Fallen Souls 18/25 [really]

[paxbanana]

Fallen

BY: CASSANDRA


Once again I'd like to apologize for the mix-up.


Chapter 18

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??????????? Sango looked up once more, halfway through driving the mallet against the youkai bone. She twitched as Inuyasha continued to pace, his long silver hair floating about his lean frame. She turned back to the boomerang and lifted the mallet once more, shaking her head. Sitting on the other side of the boomerang, legs crossed before him in the lotus position sat Miroku, eyes closed in meditation. She looked at him as well, feeling suddenly cramped. ?Inuyasha,? she said, forcing herself to speak patiently, ?why don?t you go outside and get some air. It?s very hot in here. The fire-?

??????????? ?I?m fine,? the hanyou growled, not stopping his pacing one bit.

??????????? Sango sighed, shaking her head once more.

??????????? They had been at her village for a week as she had collected the youkai bone, had selected the perfect ones to recreate the boomerang. She had also paid homage to her dead and now she was close to finishing the weapon. She had been bent over the bones for hours, melting, shaping, and pounding. She was weary and sore and she was starving.

??????????? Before her Miroku slowly came alive, lifting his head and looking about. Night had fallen as he had meditated and he frowned faintly. ?Kagome?? he asked quietly.

??????????? Inuyasha stiffened at the mention of her name but continued to pace.

??????????? ?Here and there,? Sango replied softly and she pounded the youkai bone once more, a bit too hard. The bone broke into pieces and she bit back a curse, slamming the mallet down impatiently. ?Damn it?? With an exhalation she leaned over and bowed her head, shoulders falling wearily.

??????????? Miroku sent her a sympathetic look.

??????????? ?He catches her scent every once in a while,? she said under her breath, staring at the youkai bone absentmindedly. ?It?ll be there and then gone the next minute. Nothing else has happened other than that while you were praying.? And with an angry gesture, she shoved away the mallet.

??????????? Inuyasha paused and glanced at them both over his shoulder.

??????????? The exterminator lifted her hands to her eyes and rubbed them wearily. ?This is going to take another few days now,? she whispered and she glanced down as Kirara nudged her thigh. A small smile lifting the corners of her lips, she reached down and ran her fingers through the creature?s thick fur.

??????????? ?Perhaps you should rest the night then,? Miroku said. And he motioned over to the bedding. ?I would be happy to share-?

??????????? Sango sent him a withering look.

??????????? He blinked owlishly.

??????????? Inuyasha paced back in their direction, eyes trained on the ground in thought. A frown was on his face and his ears twitched faintly as he paused before them. Sango looked over at him, Miroku lifting his head and he said, ?I?ve lost it again??

??????????? Miroku?s face was patient. ?Her scent??

??????????? The hanyou nodded. And he looked at the broken boomerang. ?Not done yet??

??????????? Sango sighed and motioned to the pieces. ?Have to start all over. This is going to take another few days.? She lifted her head back up to look at him. ?Maybe you should go on without me and I?ll catch up? Take Kirara with you-?

??????????? Inuyasha stared at the broken weapon silently. He seemed thoughtful in his silence, his arms crossed over his chest. Miroku raised his eyebrows questioningly and the hanyou looked at him as well. Then, with a shake of his head, he said, ?No, it?s pointless. I smell her and then I don?t. I have no idea where she?s going or where she?s been. I can?t risk going off in one direction and then have to backtrack if I lose her scent completely.? He lifted his head and looked around the small room. ?We?ll wait for you to finish. Then we?ll head off again, try to follow her??

??????????? Sango stared at him as he broke off and with a small glance at the monk she nodded. And she went for the mallet once more.

??????????? ?Tomorrow,? Miroku said, stopping her hand. ?Start again tomorrow. Nothing is going to happen tonight.?

??????????? She hesitated and then nodded silently and they both watched as Inuyasha wandered off, sniffing faintly.

