InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ An Intentional Solitude ❯ Market ( Chapter 7 )

Kagome smelled something fabulous. It was intoxicating, and by the sounds of chattering and random shouts for lower prices, she knew Sesshoumaru had been right. The beaten path they walked upon forked off just ahead of them. Kagome didn’t need her eyes to know the market was to the right, her nose told her all. Oh it was fantastic! She couldn’t help but melt at the aroma, what was it? Who cares what it is! I just want it! Kagome exclaimed to herself.

“Priestess while you are drooling, let this Sesshoumaru inform you, one, that it is curry,” Sesshoumaru’s nose scrunched up in disgust upon mention of the spice, “And two, you need know what a decent weapon is to feel like. This Sesshoumaru has no desire to watch your weapon break amidst battle.” Kagome stopped thinking about food, even if her stomach was screaming at her, and contemplated the youkai’s words.

“You’re not coming with me?” She immediately regretted the question, she knew exactly why he wasn’t coming. A little movie played in her mind,

*random people running in directions* “Demon Demon Demon! Kill it!” *pitchforks at Sesshoumaru’s throat* *snarl* *dead people*

Then again, Kagome thought to herself, if everyone scattered I wouldn’t have to pay for anything. She smiled deviously and snickered to herself.

She’s mad. Sesshoumaru glanced back at the girl. She’d stopped walking, had her hands folded together at her lips, and was staring very strangely at him now. All the while laughing to herself. She took a slight step forward, and was pulled from her thoughts as the pouch of money he’d given her jingled at her hip.

Oh yeah, I forgot I had this... Kagome stopped her evil thoughts and smiled normally at Sesshoumaru,

“Never mind!” She squealed, startling Sesshoumaru for a moment. He was starting to worry that this particular priestess had multiple personalities and he’d have to dispose of her after-all. Oh yes, he’d thought this out. He did not want anyone to know of this outing, of the fact that he was using the aid of his mortal enemy. In order to keep it secret he’d have to kill the one person who would know besides himself, the girl. However, he’d been doubting this idea since he saw her sleeping this morning. He didn’t want to admit it, but there was something beautiful about this girl, inside and out. Much like Rin, he’d felt, somewhere deep, that she needed to live. Plus, he’d found a different use for her once this endeavor was over...

“Sesshoumaru! Are you listening?” Her feminine voice chimed in his ears, “You were gonna tell me how to tell good merchandise?” He blinked a moment, pushing his thoughts back to before she went temporarily insane.

“Hit the blade against a stone. If it does not break, attempt to cut the stone, and then slice a piece of parchment. If it cuts clean, it will do. Push some of your energy into the blade and make sure it does not explode, as well.” He turned and walked away from her, disappearing into the trees. Kagome’s eyes lingered on his back momentarily and she turned towards the market.

“Right!” She said to no one in particular and paced along the path. Once again her stomach chirped up and she was almost running to the source of the oh-so-yummy smell. She arrived to a small road lined with bamboo booths and tables set up in front of huts. Every which way there were people lined up, shouting, and mingling. No wonder Sesshoumaru didn’t want to come, the sounds were too loud even for Kagome, and she got a rude awakening of bathing rituals as people scurried by her. She crinkled her nose, and tried to focus her sense of smell to whatever it was that was cooking.

“Rice and curry! Pudding! Dumplings!” Kagome smiled triumphantly, That’s my cue! she laughed to her self as she followed the sound of the merchant’s voice. She was lead into a small restaurant and sat down at a table. She crossed her legs, and nestled into the cushion on the floor.

“Konichiwa, welcome, welcome!” shouted a short, old man holding a tray of tea. He set a small cup down in front of Kagome and she smiled up at him. “What can I do for you today Miko-san?”

“Your special, whatever it is, just get me that please!” Kagome was hungrier than she thought, and she blushed slightly when her stomach growled out loud. The man just smiled down at her,

“Right away!” He rushed off and left Kagome to enjoy her tea.

“That’s no way for a lady to sit.” She was interrupted by the voice of a man who sounded much larger than her. Suddenly a the end of a sword sheath hit the table and startled Kagome. She spilled her tea on the front of her Haori and cursed. “And that’s no way for one to speak either.” Kagome glared at the sword and followed it up to find the face of her annoyance. Clutching the handle was a large man with fat cheeks staring down at her like she was a piece of meat. His eyes were beady and she wanted nothing more than to poke them. Kagome remained seated and huffed out her reply,

“I’ve already dealt with a rather frustrating demon today who happen to ruin my favorite Kimono,” She looked down at her chest, “And now you’ve caused me to ruin it further. Leave this lady and her uncouth manners alone!” She shouted in the ugly man’s face. She pissed him off and when his hand sliced through the air to slap her, she leaned back and avoided the attack. He attempted to grab her and she leapt back from her seated position, landing softly on her feet.

