InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Journey of the soul: The panther devas' plot ❯ Kikyo's proposal ( Chapter 21 )

Disclaimer: Most of the characters in this story are the actual work of Rumiko Takahashi. I do not own them in any way.

 

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Chapter 20: Kikyo's proposal

 

Unwrapping the bandages marring the Kikyo's chest, Karura examined the woman's back carefully and nodded in approval. "Well, your back's fine now, there's not even a scratch left," she said lightly. "How do your ribs feel?"

 

"They still hurt when I make sudden movements or take too deep a breath. They are well on their way though," answered the miko.

 

"Only a few more days and you should be fine. That's youkai healing powers for you."

 

"Indeed, I must say it is quite convenient. Normally, I would have been bedridden for months after such a blow."

 

"You feeling up for a bath then?" questioned the woman with a touch of humor.

 

"Do you even need to ask?" shot back Kikyo with a grimace.

 

Ever since their little encounter with Sesshomaru, the group had been on the move almost constantly trying to avoid patrols and as such, basic hygiene took a serious turn for the worse as time went by. As it was, the miko barely had an opportunity to wash away the blood left over by her wounds and as such was excessively dirty. She even saw Inuyasha wrinkle his nose earlier today when he spoke with her, telling her in no uncertain terms that her scent was less than pleasant.

 

"I suppose not," chuckled Karura lightly. "Let's go then, I for one can't wait to get all this dirt off me."

 

Not needing to be told twice, Kikyo accepted her friend's extended hand and slowly made her way to the warm pond they had been lucky enough to find on their way. When they arrived, Kikyo felt a small shiver of anticipation run down her spine as she gazed at the small volutes of steam rising from the water.

 

With Shunran's help, she did quick work of her clothes and slowly lowered herself in the spring. A long sigh of contentment escaped her lips as she felt the hot water begin to work on her stiff muscles and slowly undo the knots that had formed over the last few days of traveling.

 

The waters stirred a little as Karura entered the pond, but the miko hardly noticed all lost as she was in the sensation.

 

"Man, I've been dreaming about this moment for days now."

 

"It does feel heavenly," agreed Kikyo quietly. "I'm surprised Shunran refused to bathe with us when we offered."

 

At the mention of the panther youkai, the miko saw a shadow cloud her friend's eyes for one brief second, before she shrugged in apparent indifference.

 

"Who knows, maybe she wanted to be alone or something."

 

"Maybe," repeated Kikyo without too much conviction.

 

The fact of the matter was that she noticed a gap had formed between Karura and Shunran. At first they would always travel together, talking and bickering. Now though, the panther youkai would keep trailing behind as the human would constantly find reasons to scout ahead. What's more, whenever they were close to each other, Karura would steal angry glances Shunran's way that the panther shamefully refused to meet.

 

Kikyo tried to find subtle ways to get the two to communicate and work out their differenced, but nothing worked. In the end, there was just nothing else to try than what she was about to try now: direct confrontation.

 

"Did something happen between you two?"

 

Karura did not answer, she merely shrugged noncommittally and turned away, busying herself with washing off the grime that had accumulated on her skin.

 

Resisting the urge to sigh, the miko instead started imitating her companion while thinking about what might have happened between the two that could have caused them to grow so distant when they had been on more than friendly terms a mere week earlier.

 

"Friends do not behave the way you two do, Karura. If something happened..."

 

"She's not my friend!" snapped the woman sharply, cutting Kikyo off. "She's just our link to Naraku! We need her to lead us to him, but that's all!"

 

The miko was no fool. She knew perfectly that this last admission was a lie. Karura had cared for Shunran and had even trusted her. To see her now denying her bond with the panther youkai meant that somewhere along the line, that trust had been betrayed... and there was only one way Kikyo could see that would lead to such a result.

 

"You have uncovered Shunran's true nature, have you not?" she questioned, sounding much more certain than she felt.

 

Karura's reaction however proved that she had been right on the mark. The woman instantly froze, the soap she had been using slipping from her hand and falling in the water, forgotten. The miko watched complete astonishment paint her friend's features, followed almost immediately by horror before finally settling on open hostility.

 

"So you knew all along?" she accused icily. "When were you planning on telling me exactly?"

