InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Light in Dark Places ❯ Chapter 11: Kyuudou ( Chapter 12 )

(A/N): Okay, so Deathly Hallows has come and gone, and now that we know where things stand with Harry's half of the story, let's just pretend that the Epilogue never happened and the only character who died who has made an appearance here is still alive. Otherwise, everything else works. :o)

 

Light in Dark Places

By: Eilan-san

 

ooo

 

Chapter 11: Kyuudou

 

Jay: What's that thing when everything intersects?

Sam: The Bermuda Triangle.

 

--“Sleepless in Seattle”

 

ooo

 

“What are we doing here?” Draco asked irritably as he ducked, trying to avoid the crumbling rock that fell from overhead.

 

“Because this is the place where I can re-energize, Malfoy-san,” the figure in the shadows said calmly. “And I cannot re-energize while inside your body.”

 

Draco frowned and shifted uncomfortably. “I really wish we could stop with that possessing thing. It's starting to get old.” In fact, every time the demon left him he felt more and more drained, like a piece of his soul was missing.

 

“You know it's the only way for us to move around undetected,” the figure responded. “Besides, it's certainly helped, hasn't it? Higurashi didn't even notice my presence when she met you, and she's likely the only one in the world who would have been able to in the first place.” He laughed ominously, “Which works out in our favor, her spiritual senses are diluted which will make it easier for us to get what we need.”

 

Draco nodded tightly. “Where do we go from here? Potter has been with her day and night for since that hack wizard attacked them on Tuesday; and I may be good, but I know that I can't take Potter in a fight.”

 

“Ideally, you won't have to. MacGregor proved that your magic spells can be performed on a practitioner of spiritual magic, provided they do not invoke their power. As such, with the two of us together, Potter will be completely ineffective against you with my protection, and you would be able to duel with him on your own magic skills as well.”

 

“Why wouldn't she invoke her power? If she's as strong as you say she is, that would change everything,” Draco countered.

 

“Higurashi does not seem to be aware that her power exists, so that is a boon for us.” Draco could see him strike a meditative pose in the shadows. “The shikon no tama is irrevocably tied to her spiritual energy, however, she is mentally cut off from that power.”

 

“What if she becomes un-cut off from her power, then?” Draco asked crossly.

 

“If she becomes fully in control of her power, then we shall lose,” he replied flatly. “Which is why we shall test her.” The demon stood up and walked toward a small patch of sunlight in the middle of the room, but stood just outside it.

 

“Taro!” he called, snapping his fingers. A puff of smoke appeared to his left and a small, red demon with a long nose that looked vaguely like a bird emerged, sputtering.

 

“Iyoku-sama….” The smaller demon stuttered, bowing low. “What an honor it is! How can I be of service?”

 

“I need a favor, Taro. I need you to find the priestess of the shikon no tama, Higurashi Kagome, and wake the Jewel up.”

 

“Iyoku-sama has finally found her?” Taro asked, eyes wide. “Iyoku-sama has found the guardian of the Jewel?”

 

“Obviously, or I would not have said so, you ingrate.” Iyoku said, annoyed. “Find her, confront her, and see if you can take the Jewel from her. It is quite firmly ingrained inside of her, so you will likely need to coax it out of her, and that will likely kill her,” he said frankly.

 

Taro paled, but tried to keep his head up. “This is a great honor for the Taro family…Yes, Iyoku-sama, anything you wish, Taro will retrieve the Jewel for you…” Taro faltered.

 

Iyoku simply rolled his eyes. “I only called you because she is heading to your home in Kurama as of this morning, and because her power is currently locked away. It would behoove you to avoid awakening that part of her soul, lest she destroy you.”

 

“Yes… Iyoku-sama…” Taro whimpered. “Taro is a good servant and is indebted to Iyoku-sama, Taro will do whatever you say…”

 

Draco smiled; Taro reminded him of Dobby except Dobby actually had spirit when necessary. Taro simply sniveled.

 

Iyoku rubbed his temples. “Your service will be remembered, Taro, and you may consider your family debt to me fulfilled should you return with the Jewel in hand.”

 

Taro's eyes grew wide. “Anything for the Lord of the Northern Lands, my liege…” Taro sputtered and made another attempt at a clumsy bow before making a hasty exit in a puff of smoke.

 

Draco looked at Iyoku with an eyebrow raised. “You really think he'll succeed?”

 

“He may wake her up, but he will not kill her, nor take the Jewel. Regardless, I expect he will return with some vital information that will allow us to plan our next move.”

