InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Assassin's Hope ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

Assassin's Hope

 

Disclaimer: All Inuyasha characters and all written persons in the resemblance of Inuyasha characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi.

 

 

Chapter 8

 

In a dark alley blood dripped into a dirty puddle of water, as a shadow passed unseen into the darkness.

 

So, the jewel has a new miko, the demon thought sinisterly. I must find my own to take it from her.

 

Nursing a gaping wound, the demon scowled into the darkness, thinking first of feeding to repair the damage the bitch miko had inflicted.

 

Laughter echoed out in the alley as the demonic being moved towards new prey. A bloodcurdling scream wrenched through the air. No one would even miss the dead whore lying in the alley, her body wasted away to nothingness as if someone had sucked her very soul away.

 

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Inuyasha and Kagome had walked in silence for the better part of an hour. Kagome's thoughts wandered over the events of the night. What had that thing been in the park, she wondered.

 

It mentioned the jewel, she thought. How many others would know about the jewel? She couldn't imagine if her friends had been there. They could have been hurt! How many would be hurt because of the jewel?

 

Kagome thought of the beast she saw that night and she stopped walking, “Inuyasha?”

 

“We're almost there, Kagome. Just a little farther,” he reassured her.

 

“No,” she said quietly. He stopped and turned towards her.

 

“What's wrong?” he asked.

 

“Will I ever be able to see my family again?” she asked quietly.

 

Inuyasha stared at the ground, one hand gripping her backpack tightly, the other clenched at his side, “I don't know Kagome.”

 

“Will they be safe?”

 

“For now,” he ground out. “Come on. We're almost there.”

 

As he continued walking he was faintly aware of Kagome sniffling behind him.

 

“Listen, we'll talk to Kaede-baba in the morning. Maybe she can go place wards around the shrine to keep that thing away,” he offered.

 

“Okay,” she relented. He sighed and slowed his pace, reaching back to take her hand in his again.

 

“They'll be alright, Kagome,” he said staring ahead. “Now let me take you to my home.”

 

The rest of the walk to the manor took less than five minutes. Even under the cover of night, Inuyasha knew Sesshoumaru would sense their arrival, so he led Kagome directly to his annex to avoid confrontation that night. Sliding aside the shoji he led Kagome inside and quickly kicked off the restrictive footwear. As Kagome took off her sandals Inuyasha walked across the large room to light the fire.

 

When the flames burst into life Kagome was able to see the main room to Inuyasha's annex.

 

“Kami,” she whispered. “It's beautiful in here.” She walked along the main wall allowing her fingers to feel the intricate carvings inlaid into the wood.

 

“It tells a story,” Inuyasha murmured from behind her.

 

Kagome stepped back from the wall to see the carvings better and saw that the intricate designs came together to weave a larger portrait. “Tell it to me?” she asked softly. He wrapped his arms gently around her waist, placing his chin on her shoulder.

 

“A long time ago a demon fell in love with a human woman, a hime, who was very beautiful,” he explained quietly, pointing out the almost ethereal carving of a young princess.

 

“The demon, unable to stay away from the woman, came to her in the night, confessed his love, and spirited her away into darkness,” he gestured towards a carving of the woman being carried off by what looked like a cloud.

 

Kagome sighed at the romantic story and nodded for him to continue.

 

“The demon and the woman bore a son, which gained the wrath and hatred of humans and demons alike. The demon fought in war after war for several years defending the honor of the woman he loved.”

 

“Why didn't the demons and humans just let them be?” she asked softly.

 

Inuyasha turned his head slightly and kissed her cheek, “Because not everyone is as accepting as you, miko.”

 

“I just think that's wrong,” she frowned. “They were in love and had a child.”

 

He sighed, “Things were different back then.”

 

“I'm sorry,” she said reaching up to rub one of his ears. Disappointment showed on her face when she realized he was human that night, and settling for grabbing a forelock of his dark hair. “Finish the story?”

 

“Demons and humans alike bore hatred for the couple and the young son they protected. One night their hatred became too strong and they attacked the hime and the child when the demon was away,” he continued.

 

“How awful,” she whispered.