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??????????? Her eyes came open suddenly and she blinked, clearing away the cobwebs in her head. The night sky was above and she gazed up at the moon, her hand raised to her breast. She hesitated, not understanding, and slowly, she lowered her gaze to her breast. There had been a wound there once. Now there was a small twinge, almost like the shadow, the memory, of a bruise. She moved her hand away and achingly rose to sit up. The night was colder than most, the wind howling through the trees. She winced faintly as she looked about, stretching her knees out a bit.

??????????? You?re failing?

??????????? She stopped, frowning. ?What??

??????????? But the voice that responded was feminine and soft, firm and yet gentle.

??????????? You?re failing. You?ve gone down the wrong path. You weren?t strong enough to control the Shikon no Tama, to protect it. To protect me. They are overpowering?

??????????? Grimacing she looked about, searching for the owner of the feminine voice but she sat alone in the meadow, the breeze blowing passed her ear.

??????????? You?don?t?understand. You don?t?understand-

??????????? She lifted her hands to her ears, not knowing whether to block out the voice or to sit and listen to it whisper. It was such a soft, feminine voice, so beautiful. And full of such pain. She hesitated momentarily, undecided, and slowly, she looked down at her chest where the Shikon no Tama hung. It was still missing several shards but it swirled with an ominous black light, very much alive.

??????????? Had it always been that color? She remembered when it had glowed with an otherworldly light. Otherworldly?

??????????? ?Oka-san?? she suddenly whispered.

??????????? She had a mother, didn?t she? And a young brother. A grandfather. And something about a shrine, a well.

??????????? You don?t understand?

??????????? What was her brother?s name? How old was she? How much time had passed?

??????????? You don?t understand?

??????????? Why was so much of herself blocked off? Why couldn?t she remember details like her mother?s face but remember hate? Such hate inside, almost coming off her in palpable waves. Why couldn?t she sway herself from that dominating hate inside?

??????????? A masculine voice cut into her thoughts, suddenly loud and unwanted. Eerily evil. And the voice sounded angry. Furious. It made her cringe outwardly even though she didn?t feel the physical presence of anyone close by.

??????????? Who are you speaking to?

??????????? She looked about, feeling as if she was being watched, feeling as if she was cornered. Caught red-handed doing something she wasn?t supposed to have been doing. ?No one?? she whispered, drawing in her knees and embracing them to her chest. ?I wasn?t speaking to anyone-?

??????????? You?re lying.

??????????? ?No!? she said quickly and she grimaced once more, lifting a hand to her head. Such confusion inside, she didn?t understand.

??????????? The voice quiet down for a long moment, hovering in the back of her mind, the presence underlying her thoughts. She was anxious at having it so close, fearful of the fact that she felt restrained when it was around. The few times that it floated away were the only moments she had to herself, the moments she questioned where she was, where she was going and, worst yet, who she was. She felt so muddled. And almost always, so angry.

??????????? I apologize.

??????????? She hesitated as the masculine voice came again, sounding repentant, in her ear. It felt like a small tickle in her thoughts, the warm breath of a lover and the mere thought of it in that context sent a shiver down her spine.

??????????? You know I would never want to hurt your feelings, distrust you. You and I are the only ones who understand each other. I understand your hate, I can make it better for you. I know what it is you want, who you wish to destroy, and I can help you do that. There is no reason to keep anything from me, to hide anything. Did I not say from the beginning that I was here to help you?

??????????? ?Yes??

??????????? And don?t they all deserve to pay? Pay for making you so sad? Don?t they deserve it? Doesn?t he deserve it?

??????????? There was a flash of silver hair and brilliant amber eyes and the mere vision of it made her want to cry. And yet to see the face made her furious as well, all those tender thoughts suddenly raging inside her, boiling. She closed her eyes to it, to force the vision away. She didn?t know she had such anger inside, hadn?t ever had a clue to it, and yet to see the face made her want to suddenly tear flesh from bone, slash and break. She wanted to destroy him, decimate him, and then she wanted to weep and plead with him.

??????????? ?See me?? she whispered, and she frowned faintly, grimacing, because she didn?t understand.

??????????? Do you see the face? Of the one who started this all?