“Woman! You dare speak to man in such a tone?! You are beneath me!” He lunged forward, and quicker than he could see, Kagome reached over her shoulder and pulled her trusty yellow bag over her head. She brought it crashing down onto the man’s head and had him unconscious on the floor. He lay at her feet twitching and Kagome looked up to find everyone in the small room staring at her. She smiled, replacing her bag on her shoulders and put her hand on the back of her head,

“He made me spill my tea.” She tried to look as innocent as possible. She looked back at her table only to find it very uninviting. There stood the man’s two companions, looking as angry as he did before she put his lights out. They reached for the swords at their hips, but the shrill voice of an old woman stopped them cold,

“There will be NO fighting in my restaurant!” Kagome could only assume she was the old man’s wife. The two men relaxed their shoulders and turned to leave. They came around the sides of their fallen comrade and picked him up by the arms. They had a look of hatred and spite in their eyes when they looked up at Kagome. The one on the right commented,

“This isn’t over you witch!” Kagome drew back abashed, but let it go when she saw the old woman. She was staring at Kagome and started walking over towards her.

“I was defending myself, I swea...” Kagome was cut off when the woman grabbed her arm,

“Quiet girl!” She clipped, much in a way reminding Kagome of a certain Taiyoukai, and dragged Kagome to a doorway. The woman pushed back the bamboo curtain and led Kagome to a small table, “Sit.” Kagome did as she was told, the look on her face much like that of a scolded child. The woman, who had turned from Kagome, turned back around holding a box. “Listen.” Kagome’s eyes were glued to the short onna, “I see great things in you miko, you have a magnificent spirit swirling all around you I can see.” Kagome’s eyes widened a bit, She can see my spirit? The woman sat down opposite of Kagome and set the rectangular shaped box down on the table. “But I see a great darkness about you as well, you are cursed little one.” Kagome looked down at her hands momentarily,

“I know.” She whispered meekly, obviously fighting back tears. The woman continued,

“You want the curse lifted, which I am unable to do I’m afraid.” The woman sighed as Kagome‘s hopeful eyes once again fell, and took the priestess’s hand, “However, I see in your future, that perhaps your curse is a gift.” Kagome raised an eyebrow, obviously questioning the woman’s idea. “You will see one day, that while fate has been cruel to you, it has all been laid out to bring you happiness. After-all, why would the Kamis punish someone so selfless and beautiful?” Kagome had been asking herself the same question for five years. “I dreamt about you priestess and knew you were coming.” She opened the case, “So I saved this for you.” She lifted out a short sword and Kagome outstretched her hands to take the blade. “This blade was forged with fragments of a mystical crystal known as Shiname, or Heart of the Rain as the people would call it. It is made only for priestess’s to wield. It is just a dull blade without the spiritual energies of a miko and it’s powers are limitless. You will need to train yourself to wield it and find it’s ultimate attack, the Unabara. I, myself, have never seen the blade in action, but it is said that the Unabara is like a thousand waves of the ocean crashing down on your enemies. There is an evil in this land and you are the only one, I fear, who will be able to stop it. That is why I am giving you this.”

Kagome sat and contemplated the words the old woman had spoken. She looked down at the sword in her lap. It was very simple, much like Tessaiga, and from what she had heard, it would transform like Tessaiga in a miko’s hands as well. The sheath was a deep blue wrapped under the hilt in silver cord. The cord on the handle was silver as well. The hand guard was a dull, worn silver, shaped into the image of a crashing wave. Kagome drew the sword slightly from it’s sheath to look at the blade. Carved at the base of the blade was the same crashing wave as seen on the guard. Other than that the blade was plain, the signature waves of a well-made katana flowing along it‘s length. There seemed to be cracks here and there in the metal, but when Kagome looked closer she realized they were the fragments of crystal the woman told her about.

“Unabara huh?” Kagome questioned and the woman nodded. She returned to looking at the blade, and sheathed it slowly. “Does this sword have a name?” Yeah it was a strange question, but all magical swords she knew of had names.

“Suishounami,” The old woman replied thoughtfully, “is the last name I heard for it, though the true name may have been lost to the centuries. Perhaps the sword will tell you itself?” She laughed lightly and stood.

“Arigato Onna-sama” Kagome looked up at the woman,

“Don’t mention it child.” The woman smiled at Kagome for the first time in their entire encounter, “Really, don’t mention it though. Kansei will have my head if he finds out I gave it away to a total stranger!” She laughed again, “Which reminds me,” She shouted out from the screen door, “Kansei, where’s this girl’s food?” Kagome had almost forgotten about her food, and now that she was reminded, her stomach grumbled again. She heard some whispers from the woman and when she pulled back from the door, she held in her hand a plate of food. She set it down in front of Kagome and handed her some chopsticks. Kagome looked down at what had to be the most beautiful dumplings she’d ever seen. Piled next to them was perfect white rice and Kagome was in heaven as she dug in.

