InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Inexcusable Nature ❯ Designs on life ( Chapter 17 )

Inexcusable Nature

Just A Starving Writer

Disclaimer: nope, not mine.


Part 17: Designs on life


Waking up was glorious. However, it had been so long since she'd had a morning so wonderful and comfortable that Kagome highly suspected something was off.

And it was.

She couldn't get up. After further inspection, she realized it was because a certain demon lord was asleep - again - and had somehow tangled his hand in her hair. And boy was it tangled.

She could forget the fact that she was somehow sleeping on his leg. She could even forget the massive feeling of contentment that waking up with him had brought her. However, she simply could not forget her tangled hair and the hand so thoroughly lost in it. While she slept it was okay but now that she was awake, and wanting to escape his pleasant grasp, it was something she simply could not deal with.

"Fighting tangles has never been my strong suit…" she mumbled as she attempted to work the hand out of the strands. It was being stubborn, as if her hair wanted him to be kept there.

Before she could further continue her battle, her unlikely bed partner awoke.

He smirked upon seeing her so close.

"You wish for another demonstration." It was just unnerving how a statement so entirely sensual could be spoken so flatly. How did he do that?

"No," she stated as her anger threatened. "I wish to be released. Your hand is caught in my hair."

He dropped his smirk slightly as he considered the implications of her accusation. Had he really fallen asleep again? He'd never slept so often and it was bothersome, especially considering every time he did so, she found her way into his proximity. Looking down at her hair he saw what she said was indeed true. And in true male fashion, he did the only thing he could think of to be released. He pulled. Hard.

The punch accompanying her feminine squeal of pain was enough to make the situation curious but annoying. After a good few seconds of honestly attempting to release the girl, he gave in to his irritation and used the easiest solution. Using his claws, he simply cut the hair surrounding his hand, much to her utter dismay.

"My…my hair…" she mumbled as she held the cut locks. The cut was jagged and ran in a haphazard path across her shoulder blades, easily leaving a good foot of black hair on the ground.

He never guessed something that silly would make her upset, but upset she was. On the verge of tears even. Her eyes bespoke of tragedy and he simply couldn't understand why something that insignificant would affect her so much. However, he didn't have time to further ponder the issue. Suddenly her eyes hardened and sparkled as a plan hatched in her mind. The day would surely be interesting.

"Come on, ladies man," Kagome said in forced lightness as she shook the remaining loose hairs from her head. "I have to finish mending your shirt before we leave."

The inane statement as well as her fake good nature made him suspicious but he allowed the girl to exit the cave and followed her on the short leash.

Outside, the miko was standing stock still, tensed and shocked. He soon saw the cause and had to admit it was quite curious.

The monk and demon slayer were still asleep. The hanyou was not. Instead, he was looking toward a newcomer with a pained expression. And the newcomer…she was looking rather pained herself.

"Kikyou?" Kagome breathed and they set their eyes on her. "I…I don't understand."

And that was of course when she sensed the jewel shard. The former miko was tainted.

"So you know," the former miko stated with a sigh. "Trust that I did not wish to be returned. Twice I have been denied my rightful rest in death. It is not my intention to cause you harm, but there has been a change."

"Naraku," the new miko said softly.

"Yes," Kikyou responded. "I do not understand his motives, but do know he plans to use me as a doll…" She paused and pointedly gazed at the sleeping slayer. "Much like the dead boy."

"Kohaku…"

"Yes. Luckily, I have slightly more control than the child."

Kagome stiffly sat down, taking her former pile of clothing into lap. Maybe if she was distracted by the dead priestess she wouldn't feel the prick of the needle…

"What the hell is Naraku thinking?" muttered the hanyou as he pointedly avoided everyone's eyes.

"That your life was too simple," responded the youkai. "He wishes to complicate the situation and draw your emotions into play. A very dangerous game."

"But to use Kikyou like this?"

"Why not? The slayer suffers the same misfortune."

The hanyou could only nod at his brother's knowledge and the future-born miko stopped in her work to gawk. When did they start acting like brothers?

"If all is the same to you, I would prefer to return to death." The soft and steady statement drew all eyes back to the dead miko.

"Wh…what do you mean?" the hanyou questioned, his pain blatantly obvious.