??????????? She didn?t want to see it but the face came unbidden the moment she was asked of it. Trembling, she whimpered, afraid of the face. But it appeared there, foremost in her mind, and she was beautiful. Of course she was beautiful. Why else would he have gone to her? Why else would he have been drawn to her?

??????????? ?Inuyasha?? she murmured mournfully.

??????????? Don?t think of him. It will only hurt you to do so. Instead think of this woman. Think that it is all her fault that you are not with your hanyou, that you can never be with him again.

??????????? She exhaled shakily, feeling raging tears, pure burning emotion, hate, for the woman. ?Kikyo??

??????????? How would her blood feel on your hands, slippery across your skin? How would it make you feel to know that she is out of the way? From there you can do anything you want with the hanyou, he will be all yours. No more having to share a soul. It?s your soul, after all!

??????????? ?My?soul??

??????????? And once she?s out of the way you can be sure he?ll come back for you. He?s blinded by her, that?s all it is. If you take her from this world he?ll come back begging forgiveness, I guarantee it. He?ll love you more than he?s ever loved her and you?ll have the perfect life. With him by your side and my power at your command no one would ever dream of getting in your way. We will rule over all?

??????????? She shook her head, lifting a hand to her face to rub it over her eyes. ?I don?t want to rule over all. I want to go home??

??????????? Where is home?

??????????? She frowned, pausing and she thought for a moment. Home? Where was home, now that he asked so innocently? How long had she been here for, lying in the grass? ?What happened to me? I was in the tree??

??????????? You started questioning me. Again. You let him smell you. I saved you. He would have killed you had you shown yourself to him at such a vulnerable moment. You need to listen to my words, heed them. You aren?t as strong as you wish to be, as I wish you to be. It?s time you started doing what I tell you to do and finish collecting the shards!

??????????? She shook her head once more, and the night turned blacker somehow, the moon?s rays fading faintly. ?No. I can?t concentrate on the shards. I can barely find them. All I can think about is her, I have no time for the shards-?

??????????? You will listen to what I say or I will destroy you here! We?ve been through this before, you know you can?t stop me if I decide to take you over completely and use you as my own! Now do as I say!

??????????? She stiffened, her face darkening. ?No,? she whispered, and she slowly rose to her feet, her hands falling to her side. ?Don?t threaten me, I do what I want when I want to. And the first thing we?re going to do is find the priestess.?

??????????? The voice was silent for a moment, hovering in the darkness of her thoughts. She stood where she was, waiting for an argument, another threat. But then his voice came again and it was different somehow. Not as smooth. Rough and angry, the kind of voice that was always hovering between anger and impatience. And it brought with it an image of amber eyes and silver hair.

??????????? Keh. Do what you want then. The sooner you get rid of the bitch the sooner you?ll have me to yourself?

??????????? A shiver streaked down her spine at the voice momentarily, the fine hairs on the back of her neck sticking up. And then, glaring, she whispered, ?I need a bow?? and she turned and stalked off, her figure vanishing into the cool night.

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??????????? Inuyasha growled furiously, a low bark coming from him as he lost it yet again. He rose from where he had been crouched against the ground sniffing and he whirled, startling Miroku.

??????????? ?Lost it,? Miroku stated knowingly.

??????????? ?Damn her!? Inuyasha snarled, and he exhaled, arms crossing over his chest. ?We?ll never find her like this??

??????????? The monk slowly trudged over to a tree and leaned against it, sighing wearily. ?It?s better if we don?t at the moment anyway. I don?t think I would be of much use and neither would you, quite frankly.?

??????????? Inuyasha turned on him, glaring.

??????????? The monk?s face was serene. ?You wouldn?t hurt her even if you had to, we both know it. And what will happen if that?s what it comes to? Killing her to retrieve the Shikon no Tama?? The monk shook his head, bowing it. ?No one wants to ask the question but everyone needs to know. Would you be able to kill her if that?s what it took??

??????????? The hanyou?s glare faded a bit into a silent frown. For a moment he stared at the monk and then, wordlessly, he turned his face away, eyes falling to the ground.

