InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Facets of the Living Jewel ❯ Nullus agnosco ( Chapter 19 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters. Ms. Takahashi does.

 

Nullus agnosco

By Licentia poetica

 

At the Bone Eater's Well in the Sengoku Jidai, Kirara watched Shippo throwing pebbles in the meadow. `My poor little kitten. He does not understand the patience of the hunt.' Satisfied that he was no longer paying any attention to her, she raised her head to sift through the scents left around the well. `Pfffffft Hhhsssss was…pleased? Why? What did he find here that caused his scent to shift?' She lowered her head and traced the taiyoukai's scent to the edge of the clearing. `Definitely male, definitely alpha. Too bad he's an inu; it's a rather attractive scent. But it's also undeniably predatory…is he a danger to My Pride? Perhaps I should follow and make sure he has left the area.' She leaped up into a tree and extended her senses, relaxing a bit as she detected no threats in the area. `My little kitten will be safe for the moment.' Shielding her youki to conceal her presence, she jumped from the tree and began stalking along the faint scent trail. `Stupid inu. He leaves his odor all over “his” territory.' She leaped nimbly from footprint to footprint, making sure to leave her scent overlying his. `It belongs to me, Pfffffft Hhhssssss.'

 

Shippo glanced up as she left. `She's off on a hunt. Good! I can smash this stupid well!' He threw a particularly large stone at the side of the well, grunting in satisfaction at the thudding sound. Ha! So there, you dumb old well!

 

Climbing up on to the sun bleached wood, he peered into the depths, hoping to see the blue coruscations that always signaled Kagome's travel to and from this time, but hopped back off of the rim when the only light visible in the shadowy interior was the dim reflection of the morning light coming from dried bones. `I'd try to go after them but I can't climb out on my own if I don't go through. I think my balloon form would get stuck in there.' He heaved a sigh and clenched his jaw to keep it from trembling. `No one is coming through, and they've left me all alone, and it's been all night, and the sun is rising. Why didn't someone, anyone, come back?'

 

He glared at the well, bent down to gather some more pebbles, and threw them with all of his strength. “Baka Inuyasha!” His ears twitched and he grinned in satisfaction as several pebbles smacked against the opposite side of the well, clattering down into the depths. “Hah!” He scooped up two fist-sized stones and threw them at the sun-bleached wood. “Baka Miroku! Baka Sango!” The thumping sounds as the rocks dented the wood made him grin for a moment, but an odd echo within the well itself made his ruff stand straight up. The echo reverberated without diminishing in sound and he back away from the well, poised to flee. Suddenly the well went silent and he stood absolutely still for almost a full minute, stiff with tension. “Mama?” he whispered.

 

The well remained silent and still.

 

`Stupid well! You took my family and my Mama!' His throat tightened and his emerald eyes darkened as he thought of Kagome, and he had to bite his lower lip to keep from crying again. Heaving a great sigh, he let the rest of the stones drop from his hand and sidled over to the well. “Okay, I won't hit you anymore.” He sat down next to the sun-warmed wood to wait, sniffling. “You better not have taken them away forever, though. You better bring my family back!” He swiped away a wayward tear, stared at the water droplet on his grubby fist, and growled softly, I'll hit you if you don't!”

 

The well tranquilly ignored his threat.

 

He gave another small growl and folded his arms to look like Inuyasha. “It's so unfair! I'm too little and nobody ever gets scared of me! You just wait!”