"Inuyasha…I no longer wish to hurt you. Twice I have been stolen from death and this is not where I belong. If one of you would do the honors, I would prefer to be relieved of this false life."

No one quite knew what to say at that declaration.

"But Kikyou…" began the reincarnation, hurt that her other self was feeling so horrible. "Don't you even want to try living again?"

"Not particularly. This is not life and it never will be. I grow weary of a partial soul and partial life. I do not belong here and I would rather return to death than be a puppet of Naraku."

The hanyou walked away. Apparently the situation was just too much for him. No one could blame him. How many times was he going to be teased before his former love was let go to death? It was tortuous, really. Naraku was a clever nemesis to have pulled this stunt and everyone hated him all the more.

Meanwhile, the mikos, both dead and alive, sat silently in front of the dying campfire, pondering this latest turn of events. The demon lord stood, regarding the dead party with suspicion. Never trust anyone who begs for their death as they have nothing to lose.

"Kikyou…" began the fully alive miko as she tried to ignore the prick of the needle. "Did Naraku say why he brought you back? I mean, besides the whole `do my bidding' thing?"

"Yes. He mentioned that Inuyasha's heart was being drawn away from my memory again. I assumed he meant you but I see things have changed since I was last alive."

The living girl could only nod before she recognized the insinuation.

"Hey! There's nothing going on here!"

"Do you care for Inuyasha?"

"As a friend…"

"Where does your heart lay now? For whom does it beat now?"

"No one. Myself."

The dead miko smiled wistfully, such an odd expression on her pale face, before locking her eyes on her reincarnation.

"Ah. So you do not know yet."

"Know what yet?"

"It is not my place to say. Regardless, you have been distracted from Inuyasha and therefore I do not understand Naraku's motives."

The demon lord that had heretofore remained silent suddenly shocked them.

"Kagura." The mikos looked to him with questioning eyes.

"The wind sorceress."

"Well, of course, we knew that," retorted Kagome. "What about her?"

"He has been in contact with her recently without informing us."

"He has??"

"Yes."

"Interesting," stated the dead miko with a slight grin. "Naraku's motives are beginning to make sense though he is ill advised in dealing with his minions."

"Wait," requested Kagome as she rubbed her head in confusion and frustration. "Inuyasha… and Kagura?"

"It appears so."

"But that's so wrong!" the young woman related.

The dead miko looked back and forth between her reincarnation and the western lord.

"I've seen worse."

Both connected parties chose to ignore that remark.

*

"Why?" demanded a furious wind sorceress. "Why was she brought back?"

"The hanyou is quite fickle, don't you agree?" asked the evil master smoothly.

She glared at him with all her might but it was simply useless.

"It seems your heart has been stolen…again. Perhaps it is you that is fickle, Kagura. You give your heart away so easily."

Her glare hardened, red eyes burning with pure contempt and hatred towards her creator.

"Now that he is no longer…distracted with the reincarnation, do you suppose he'll seek out the original?"

The count of wishes for his painful death went up exponentially.

"She is my slave, Kagura. Just like you. Never forget who really holds your heart."

She would have attacked him then and there had she not feared for her life. It was truly unbearable the control he had over her.

The evil hanyou had been staring relentlessly into his chunk of the Shikon jewel during the conversation and she was tempted to snatch it from him if only to die with some dignity. However, she had a better idea. One much more profitable.

"You plot my demise, Kagura?" his smooth voice mocked her.

"No," she responded with a smirk. "Those you bring together do. I merely watch for it."

Her distant heart suddenly ached as it was squeezed in his hand. She half expected to die for the comment but was surprised when instead he threw the small glowing red ball at her.

"Why?" she asked incredulously as she cradled her warm heart.

"You are useless to me, Kagura. While your death would be enjoyable, I would rather witness your pain when all you attempt to love reject you."

He seemed so certain that she could only ache at the thought.

"Go now. Join your distracted hanyou and lord. Watch the brothers deny you. And know that I watch."

She departed quickly, clutching the red sphere as if her life depended on it, which it did, and let the wind return her to the sword smith's home where the shard hunters awaited. Perhaps an alliance could be formed. At the very least, perhaps the miko could get the heart back into its proper place. Having it loose like this was only asking for trouble.

*

"I need more thread," Kagome exclaimed suddenly once everyone had woken and began to prepare the morning meal. She was ignored by all except the demon lord. He merely eyed her suspiciously. The mischievous twinkle was back in her eyes.