“Where is that girl?” Sesshoumaru sat at the base of a tree, bored out of his mind. She must have gotten into trouble He mused to himself. Not that he cared or anything. Well he did, he needed the priestess to defeat his enemy and she was no good to him dead or kidnapped. Then again, he could always find a new miko and use her. He thought of this for a moment, But none other would be as entertaining or unnerving as this particular miko. He nodded to himself and stood, Time to fetch said miko and perhaps rough her up a bit for taking so long. The thought of fighting the girl once more brought a small smile to his face, Very entertaining...

“Oh it’s lovely!” Kagome stood in front of a booth staring in awe at a particular haori. It was silk, a pale blue. At the tips of the sleeves were pink cherry blossoms that faded to the blue further up the sleeves. She picked up a basic white haori as well, for underneath, and asked the woman how much they would be. Kagome smiled when she heard the answer, Since I didn’t have to pay for Suishounami, she glanced at her hip where the sword now hung, I have money for clothes! When she glanced down however, she frowned at her bottoms. Her hakama were the traditional red for a miko, they would clash horribly with her new kimono.

“Do you sell Hakama as well?” Kagome asked quickly. The woman behind the table nodded and disappeared into her hut. She walked back out holding a folded pair of navy blue hakama. Kagome smiled brightly,

“Perfect!” She exclaimed and took the new clothing greedily. She handed the pouch of currency to the woman. Her smiled faded however, when she glanced around at the open market, “Umm...would there be any place for me to change miss?” She asked the vender timidly,

“Why yes, just come around here miko-san.” The woman lead Kagome into the back of her hut and behind a cloth hung from the ceiling, “There you go.” Kagome bowed, and as the woman walked back outside she began to change into her new clothes.

He didn’t want to go there. The smell was already making him sick, the sounds of the ningen giving him a headache. However, the girl was not returning. What a pest she was turning out to be. Why was he doing this again? He sighed, not having an answer for himself, and took the first step towards the human market. He continued his trek to the awful place, which he was sure he was about to decimate, when she appeared. Padding down the dirt path softly could not have been the same clumsy girl that he’d been traveling with earlier. No, this particular woman was dressed into a beautiful blue haori that made her ocean eyes glitter. This particular girl had a sword gracing her hip. This particular girl did not have the messy ponytail the priestess did, but a beautiful bun high upon her head, letting certain bits of hair fall away to frame her face. This particular girl was walking silently, and not clicking her shoes. I knew she was doing it on purpose! Sesshoumaru growled to himself. He knew it was her though, just by the fact that she was once again, glittering in the setting sun. He stood in place as the priestess approached him. He needed more evidence that it was her, this could not be the same girl! But there, weighing down her shoulders, was that hideous yellow bag, along with a bow and quiver of arrows.

“Good evening Sesshoumaru-sama, did’ya have fun playing with the trees?” She said, mocking him most certainly for not going with her. Yep, definitely the same girl. He let out a “hn” and turned away from her. If only she had remained silent, the picture in his memory would be perfect. She really was pleasant to look at. Not that it mattered, he decided. She could have been fat and old for all he cared, as long as she got the job done. That’s not true... whispered a voice in the back of his mind, You would not be enjoying yourself this much had she been unattractive. What? This Sesshoumaru is NOT enjoying himself with this mortal girl. He argued to that little voice, She is a filthy ningen miko, nowhere near the level I require to be entertained. He ended the argument with that statement, only to have to sound of a rather large belch echo in his ears. He turned to look behind him only to find the girl whistling and looking off somewhere else.

“What?” She returned his gaze with a strange smile on her face, “Well? You gonna tell me, or just stand there and stare at me like an idiot?” Maybe he would go back to his original plans of destroying the girl once this was over.

“Please refrain from relieving yourself in such an uncouth manner.” He replied, turning back and continuing his trek. Her response made him stop in his tracks,

“Wasn’t me.” She was once again looking off into the trees. She was mad, unless this was some sort of mind game humans played. Maybe just her. He watched as she walked right past him, still looking off into the trees. He took this opportunity; no one lies to this Sesshoumaru and gets away with it. He reached out, fisted his hand, and gave the miko a good thump on the head.

“Ow! What was that for you jerk!?” Kagome turned back to him and glared, all the while rubbing the top of her head. He moved from his stationary position and brushed past her. He glanced at her as he walked by and barely above a whisper, said,

“It was not this Sesshoumaru.”