InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cessation of Hostility ❯ Goddess of Emotion, Kurohana ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Author's Note: Thanks to those who read my fic! Even if you didn't review I still appreciate it. Please read and enjoy!









Cessation of Hostility

ch.3 - Goddess of Emotion, Kurohana






Rin briskly jostled the remaining brush out of her path, gashing her palm, as she made her way towards the temple. Being as naive as she was, she did not think to survey her surroundings for any impending danger. She simply walked through with no fear in her mind.

Through the obscure forest was a small brood of starving, female mosquito akuma. Their mother had disappeared into the night, never to return again. Of course, these young demons, never cultivated by a parent, were rabid and unbridled. From their long, sticky wings, still drying for their birth had just been a couple hours ago, to their attenuated, solid legs. Their ribs protruded from their inflexible skin. To most, they were the object of fear.

The fragrant scent of the human child made their mouths water with anticipation. Their keen senses sharpened when the hint of newly exposed blood filled them. Together with their combined hunger, they became even more dangerous than their already destructive mother.

The dusky fog was enough concealment for these famished akuma. Besides, once they reached her, she wouldn't be able to defend herself. They had wings...speed...

She had human legs and weak human senses.

The eldest akuma sister laughed menacingly as her dark ruby eyes scanned the forest for the ningen's figure. She paused, mid-flight, to savor the scent before she went in for the kill. Somehow, she wanted her victim to feel...terror...before she cleaned her small body of that luscious blood. Languidly she continued with her sisters following closely behind.






I hope they give me a place to stay. It's only for one night... Rin thought hopefully as she approached the temple.

She suddenly stopped when she heard fluttering...like bees' wings. She heard more, and then crackling leaves on the forest floor. Rin felt her heart beat faster.

Yes...little one...let your heart beat...faster...faster...

"Who...who's there?" Rin asked.

A small chuckle escaped within the darkness.

Rin decided to keep going. Once she was inside the temple, she would be fine. She quickened her steps. So close....

She turned back to see if there was anyone or anything following her. She sighed and turned back when there was nothing.

Until she crashed into a being right in front of her. She looked up.

"Konbanwa...." Rin whispered softly.

It was the most hideous creature she had ever seen. Its long nozzle of a mouth pointing sharply towards her face. Its piercing large, blood-red eyes peered into her soul, devouring her spiritually. Wings still plasmatic from some sort of odorous fluid. Rin let her belongings drop as she took off faster than she had ever run before.

Effortlessly, the sisters caught up to her and surrounded her. Rin stopped and looked up at each of them, unable to look away from their disfigured forms. Willfully, she looked at the ground for anything and found a couple large stones. She attacked them and hit one in the shoulder. The mosquito akuma seemed unaffected. Rin looked desperate. She had run out of ammunition, her hands were sweating, and her heart was beating in frenzy.

"May I have the first drink Onee-san?" a small timid one asked, moving closer.

"No! What type of question is that?" the eldest hissed. She turned towards Rin's terror filled face and smiled. "You are small...but you will feed my sisters and me for now," she whispered. She grabbed Rin by the base of her neck and lifted her. She ripped off all her clothing and brought her nozzle to Rin's abdomen.

"No---!!" Rin began, struggling. As she ruptured her skin.

The other sisters watched eagerly as she took one deep sip of Rin's blood. She pulled away feeling internally relieved. "Her blood...so sweet...so pure..."

"Onee-san--"

"You will get your chance," she snapped. Rin was floating into unconsciousness.

Sesshoumaru-sama...Sess....shou.... Rin heard herself whisper. To the sisters, it was inaudible.

Out of the forest came running footsteps. Rin felt herself drop to the ground. Before she fell into complete darkness, she felt the blurry shape of a man with silver hair.

"Sesshou...Sesshoumaru-sama...?" she whispered as her eyes softly shut.





It was strange to lose her scent. It was just a normal forest.

Sesshoumaru looked up into the ebony horizon as Jaken haggardly climbed up the ledge where he stood. Jaken used his staff to pull him up and panted when he reached the area next to Sesshoumaru.

"Sess....ahhh....Sesshoumaru-sama? Must we look all night? I am sure that Rin is fine--"

"Rin does not understand the dangers of this forest. That foolish child believes that she cannot be harmed."

"You are worried Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken asked, unconsciously.

Sesshoumaru stared down at Jaken for a couple of seconds before turning back towards the horizon.





Inuyasha walked away from the horribly dismantled remains of the mosquito akuma. He walked back in the direction of the temple with the small form tucked into his rat fur coat. As he neared it, he felt oddly uncomfortable. Then he realized. It was a purification barrier.

Inuyasha simply shrugged it off. There was no danger here. Plus he had to bring her to safety. He scoffed. So that inconsiderate youkai brother of his really let Rin go?

"Sesshoumaru-sama...." Rin whispered in her sleep. Inuyasha looked down at her and frowned. Poor girl...

Inuyasha felt his demon powers leaving as he entered the barrier. He clamorously knocked on the antique wooden door.

After a moment, the door creaked open. An elderly monk answered.

"Oiy, this girl needs to be cared for. If something happens to her, I'll come back and bash your head open," he threatened, handing the girl to him. The monk stared at him terrified.

Inuyasha smirked. If Kagome heard him say that...

He ran off as quickly as he came in. The monk looked down at the unconscious girl.

"Oh dear...what happened?" he asked himself softly. He brought Rin to his sleeping chamber and laid her down gently on the cot. He realized that she had no clothing, only the coat the young man had left.

"Sesshouma...ru...sama..." the girl whispered.

