InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Hatred, My Obsession ❯ A Frightening Reality ( Chapter 18 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

By: raven91

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--Raven91

My Hatred, My Obsession

Chapter 18 - A Frightening Reality

Winter was setting in.

The night was cold - a chill that penetrated deep into the skin and soothed away the warmth of pestering feelings that she wanted nothing to do with.

Drop

Slowly, carefully - like a child tentatively paused before his first steps - the clouds released their sorrows upon the Western Lands - ravaged by disquiet and a fire that yearned to be put out.

Pitter

Patter

Drop

Steam was rising from the ground, the smell of sodden earth strong and pungent. She wrinkled her nose, tilting her face up to the sky and allowing the rain to wash over her. The simple, wooden bow she held clattered to the ground as tears mingled with the rain, carving tracks into her smooth face - a face that was not meant to show so much feeling and emotional response. Full lips upturned into a bitter smirk.

I am a doll, after all…and dolls don't cry…

Yet here she was, a porcelain statue of beauty and poised sadness, praying even as she shivered from the freezing water soaking into her clothing that the rain could somehow wash away her sins.

I loved you, Inuyasha…I really loved you…

“Please…Kami-sama…send down your aqueous grief upon my body, and help me cleanse myself of suffering.”

And of the deep-seated jealousy that burned within her hollow heart - meant to be filled with nothing but hatred for the world and all who walked upon it.

Pitter

Patter

Drop

A sob - anguished, pleading - was torn from her white throat as the miko fell to her knees beside her abandoned weapon. Her hair moved, falling over her face and covering her eyes, as if playing along with the desire of its owner to hide from the world her forbidden longing -

A longing to live once more.

“I hate you…” Nails dug into her soft, pale, skin, but she felt no pain, the sensory nerves as dead as she was.

I hate this earthen skin…I hate this body…I hate the souls within it, too…

But perhaps out of all, her most despised nemesis was time - for time for her would stand still for all eternity. Yet for others like Kagome - bright, shining, cheerful, warm, and loving Kagome - time would move and give them gifts: friends, company, adventures, and most importantly - a future - something that she could never hope to have.

With a newfound strength, Kykyo staggered to her feet. She lifted her face once more, her eyes opening like petals welcoming the rain. A long-fingered hand moved the soaking locks of hair from an empty face, and the owner narrowed her eyes. With more confidence than before - as if she'd finally found purpose to her living - Kikyo bent down and retrieved her bow, whispering one final endearment to end her bout of weakness -

“I hate you…Kagome…”

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

“I believe that fate has finally smiled down upon us.”

Taminara Ryuu - Dragon of the Southern Lands - sat hunched over in a beautifully carved chair, his ceremonial robes sparkling and reflecting brilliants glares of light from the flames in the fireplace. He was partially transformed: fangs deformed his lips, a forked tongue snaked out, and large, black claws dug into his silky robes. On his head, a pair of horns protruded from the skin, his eyes glowing not only from the fire's light, but from the evil shine within his soul. He smiled into the flames, standing up and bowing as if he was no Lord, but a vassal or retainer paying his respects. If anyone else had been in the room, they would have wondered what was going on, or if the Dragon had lost his wits - for what level-headed creature would speak to flames as if they were something that could comprehend his verbal speech?

“I have found a way to set things in motion, and to finally smoke out the miko that hides here.”

The onlookers that would have previously doubted Ryuu's sanity now would have doubted their own, for a voice - real as the heat from the flames of its origin - boomed out with a great hiss across the room.

“You have found her, then?”

Ryuu smiled. “Thanks to my partner, My Lord.”

“How fares his brother?”

The Dragon made a sour face. “Is it safe for him to live?”

“He may try to befriend the woman. Keep him at bay.”

Ryuu bowed again. “As you wish, My Lord.”

“Inform me if anything else should arise. I will be watching the proceedings tomorrow morning.”

There was a pause in which Ryuu looked up at the flames, all the mirth gone from his eyes to be replaced by a look of doom. “Everything will go according to your will, My Lord, and all of us will be under your protection.”

“Bring me the woman, Taminara.”

“It will be done.” With a flurry, the fire disappeared, as if doused by some invisible bucket of ice and water. No smoke, no heat, and no smell was left to indicate even in the slightest the fact that there even was a fire, or that Taminara Ryuu - Dragon of the Southern Lands - had spoken to anyone but himself.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A crash filled the dark hallways of Sesshoumaru's castle in the middle of that fateful night. A small figure clad in a long, green, kimono looked with shocked eyes down at the floor that was now covered in broken plates, cups, and what was left of a delicious dinner.

“Oh no! What should I do?”

This was Kagome-sama's meal…

With a quick scan of the narrow corridor, the petite youkai hitched up the outer layer of her kimono and began collecting the evidence of her accident.

“Still, if that stupid Riku hadn't made me take so many plates on one tray, none of this would have happened,” she mumbled, remembering the fat cook with a slight smile that ran along the edge of playful anger. Careful not to cut herself on the sharp shards of the beautiful dishes, the young woman patiently gathered the pieces - one by one - into the folds of cloth around her thighs, letting out a pent-up breath of anxiety when her task was done. She stood up, licking the remains of pork, cheese, and Miso Soup from her claws.