 

"I assure you I knew nothing until just now," answered the woman calmly. "I merely made a guess by analyzing your behavior... and you just confirmed my suspicions."

 

"Tsh! And here I said I wouldn't tell you anything... but in the end you still managed to find out."

 

"You said you'd keep quiet about this... why?" demanded the miko, more curious than suspicious.

 

"I don't know myself... it felt somewhat useless at the time. As if it wouldn't change anything. And then, we need her to show us the way, don't we?"

 

"And?" urged Kikyo knowingly.

 

Karura blushed and looked down, fidgeting uncomfortably in the warm water as she struggled to find the right words. "I don't know... I guess... I just... didn't want to make her a prisoner."

 

"So, despite her betrayal, you still want to believe in her."

 

"Dammit! I know I'm not wrong! I know that even if Shunran's a spy, she's not all that bad!"

 

"If it can make you feel better, it is my belief too," announced the miko, much to Karura's surprise.

 

"It is?"

 

"Believe me, I know shame when I see it. Unless Shunran is an extremely good actress, I believe she does not like what she is doing. Which basically means she is stuck between a rock and a hard place."

 

Sighing, Karura slumped slightly where she sat in the water and shook her head in visible confusion. "So... what on earth does that mean for us? Even if she's not 'bad', she's still a spy. What do we do?"

 

"There is little that can be done. The core of the problem is the shikon jewel and our two positions on the matter are not open to discussion. At one point, she will have to choose sides... but until then, there is little any of us can do aside from remaining wary of her."

 

"How can you sound so detached when you know someone close to you is betraying you!?" snapped Karura irritably.

 

Kikyo closed her eyes as she remembered the pain she had felt when she believed Inuyasha had betrayed her. "It is not that I do not feel anything... it is more that I cannot afford to let my emotions get the better of me. I AM the alpha female after all," she clarified with a touch of ice in her voice that instantly pacified her friend.

 

Visibly deflating, Karura looked down and sighed. "Yeah, you are... and a damn good one at that," she admitted grudgingly. "So it's basically a waiting game then."

 

The miko nodded solemnly. "Yes, it is indeed a waiting game."

 

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Unsheathing his sword, Inuyasha gazed at the dull blade, frustrated to see it untransformed. Angrily, he swung it a little, but nothing happened. In front of him, Shunran chuckled a little at his antics.

 

"Still having trouble with it?"

 

"Shut up!"

 

"Maybe it doesn't like you anymore?"

 

The hanyou snorted. "Yeah, right. Then why didn't it reject me like it did my asshole brother?"

 

The youkai considered this for a few seconds before shrugging and offering an even more childish reason. "Maybe it's asleep then."

 

"Oh you're a big help! My sword's asleep and that's why it won't answer me! Why not give me an even stupider explanation while you're at it!?"

 

"It might be sulking," shot Shunran with a wry grin.

 

Inuyasha looked at the panther in shock, which in turn made her laugh. "Hey don't look at me, you asked for it."

 

"Bah! Just shut up before I decide to disembowel you!"

 

"Pfff, as if I'd let you," taunted the youkai before she sucked in a surprised breath as someone forcefully pressed on her still tender shoulder.

 

"No one is going to disembowel anyone... and as for you Shunran, it would be better for your health if you stopped teasing Inuyasha needlessly," admonished Kikyo sternly.

 

"Yeah, yeah, sorry," she grumbled contritely. "I suppose the coast is clear now?"

 

"The hot spring is indeed empty. You may do as you wish."

 

Without saying anything more, Shunran stood up and left promptly. Almost as soon as she was gone, Karura entered the clearing and sat beside the fire, looking decidedly down.

 

"You sure it's safe to leave her alone?" questioned Inuyasha, looking at Kikyo questioningly.

 

"There is no reason to worry. She merely wishes to take her bath privately."

 

The hanyou shrugged in indifference. "It's just that she seems to like sneaking away for short periods of time when she thinks we're not looking."

 

Silence fell on the small clearing and the two women present turned to stare at him with baffled expressions on their faces. "What? You think I hadn't noticed that much? Who on earth do you think I am?"

 

"Well... it seems Shunran was not as successful as she thought in hiding her illicit activities," commented Kikyo.