 

“You never said that we were going to have to kill her,” Draco said tersely. This entire ordeal was not panning out how he'd expected. Power was one thing, killing someone clearly dear to Harry Potter? That was something else entirely. He'd seen what happened to people who attacked those near and dear to the Potters, and he did not wish to be in that number.

 

“Oh? Getting cold feet are we?” Iyoku said snidely. “You asked for power, I am arranging for you to have it. It is too late to go back now, Malfoy-sama.”

 

Draco did not have a good feeling about this.

 

ooo

 

The trip thus far to Kurama-dera had been mostly uneventful. Harry and Kagome had arrived at the Ministry and ordered a portkey to the Kyoto train station where they had caught the subway, and then another train to the twin villages of Kurama and Kibune.

 

Not difficult at all.

 

It was the thousand-step staircase that led up to the mountain that was killing him.

 

“Kagome, wait…” Harry stopped and kneeled on the ground to catch his breath. “I need to rest.”

 

Kagome, who was a few steps ahead of him, turned and looked back at him and laughed. “Oh, Harry, you really need to exercise more,” she said as she walked back down to him and knelt next to him.

 

“What is it with you people and stairs?” he asked, huffing and puffing.

 

“We like our exercise,” she replied, helping him up and guiding him over to a rest area. “The journey to a meditative place should be meditative in and of itself.”

 

“I suppose it makes sense, but did you have to have so many?” Harry said, pulling himself onto a nearby stone bench.

 

“Why can't wizards make portkeys that land on top of the mountain instead of at the bottom?” she countered merrily.

 

“Because they have to have been there in order to set the exact location of arrival. Wouldn't want to end up in a tree or splinched would you?”

 

“Fair enough,” she said, taking her pack off and pulling out the package of onigiri she'd packed as a snack and two bottles of water. “Here, drink this,” she commanded, offering him one of the bottles.

 

He took them gratefully and downed half the bottle of water in one gulp, nearly spilling its contents all over himself.

 

“How much farther is it?” he asked as he reached for his onigiri, silently praying she would say it wasn't far.

 

“Hm… we're maybe two thirds of the way up. We already passed the Shinto gate and shrine area, so the next stop is the Buddhist temple.”

 

“Right-o,” Harry said, finishing his water. “So this Fushikenwa-sensei, he's a friend of your grandfather's?”

 

“Yes, he is a yamabushi, sort of a hermit-warrior monk, and he's the proprietor of this temple. Our shrine really is only concerned with the events surrounding the shikon no tama, but our records are very spotty with anything other than that. Kurama-dera has the largest archives of demon lore in Japan and their records are quite thorough.”

 

She paused, her eyes wandering over the mountainside. “I was up here a lot while I was researching for my dissertation. He liked to bring me tea while I studied.” Kagome stood up and adjusted her pack before looking back down at Harry. “He's a little rough around the edges, but he's a nice old man.”

 

Harry nodded, noticing the far-away look in her eyes. “Let's hope he has the information we need then.”

 

Thankfully, it only took them another forty-five minutes to climb the rest of the mountain, and they were rewarded with a truly fantastic view.

 

The main temple building was set against a backdrop of the rest of the mountain and overlooked a beautiful scene of the rolling hills covered in a blanket of trees. Harry walked over to the fence guarding the edge of the cliff and just stared in awe, Kagome close behind him.

 

“Hard to believe we're only half an hour outside of Kyoto, isn't it?” she said, smiling slightly. “Being out here reminds me of the Sengoku Jidai so much… it wasn't until I'd left that I realized how much I missed the greenery and the forests.”

 

“I can certainly understand that,” Harry concurred.

 

“Ah, Kagome-san,” a gruff, gravelly voice called out from behind them. “I'm glad to see the walk up the mountain didn't do too much damage.”

 

Harry and Kagome turned around to find a short, very old and balding man in monk's robes walking in their direction. “Fushikenwa-sensei, how nice to see you again,” Kagome said, bowing slightly. “This is Potter-san, a friend of mine from London.”

 

Fushikenwa-sensei nodded curtly at Harry before turning his attention back to Kagome, “So you are in need of information about youkai legends today?”

 

“Yes,” Kagome replied. “We're looking for any information regarding modern demons, I was under the impression they'd all died out, but we think we've come across one.”

 

Fushikenwa-sensei laughed, “I'm curious to know how you would have missed it if it was, in fact, a youkai.”

