InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Heart of a Thief ❯ Secrets - Part II ( Chapter 4 )

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

When the truth of just who, or what, his rescuers are is finally revealed, Kuromu finds that he must become what he said he would never be. But could there be some other way?

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Angst / Romance / Psychological / Hentai | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 03.21.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 120 | Status: Work In Progress

Disclaimer: I own nothing InuYasha-related and make no profit from this fic.

Chapter 4: Secrets - Part II

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Fortunately, Shikaeru's guess that the kitchen would have been closed down shortly was wrong and both she and Kuromu spent a reasonable amount of time there eating their fill and talking with one of the only other occupants of the kitchen, the cook. Between the good meal and the cook's captivating stories, Kuromu had almost been able to forget about Genkotsu. But his time of contentment was shattered as the other boy found his way into the kitchen and had the nerve to sit down next to Shikaeru. “Getting yourself ready for hibernation so soon?” he remarked with a sharp edge to his voice as he noticed the various plates of food that Kuromu had gone through to satiate his hunger.

“And you wouldn't be hungry after going for two days with hardly any food?” Shikaeru asked Genkotsu with a glare.

Genkotsu looked hurt, as if he assumed that Shikaeru would never even dream of turning on him. But he recovered quickly and replaced the shocked, hurt look on his face with one of calculated smugness and an air of disdain. “I'm not denying that he should be hungry,” he said coolly, “I'm just saying that I don't think he needs to be draining all our resources on just his first day here.”

Kuromu was finding the urge to punch Genkotsu in the gut harder and harder to resist the longer he was around the boy. “I don't plan on only taking,” Kuromu said as he angrily stared at Genkotsu. “I plan to earn my keep.”

“Oh? And just how do you plan to do that?” Genkotsu asked, a dark gleam coming to his eyes.

Shikaeru stiffened as if realizing that something horrible were about to happen. “You know, there are some things we should get done before people start to all fall asleep for-“ she started but was cut off by Kuromu.

“By doing what I need to do,” he said, tensing as if ready to rise from his chair.

“You don't have it in you,” Genkotsu hissed, tensing as well.

“What don't I have?” Kuromu asked, anger clear in his voice.

“Please, Kuromu, Genkotsu, don't-“ Shikaeru started, only to be cut off again.

“The courage to take what you need and not wait around for others to decided whether or not to give it to you. To take your life into your own hands.”

Kuromu froze, his eyes slightly widened as Genkotsu's words sunk in. Surely he didn't mean what he thought he meant? “What's the matter? Does the city boy not know what its like to not have what he needs? Is he too scared to be able to take it for himself?” Genkotsu taunted.

“You don't know what my life's been like!” Kuromu shouted, standing up to face Genkotsu as the other boy stood as well.

“Stop it!” Shikaeru yelled as she stood up and stepped between them.

The two boys froze, surprised by Shikaeru's sudden change of tone. As she looked to each of them, she saw pent up anger circling through Genkotsu and a painful mix of anger and sadness running through Kuromu. Kuromu stood for only a moment longer before bolting, running off through the caves. He ran for what seemed like a lifetime but he finally found the entrance, ignoring the confused faces he passed along the way. He took a few shaky steps out into the underbrush outside the caves and stopped, breathing heavily as he looked out to the valley that was washed with a pale orange and red tint from the impending sunset, the river winding through the center sparkled with the remaining blue in the sky as well as the reflection of the pink and purple clouds. A soft wind rustled through the grasses and pulled at his dark, shoulder length hair. “It's beautiful out here at this time of day, isn't it?” came a calm voice behind him.

He turned and watched as the man he knew as Danuko walked from the caves and came to stand beside him. “You, all of you are...” Kuromu began.

“Thieves?” Danuko finished with a knowing smile. “I know. Many of the others from your village have already decided to leave for that reason. And I can't blame them. Being a thief doesn't give you the best of reputations and it certainly earns you no respect from the majority of people. Even just being around a thief, let alone a whole clan of them, can make people view you as being just as bad as they are, regardless of whether you've ever stolen anything or not. I will have no hard feelings if you wish to go.”

Kuromu turned away from the man and looked back out to the valley that had become considerably more orange as the sun began to set behind the valley's western ridgeline. “Shikaeru never told you about what we are, what she is, because she wants you stay. I'm sure she had figured that if she'd told you the full truth of the situation, that you'd leave the first chance you got,” Danuko said, looking to Kuromu for his reaction.