 

“Her body and spirit, weakened from the attack, refused to leave the earth before seeing the demon one more time,” he told her. “When he returned to her she asked him only one thing: to protect their son so that he would grow to know love like theirs.”

 

“Only a mother could ask that,” Kagome sighed.

 

“Finally, Susano-o-no-Mikoto brought an early death to the hime and much sadness to the demon and their son.” Inuyasha pointed out a carving of the demon kneeling at the base of a tree praying for his lost love, a small boy stood next to the demon. Kagome could see the intricate details of the carving and noticed two triangular shaped ears on top of the boy's head.

 

“It's not just a story is it?” she asked, turning in his arms to face him.

 

“No, it's not just a story,” he answered her, sweeping the back of his hand across her cheek.

 

“He must have loved her so much,” she said quietly.

 

Inuyasha shrugged against her, “I never thought I had anything in common with the old man, until I found my own hime.”

 

Kagome blushed deeply and giggled nervously, “I'm not a princess, Inuyasha.”

 

He let go of her and shrugged as he walked to a shoji dividing the room, “So you say. C'mon I'll show you where you can sleep.” He slid the divider aside to show her into the next room.

 

“I hope you don't mind a futon, I just never got used to the western bedding,” he said showing her the master bedroom and setting her pack down next to the futon. “There's a bathhouse attached to the annex as well. I can show you where tomorrow, but for tonight I think you should get some sleep.”

 

He moved to leave, allowing her privacy to change, when she spoke, “Where will you sleep?”

 

He blushed and hoped the darkened room would hide his embarrassment, “I'll sleep outside.”

 

“I couldn't do that to you,” she frowned. “I'm the one who ran away. I wouldn't feel right if I put you out in the cold.”

 

“Then I'll stay in here, I'll just let you have the futon,” he agreed. He bent down to retrieve his haori and hakama from a small cubby against the wall and returned to the main room, closing the divider behind him for her privacy.

 

Kagome knelt down to retrieve a pair of pajamas from her backpack and changed quietly in the darkness. When she reopened the divider she found Inuyasha sitting cross-legged by the open shoji, staring out into the night.

 

Kagome sat down beside him, “It's so quiet here.”

 

Inuyasha nodded, “It was far enough away from any village to cause a stir when my father built it and we were able to maintain a decent amount of property from the growing city.”

 

“Inuyasha?” she questioned looking down at her hands in her lap.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“What was that thing?”

 

“It was a hanyou,” he barely whispered.

 

Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing and shook her head in denial.

 

“It was a monster!” he yelled surprising Kagome. “Just like me!”

 

“Inuyasha!” she breathed.

 

When he turned to look at her she reached back her hand, and struck him across the face. He looked at her stunned and put his hand to his cheek where he could already feel a red welt rising.

 

“Don't you ever let me hear you say that again!” she cried, tears threatening to spill down her face. “You are not a monster. You're… you're…” she trailed off.

 

“I'm what?” he ground out, suddenly unable to look at her.

 

“You're amazing,” she whispered.

 

He could barely hear her with his human ears, “What?”

 

She gave him a shy little smile, “You heard me.” She moved closer to him and placed her hand on the cheek she had just struck. “You're strong and brave, you're smart and handsome, and you make me feel...”

 

“Make you feel what?” he asked quietly.

 

“That's it,” she said. “You make me feel. I don't even think I was alive before I met you. I trust you, Inuyasha. So please trust me when I tell you, you're no monster.”

 

“Then what am I?” he demanded from her angrily.

 

“You're Inuyasha. Just Inuyasha. Not an assassin. Not a hanyou. Just Inuyasha,” she responded quietly.

 

He couldn't believe the amazing woman sitting in front of him. She saw through everything horrible and terrifying in him.

 

He gently pressed his lips to hers. Breaking the kiss he touched his forehead to hers, “Kagome, I… thank you.”

 

She smiled up at him before a yawn cut in rudely. He chuckled, “You should rest. We'll go see Kaede-baba first thing in the morning.”

 

He helped her up and shut the shoji to keep out the night chill and nudged Kagome towards the bedroom, readying himself for a night by the fire.