She motioned for him to move closer, though there was truly no need as short as their leash was.

He could have stopped her; there was no doubt about that. But he had been curious, and slightly turned on, when she had reached for the nearby blade. He had not considered what her intentions were, and by then he had already underestimated her enhanced human speed. And so, when his hand finally did stay hers, it was too late. The damage was done.

Angry, he pushed her to the ground, hand on her throat as his quick movement stirred the severed hair and caused it to settle around them.

"You cut my hair, I cut yours," was her simple retort. Apparently it hadn't occurred to her that he was considering her death for the action. But of course, as soon as she said that, he was once more taken in by her obstinacy. Why he let this little human miko get away with such insolence was beyond him.

Releasing her neck to assess the damage to his hair, he was shocked to find at least a good two feet missing. Turning back to the presently subdued miko he stated exactly what he was thinking.

"You should be killed."

"You won't kill me." She was so confident and sure, despite the weight of his hand on her neck, despite his knees pressing her soft body into the ground. Come to think of it, the position was all too promising.

"You are so sure? Tell me, why will I spare your life?"

"If you don't know, how am I supposed to?"

Her answer was truthful and he couldn't dismiss the knowledge it held. Of course she was right. He would spare her life, though why he didn't know, and she was left to guessing as well.

He was so deep in contemplation over why exactly he would not end her life that he almost missed when her body tensed under him. Concentrating on her face, he noticed she was apprehensive and slightly frightened, but not of him.

"Something is coming…" she mumbled.

The unease that had so thoroughly filled her soon infected the others. Battle was approaching.

Pulling the miko up with him, they watched as the eastern sky darkened.

*

Kagura could feel the evil energy behind her and picked up her pace. She had known Naraku would not let her leave in peace, but had not expected this. While the entirety of his plans was unknown, she could only guess he meant to take out both her and the shard hunters at once.

Of course, there was a pretty significant problem with this tactic. The sorceress was currently not aligned with anyone. In fact, those she sought alliance with presently considered her an enemy and were bound to mistake her in the upcoming battle.

She urged the winds to carry her quicker. Her only hope was in reaching the shard hunters in time.

*

The evil hanyou looked from mirror to mirror to jewel with an expectant smile on his handsome face.

His former minion was racing the wave of youkai he had sent to the shard hunters. She would not make it.

He let his gaze rest on the recently revived undead miko. Of course, she only wanted death. However, she had apparently had enough of Hell and therefore was not inclined to end her own life. Instead, she was relying on others to do so for her. With that in mind, the battle was bound to be interesting.

His eyes transferred to the jewel. He had not lied to Kagura as Kikyou was his puppet. Unfortunately, the miko had a strong will and did anything but fear death. Due to this, he simply could not control her absolutely. She would not let him use her to kill those she had strong ties to, so Inuyasha and his companions were most likely safe from the threat she posed.

Luckily for the miko, he had no intentions of using her in that way.

Turning his eyes back onto the reincarnation and her lord, he smiled with humor. While he had debated releasing them from their connection and thus possibly severing their growing relationship, he now had a better idea. The lord, and miko, would find fighting difficult as leashed as they were. What strategies would they use to stay alive and would it work?

He laughed as the show began.

*

Landing in the trees that shielded the sword smith's home from view, Kagura quickly sped toward those she wished to align with while she thought out her words. She could offer them little except Naraku's present location, but she doubted that would be enough to gain their trust.

While she was not terribly worried about the rest of the group, she simply had to convince the young miko to have enough faith in her to return her battered heart safely within her. It would no doubt be difficult. After all, the young woman hadn't seemed too pleased with her about lying about her death and all.

It didn't matter. It had to be done. It would be done.

Bursting through the remaining foliage, she came to a dead stop at the foot of the clearing with all eyes focused on her. It was slightly unnerving. Still, they weren't coming after her yet and that was something.

Her red eyes traveled from person to person, taking in the miko's apprehension, the lord's suspicion, the monk and demon slayer's distrust, the children's fear, and on until she rested her gaze on the hanyou.

She gasped in surprise. He almost looked relieved.

Walking forward, trying to ignore as they further tensed for battle, she began the speech she had prepared.

"I'm not here to fight" was all she got out before all hell broke loose.

*