 

Kagome sheepishly stared at the ground and unconsciously dug a toe into the dirt. “We think the youkai is possessing someone in order to get its hands on the shikon no tama.”

 

Fushikenwa-sensei quirked an eyebrow, “You've decided they aren't just legends after all?”

 

Kagome shrugged. “I don't know. These people seem to think I know where the shikon is, so we're hoping to preempt them by either finding it before they do or finding them and capturing them.”

 

“Keh, and I suppose you're needing me to help you figure out what kind of demon is possessing this person?” he asked, a small smile peeking out from his lips.

 

“Yes, sir,” she replied, “Legends, stories, anything could help at this point.”

 

“I think I have a few scrolls in the archives that will assist you. Follow me,” he said, turning and heading toward the small building off to the side of the main temple. He seated Harry and Kagome at a low table in his office and then disappeared for a few minutes down a dark hallway before returning with an armful of scrolls and books.

 

“You're in luck that it's not tourist season, we should have plenty of time to go over this stuff today,” Fushikenwa-sensei said gruffly, dropping the literature unceremoniously on the table. “How much does your friend here know about youkai legends, Kagome-san?”

 

“Not much,” Harry said awkwardly, clearing his throat. “Kagome's grandfather explained to me the difference between elemental magic and spirit magic, but that's about it.”

 

Fushikenwa-sensei glanced at Kagome quizzically, before studying Harry for a long . moment. “You're one of those wizards aren't you?”

 

“How is it that everyone knows about wizards except me?” Kagome asked indignantly. “Was I left out of some sort of club?”

 

Harry laughed while Fushikenwa-sensei just shook his head. “You don't get to be as old as I am without noticing things,” he said crustily.

 

“That's what her grandfather said,” Harry said, still smiling.

 

Kagome pouted. “Two peas in a pod, you are,” she said dryly. “Yes, Harry's a wizard. He's tracking the wizard who was looking for the Jewel, which led him to me, and to the discovery that the wizard is possessed by some sort of youkai,” she explained.

 

“Right,” Fushikenwa-sensei began, arranging himself on the tatami so he could sit in a cross-legged position, “I suppose I should start by saying that there are so few youkai left that for a random wizard to be possessed by one is something of a feat in and of itself. The Meiji Restoration, with its industrialization and especially the firearms, absolutely decimated the youkai population in Japan; it went from two hundred thousand to little over a thousand in less than fifty years. By 1900 the only youkai clans left were the ones that already looked like humans, or the ones that were able to assume a human form.”

 

Kagome nodded in agreement, “I had figured that our youkai was likely in the latter category.”

 

“That would be my guess as well. Youkai, spirit magic users that they are, also require forests and general open spaces in order to have any power whatsoever, and the advent of industrialization and cities required most types of youkai to retreat further and further into the wilderness.” Fushikenwa-sensei paused. “The American fire-bombing campaign took the rest of them,” he said sadly. “There's only a handful left now and they tend to congregate in out of the way places.”

 

“What about places outside of Japan like England, for example?” Harry asked. “Clearly our youkai has been living in London for some time now.”

 

Fushikenwa-sensei considered this with a thoughtful look on his face. “Well, I would imagine he would need to be near a spiritual center - an ancient temple or sacred grove of trees or something similar. The youkai would need to return there regularly to recharge. Youkai can't really handle living in the cities for too long - it hurts their noses and ears too much.”

 

Kagome tried to stifle a giggle, causing a shadow to pass across Fushikenwa-sensei's face, but it was gone so quickly Harry wasn't sure he'd seen it at all.

 

“I have the benefit of having literature concerning the shikon no tama written by youkai, rather than the ones written by the humans who protected it at your shrine, Kagome-san,” Fushikenwa-sensei said, digging through the pile and fishing out a particularly old looking scroll. “There were rumors of a cult in the early part of the eighteenth century that was convinced that the priestess who guarded the shikon would return and that they should keep watch for her.”

 

Harry and Kagome shared an ominous look as he continued, “Specifically, it was led by a clan of shinma youkai.” He paused again and glanced at them, “Are you familiar with the shinma?”

 

Kagome and Harry shook their heads.

 

“I thought not,” he replied. “Shinma are possibly the most dangerous of all types of youkai left in existence. They thrive on the dark ambitions of their victims and feed off of their worst memories. Their victims are rarely left better than dead once they are done with them.”

 

Harry shuddered and wondered if the shinma were related to Dementors.

 

“They mostly are located out farther north up towards Hokkaido, as they prefer the colder weather,” Fushikenwa-sensei continued, stopping briefly to blow his nose.