“I have no place to go and no one to go to. Either way, if I chose to stay or leave, I'm just going to have to end up as a thief to survive, so I might as well stay here,” Kuromu replied, eyes never leaving the valley and the sky that was slowly darkening to reveal the myriad stars above.

Danuko smiled. “If you ever change your mind, just let me know. But since you do seem to be committed to staying for at least tonight, we should get you a place to stay and a chance for you to wash up before going to bed.”

“OK,” Kuromu said quietly and followed the man back inside.

Danuko showed him back to the common room where Kuromu had first met Genkotsu and past that into an adjoining room. There were several futons spread out throughout the room and the man went to where a few boxes and other containers where stacked in one corner and brought out another futon for Kuromu, setting it down on the floor where there was some spare room. Danuko went through one of the boxes and produced a blanket and a pillow for him as well. He rummaged through one last box and brought out a set of clothes for him to sleep in, a bathrobe, a bar of soap, and a towel. “I'll show you where you can go for a bath next,” he explained as he handed the bundle to Kuromu.

Kuromu only nodded and followed behind the man as he left the sleeping area and went through one of the halls that led off the common room. They walked for a while until they came to a small room of sorts with three other branches leading from it. “Here,” Danuko said, handing Kuromu one of the few torches that was to be found in the hallways. “You'll need some light for up ahead. Just take the hall that's straight ahead from where we just came and you will eventually come out at the river and you can find a spot along there that you like. There's nothing dangerous to worry about, well, at least that we know about yet. You do know how to swim right?”

Kuromu nodded his head. “Then we shouldn't have to worry about you drowning or anything,” Danuko finished, seeming just a little too lighthearted with the subject for Kuromu's liking. “Try to come back before it gets too dark and make sure to leave the torch back here once you're done. See you in the morning then.”

“Yeah, you too. Night,” Kuromu said with a nod and started off down the hallway he had been told to follow.

The trip down to the river took a little longer than he'd expected it to be but once there, he was met with the beautiful sight of the clear waters moving slowly along over a smooth gravel bed. He walked along the bank until he found a secluded spot he liked and he shed his clothes. The water was cool, but probably warmer during the day, he noted, but felt good against his skin. His weary, bruised body sunk into the water and he simply rested there for a moment before completely submerging himself. He grabbed the bar of soap and went about scrubbing away the dirt from his skin and using some suds to wash his hair. He tossed the bar of soap back onto the shore where he'd set down the rest of his things and was preparing to rinse off when he heard the sound of a twig snapping.

He turned towards the sound and half expected to see one of those demons his brother had told him about but was greeted with only the site of the trees and underbrush. He rinsed away the soapsuds and waded out of the river, quickly drying and dressing himself in the nightclothes provided for him. He remained on the alert, thoughts of the dark soldier immediately entering his mind. He gathered his things and grabbed the torch that he'd partially buried in some gravel to keep it up right and made his way back to the caves at a brisk jog. He didn't slow down until he reached the spot where he'd seen Danuko last and, remembering the man's words, put the torch back in the bracket it had originally been in.

His nerves were mostly settled back down by the time he got back to the room with the futons. The torches had been all put out and he only had the glow of the light from the common room to use to find his way to his futon. He set the bundle he was carrying down next to the futon and was fixing the blanket and pillow when he heard someone whispered his name, causing his to startle. He made a mental note that he must not have calmed down quite as much as he'd initially thought. “Yeah?” he whispered into the darkness, targeting the speaker as being the person in the futon next to his.

“I'm sorry I didn't tell you about all this sooner,” the person answered, making him realize it was Shikaeru.

“It's alright,” he said, feeling bad about how he'd just run out on her earlier.

“No, it isn't. I shouldn't have kept something like that from you,” she retorted.

“I'm not going to leave, if that's what has you so worried,” he told her, watching in the dim light as she turned to look more directly towards him.

“Are you sure? But what about what you said earlier, about what happened after your parents died?”

“Yeah, I know,” he answered after a moment.

Even in the darkness, she was able to reach out and find his hand. She clasped it gently in hers. “I know you still don't want to give in and let those people be right,” she whispered so softly he almost could hear what she said. “But those people are gone. That life you knew is gone. It will always be a part of you, deep down, but why not try to let it go and start over again?”

“What do you mean?”

“Get yourself a new life, a new identity, so you won't have to lose who you are inside to what you would have to become. That way, no one can say that Kuromu ever turned into a thief.”

“Then who should I be if not Kuromu?”

“Onigumo.”