 

The well made an odd noise behind him and his eyes widened as the ground underneath him began to heave as if liquefying. He tried to move but his arms and legs would not respond.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Miroku, drifting in a pleasant dream of Sango's lithe legs, turned from his back to his side in his habitual morning movement and was startled awake by the seductive caress of soft sheets sliding over his nude body. `What?' He sat up abruptly and stared about the room for a few seconds as his confused brain caught up to his present circumstances. `Oh…yes. I'm in Kagome's time in the “guest room” of her home.' He stretched, reveling in the unusual but gratifying sensations of the yielding “western” bed that Innin had given him the night before. `I couldn't resist sleeping in the nude. It's so rare for me to have the privacy.' He ran his hand over the smooth sheets. `And this bed is almost sinfully comfortable.' Sighing in contentment, he leaned back against the pillows and took a few moments to look over the furniture and decorations in the room. `Such an interesting time, but…it feels so empty when I try to sense youki and houriki. Even jyaki is missing. It's as if something has completely pulled the magic out of the life forces. How did Kagome manage to grow so powerful in this void?'

 

He sat up again and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. `Well, enough rest. Time to see if I can manage to cajole Kagome into taking me to that “mall” that she's always talking about. I've always wanted to ask her to get a pair of—,' his thoughts stopped abruptly as memories of his fantasies when he had first read about the item in question flooded his brain. He frowned as he twisted his fundoshi around his hips. `Hhhmmm… maybe it would be wiser to ask Kagome's mother for help. Kagome will only assume I want them for the worst reasons.' He smiled to himself as he unfolded his robes. `Who am I kidding? I do want them for those reasons!' He smirked as he put on his kosode, laughing to himself at his own attempts to justify his actions. `But they could certainly be used for that purpose and it would be necessary to practice with them before I use them for the real reason I want them.' He adjusted the ties to his kesa. `Overall, they should prove to be very useful against Naraku, so it would justify my actions.'

 

Sighing, he hefted his shakujou in his hand and opened the door, looking down the empty hallway before he stepped into it and began walking toward the front of the house. `The other problem that I foresee is that I have little money, but what I have will be considered an antique in this time so it should be valuable. I wish I knew how much they will cost…hopefully I will have enough.' He paused as he came to a picture of the Higurashi family, smiling faintly at the image of Kagome as a tiny girl-child, but his smile abruptly vanished as he stared at the faded likeness of her father. `We'll have to go out into the city and I'll need different clothes. Another problem; I'll have to find a way to make sure that the women don't know what I'm buying.' He blew out a frustrated breath, pursing his lips. `Sango must not find out! Somehow I'll have to manage it. Perhaps Lady Higurashi will help me if I tell her why I want them…or at least part of the reasons why I want them.' He shook his head to dispel the images of a bathing Sango that were distracting him. `I need to perform my morning meditation and I prefer to be outside. Hopefully by the Goshinboku I will be more focused.'

 

He walked out of the house into the morning sunlight but ducked quickly back into the door he had just left when he saw Kagome and Inuyasha sharing a rather passionate kiss. Miroku allowed himself a wicked grin. “Well, they are finally acknowledging what everyone else knew years ago. Heh… I'll have some fun with Inuyasha later. I wonder if Sango knows about this?' His smile softened as he remembered the kiss that he had shared with her yesterday. `She felt so good in my arms; so yielding…my Sango.'

 

He suddenly bowed his head and fisted his cursed hand. `She is not my Sango. Lovely, lovely Sango…strong yet vulnerable, courageous yet shy. I wish I could be what you need.' He opened the cursed hand, using the absolute lack of sensation in the middle of the palm to forcibly remind himself of his mortality. `I must not kiss her again. I have no right to place her in that position.'

 

He closed his eyes and sighed in defeat as the memory of her kiss weakened his resolve. `I need to meditate. I need to get her out of my head, so I can concentrate on solving the Wind Tunnel problem and devising a strategy to defeat Naraku.'

 

He leaned the shakujou against his chest and placed his palms together, interlacing all of his fingers but the index and thumb before bringing his hands up to his mouth and placing the tips of his forefingers against his lips. `I can and will focus. I will concentrate on the here and now.'

 

Taking a deep breath, he tried to focus his mind on the group's current position. `Things have changed. If Kagome can drive time streams in a certain direction, it might be easier to destroy Naraku, but we need more information. I'm curious to see what the sensei in my own era will offer. I've already tried so many incantations and sutras against Naraku. Useless, all of them.'