 

“Really?” Kagome interjected. “If I recall correctly, legend states that the dog demons ruled Hokkaido and I imagine they would have run them out years ago.”

 

“The dog demons were all slaughtered during the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. The Dog King was not appreciative of the outlawing of carrying swords, apparently,” Fushikenwa-sensei said sardonically. “The lands fell to the shinma shortly after that.” He stopped and looked at Kagome, who was staring off into the distance distractedly. “Kagome-san, what's the matter?”

 

She looked back at them with a perplexed look on her face, “I don't know, I feel…” her eyes widened, “A youkai!” she exclaimed, standing up, “A youkai coming this way!”

 

From outside they could hear a young woman screaming, causing Fushikenwa-sensei to curse. “Why today of all days?” he said under his breath.

 

Kagome and Harry ran outside as quickly as they could, Fushikenwa-sensei not far behind them, to see a small red-faced demon with a large nose seemingly suspending a young woman in a golden orb about twenty feet off the ground.

 

“Ah… there you are Higurashi-sama, I have been looking for you…” the demon sneered. “Iyoku-sama needs the Jewel and Taro will get it for him… yes…” the demon said as he advanced on Kagome.

 

Harry pulled his wand out of his pocket, stepping in front of Kagome and silently cast petrificus totalus at the demon and was shocked to find that it had absolutely no effect.

 

“Silly wizard… wands will not work on youkai…” he said mockingly in Harry's direction. Harry's eyes narrowed and his grip on his wand tightened, but Taro simply moved his hand quickly from left to right and Harry suddenly flew backwards into a large tree, knocking the wind out of him.

 

“Oh, Harry!” Kagome cried, running toward him as he stumbled getting up and coughing hard.

 

“Kagome, look out!” Fushikenwa-sensei called out, but it was too late.

 

“Oh no, Higurashi-sama, you will come here,” Taro said, and with a flick of his wrist Kagome flew through the air and landed at Taro's feet as if she were bound with rope. “And you, Potter-san, will stay there,” with another flick of the wrist Harry was suddenly bound with the same invisible rope that bound Kagome and he sank to his knees. “And you will not interfere either, houshi.” Fushikenwa-sensei similarly sank to his knees with a loud grunt, and with that the demon drew a thin veil of energy around himself and Kagome.

 

“What do you want with me!?” Kagome screamed as she struggled against the binding. “I don't have the Jewel if that's what you're after!”

 

Taro took her by the arms and lifted her up so she was lying on her back. “Oh, Higurashi-sama, do you not know?” He snickered quietly now, “We have been waiting for you for a very long time…” He knelt next to her, “It's time for the souls of Midoriko-sama and the Demon Lord to wake up…”

 

“Harry! Help me!” she shrieked, but Harry couldn't do anything.

 

“Kagome!” Harry yelled helplessly as he watched in horror as the demon placed his clawed hands over her heart and whispered something he couldn't quite hear, causing Kagome to scream and thrash on the ground.

 

“Yes… it is time to wake it up…” Taro whispered; his small flinty eyes gleaming as a small purplish-pink glow began to emanate out of Kagome's chest. “Make it grow… corrupt it… and coax it out of you…” The light began to get larger and darker, surrounding more of Kagome's torso.

 

“No! Stop!” she screamed. “It's not true, it's not true! I don't have it!”

 

“Poor Higurashi-sama, she doesn't know what happened to the Jewel when she pieced it together last time…” Taro said in a singsong voice as the light continued to slowly swirl around her. “Doesn't know it feeds off of her pain… silly girl…”

 

“Kagome…” Fushikenwa-sensei murmured from a few feet away. “You brought it back with you…”

 

Harry jerked his head and looked hard at Fushikenwa-sensei, his mind trying to wrap itself around the situation. “That's the Jewel?” Harry asked incredulously, “She has it inside her?” But Fushikenwa-sensei just ignored him.

 

“Fight him, you idiot, you have the power!” Fushikenwa-sensei yelled; using a powerful voice Harry was surprised to hear coming out of the old man. “Remember how you fought the centipede demon!” he shouted, but she paid no heed to it, and Harry could see the light slowly crept up her leg, spreading its dark tendrils across her body as she squirmed.

 

Taro made a cutting motion with his finger at the chest of where the light was shining on her body and Kagome's screams filled the air and blood began to seep onto her shirt.

