InuYasha Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Minds, Shattered Hearts ❯ Introductions ( Chapter 2 )

It took us a full two days to get to Japan through Shadow. I took the pace slow so I could tell him my story.

“So your son Merlin is king of Chaos now?” Bill sounded impressed.

I shook my head, and let out a long sigh. “Nothing to get excited about. He's nothing but a mere puppet. He never wanted it, anyways, I don't think.”

I glanced over at my long-time friend. Out of all the years I had known him, he had never seemed so pensive.

“What's on your mind?”

He sighed, and shook his head. “I've known you for how long, first as Carl Corey, then as Corwin, both before and after your memory was restored. I've been to Amber. I've seen the Pattern with my own eyes. I helped you when the Jewel of Judgment transported you back to your old house, bleeding and near-delirious, stabbed by your brother Caine. But never, not once, did I get the errie feeling that reality is askew. That thing, that rock or stone or piece of glass, whatever it is, makes me feel like the world is dying.” Though he spoke barely above a whisper, his words troubled me more than I care to admit. So I was not the only one who had felt that: the world is dying. Not even when the Brand had marred the Pattern had I sensed what both Bill and I noted.

We rode on in silence, and the lights of Tokyo were brightening with each step. First, the twinkling of a few farm houses, then of houses. Those changed and morphed into larger buildings, apartment complexes, skyscrapers.

“I will part with you here.” I handed him my trump. “Concentrate on this when you are ready to go to Amber. Imagine it is really me on that card. I shadowshifted to make sure you have plenty of money in your wallet.” I handed him a safety deposit box key; “Use this—there are lots of papers, documents, and the like, including several passports and a bank account number in Zuric containing a quarter billion US dollars—it should have everything in it that you need to search for this rock. Also, it has a couple of firearms in it, in case you should need them. I'll be out and about around Tokyo trying to figure out what is going on; if you need anything, let me know. See you later.”

“How about a visit from Lady Luck?”

I chuckled. “I can't promise that, but if I run into her, I'll send her your way.”

With that, Bill nodded, and then turned Clove off towards Tokyo. I went a different direction, preferring to skirt the edge of the city and send Mori back to Amber before I went on. Before too long, I came across a large building in the clearing of a forest. It was twilight again, and the lights were on. I pulled out Martin's trump, and studied it. I opened my mind to his presence. Thinking about the boy—spiked Mohawk, various piercings, a drummer like his father—I pictured his still-life form as his actual body, there before me on the card. Slowly, the paint shifted and changed, and I felt the tingle in my brain that heralds contact. The jovial looking teen melted into a young man concentrating on fencing with Benedict. I waited until Benedict had unarmed Martin before I spoke. “Your getting better.” It was very difficult to cross foils, epees, swords, axes, or any type of weapon with Benedict and come out unscathed.

He pulled his mask off and put it under his left arm. “Uncle?” He querried while he wiped his brow of sweat.

“Can you take my horse, Mori? I won't be needing him for a while.”

“Sure, but let me get some free hands.”

I waited until he had lumped his mask, foil, and gloves on the ground near Benedict. My brother nodded in my direction while I handed Martin the reins, then slapped Mori's rump just hard enough to get him to move forward.

“Bye.” He called, and he was gone.

I replaced the card, then continued on through the forest.

I stopped at the edge of the tree-line, and smoked a cigarette, observing the place. It looked to be a large building, possibly a temple or a small castle, with a smaller structure off towards the side. I noticed a tall, strait tree, one of the oldest-looking ones, with a small little fence surrounding it.

As I was putting out the butt, a young woman, pale skin, black hair—so dark it shined almost blue in the lighting—caught my attention as she started mounting a gargantuan staircase. She carried a yellow backpack which looked ridiculous on her, as it looked far too big for her to carry, and wore a short green skirt and a long sleeved white shirt. Her outfit reminded me of a sailor's uniform. Following her was another figure, clad in crimson, with long, silvery hair; I wouldn't have been sure if it was a man or a woman had I not heard them bickering.

“Oi, wench! You ready to go yet? Two days is plenty long for those test things of yours. Why are they so important, anyways?” the man barked at her.

“Inuyasha, I don't want to fail in school! Besides, those were finals and I needed to take them.”

“The only thing you need to do is come with me to hunt Jewel shards!”