The monk touched her cheek. She was so cold. Was she attacked by mosquito akuma? He wondered, noticing the puncture on her abdomen. It was common around this area. Many of them were breeding this season. He sighed. How unfortunate.

He quickly clothed her.

"No..." she choked.

"Such a beautiful girl..." he observed. What happened? Who is this "Sesshoumaru-sama"? Does she speak of that...monstrous youkai lord? "I'm surprised he did not slay you."

Rin suddenly sat up looking around, frightened. When her eyes met the monk's, she backed into the wall.

"Young lady...it is all right. I am not going to harm you. I am Bunrakuken, a monk at this temple," he said gently. Rin's wide eyes began to soften.

"Why am I here?" she asked looking around suspiciously.

"A young man in red brought you here." Rin looked down at the cot with the fire rat coat on it.

"Inuyasha..." she mumbled. So it wasn't Sesshoumaru...

"I see you were attacked by a mosquito akuma. They all seem to be out this season."

"Bu--Bunrakuken-sama! Do you mind me staying here for just tonight? Oh...no I left my sack when the akuma attacked me--I will work for you to pay you back! I promise!" Rin said, clinging to the front of his robes.

Bunrakuken chuckled softly. "There is no need to worry. You may stay here as long as you need to recuperate."

Rin smiled a genuine smile. It seemed to be the most genuine smile she has had since her first encounter with adolescence.

"I can provide you clothes for a while, but I don't think you will want to wear a monk's habit everyday."

"It's fine."

"Well, what is your name child?"

"I'm Rin."

"Rin?"

"I...don't have a family name. My family died a long time ago. I was raised by a youkai named Sesshoumaru. But...he's gone too..." Rin said.

There was a depressing silence. "Oh, don't you worry. You will be part of our family. Why don't I take you around the temple?" Bunrakuken suggested.

"Ok," Rin agreed.

Bunrakuken guided her through the prayer rooms and the other chambers of the monks. Rin paused when she noticed a small shrine at the side of the temple. Bunrakuken looked in the direction Rin was concentrating on and sighed.

"That occurred in unfortunate times," he said glumly.

"What happened?"

Bunrakuken paused then proceeded to tell his story. "There was a sinister megami who once presided in this area. She caused utter havoc in all the inhabitants of this mountain, youkai and ningen alike. She caused destructive behavior among enemies, deaths between obsessive lovers and their friends, and devilish quarrels between siblings. That pernicious megami released the deepest searing emotions in everyone here."

"What was she called?" Rin asked.

"She was called Kurohana. Or the 'Black flower', simply because she was beautiful to all extent, but her heart was corrupt and made of stone."

"What happened after, Bunrakuken-sama?"

"Well, Kurohana fed on the released emotions, becoming more and more powerful. It was once a peaceful, friendly area, I tell you Rin...until she came. Some of us who were unaffected even fought Kurohana...It was difficult to defeat her because she was usually in her transparent form. Until one heroic eel demon named Kazuhiko came one day and sealed her...but his life was taken along with the sealing. He told us it was the least he could do for not being able to protect us from her when she had first appeared."

Rin listened carefully to his story. "Ah....Kazuhiko-san...." Bunrakuken nodded softly. "So inside that seal, she is still alive?" Rin asked.

"Yes, but with this purified barrier surrounding this area, she can never be released. Unless of course a very powerful demon has reason to tear it open..." Bunrakuken said.

"So if some angry youkai came here, Kurohana would come out?" Rin asked.

"That is the truth, unfortunately that is not all that will happen." Bunrakuken paused. "She will torment everyone and everything living on this mountain to relieve her rage. Remember, this happened many years ago....it even took us monks 45 years to rebuild this temple."

"It was built beautifully."

"Yes...everyone put an efficient amount of time and effort on it," Bunrakuken replied, looking proudly at the building. "...but it is not finished. If a youkai broke the barrier, it would be very grievous. Who knows if this temple will still stand or be rebuilt?"

"Bunrakuken-sama?"

"Yes?"

"We will make sure that Kurohana does not destroy the temple," Rin said giving the monk a reassuring smile.





Sesshoumaru smelled the air. Something had recently died here, he thought. But...there is the strong scent of Rin's blood in these remains as well... Rin...

He took a step forward and felt something ooze under his feet.

"Akuma..." he said staring at the viscous fluid. Jaken leaned down and sniffed it, then fell back at the force of the powerful odor.

"That's revolting! Ahh--Sesshoumaru-sama! It's in my nose--"

"Silence Jaken," Sesshoumaru said, looking towards the silhouette of a temple. Rin's scent seemed to travel about in this area. Somewhere inside his cold heart, he was relieved. She is alive...but how? After an attack by these enormous akuma she still walks? "Rin..."

Jaken looked up at him. "You found her Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru walked ahead, following the lingering scent of Rin's blood. He removed Toukijin from its sheath as he walked towards the structure.

Jaken followed closely behind him and crashed into him when he suddenly stopped.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"There is a barrier here."

"I don't sense anything," Jaken said looking around.

"The purifying aura is concealed within," Sesshoumaru said. Bolts of electricity blocked their passage. Sesshoumaru stood back and held Toukijin up.

"What do you plan on doing Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Rin is here...even if her scent stops at the barrier. It is preventing me from seeing her, he said to himself.

"Then it will simply have to go."





Notes:

megami - goddess






A/N: Third chapter up! Please continue to critique me. I really appreciate reviews that tell me how to improve my writing. Oh...I also went over my last chapters and noticed all the unbelievably dumb typos I created. That's why my spelling ratings were not very good. Thanks everyone for pointing it out for me. Especially with the word "will". Gosh, you guys must think I really spell it with one l....anyways, thanks for reading!