 

“Yes, it wants to come out…” Taro said gleefully, clapping his small, gnarled hands. “It won't be long now…”

 

“Kagome! You have to remember how to fight, dammit! Purify the son of a bitch!” Fushikenwa-sensei cursed and strained against his invisible bonds. The dark purple light had almost encompassed her now as she struggled and whimpered.

“I can't anymore… I just can't,” she sobbed brokenly.

 

“Kagome!” Harry called to her frantically, adding his voice to the fray in an attempt to reach her. “You have to fight! You can do this!”

 

She gave an anguished cry, and Harry was afraid she'd given up, but she closed her eyes and her body stilled. The light from her chest suddenly grew blindingly bright white and enveloped her entire body and Taro was thrown back nearly thirty feet, almost to the edge of the fence.

 

Kagome took a deep haggard breath and got to her feet, “You come any closer, or hurt any of my friends and I will purify you into dust,” she said slowly, her voice shaking with anger. Her aura had shrunk but it was still burning intensely pink right around her, with swirls of purple energy at her chest. A small orb of pink energy began to coalesce in her right hand.

 

Taro stumbled to his feet, “Yes, Higurashi-sama… Taro is sorry, he was just under orders… will not harm the Guardian…” he whined. “Please forgive…” And then he was gone in a puff of smoke.

 

Harry felt the binding on him disintegrate and he immediately got up and ran to Kagome and took her immediately into his arms, which she went into gratefully. He murmured her name into her hair as her hands fisted in his shirt and she buried her head into his shoulder.

 

“Harry…” she sighed, her breathing ragged. “Harry, I didn't…”

 

“Shh, it's okay now,” he said softly in as soothing a voice as he could muster. “It's okay…” he repeated as Fushikenwa-sensei approached them, clearly free of his bonds as well.

 

“You…” he said gruffly as Kagome pulled away from Harry. “You are an idiot.”

 

“I didn't know!” Kagome protested miserably.

 

“How could you have not known?” Fushikenwa-sensei asked heatedly. “Are your senses completely dead?”

 

“No, I… I didn't know I still had it… I don't even know how or why I have it… I gave it to…”

 

“Yes, and it disappeared the very second you jumped back down that well the last time!” he exclaimed.

 

Kagome stared at Fushikenwa-sensei with her jaw hanging open, but after a moment softened and smiled affectionately at him. Fushikenwa-sensei just looked away, his wizened cheeks turning crimson. Harry, on the other hand, watched in confusion.

 

“Why didn't you say anything?” she asked Fushikenwa-sensei quietly.

 

“I'm very old, Kagome. It has been a very, very long time,” he said seriously. “You needed to grow up, and I had been through too much. It was for the best.”

 

And suddenly it dawned on Harry what they were talking about: Inuyasha… and Fushikenwa-sensei… Harry looked at the old man with new eyes.

 

Kagome paused, as if wanting to pursue the matter further, but decided against it and simply smiled warmly at Fushikenwa-sensei. The purple wisp of energy at her heart had lightened considerably at this point and was getting much smaller. Soon, Harry figured, it would disappear entirely.

 

“The Jewel… it's still inside me, then? I brought it back with me?” she asked. “What happened to it?”

 

“All I know is that it disappeared the last time you left,” Fushikenwa-sensei answered. “As for what happened after that, I don't know. I can guess that the Jewel re-ingrained itself since it was inside you in the first place, and that it is inextricably linked to your spiritual powers, which would be why that demon tried to wake it up.”

 

“Does the color of the energy matter?” Harry asked. “I noticed the color change from purple to pink during the fight.”

 

Fushikenwa-sensei chuckled and looked at Kagome kindly, “Yes, Potter-san, it does. But I'll let Kagome-san answer that question.”

 

Kagome blushed. “Surely, there's no need for honorifics now,” she replied.

 

“Ah, but it's a sign of respect, and although I may not have respected you then, I certainly do now, Kagome-san,” Fushikenwa-sensei replied solemnly, putting his hand on her shoulder. “I have watched you grow up, Kagome-san, and what a wonderful woman you have turned out to be.” He cupped her chin with his free hand and said, “You should let yourself be happy.” He kissed her lightly on the cheek and when he pulled back, Harry could see tears shining unshed in her brown eyes.

 

“I'll go get those books for you to take home with you, Kagome-san,” he said, before turning towards Harry. “And Potter-san,” he added, “You should let yourself be happy too. It'll be good for both of you.”

 

Harry just nodded and took Kagome's hand and squeezed.

His heart filled with joy when she squeezed back.