I'm sorry, Riku…but you'll have to do all of this again.

Soft tendrils of hair fell onto her face when she shook her head in a disapproving manner. The carpet was thoroughly soiled, and she had no idea where to find someone to help her clean it up.

But it's my fault…I can't just leave this here…

Torn between bringing Kagome her meal and doing her duty as a servant to Hiren and Sesshoumaru, Kira began an aimless trek through the unfamiliar and winding hallways of the huge castle. Her small feet made no noise as she padded down the carpeted floors, her eyes wide and slightly glowing the dark. Her sensitive ears picked up the sounds of gentle snoring, calm breathing, and the chirping of various bugs outside, and she marveled at the almost eerie shadows the moon cast upon the wooden walls. Pretty soon, though, she realized that she was as lost as a rat in a maze.

Kami-sama…

Her fingers fidgeted around the cloth they clutched so tightly, the broken dishes she hazardously wrapped there doing their best to weigh her down. In an effort to find some sort of temporary relief, she leaned against a wall, closing her eyes and letting out a sigh of weariness and frustration.

“…tomorrow morning, Taminara…”

The sudden voice coming from beside her spooked her so badly that she almost dropped her semi-precious cargo, her body jumping up in the air as if it was hit by some violent shock. Her eyes confused and wide, she pressed her ear against the wall she had just been leaning against.

“…the game goes on, my friend, and Sesshoumaru has provided us with a magnificent resource.” Her brow furrowed at the sound of the familiar voice, and she pressed her ear more firmly against the wooden barrier that kept her from seeing the speakers. “The girl will finally be in Naraku's hands, and he will give us what he promised.”

Naraku?

She could have sworn that she felt her blood freeze when she heard that name pronounced aloud. Her heart rate doubled and she anxiously resumed her efforts to try to hear what the obviously male voices were saying.

“I still don't see why you had to kill that bastard. He was of no import - ”

“He was just for show.” There was a pause. “Naraku needed a commotion, so I provided it.”

A commotion? How terrible!

“You could have been caught.”

“There you are wrong, Taminara…” She heard someone shifting around the room. “Kagome will be in Naraku's hands tomorrow, as you said, and I will have my chance to finally take over bring down the Lord of the Western Lands. I'm sick of my weakling brother and his ways of peace. Sesshoumaru will never leave my father alone, and the only way to stop him is through Naraku.” There was a laugh.

The girl gasped, her hands trembling and her eyes disbelieving. Her sensitive ears could not mistake the sound of the deep baritone belonging to the murderer. Of course the voice sounded familiar!

It can't be…he wouldn't have…

CRASH!

The folds of cloth had slipped from the girl's suddenly limp fingers and the shards of plates, cups, and bows fell to the floor in a glittering mass of deafening sound. The noise from behind the wall stopped. It felt like her heart jumped into her throat when she heard the rapid padding of footsteps coming closer…

…and closer…

But before it could reach her, she bolted at full speed, running blindly through hallways and tripping over the spaces in the wooden floor. The footsteps were never too far behind, and somehow she knew that if she was caught, she would be killed. Her mind, however, refused to go much farther than desperately praying for her to be mistaken, and that the killer was not whom she had suspected it to be. But as she ran farther and farther, and as she felt him closing in on her, a deeper instinct took hold until all she could think of was reaching the safety of her room.

I'll get help…someone will help me…I'll get help…

But who would help her? Who would believe her? Certainly her word meant absolutely nothing! She was a servant! And servants were nothing…

Please…Kami-sama…I don't want to die…

She cried out as something sliced through her back, the force from the blow making her lose her balance and reel forward like a madly careening ship tossed around on the waves. The running behind her suddenly ceased, and she stumbled to a halt, her foot catching on the edge of a plush rug. She was sent sprawling downwards into an undignified position on the floor, but quickly sat up, her breathing strong and labored.

Kami-sama…Kami-sama…

A creak…

A groan…

Step

Her eyes were him pleading for mercy, her heart unwilling to believe that the man standing in front of her could be capable of such a gruesome murder. In the shine of the moonlight, it seemed as though his eyes were glowing, and to her horror-stricken mind blood covered him from head to toe.

“Kira…”

He shook his head in a scolding manner and clicked his tongue disapprovingly. His right hand reached into his robes, the action causing the girl to flinch and crawl helplessly to the wall.

“Kira Kira Kira Kira…”

She opened her mouth to plead, to beg, to grovel - to do anything but allow him to kill her, but her jaws were clenched tight with adrenaline. All she could do was helplessly watch as he drew a long, thin dagger from his sash, the beautiful emeralds, rubies, and diamonds on it shaped in the form of a spider. The blade shone in the dim light, the glare reflecting in her eyes and making her numb from head to toe.

“It seems, little one, that you've stumbled upon something you shouldn't have…”

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

To be continued…

See you guys next time! Please send feedback!

Love all of you dearly,

--Raven91