 

He peered around the corner of the doorway, wondering if the lovers had moved to a less conspicuous location. Kagome was by herself, dazedly walking into the house. `Hhmm. I'm not sure I would have left if I was Inuyasha.' As Kagome entered the house, he walked into the open, making his way to the Goshinboku. Settling himself into position, he placed the shakujou on the ground next to him, closed his eyes, and began to take cleansing breaths to prepare for meditation.

 

“Hey!” A young man's voice interrupted his beginning mantra. “Are you Miroku? Mama said you were all here. Is Shippo here, too? I've never met a kitsune before. What are you doing? Are you going to be here for long?”

 

Miroku opened his eyes and raised a hand. “Stop!” He gave a gentle laugh when he saw the face of the young man racing towards him. `Well, cheerful inquisitiveness is a family trait. This must be Sota.' The youth had to be related to Kagome; a younger, more masculine version of Kagome's face was smiling at him. “I will lose track of your questions, and you will be none the wiser for having asked me! Let's see…yes, I am Miroku. No, Shippo is not with us.” A faint sense of unease passed through him as he said this. `I'm sure that Kaede and Kirara will look after the child, but it must have been a shock to him to see us all go through the well. We'll have to give him some extra reassurance when we go back.' He turned his attention back to the slim youth in front of him. “In answer to your final questions, I am preparing to meditate and I do not know how long we will be here in your time. Is there anything more? Perhaps you would introduce yourself.” He cocked his head to one side and smiled at Sota, who was regarding him intently.

 

Sota gave a sheepish grin and dug the toe of his shoe in the dirt. “Umm, I'm Sota, Kagome's brother. It's nice to meet you.” He stared intently at Miroku for a moment before saying abruptly, “Kagome says that you're really smart. Smarter than anyone she knows, and not just with school stuff.”

 

Miroku felt oddly embarrassed. `I knew Kagome liked me, but I didn't realize that she respected my intelligence.' He shook his head, smiling wryly. `She's seen me grope Sango too many times and she's never failed to let me know what she thinks of my womanizing. My former womanizing.' After only a few weeks with Sango he had kept up the pretence of being interested in other women; however, his focus had been centered solely on the taiji-ya. `I know it's just a ruse to keep Sango at a distance.'

 

“Thank you, Sota. But between us men, there are things that I am not too smart about.”

 

“Yeah? Well, umm…I'll let you meditate. Gramps would be really angry if he knew that I was bothering you. Let's talk later, okay?” Giving a jaunty wave, Sota raced back towards the house.

 

Miroku composed himself once more. Only his years of training allowed him to ignore the constant sounds of the city. `This era is terribly distracting.' Closing his eyes, he began to focus and entered into a state of profound mediation.

 

An unknown amount of time later, a reverberating explosion caused him to break off his meditation. He listened with calm detachment, assessing the situation for any danger, and raised his eyebrows as an even stronger blast vibrated the walls of the Shrine. `That sounds like…the Wind Scar? I wonder if Inuyasha—,' he stood up fluidly with the ease of long practice. `I had better find Kagome and Sango.' Another explosion, lesser in volume, rumbled through the morning as Miroku began to walk towards the house, but Kagome, Sango, and Mrs. Higurashi ran through the front door just as he neared it. The group was followed by Kagome's grandfather and Sota. They all met in front of the courtyard gate, staring at the dust clouds in the distance.

 

“Miroku, that's definitely Inuyasha's Wind Scar. Can you sense his youki? Is he being attacked?” Kagome was trying to sound calm but Miroku could tell she was concerned.