 

"Illicit activities? Keh! I knew she was just a damn spy! Why I ought to..."

 

"Hold it Inuyasha... killing her would not serve any useful purpose at the moment. Whether she is a spy or not, she is still leading us to Naraku, this is a fact we cannot ignore."

 

"Yeah, the way this goes, we'll be disposed of the moment the bastard's been taken care of. I don't know about you, but I do plan on making it through this."

 

"Yes, which is why..."

 

The miko trailed off, her eyes widening in sudden illumination. Then her features grew pensive as she examined her new idea closer, turning it over and over in her head and trying to find the flaws in it. Finally, not finding any apparent ones, she straightened and spoke up.

 

"I believe I might have found the solution to our problems."

 

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Shunran sighed deeply as she allowed the warmth of the water to seep into her body, relaxing her a little, but not completely. She just couldn't relax now, not when she knew that Karura knew her secret and could reveal it to the others at any moment... and most definitely not when guilt ate at her every minute of every waking hour.

 

It was something she couldn't understand. These people were supposed to be tools for defeating Naraku, nothing more... so when had they grown on her so much?

 

Inuyasha, the hanyou with a short fuse that she just loved to tease until he exploded. Kikyo the miko, fair and honorable, a strong and charismatic leader... make her full youkai and she could be as strong and powerful as her sister. And Karura, a woman with a fiery temper, yet with a warm heart that connected almost instantly with her own. The two had almost been friend before her treachery was discovered.

 

It was a puzzle to her how much she had come to care about this ragtag bunch. Her loyalties lay with her clan, that much remained unchanged but... these people were nice. Odd maybe, but nice nonetheless... and powerful and honorable and...

 

Shaking her head, the panther youkai tried her best to dismiss these thoughts but they just kept coming back. Finally, as a last resort, she dunked her head under the water and remained submerged for as long as she could bear it. She emerged, panting and wheezing, water streaming down her head in small rivulets that tickled her neck and back.

 

"I am going down a path of hardship and suffering. I have to stop caring for these people, they're nothing but tools! Once we're done with them, they'll be..."

 

But she couldn't finish her sentence. The simple thought that she could be the one to end their days was too much for her.

 

"If only they had been born youkai, I would have been honored to call them my friends."

 

But that was just wishful thinking and she knew it. So, with a heavy sigh, she got out of the water and dried herself before putting her clothes back on. Now came the dreadful task of walking back to camp and facing the others.

 

Gritting her teeth, she forced her features to relax in a semblance of a smile and headed back to the clearing where the group was waiting for her. The moment she stepped into the light of the fire however, she knew something was wrong.

 

Tension permeated the area and everyone was looking at her expectantly. They found out! She knew it in her gut, her hidden agenda had just been revealed! And there was only one person who could have exposed her secret. Turning an accusatory glare at Karura, she let out an angry hiss.

 

"You said you'd keep quiet!"

 

"I didn't say anything!" replied the woman without looking away, which made the panther start a little.

 

"Then how?"

 

"Your recent distant behavior gave you away," answered Kikyo calmly.

 

"I noticed you slipping away when you though no one was looking," added Inuyasha.

 

Shunran looked at the group, trying to discern their intention, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out what they had in mind.

 

"So, what now?" she asked tensely.

 

"I would like you to answer a few questions about your older sister, Toran if you do not mind too much?" began Kikyo calmly.

 

"So long as it's reasonable, I'll answer. But you won't get me to betray her."

 

"It will not go down to this I believe. I merely wanted to know if she would accept to treat with us."

 

"Treat with you? God, you'll be lucky if she even looks at you. You're humans, don't forget it."

 

"She did send you to lead us to your castle did she not? This means she at least acknowledges our strength."

 

Shunran blinked as she realized that the woman was essentially right. She then frowned thoughtfully as she tried to assess the chances her sister might actually give the miko more than the time of day.

 

"Well... maybe," she agreed dubiously. "But even so, you'd need one hell of a good reason to convince her to talk to you."

 

"Is a debt of honor enough?"

 

"Debt of... oh," repeated the youkai before she remembered her arm. "Well if you put it that way then yes, my sister will hear you out... but I can't guarantee her acceptance."

