InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bound by Blood ❯ Chapter 13 ( Chapter 13 )

Chapter 13: Blood Tears

 

Yuriye could only watch as Kagome brushed by everyone. She wanted to follow, but knew Kagome needed the space right now and needed to rest. It was sometimes painful to watch Kagome take the brunt of the disgrace; the blame for having no land, having no name, or having no home. Kagome also took the majority of the beatings, stoning, and the burdening verbal abuse.

 

Living in a culture where names and honor are upheld above all else, having no last name was shameful. Many people looked down at them for this and it was mostly youkai that treated them the worst. However, it made it almost impossible for anyone to trace them that way.

 

Having no land didn't bother them; the land they were entitled to, they didn't want. It was stained by too much blood of the Artic Fangs and Inferno Claws, Kagome and Yuriye's original packs, along with their own.

 

Many times if they tried to buy any supplies, they were over-charged. Since they were wanderers, money was hard to come by. It was difficult to get the basics, and new weapons were completely out of the question.

 

“Yuriye, what is the meaning of blood tears?” Sango's voice broke through Yuriye's thoughts. Looking around, Yuriye noticed that Kaede had left and so had Sesshoumaru.

 

“Not here. Let's walk to lunch, and I will explain on the way.” Yuriye needed to get away from the scent of her alpha's blood; it was slowly making her angrier. Right now, all she wanted to do was go after Sesshoumaru. He had no right to judge them.

 

Kagome was right on one point; he was nothing like his father. At that particular moment, she couldn't remember his name; the pair refused to talk about the detention center. He had been a very honorable man and had never judged them, only got them out of the hell they had been living in.

 

After she was finally out in the fresh air, Yuriye finally felt free to talk.

 

“Have either of you ever heard about blood tears before?” Yuriye asked. She needed to know where to start her explanation.

 

“No.” Neither could ever recall any teachings about blood tears.

 

“It's a rare thing to see, and it's rare for a reason. Blood tears, some say, are proof that we have a soul. We can cry just like everyone else, we feel pain, we love. But when a youkai cries tears of blood, it means the pain is literally killing us. The pain comes from the soul, and it's a physical manifestation of the pain. We also become numb to all outside pain; that's why Kagome started to panic. When we can't feel pain, we panic. It's a natural stimulus for us. It allows us to know if something is wrong; it also allows us to know our limits.” Yuriye knew that not many youkai could understand the physical pain caused by blood tears; no human would ever be able to understand.

 

“What do you mean the pain literally kills you?” Sango couldn't wrap her mind around that. Did that mean that Kagome was dying?

 

“I mean that if Kagome can't regain pain sensation, it can kill her. She won't know someone hurts her or if she hurts herself by accident.” Yuriye had a distant look in her eyes. “She wouldn't be able to feel anything.”

 

“Why is it such a rare occurrence?” Miroku could understand the danger of not being able to feel pain, but he couldn't figure out why it was so rare.

 

“It's rare not because we are physically built stronger or because we can't love. It's a scar on the soul; some say it's a streak of black that mars the aura. I know some can see the colors in our aura, mostly those who possess holy ki. It has to be something that would cause you to want to die. ” Yuriye stopped and looked at Sango and Miroku. “What I'm telling you can't be told to anyone. The only reason I'm telling you is because I want to believe you aren't like the others here. You don't look like you get the thrill from gossip. I know you heard everything Kagome said in Kaede's office. But that is her story to tell, I won't say anymore about it. But I will tell you this; if I hear anything about what was said here, I won't hesitate to take revenge. If that means we have to leave and run again, so be it.”

 

Both Sango and Miroku heard the threat in Yuriye's voice. They knew that she was being truthful. They also knew that by disclosing this information, she was not only putting herself on the line with Kagome, she was putting Kagome's reputation in jeopardy. For a beta to do this, it was very risky; the alpha could kill the beta for this, but it seemed as though Kagome and Yuriye had a much different relationship then most.

 

No one had noticed that they had stopped walking, but the sound of laughter broke Yuriye out of her spell. She knew she might have said too much, but Sango and Miroku didn't gossip or take part in the low whispers that seemed to fly around here. Maybe because Sango was also an orphan, she understood the pressures of being alone. She understood what it was like to lose everything that meant the world to you. Not possessions, but people; the people who loved you and took care of you.

 

It seemed as though Miroku had just come at the wrong time. He had no knowledge of them, and it was natural to be curious about new people. He just had the worst timing for asking questions. He also jumped to the same conclusions that most did and that thinking Kagome was lying about her scars. It was human nature to be repulsed by imperfection. However, youkai were proud beings, and scars just meant that you were able to survive; something to always be proud of.

 

“We won't say anything, I promise. But what can we do to help Kagome out?” Sango's voice held nothing but honest concern.

 

“Nothing, it will just take time. It seems old wounds were reopened, and some had never healed. She just needs time and space. But I don't think Kagome will need nearly as much time as before. We also don't have to worry about rogue youkai coming after us. This time we have a safe haven.” Yuriye smiled as she looked at Sango. She knew that this time they were no longer alone.