 

Miroku concentrated as a fourth blast echoed. “I can't sense…wait.” He frowned and closed his eyes as an isolated aura impinged on his senses. “In the distance I can detect a powerful youki…it's Inuyasha, but…his aura is…changing? ” Miroku opened his eyes and became acutely aware of the scrutiny of Kagome's family, especially the distrustful gaze of her grandfather. “I can't sense any other youki or jyaki.” The elder Higurashi narrowed his eyes and frowned, so in deference to his age Miroku asked, “Ojiisan, do you detect anything?”

 

“Hhmmph. I do not need to detect anything to know it is that worthless hooligan, young man. Someone should tell him not to make such noise! It disturbs the harmony of the Shrine.” The old man grabbed Sota, who was leaning out over the shrine steps, peering into the distance at the clouds from the explosions. “Come Sota, you must get ready for school.”

 

“But—,” Sota struggled for a moment in the older man's hold.

 

“Now, Sota.”

 

Grumbling, Sota followed his grandfather toward the house.

 

Kagome, visibly more relaxed, was still looking off into the distance where the dust from the Wind Scar was settling. The faint wail of sirens could be heard. After a few moments she turned to Sango and Miroku. “What could be happening? Why would he use the Wind Scar unless he was under attack? Should we go try to help him? We need to make sure no one sees him.”

 

Miroku gestured to his robes. “We could try to go find him, Kagome, but if you desire concealment, I think we will be a hindrance in our regular clothes. I have noticed that they do not…fit…with the current modes of dress.” Miroku looked out over the city and sighed quietly. `I want to see this world that I've read so much about, but I do not want to draw attention to myself.' He smirked in the direction of the wailing sirens. `Inuyasha has drawn enough attention for all of us.'

 

Sota called them from the house. “Hey! Come look at the TV! They've got a live view of the place where the explosions are!”

 

The group ran inside and Kagome gave a wailing moan as the television revealed a scene of incredible devastation.

 

Innin gave a shocked gasp. `Gods! I never truly realized the extent of the danger that Kagome faces!' Careful to keep her voice neutral, she asked, “Kagome, is that damage all because of Inuyasha's Wind Scar?”

 

“I think so.” Kagome was oblivious to the nervousness that her mother was showing. “You see the gouges there? That's how the ground looks when the Wind Scar hits it, but I don't think I've ever seen it so—,” she stopped, gasping abruptly as the view on the screen changed to a fuzzy, obviously enlarged picture of Inuyasha walking with a pack of dogs. The camera focused in on his dog-like ears before panning backwards to take in his whole form again. He had turned and was staring back at the cameras; his eyes narrowed and he seemed to bark just before disappearing in a blur of red.

 

The television reporter was speaking excitedly about the mysterious man who had been walking near the explosions. “No information is available on this individual at the present time. If anyone sees him or knows where he might be located, inform the local police authorities at once. He may be dangerous.”

 

Kagome whirled to face her friends. “Miroku, Sango! He's going to be so obvious in his fire rat's robe! There are no trees here for him to hide in! How can we help him?” She fisted her hands and stamped one foot. “Why did he use the Wind Scar? Why was he out there without a cap to hide his ears? If he gets caught by the police…no one in this time will ever understand!”

 

Miroku hesitantly cleared his throat. `I can understand why Inuyasha might have to…let some energy out after what I saw in the courtyard. But Kagome and Sango will be less understanding than the police if I mention it.' He smiled reassuringly at his two traveling companions. “I'm sure Inuyasha will return to us any moment. We will just have to go back through the well as soon as possible.”

 

“Why?” asked Sango. “We just arrived, and Kagome stays for two to three days.”

 

“There are several reasons, lovely Sango. First of all, Inuyasha has used the Wind Scar, and in this time it will not be lawful.”

 

“He's done nothing wrong! What if he was attacked?” Sango bristled.

 

“It doesn't matter, Sango,” explained Kagome. “So much damage was done that the police would put him in jail.”

 

“Jail?” Sango queried, looking a bit irritated.

 

“It's a place like a cage,” Kagome said quietly.

 

Sango gasped, “They would cage him for defending himself?”