 

"I am pretty confident she will," replied the miko with a mysterious smile. "Here is what I have in mind..."

 

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Grinning victoriously, Toran placed her stone on the board, thus sealing the outcome of the game. Naraku stared at the array of black and white stone for a few seconds before bowing in submission.

 

"It appears this game is out of my hands."

 

"I enjoyed this game Naraku. My only regret is that you seemed a little distracted. Is there anything that's on your mind?" asked the panther seemingly innocently.

 

"Nothing of any consequence Toran-sama," replied the evil hanyou, his voice perfectly calm and smooth.

 

Inside though, he seethed because he just knew his female counterpart had just gained the upper hand. His flow of information had completely stopped, the people he had infected were now completely clean. All the effort he had put in spreading his spiders around had gone down the drain because they were now all dead. His plans were all crumbling one after the other and he had no idea what had caused such a rapid disintegration.

 

How had Toran discovered his spiders? He had made sure there was no outward sign, but still she had found him out... and had cleaned her troops without him even noticing. At this rate, he would have to do good on his word and give them the jewel, which was not something he was willing to do.

 

"I must find a way to get out of this mess. At this rate, Kikyo will arrive and I will be forced to confront her before I am ready," he thought darkly.

 

A knock on the door brought him out of his reverie and he looked up as Toran called to whoever was outside to enter.

 

"Toran-sama... someone wished to see you," said a nameless servant.

 

"Bring him to my study. I will be there shortly."

 

"Very well," bowed the servant before closing the door once more.

 

"I apologize Naraku, but my duties call me. Good evening to you."

 

"Good evening to you too Toran-sama," bowed the hanyou somewhat a little more stiffly than usual.

 

Keeping her features carefully neutral, the panther exited the room and walked slowly down the hall, a victorious grin spreading on her features. Things were looking up once more for them. With her troops cured of this spider infection, she had managed to corner Naraku and it showed. He didn't know what to do now and that pleased her greatly. The full moon was only a scant six days away, they're master's remains were in place, they had rounded the necessary sacrifice and Kikyo was almost here. Quite frankly, she didn't know what could possibly go wrong.

 

When she entered her study however, reality slapped her in the face. The youkai linking her to Shunran was sitting in front of her desk, fidgeting nervously and even sweating in discomfort. Plainly, whatever news he was bringing were anything but good.

 

"Speak. What did you hear from Shunran?" she asked without preamble.

 

"Well... Inuyasha and the others managed to discover that she was secretly reporting to you."

 

Toran's blood turned to ice and for a split second, she allowed her concern to override her better judgment. "Is she safe?" she asked, almost afraid of what she would hear.

 

"She is in unharmed," announced the messenger, making the female youkai breath a sigh of relief. "However... she was asked by the miko to transmit a rather... peculiar message."

 

"The miko? What did she say?"

 

"Well..."

 

As the messenger began to speak, he could see his mistress' eyes widen slowly along with her mouth, something which made him increasingly nervous and fidgety. When he finally did finish relaying his message, silence fell on the study, thick, heavy and suffocating.

 

On the other side of the castle, the cook was in the process of tasting the soup he would be serving the garrison for the evening meal. Finding it lacked salt, he grabbed the pot and proceeded to carefully add the condiment to the food. However, at this very moment, a loud cry of surprise reverberated through the walls making him jump and drop the entire pot of salt in the soup.

 

"WHAT!?!?!?"

 

For a while, the cook remained motionless, unsure of how he should react to this unexpected turn of events, it had been Toran's voice he had heard after all and for it to reach all the way back here meant she must have screamed at the top of her lungs. After a while though, he simply sighed and extracted the, by now, mostly empty pot of salt he had dropped.

 

"Well, I sure hope the troops don't scream as loud as Toran-sama just did when they taste that," he muttered while grimacing in disgust.

 

And the cook continued on with his task, not even bothering to wonder why their leader had just screamed like that. After all, it wasn't any of his business. He was just a cook after all.

 

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Author's note: Well, Kikyo seems to have found a way to solve pretty much all of their problems... in a rather shocking way. Now as to what that way is, you'll have to wait next chapter to see it he he he.