“Inuyasha” she said in a warning tone, “don't make me say `it'!”

“Feh.”

“I'm coming, I'm coming, just let me get some clothes and some Ramen, unless you're in that much of a hurry?”

Her companion grumbled, but obliged, and they entered the doors at the top of the staircase, only to return but a few minutes later.

They headed towards a small building, a non-descript shed of some sort. Curiosity got the better of me, and I followed, hoping to learn something from these two. The ill-tempered man, I could tell, had mentioned something about Jewel shards; perhaps even what I was searching for.

I entered the building, and found it to be a well house. They were nowhere in sight, and I was surprised by the soft light coming from the bottom of the square well; it was exactly like the afterimage of someone trumping out.

Without a second thought, I jumped in after them. I felt like I was floating—not an unpleasant feeling, but somewhat disorienting, and I could see the stars in the sky change. I was definantly passing through shadow. When my feet touched bottom, I looked around and up; the two were already out of the well, and there was no shed built around it.

“What the hell stinks?” bellowed the man from somewhere above. He peered over the edge of the well and I heard him growl.

“Who the hell are you? And why do you smell so fucking bad?”

I pulled out another cigarette and lit it, much to the displeasement Angry Man. “Corwin.” I snickered because I knew what stank.

“Put that fucking thing out!” He roared.

I chose to ignore that, while I saw Kagome's mouth open and close a few times, though lacking sound.

“What… Who… How did you pass through—Inuyasha, he's got a Jewel shard!”

The silver haired man immediately drew his sword—growing bigger as it exited its scabbard, and it looked very white instead of metallic like I expected. “Give it up!”

“Inuyasha, SIT!” The silver haired boy disappeared from sight, although there was an audible thud from above. Something that sounded suspiciously like “Fucking… Stupid beads…” soon followed. I took a long drag on my cigarette.

“I'm sorry about his bad manners. Could you tell me how you have a shard of the Shikon Jewel?”

I pulled out the fragment Random had given me. “This?” Jewel of four souls? Interesting name…

She nodded.

“Well, the Courts of Chaos were exiling a chaosian to this region of Shadow and came across another outlaw with it embedded in its body. Returned to the Courts with it, gave it to the king there, who have it to my brother, who gave it to me to investigate.” I saw her face go from interest to complete confusion.

“What do you know about it?” Kagome asked. I could tell she knew I was leaving out some integral parts of my explanation of its trip to me.

“I believe it may have something to do with my family. Other than that, nothing.” I didn't want to give up more information than I had to.

“Who is this family of yours? And I thought I told you to put that thing out already, dammit!” Inuyasha bit in, as he was pulled himself from the dirt.

I ignored him. “I was hoping you might be able to tell me about it, as you seem to know about it.” I took another drag. Nothing wrong with mining the information from those who had it.

She reached somewhere into one of her pockets, and retrieved a glass vial, containing four more pieces just like the one in my hand. From the look her companion gave her, he was not happy with her revealing them to me. “Kagome, I don't trust him.”

The girl looked at Inuyasha. They whispered something back and forth, and Inuyasha's face soured as she turned back to me. He crossed his arms and turned away from her, nose in the air. “I could just take it from him, Kagome.”

“No, Inuyasha! He has it, and as far as I can tell, he isn't trying to take our fragments. Besides, I can't sense an evil aura from him either. Strange, yes. Foreign, yes. Evil, no. While I don't know what he was talking about with chaos, I think we should take him with us to Kaede's hut—“

“Feh! He's talking like a madman! Chaos? Somebody's shadow? I should just take it--“

“SIT! We are NOT taking it from him!” I watched him disappear from sight yet again. I vaguely wondered if he liked the taste of dirt.

I could see this wasn't going to help. While she might be more open to welcoming me, Inuyasha was going to fight me tooth and nail. I decided to play his game: quid pro quo.

“I have a proposition, Inuyasha.” I started. Inuyasha returned to sight and scowled at me, but held his tongue, probably fearing another `sitting'.

“I will give you my piece, as long you tell me about it, and include me in whatever you are about concerning it.” Even if I gave up the shard, if I was traveling with them, the shards would be within close reach, and, should worst come to worst, I could always take them back and leave them behind in this Shadow. They couldn't track me, since they obviously didn't know anything about Substance, or its relation to reality as they knew it.