 

*****

 

Kagome had left the building as fast as she could. Once she was out in the open, she started to run to the back side of the lake where they had rested and waited for Sango. She didn't want people to see her and the blood on her face.

 

Once she had reached the rock, she sat down and looked at her reflection. Blood marred her face; she scooped up water and splashed it to clean off the blood. Once her face was clean, she relaxed for a few minutes. She started to get up to walk back to her room when voices stopped her.

 

“Hey, have you seen the new students? Well, one of them has horrid scars marking her back.” Kagome could tell they were human by their smell, and besides, if they were youkai, they would have smelled her.

 

“No way!! Really, what do they look like? Do you know how she got them?” The second voice was high-pitched and nasally.

 

“They are nasty. They are jagged and have a pinkish color. You would think she would try and hide them, but she didn't even try. She walked by as though she was better than everyone else. But I heard she got them by falling down a cliff…” As the voices started to get farther away, Kagome realized that their stay had already gotten a lot harder.

 

Not only had she pissed off another high class demon, but she received confirmation that the rumors had already started. She knew that they would just get worse, and once the truth got out, all hell would break loose. The humans would cause a lot of trouble, she could tell; most here loved gossip, it seemed. Getting up from her place near the lake, Kagome started walking back to her room.

 

While the walk wasn't long, it helped her to keep her cool. They had run for so long, it seemed almost ingrained in her. She could feel herself becoming tense and stressed and knew she needed to calm down. She also knew if she got into a fight, she wouldn't feel any pain and wouldn't be able to stop because of it.

 

Kagome personally understood the meaning of blood tears. Many had told her it was proof she had a soul, which she thought was crazy. Every living being had a soul. Some just thought theirs was more important, more pure or more wholesome than a youkai's. Kagome knew her soul could never be completely pure, but did that mean she was damned?

 

She could only hope that she could redeem herself and make up for her mistakes. She had a lot to make up for, not only with Yuriye but also for Miyuki, the true reason for her blood tears. Her pup, her life, her everything, even if she wasn't of her blood or body. The reason the black wolf tribe had started to hunt them, the reason for the bad blood between them.

 

Shaking her head, she really didn't want to think about it, and she could feel tears running down her face again. Lifting her hand to wipe them off, she noticed that they were normal water tears, no longer were they blood. Looking up she noticed the trees thinning and couldn't wait to lie down. The exhaustion was starting to settle in; most of it was the physical pain from the blood tears. She needed to get some sleep before she decided to attack the bastard Sesshoumaru. She was still on the edge of going after him.

 

Seeing the courtyard almost empty helped Kagome's mood greatly. The only ones in the courtyard were youkai, and they weren't paying any attention to her. Walking into the building she turned left and headed straight to the stairwell heading up four flights of stairs. Once she emerged, she was extremely happy to see room 400. Taking her key out, she opened her door and felt relieved. Looking around, she felt right at home, she also felt all the stress of the day catch up with her.

 

Moving all her clothes off the bed and into her drawers, she laid down once that small task was done. Shutting her eyes, Kagome hoped to see nothing but black, but instead she saw a young pup about seven years old. She had long inky black hair that stopped at the middle of her back, white was streaked throughout. Her bright orange eyes and smile seemed to mock her. Her single smooth black markings brought out her eyes and high cheek bones. She was dressed in a blue tank top with black jeans, the last thing she had ever worn. The markings on her wrist and even her face and clothes were without the blood stains she remembered.

 

“Okaa-san,” her beautiful voice rang out. But the beautiful image soon became ghastly, blood covered her body slowly, and her smile became a look of pain and fear.

 

Opening her eyes Kagome noticed that she was once again crying blood tears, “Miyuki, I'm so sorry, baby girl! I'm sorry that I failed you….”

 

*****

 

Sesshoumaru was at his wit's end; not only had the stray bought up his father, Kaede had restricted him from going after the silver one. He needed to know how she had met or even knew his father.

 

Why would his father talk to a couple of strays? Their blood held no standing that he could find. Yes, both had the markings of upper class demons, but he could not recall any bloodlines with those particular markings.

 

He had been taken back by the blood tears; no rogue demon would shed them. He was slightly baffled at the effect of losing a pack member had on them.

 

But what she gave away from one little statement could help him to track them. Yuriye had stated that they lived under a corrupt government, and while there were many governments currently corrupt, not many segregated demons.

 

Sesshoumaru headed towards the library once again but this time he had much better information to search for. And Kaede had never mentioned anything about not talking to his father about the two. He could question his father to whatever end he wished; Kaede authority had no influence there. Classes would be over in two weeks, and he had already made plans to stay at the school for the summer. He would have plenty of uninterrupted time to make good use of the reference facilities there. His father would pick up his half-brother, and he would figure out the secrets that the inu were keeping.