InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Prologue - A Test of Memory (The Coming of Rinkatsu) ❯ "Our Master" ( Chapter 23 )

Kikyo slowly began to see a cold light through the slits of her eyelids. She was unconscious for quite some time now. It took her a while to completely open her eyes and there were a fair amount of grunts and yawns in her revival. Kikyo finally recomposed herself and took note of her surroundings.

She was in a room made of stone walls. There were no windows and no natural sources of light, only that of two nearby torches. Kikyo was clearly underground by the unwelcoming earthy looks of her surroundings.

She also noticed she was surrounded by cold metal bars to which there was only one exit and then another exit outside of the this barred room inside a room. There were other similar little structures in the room as well. She was in what we would most likely describe as a prison cell.

Guarding the exit from her cell stood a man dressed in black. It was the same on who she had seen seconds before she lost consciousness. It was Miroku. He turned toward her.

"Ah, Lady Kikyo," he acknowledged her, "you're awoken from your slumber. I shall fetch Master." He walked to the exit.

"Master?" inquired Kikyo.

Miroku stopped. He cast an evil glare at her. "He is not your 'master." He is ours. You stay put... as if you have anywhere to go."

He exited the room, leaving behind an eerie silence. Water dripped from the ceiling, most likely because there might be a small water source above the room. The walls were covered in nitre and the room smelled awkward. Noises echoed throughout the structure's coriddors, disrupting Kikyo's unwanted peace.

She heard footsteps, an occasional splash here and there from whoever it was walking in a puddle. The door opened.

In walked Miroku, followed by a familiar looking girl carrying a tray with water and bread on it, and trailing the two was the ghastly man whom she unwillingly recognized as Rinkatsu.

They stopped at Kikyo's cell and the girl placed the tray at the bars. Kikyo got a glimpse of the girl. She had no facial expression, and the look in her eyes was that of a lost soul.

"You've served me here, good Miroku. Now, meet Sesshomaru above... I have a request that must be fulfilled. He shall tell you the details," commanded Rinkatsu.

"As you wish, Master," said Miroku. He bowed to him and then exited the room through the rusty metal door.

"Lady Kikyo," said Rinkatsu. "So nice of you to join me." He laughed a bit.

"You have brought me here... I have no will to be here..." Kikyo was unamused.

"Tsk tsk tsk... I was trying to lighten the situation but I can see you show no interest..." Rinkatsu paced about a bit while the girl stood lifelessly in her position. "I guess I should explain why you are here."

Kikyo glared at him.

"You see, m'lady, the one you call Kagome has somehow undone the effects of your wish... she causing me some troubles. For, you see, if the wish is undone entirely, then I lose the Shikon Jewel. Now, can't have that happening, can we?" Rinkatsu asked.

"That doesn't explain why I am here." Kikyo was still confused.

"Well, there is also another way the wish can be undone... if the maker dies by another's hand, or oneself, my powers vanish, along with the wish and its results. I'd much rather maintain this status for eternity, so I can't have you wondering about the earth exposing yourself to danger." Rinkatsu continued his pacing.

"So... you've used me... and now I shall live in this place for the rest of my life..." deducted Kikyo.

"Basically," laughed Rinkatsu. "Now, to contain Kagome from telling anyone else, I have my servants looking to kill her and anyone else who knows."

Kikyo was put at unease at these words. "Your servants?"

"Ah... yes... sure you have noticed Miroku? He is a familiar face I assume? Well, I had a meeting with him in the north on the mountains where I vanquished that bastard Naraku... Miroku almost beat me to him too... upon killing Naraku, I noticed this monk. I could sense his skill and saw him as a potential use to me. I gave him two options... die by Naraku's curse (which I chose not to undo) or serve me... being wise, he chose the latter," explained Rinkatsu. "After he swore his allegiance to me, I brainwashed him and fine-tuned his abilities to my liking."

Kikyo tightened her teeth.

"You also must have heard me mention Sesshomaru's name, the brother of your lover. I also presented him with a choice... serve me or I shall kill one who is very dear to him - Rin," Rinkatsu said as he pointed to the girl.

Kikyo gasped in anger.

"Luckily, he chose wisely... after I brainwashed him, I saw the girl as a use as well... I cleared her mind as well, and she is now my darling little pet. Isn't she cute?" asked Rinkatsu in a awkward voice.

"She is just a child..." said Kikyo weakly. Rinkatsu laughed.

"And then there's Koga... I actually pitted him and Sesshomaru against each other thinking they kidnapped each other's 'loves'.... it was a wise move, it lowered their defenses from someone foreign to their conflict and also let me kill two birds with one stone... he was presented with a similar choice - serve me or I kill his fiance, Ayame... you can guess what he chose." Rinkatsu paced some more.

"Sickening..." muttered Kikyo.

"Ayame had some fighting skills in her as well, so I figured, since I already had her as a prisoner, why not make her serve me as well? She's quite talented," said Rinkatsu.

If there was nothing seperating Kikyo from Rinkatsu, she would've strangled him.

"Ah... and the boy...the one with a relation to Kagome's friend... what's her name...Sango?" asked Rinkatsu.