 

“Inuyasha,” she began. “Would you mind sleeping with me?”

 

He quirked an eyebrow at her and she blushed before sputtering.

 

“I didn't mean... what I meant was on the futon... I mean... I would feel safer if you slept with me... well not slept with me...,” she floundered. He silenced her by taking her hand and leading her to the master bedroom allowing her to lay down on the futon and get comfortable. He took off his fire rat kimono and lay down beside her spreading the fur over them and hooking an arm safely around her waist.

 

“Thank you,” she breathed.

 

“Don't thank me yet,” he sighed. “You just ran away from home, we have that thing after us, and we have to find a way to protect the jewel while destroying the prophecy.”

 

“Don't forget we have your brother to deal with as well,” she reminded him. “Only Kami knows what he'll think about me staying here.”

 

“Who the fuck cares what he thinks!” he burst out. “You're going to be my mate, Kagome. Besides, I already let him know what I plan to do and what lengths I would go to protect you.”

 

She smiled at his response in the darkness and linked her fingers through his on her stomach, “Well, I still should thank you.”

 

“Keh.”

 

“You know if you had just given me your kimono in the first place I wouldn't have asked you to sleep with me, this is warm,” she joked.

 

“Oi! I should be able to sleep next to my intended anyway,” he complained. She giggled before whispering a soft goodnight. He responded by kissing the top of her head inhaling her soft scent to ease the tension from the night.

 

The miko and the hanyou, human for that night, found solace in each other's embrace. They knew not what they had escaped just a few hours before, nor did they know the challenges that lay ahead. They only knew the few moments of peace they found that night.

 

~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Kagome awoke the next morning with sunlight shining brilliantly through the divider and cool air against her back despite the fire rat haori that remained draped over her.

 

“Inuyasha?” she called softly into the room. When there was no response she slipped from the futon, pulling the haori around her, and slid back the divider to find Inuyasha sitting at the open shoji like the night before, his hair once more silver and the familiar ears atop his head.

 

“You're hanyou again,” she stated rather than asked.

 

He grunted a response but continued to stare out into the heavily wooded surroundings.

 

Kagome shifted uneasily next to him, sensing something was off. “Are you feeling okay? It doesn't hurt to turn back into hanyou does it?”

 

He shook his head and turned to her, “Kagome, I've allowed you sanctuary here, breaking a great law of the shikaku. I must make an offering to the shrine in repentance, but you can't stay in the annex alone.”

 

“Why?” she asked innocently.

 

“Sesshoumaru,” was the one word answer. Her mouth formed a small moue and she flipped her hair over her shoulder defiantly.

 

“He doesn't scare me, Inuyasha,” she said with a slight frown.

 

“And I'd kick his ass if he ever touched you!” he responded heatedly. “But you should probably come with me in case.”

 

She nodded her understanding and stood to go get ready for the day. She paused halfway to the bedroom and turned back, extending the haori out in her hand to him.

 

“Thank you for staying with me last night,” she said blushing to the roots of her hair. “I was a little shaken.” Stop being such a child, Kagome, she thought. You've already been more intimate with him than any other person in the world, and you're embarrassed over sharing a futon!

 

Inuyasha took the fur of the fire rat, brushing his fingers against hers, “Keh! It was nothing. I know you need me to protect you all the time anyway.”

 

She frowned and retorted intensely, “I don't always need you, you know!” She went into the other room to collect her things. She popped her head back into the room a few moments later with a sheepish look on her face, “Um, can you show me the bath house?”

 

With a smirk, Inuyasha signaled for her to follow him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Once feeling refreshed from a bath, Kagome was ready to head to the shrine with Inuyasha.

 

“What law did you break by allowing me to stay here?” Kagome asked in the foyer leading to the family shrine.

 

“An assassin's law. I've offered sanctuary to the enemy. No one will be able to touch you here, allowing the prophecy possible fruition,” he explained calmly.

 

“Oh,” she said quietly, looking at the ground. “Sorry.”

 

“Don't apologize,” he said turning towards her. “Sesshoumaru has a woman staying here; I can do the same!”

 

“Another woman is here?” Kagome asked interested. “Can I meet her? Who is she?”