Again, she looked to the strange-looking man.

“I could just take it from him.” Inuyasha offered, still glaring at me.

That earned him a glare. “Inuyasha, I wary too, but he said he'd help, and he'll hand over the shard. I don't see what choice we have. I don't want to hurt him, and besides, I'd like to hear his story; it should be very interesting.”

He growled again, but nodded. “Alright.”

I climbed out of the well, and got my first good look at my new companions. The man—no, part chaosian, Inuyasha, wore what I recognized as an out-dated hakama and haori, crimson, and leathery-looking. He wore no shoes, and his hair was a mess; it looked like he hadn't brushed it in years, which I didn't doubt. He looked like he belonged here, in the wilderness. The girl, Kagome, wore modern style clothing, resembling the styles from my later years on Shadow Earth on the other side of the well. A short, green, pleated mini-skirt, and long-sleeved white shirt with green trimmings. I thought of sailors… “What do you want to know?” She asked, cautiously.

“Everything you do.”

“The Shikon no Tama is a very powerful relic which demons can use to amplify their power, even just a shard of it is significant. It used to be whole, but some time ago it was shattered—“

“By you, no less! Hmph, leavin' out important parts”

“Sit! I didn't mean to! Arrgg!” She nearly screeched, turning away from him and clenching and unclenching her fists.

Inuyasha ate dirt again.

“It was shattered, and now Inuyasha and me and a few others are collecting the shards.”

“I see. And how did you know I had a piece?”

“I can sense it. I'm the reincarnation of a miko.” She spoke with articulation and I could tell she didn't want to talk about her… uh… former life? As a creature of Substance, I knew there was no reincarnation. Must be some local fokelore. And Miko? I wracked my brains. Some obscure word that my tutor hadn't taught me. “Ahh. How did this jewel come about?” I said, feigning knowledge.

“None of your busi—“ Inuyasha started, but didn't finish.

“Iiiinnnnuuuuuuyyyyyaaaaaaassshhhhhhaa. Don't make me say it.”

He shut up real quick. Neat trick, that.

A powerful miko named Midoriko once fought many demons. She got into a battle she couldn't win, so she trapped their souls, as well as her own, into this jewel. (She was attacked by several powerful demons inhabiting someone who lusted for her and they attacked her. She couldn't win, and knew it, so she trapped her soul, as well as theirs, and created the Shikon no Tama.”

But what did that have to do with Amber? Ah well. I'd figure it out later, but in the meantime…

“How was it shattered?”

Kagome turned beet red, while Inuyasha smirked at her embarrassment.

“Well… uh… Inuyasha and I got into an argument, and I lost it, and a crow demon took it and… Ishotitwithanarrowbutithitthejewelandshattereditinstead.” (I shot it with an arrow but it hit the jewel and shattered it instead) She said, all in one breath, and almost too fast for me to comprehend. Inuyasha was snickering, and trying not to let it out. After all, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Unfortunantly for him, he failed.

“It's not funny! Sit!”

A touchy subject, apparently… “Is there any serious competition for this jewel?”

“A demon named Naraku,” Kagome started while Inuyasha took a defensive position, killed the miko guarding it and tried to steal it, fifty years ago. He now has most the jewel, and is trying to get it all.”

Inuyasha cleared his throat.

She continued. “It had been inside my body my whole life. I didn't even know it was real until it came out here,” she prodded a place on her side.

I nodded. “So, how did the pieces get scattered?”

“When it shattered, they flew to all over Japan.”

I nodded, and thought. A few moments of uncomfortable silence passed us by, laughing the way.

“Is there anything else? If not, we need to get back to Kaede's village. The shard?”

I placed it into her outstretched hand, and held my tongue when it glowed and turned to a lighter shade.

She placed it with the others, and retuned the glass vial to her pocket, then instructed me to follow them to this villiage. I noticed a certain spark blaze in Inuyasha's eyes; I recognized it: Random got that look right before someone sprung one of his traps.

“Kagome, ride on my back.” He never looked away from me.

“Your too fast! He can't keep up with you!”

I returned his smirk with one of my own, still locking eyes with him. “Kind lady, I assure you he will not present a problem in speed. Lead on, Chin (fr. n. dog)”

In my peripheral vision, Kagome worried her bottom lip, then, “If your sure…” Though she sounded much less than confident.

