recorder.

He can?t love you because he loves someone else. He?s the one who has strung you along all this time. He?s the one who pushes you away, who would steal your power from you to give to another. She doesn?t deserve it. You do. You?ve been through so much for so long, why can?t you be happy for once?

?No. It isn?t like that?it isn?t??

It is. I?m sorry it has to be me to tell you this but it is. It?s been that way for so long?

?No??

Yes.

?No!? she cried and she suddenly fell, her form slipping from the tree branch. The fall wasn?t long nor did she feel the impact for she never hit.

Inuyasha abruptly stopped, halfway through lowering the bamboo blinds at the doorway. Lifting his head he sniffed once, then again. And his face darkened, his frame stiffening.

?Inuyasha?? asked Miroku.

?It?s her scent,? he whispered and he tossed aside the blinds to run out into the sunset. All around he could suddenly smell her, her scent assaulting his senses, and he looked about quickly, scanning the immediate area. She was close, very close. Close enough to taste on his tongue. His eyes narrowed as he searched the land, sniffing and taking a step first here then a hesitant step in the opposite direction.

At the doorway Sango and Miroku appeared, the monk frowning.

?I smell her?? Inuyasha murmured, his ears twitching. ?I smell her??

And as he said it he suddenly lost her scent. He came to a stop, frowning, and he could still smell her scent clinging to the grass, carried on the breeze, but it wasn?t as strong as it had been a moment before. He settled once more, disappointed and looking around a bit lost.

?You smelled her?? Sango asked in confusion.

Inuyasha nodded. ?For just a small moment, I smelled her. And now I can?t smell her anymore??

Sango glanced at Miroku. ?What does that mean?? she asked slowly.

Miroku pursed his lips, straightening and backing away from the doorway. ?It means she?s learning to control the jewel,? he answered and with that he went back inside, retreating to the shadows of the room.

Sango stared at him and then back at the hanyou as he wandered about still, sniffing the air. And then, with a shake of her head, she also joined the monk.

To be continued...

[Kaili Charmer]

That's it??? This thing is going around in circles!!! You can't have me wait that long to read a chapter!! I'm just now realizing that I understand practically everything! I need some resolutions or more conflict here, chica!! :razz: Come on! I know you've got more...

[kyoki]

What? No confrontations? NOOO!!! My life...is over...*dramatic death scene* You must update soon! I really wanna know what Inu's gonna do when he finally meets the "evil" Kagome.

Great story!