 

“Let's just try to keep as far away from Sesshoumaru and his woman as possible, shall we?” Inuyasha asked sarcastically.

 

“Okay,” she agreed softly.

 

Opening the shrine door, Inuyasha came face to face with Sesshoumaru.

 

“Just what I need first thing in the morning,” Inuyasha ground out, hand reaching for the hilt of his katana.

 

“Pathetic half-breed, as if this Sesshoumaru would be afraid of your Tetsusaiga,” Sesshoumaru countered.

 

“How dare you!” burst out Kagome, surprising the two brothers out of their exchange. “Inuyasha is not a half-breed!”

“Hold your tongue, miko, if you do not wish this Sesshoumaru to cut you down,” Sesshoumaru responded with cold calculating eyes.

 

“You wouldn't even get close enough to lay a finger on her, bastard!” Inuyasha yelled unsheathing Tetsusaiga, the katana automatically transforming in response to the threat against Kagome.

 

Kagome gasped at the transformed katana, seemingly innocent when strapped to Inuyasha's hip.

 

Sesshoumaru waved a hand at Inuyasha brandishing the sword, “This Sesshoumaru will not touch your miko, if, that is, you can eliminate her spiritual powers as was discussed.”

 

Inuyasha scowled at the daiyoukai but sheathed the sword, “That ain't any of your business!”

 

Sesshoumaru made a sound in the back of his throat and swept past Inuyasha and Kagome without a word, continuing back to the library.

 

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand and pulled her roughly into the shrine, “Kami, I hate that bastard!”

 

“I can't believe he called you a half-breed! Who does he think he is, anyway?” Kagome demanded.

 

Inuyasha chuckled, “Gotta admit, you've got guts, Kagome. Yelling at Sesshoumaru like that. Either that or you're stupid.”

 

She glared at him for a few seconds before realizing that he had somewhat complimented her on her audacity.

 

Inuyasha led Kagome over to the statue of his father, “That's the old man.” Kagome bowed properly and lit some incense before offering a prayer to Kami in honor of the Inu-no-Taisho.

 

When Inuyasha was finished paying respects and offering up a prayer he led Kagome back to his annex.

 

“I think we should go see Kaede-baba about last night,” Inuyasha said solemnly.

 

She nodded her agreement, “I hope she'll be able to place sutras around the shrine for protection.”

 

“If anything could scare monsters away it'd be that old woman,” Inuyasha joked.

 

“Not funny,” Kagome berated.

 

They decided to travel safely above the city to Kaede's as they had done before, avoiding public spaces in the city. Looking down on the busy city, heaviness began to weigh down upon the pair. Kagome nestled against his back with a frown marring her porcelain features, while Inuyasha kept biting back growls of frustration. Doubt about facing this enemy worked its way into their thoughts and before they knew it they had reached the city limit where Kaede lived.

 

Kagome knocked politely on the door before Inuyasha burst in rudely, “Kaede-baba! We need to talk!”

 

Kaede came in from the kitchen with some tea, “Were ye seen, children?”

 

The two shook their heads and moved to sit down at the table for tea, watching as Kaede moved around her home shutting the curtains and windows once more.

 

“Now, what did you…” Kaede began, but Inuyasha interrupted her before she had a chance to finish.

 

“Kagome was attacked last night,” he spat out.

 

Kaede turned a shocked face to Kagome, “Are ye alright? What happened?”

 

Kagome and Inuyasha recounted the attack in the park the night before, describing the monster they had seen and the pink light from the miko that had attempted to purify it.

 

“Hmm,” Kaede said thoughtfully. “I fear that my demon and your demon are one in the same. It appears he was not completely destroyed those many years ago. The jewel, it seems, has been reawakened and Kagome was able to call forth its power to protect her.”

 

“Damnit!” Inuyasha swore. “It was after the damn jewel!”

 

“The jewel has not remained dormant,” Kaede pointed out. “Young Kagome will have to work twice as hard to keep the jewel pure and untainted so as not to be used by this demon.”

 

Kagome was confused and frustrated. She had to keep the jewel, whatever it was, pure and untainted so its power could not be abused by the demon monster. But in order to keep from destroying all demons, including Inuyasha, she had to relinquish her purity, and ultimately her ability to wield the jewel in a pure manner.