I inclined my head in affirmation, and she climbed on his back. As soon as she was situated, my barefooted companion darted off, and called over his shoulder, “Don't make me wait!”

We raced through the forest, the greenery becoming a blur, and the night sky become streaked with stars.

Within moments, we came across a village—traditional style housing, illuminated by torches. They seemed quite primitive compared to what I was accustomed to. Adobe or something similar, they were not large, no indoor plumbing or electricity.

While he let Kagome down, I smirked at Inuyasha. I was not used to running that fast, but I was not about to show any sign of weakness by panting, so I forcibly controlled my breathing while holding such a cocky façade on my face as to make Julian proud. Kagome openly gawked at me, while Inuyasha was spitting curses.

“How the hell did you keep up with me?”

I chuckled, and raised my eyebrow in mock surprise. “Surely you don't consider yourself the only one capable of such an undemanding feat?”

He drew his sword, and it grew as it left the sheath; stark white gleamed in moonlight, and his smile was feral.

I drew Grayswandir (my sword). It is similar in shape to a katana, but slightly shorter and broader, while it has intricate tracing of part of the Pattern on the blade near the pommel. Grayswandir was also made of pure silver. My smirk matched his. “Wish to spar?”

“Hell yeah, Bastard!”

“Inuyasha!” Her tone spoke of punishment should he continue to cross her.

“Your move.” I spake.

He got one foot off the ground before the beads glowed.

I looked into the Inuyasha-and-Tetsusaiga crater, and gave the boy some much needed advice: “Don't piss off the woman who holds your health in her `care'. You'll live longer.”

We entered a hut on the outskirts. Inside rested an elderly woman, who was missing her right eye, and clothed in pieces of red and white, bottom and top, and she was somewhat short and stocky, a young lady, probably no older than seventeen decked in pink and green, a young man holding a golden staff in his right hand, and some sort of beaded multi-stranded bracelet on his wrist, and he wore robes of purple and dark blue, a small, two-tailed thing which reminded me of the pet chaosian Deirdre had at one time aquired, and a small boy with auburn hair and a fluffy tail—who came barreling towards Kagome on small animal paws.

“Did you miss me?” He didn't seem to notice me until he blinked at me. “And who is that?”

She chuckled. “Yes, Shippou, I missed you.”

The others eyed me warily.

“This is Corwin. He will be traveling with us.” I received many wide eyed stares, raised eyebrows, and, in Inuyasha's case, growls.

“Ye be hunting for the jewel as well?” queried the old lady, controlled voice laced with surprise.

“In a manner of speaking, I am. At the moment, thought, it is purely curiosity.”

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The monk bowed towards me. Though he acted and spoke civilly, I had lived long enough to see the signs of distrust flittering through his mannerisms; a slight twitch of his hand, overly even voice, et cetera. “I am Miroku, a hoishii by trade. This is Sango,” he motioned towards the young woman, “demon exterminator and her companion, Kirara. Kagome is holding Shippou, and the priestess is Kaede. I'm assuming you've met Inuyasha.”

Something was bugging me about the monk. He reminded me of someone, but I couldn't quite put my finger on who…

“You sure do have a strange accent and weird clothes!” Shippou commented.

I chuckled. “I am not from around here.”

Miroku raised an eyebrow, but he didn't question me.

Introductions seemed to be over as Miroku turned to Inuyasha. “A messenger came today, asking for help with a sudden rise of demons to the west of here. I think we should go.”

“We leave at dawn.” Inuyasha decided.

I nodded, then stepped outside into the dying light, intent on smoking a cigarette.

“Inuyasha does not trust you.”

I turned towards the voice, Miroku, who had followed me out.

“I am aware of this.”

Miroku raised an eyebrow as I pulled one of the cigarettes out of the pack. “What are those?”

“Tobacco.” I offered him one which he declined. I lit it and took a long drag, watching the smoke spiral up.

“Whatever that is, it STINKS!” Inuyasha snapped from inside the hut. Miroku chuckled lightly, a scintillating sound.

I walked away from the hut. “Can you tell me any more about this shard hunt we're on?” He gave a long suffering sigh. “Well…”

He spoke and I listened.