 

Miroku interrupted the two women. “Actually, if they catch Inuyasha they won't really be that interested in the damage he's done.”

 

Sango growled in frustration and fisted her hands. “You're speaking in circles, houshi.”

 

Kagome sighed and shook her head. “Miroku's right. Inuyasha will be…strange. An oddity that they'll want to…investigate.”

 

“Investigate?” Sango asked angrily. When Kagome blanched at her question she said quietly, “Why don't I like the sound of that word?”

 

Fighting back tears, Kagome said softly, “They will…want to see why his body is different. They'll run tests…they'll take his blood and drug him and—,” she stopped speaking for a moment as Sango's expression became horrified. She bit her lip hard to hold back the tears that threatened and continued, “Can you imagine Inuyasha's reaction? Even if they don't harm him physically, I don't want him hurt like that.”

 

Sango's expressive face changed from horrified to angry and resolved as she stepped forward and put her arm around Kagome's shoulder. “Well then, we'll just have to make sure he doesn't get hurt.”

 

Miroku forced his voice to remain calm. “There are other reasons to leave soon. Shippo watched us as we entered the well. I know he must be frightened, and even though Kirara and Kaede are there, he will need reassurance.”

 

“Well, all we can do is wait.” Kagome began to walk over to the Shrine of the Well. “That baka! If he doesn't get back here safely I'm going to…well, he just better get back here!” Kagome swallowed hard against her worry. `I know Inuyasha is fast, but how will the police react if they see him? Is he faster than a bullet?'

 

As the group neared the Shrine, Kagome, who was watching the entrance to the courtyard and not her feet, tripped over a loose brick in the walkway. Giving a cry she fell right into the arms of Miroku. Looking down into her startled face, he was about to laugh and chide her gently for her clumsiness when a loud, feral snarl rang through the courtyard. Everyone froze, looking at the gateway.

 

Inuyasha was standing in the center of it. Though the hanyou's irises were still gold they were surrounded by brilliant red and the marks on his cheekbones were livid. He was staring straight into Miroku's eyes with a snarl on his face.

 

`Oh gods, he's lost control!' Kagome's instant reaction was to “sit” Inuyasha, but, as she took a breath to say the word, the time power erupted in her head again.

 

For some reason, the time threads whipped about her in a maelstrom, breaking like waves against the Shrine of the Well. Kagome tried to remain calm in the midst of the storm, but she could not see clearly into any of the threads. `How can I make a choice?' The power beat against her temples, forcing her to the point of a decision. `Each path is a disaster!' She had brief glimpses of the jumbled time threads: Miroku wounded and dying, Inuyasha ridden with guilt and asking Sango to kill him; Sango throwing herself in front of an attacking Inuyasha to save Miroku and Kagome but becoming mortally wounded herself; Inuyasha leaving the courtyard, only to be shot later by police. `I can't choose from these paths!' Crying out in mental agony, she remembered what her mother had said: “If you know too much of the time paths ahead, you may not choose to go forward. Then you will die.”

 

As she struggled in the maelstrom of power, she understood intimately what her mother had been talking about. She was caught between impossible decisions and the Nexus was killing her.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Translations:

Nullus agnosco: Latin; Misunderstandings (literally, no understanding)

 

Pfffffft Hhhsssss: Neko; Bad Dog. A particularly rude insult in Neko language.

 

Japanese:

Ojiisan: grandfather, male senior-citizen.

Kosode: kimono-style undergarment.

Kesa: the official garment signifying ordination and dharma transmission from a master to a disciple. It is Miroku's outer garment, worn like a toga over one shoulder, wrapped around the body and tied at the upper two corners. These ties are brought together and knotted.

Sutra: literally, thread or string. A scripture containing the teachings of Buddha, usually a succinct phrase which captures complexity within a simple written form.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thanks to all my reviewers! You keep me writing the story!

 

Nightmare800, Lance_Leader_Dragoon, RoseDream