 

There's no perfect answer here, she thought. Either way people are going to be hurt.

 

“What can we do?” Kagome asked.

 

“I fear I know not except to stand and fight together,” Kaede offered. “Kagome will need all the training and preparation we can offer her.” Kaede looked pointedly at Inuyasha.

 

“So continue your training miko,” Inuyasha said coldly. “I will return for you in a few hours.”

 

“Where will you go?” Kagome asked his form already walking towards the door.

 

“Anywhere,” he said gruffly before stepping out of the house and leaping into the sky above the city. Kagome sighed and turned towards Kaede who smiled a knowing smile and gestured for the young miko to return to her tea.

 

“I've left the shrine, Kaede. My family doesn't know where I am and I can't risk them being hurt by this monster. One signal of danger and I run away,” she whimpered miserably.

 

“There, there child,” Kaede patted her hand. “You are protecting your family from a terrible evil. Sometimes being brave means to run. You are running to face a terrible hardship another day instead of giving up.”

 

“I can't do this,” Kagome began panicking. “I can't choose. I thought I could but I can't.”

 

“Choose what, child?” the old miko asked.

 

“How do I choose between keeping the jewel pure and ending this awful prophecy?” she asked, tears visible in her eyes.

 

“There is no choice to be made, Kagome,” Kaede explained.

 

“But I have to keep the jewel chaste! You said so,” Kagome nearly yelled. “And the only way to keep the prophecy from coming to pass is to kill me or take my miko powers.”

 

“Ah,” Kaede acknowledged smiling. “And how will your miko powers be taken away?”

 

Kagome blushed deeply and lowered her eyes to her hands in her lap, “My innocence must be taken.”

 

Kagome was startled by the old woman's laughter.

 

“Ahead you see two paths, but there is only one to journey,” Kaede stated.

 

“I don't understand,” Kagome breathed.

 

“I believe you will understand soon enough, young one,” the old woman offered. “Understand that your spiritual gift is just that: spiritual. It cannot be altered through physical means.”

 

Kagome frowned, thinking about it.

 

“Come, let us meditate before the hanyou returns,” Kaede said reaching to take Kagome's hands.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After about two hours of meditation, Kaede noticed a pink glow emanating from Kagome's body outward in a circle. Once Kaede mentioned it and startled the young miko out of her ritual, the pink orb dissipated. After some encouragement for further meditation, Kagome was able to build the orb around her again by focusing her whole spirit and mind on utilizing the jewel for protection. The miko found that this new ability took a great deal of energy.

 

“I'm exhausted, Kaede,” Kagome complained. “I feel like I've been swimming for hours… only the pool is my mind.”

 

“With continued training you will be able to produce a barrier from the jewel with no hesitation and very little energy,” the old miko said while pouring a glass of water for Kagome.

 

“I just wish we didn't have to stay cooped up in here,” she said sadly. “It is a beautiful day out.”

 

“Well, now. I didn't say we couldn't do some training outside,” Kaede started. “Kagome, have ye ever thought of taking up archery?”

 

The old woman quirked the eyebrow above her good eye in amusement at Kagome's doubtful expression before gesturing her to follow out the back door.

 

A great deal of time was spent showing Kagome the technical parts of archery, teaching her correct stance, grip, and aiming. If only her execution of these skills could be correct, Kaede thought.

 

Finally, Kagome was able to knock an arrow, aim, and fire… well sort of. The arrow shot out about two feet and then landed in the grass, about twenty feet from the target.

 

“I'll never get this, Kaede,” Kagome groaned. “What good is this anyway?”

 

“For protection of course!” the old miko exclaimed.

 

“I'm supposed to protect myself with an arrow?” she doubted.

 

“By focusing your spiritual power into an object of protection ye increase its fatality ten fold,” Kaede explained.

 

“Uh huh,” Kagome nodded. “What about modern weapons? There has to be something more powerful than a bow and arrow?”