??????????? Miroku exhaled, nodding that he understood. And in a quiet but resolute voice he said, ?I don?t think I?m strong enough, but if I have to I will. I will kill her to get the Jewel out of her hands.?

??????????? Inuyasha did not turn his face back at his words, did not show any kind of emotion. He stood silently, almost rooted to the ground, and slowly he inhaled, his shoulders falling almost wearily.

??????????? Would I be able to? Kill her?

??????????? From above came the sudden rush of wind and they both looked up as Sango came at last, astride Kirara?s back. She was dressed in her gear, her hair tied back, and on her back she carried her bone boomerang, newly restored after days of work. Kirara landed roughly on the grass and the exterminator looked from Inuyasha to Miroku purposefully.

??????????? ?Any direction?? she asked.

??????????? Wordlessly, Inuyasha sniffed the air once more before abruptly heading off at a slow pace. Sango frowned at his back for a moment in confusion. Miroku came off the tree and followed just as silently but with a meaningful look and with a small nod Sango also followed.

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??????????? Misery?

??????????? The woman paused in mid-step, her long red skirt blowing about her legs and slowly, she turned, her soul-stealers hovering around her. She looked up as if she knew what to expect and her face did not register surprise although confusion did mar it a bit. Her eyes focused, her brow furrowing.

??????????? Quietly, she said, ?You are?Kagome.?

??????????? Kagome came forward, materializing from the shadows of the night, and she almost seemed to float, black smoke trailing from the Shikon no Tama hidden beneath the red haori. Her gaze was hard as she focused on the priestess and the miko did recoil a step then, frowning quite noticeably.

??????????? ?I don?t need an introduction, then?? Kagome asked through gritted teeth and she swung the bow off her shoulder, pulling forth an arrow.

??????????? But Kikyo?s face was paling, a hand lifting as if to ward off Kagome?s presence. ?The Shikon no Tama?? she whispered, eyes widening, ?is black??

??????????? Kagome put the arrow to the bowstring, already aiming. ?As black as your soul, the small piece you took from me twisted in your possession,? she whispered angrily, and in her hands the arrow blackened, glowing with a dark light, dusty smoke rising from it.

??????????? ?No-? Kikyo cried and she took a step, ?it must not be used-?

??????????? ?I won?t hear it from you,? Kagome cut her off. ?Not anymore. I will use it the way I was meant to use it. It is mine now, under my command-?

??????????? ?Iie! Matte o-? Kikyo shouted frantically.

??????????? Without a second thought, Kagome let the arrow fly, her entire form singing. This was her day. At last, at long last, her day of reckoning.

??????????? He?ll be mine again. With you gone, he?ll be mine again-

??????????? Blackness streaked across the land, shooting toward the priestess and for a slight moment there was a flash of pure white light before the consuming blackness, Kikyo?s figure swallowed by it. It was a simple moment of brilliance that blinded Kagome and she lifted a hand to it, to block the painful glare. But the moment was enveloped in darkness once more and when the smoke cleared and the dust settled, it was night once more.

??????????? And Kikyo fell to her knees, suddenly gasping hoarsely and clutching the arrow that had pierced her chest. Blood fell from the wound, staining her white haori, and around her, the soul stealers floated limply to the ground and slowly vanished, dying away in a sweeping wind.

??????????? Kagome lowered her bow with a sigh and she came forward lazily to stand before the fallen priestess. ?It isn?t the best feeling in the world, I know,? she murmured as she gazed down at her and she lifted a hand to her own breast. ?But I just needed you to know how it felt.?

??????????? Heaving, Kikyo slowly raised her glare. ?You foolish girl?? she whispered in between heavy breaths. ?I knew?this was what you would turn into. This was why? I came for the Shikon no Tama-?

??????????? ?And you failed,? Kagome said, feigning concern. ?But I?m not angry with you. Not anymore. I think I accomplished what I meant to. Except?? and she hesitated thoughtfully, ?I?d rather see you dead and gone. For good. No coming back for you.?

??????????? Kikyo didn?t reply, her face hard and strained.