 

“Hundreds of things,” Kaede agreed. “But a modern weapon will not protect ye the way ye need to be protected. You will need a weapon that you can control the medium as well as the tool. With modern weapons, the tool does a great deal of the controlling. No, I'm afraid you will be much better equipped with arrows. You will learn how to control the arrow as well as your spiritual ability.”

 

After some additional practice, and only after Kagome landed an arrow in a target, did they return to the house to escape the warmth of the day.

 

“Ye've done well, Kagome,” Kaede encouraged.

 

They had barely sat down for a rest when Inuyasha knocked and came into Kaede's home.

 

“Doesn't look like you're training,” he grumbled. Kaede and Kagome exchanged irritated looks. “Well, c'mon miko. I'm here to collect ya.”

 

Kagome frowned at Inuyasha's behavior but stood to leave anyway, “Thank you, Kaede. Do you think you could go see Grandpa?” She hesitated. “Please don't tell him you've seen me. They're safer not knowing, but could you just make sure my family is alright?”

 

“Aye, child,” the old woman smiled to reassure the clearly distressed miko. “I will make sure the Kami look after your family well. In the meantime, work on your meditation skills and I will see you in two days.”

 

Kaede opened the door as Inuyasha bent down to retrieve Kagome. The two leapt into the air and raced back to the manor, unseen by humans below.

 

Kagome enjoyed the cool breeze in her face by leaning back slightly and allowing her hair to whip around the two.

 

“Would you stop moving around,” Inuyasha ground out. “I can't see anything with your hair in the way.”

 

“What's wrong with you, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked tentatively. “You're being very moody.”

 

“Nothing, just stop moving,” Inuyasha snapped back. The truth was, her moving around on his back reminded him how close, yet untouchable, she really was.

 

Kagome pouted but hung on tightly for the rest of the trip back to the manor and remained silent. She lapsed into thought about her choice between protecting the jewel and protecting Inuyasha.

 

If I choose to remain chaste and protect the jewel, then I run the risk of being used as a weapon against Inuyasha and destroying all demons, she thought.

 

She shook her head violently to dispel the thought of destroying Inuyasha.

 

Who am I kidding? She mentally berated herself. I've already chosen him. I will just have to find a way to defend myself better… maybe even form those barriers to protect the jewel from being used by that monster.

 

They arrived at the manor and Inuyasha deposited Kagome unceremoniously in front of his annex.

 

“What is wrong with you?” Kagome urged. “I can't believe you're treating me so coldly after… well, after everything we've been through.”

 

Inuyasha turned away from her, her face too painful to look at, “I have to protect you is all. You'll continue you're training and we'll fight this thing. He's been killed before, he can be killed again. Then after that you go back to your life with your family. You remain pure.”

 

“I can't do that, Inuyasha,” she said quietly.

 

“You have to,” he turned towards her. “You have to remain a miko to protect the jewel from that monster. In order to do that, I can't touch you. You remain pure.”

 

“Stop it,” she said in a cold fury, startling him. “Stop making the decision for me.”

 

“Kag…” he started before she interrupted him.

 

“Because I've already made my decision,” she said, staring him down.

 

He waited for her answer, he realized, holding his breath.

 

“I will protect the jewel,” she answered. He closed his eyes against the pain of her words.

 

So she's chosen to remain a pure miko, he thought.

 

“And I want you as my mate,” she added.

 

His eyes flew open, “What did you say?”

 

“Kaede was right,” she said more to herself than to him. “Two paths but only one journey.” She walked towards him. “I will protect the jewel, somehow, someway. But I can't deny everything that I'm feeling right now. We were meant to meet Inuyasha, and you feel it too!”

 

He did feel it. Drawn to her like a moth to the flame. But he had doubts as well.

 

“You can't do both,” he tried to reason with her. “If I take your innocence you will lose your miko abilities. The jewel will become tainted and the demon can use it.”

 

She moved towards him, close enough that he could feel her body heat, so warm, so inviting.

 

“I wish to give you my innocence, Inuyasha,” she whispered up at him. “Before the completion of the fortnight.”

 

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A/N: I can only offer an apology for my delay in updating. I started this chapter many many months ago and couldn't find the inspiration for finishing it. Well, I found it. So I hope you enjoy. If not, oh well.