??????????? ?Is there a certain way you would like to die? Again?? Kagome asked politely. ?I would think the whole claw-up-your-back routine is out of the question??

??????????? Wearily and with a torn look, Kikyo slumped limply on her knees, her hand dropping away from the arrow.

??????????? ?I?ll take that as a yes,? Kagome murmured and she bent toward the priestess.

??????????? Moving faster than she would have expected of a dying woman Kikyo suddenly raised her own bow, an arrow at the ready and as Kagome found herself coming close she felt the tip of the arrowhead against the underside of her chin. She stiffened, coming to an abrupt halt and her vision darkened for a moment, clouding over.

??????????? Kikyo glared, a drop of blood falling from the corner of her mouth. ?The Shikon no Tama will not be twisted by your darkness-? and she let go of the arrow.

??????????? A flash of light and darkness collided, Kagome springing backward blindly and with the light was a small spark of black electricity. Her darkened vision wavered before coming into crystal clear clarity and before her, broken in half, hung the arrow, frozen in the air.

??????????? Kikyo?s lips parted, eyes widening. ?Masaka-?

??????????? Kagome stared at the arrow for another moment before looking down at the priestess darkly. ?All you ever manage to do is anger me?? she growled, and she descended upon Kikyo in a burst of black light and dust.

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??????????? Inuyasha rose to his feet, annoyed. ?I keep losing it?? he murmured and he seemed confused by it. He lifted his head, sniffing, hoping to catch a small whiff of it but there was nothing. Only the night and approaching rain.

??????????? ?You are sure you had it before?? Miroku asked, resting on his staff.

??????????? ?I?m positive,? Inuyasha growled, and he looked up at the moon. Halfway through the month. Since Sango had fixed the bone boomerang they had been searching for over a day, following Kagome?s scent when it surfaced, which was not often. It would cling to a rock or a tree trunk but not across the grass or the soil.

??????????? ?How do you lose someone?s scent?? Sango asked quietly. ?Unless that person can fly-?

??????????? ?And we don?t know she can?t,? Miroku said quickly. He glanced at Inuyasha as he spoke. ?Her scent has been coming up a lot lately and who knows what kind of power the Shikon no Tama affords her-?

??????????? ?But, saying she can?t. Fly, that is. How would her scent be on one thing but not another? If she crossed through this way-?

??????????? ?Naraku does this,? Inuyasha whispered very quietly. And as they both looked at him, ?He can make his scent appear like this.?

??????????? ?If he?s going through his stage?? Miroku said and his tone turned cautious. Warningly.

??????????? ?Or if he wants to be found,? Inuyasha finished. And he searched the area once more, amber eyes flying about. The night was quiet, undisturbed, and there was very little sound. There was nothing but silence between the group and all of them looked about warily, Sango pulling forth her boomerang a bit.

??????????? ?Why wouldn?t she want to be found now but have wanted it a moment ago?? she asked fearfully.

??????????? Inuyasha began to lead once more, silver hair trailing behind his figure. ?She doesn?t want to be found. She?s trying to show us something.? And his tone softened. ?Show me something.?

??????????? The group followed, Miroku taking to the air with Sango on Kirara?s back.

??????????? Of course she would want to show me something. She?d want to show me something painful. She?d want to lead me straight to my own death if she could. But no. If I were in Kagome?s place, her state of mind, what would I do to hurt the person I hate? Who would I go after?

??????????? And at that moment he caught the copper-tasting scent of blood on the night breeze and he knew.

??????????? Kikyo.


To be continued...


You know, when I posted the last chapter, I was pretty sure it didn't seem like it was in the right order. Damn... Oh, well.


Hm, Cassandra has a new inuyasha fic out at ff.net that promises to be as good as this one. Check it out. I'll get back on the next chapter to say the title of the new fic. Yet again, I apologize for mixing up the order.

[luved_by_bishie_duelistch]

very awesome. creepy & awesome. i loved it! luv dc

[Kaili Charmer]

Oh good...i commented on the other already, and i thought i'd been losing it when i couldn't figure out whose blood kagome had... hehe, creepy chapter, yes, but still very cool