InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Psyche ❯ II. Take a chance, resist all temptations. ( Chapter 2 )

Title: Psyche

Author: Sutoresu

Summary: Alternate Universe // When the beauty of the young maiden, Kagome, becomes greater than that of the fabled Kikyo, the spirit sends a half-demon to exterminate her. But, what happens when her pure beauty is strong enough to warm the hanyou?

Disclaimer: I own neither the characters of Inuyasha, nor the Roman myth of Psyche & Cupid. If you can see the parallels between the two stories, I applaud you. If not, please enjoy my interpretations presented here within as cheap entertainment.

. II. Take a chance, resist all temptations

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Inuyasha peered into Kikyou's soulless brown eyes, trying to find the sarcasm or untruths hidden behind her mask of a smile. Surely Kikyou was not offering him the chance to step foot on Earth again.

Kikyou, as always, seemed to know exactly what thoughts were crossing his mind. "I assure you, Inuyasha, that what I speak is the truth. I want you to rid me of this Higurashi girl, Kagome - for that, I require you to return to the mortal realm."

Kagome, huh? I've never heard the name of one of Kikyou's victims before. Inuyasha sat up - this might be interesting. "How do you want me to do that?" he asked, the claws on his right hand extending with a sickening crunch.

Impatient, Kikyou waved her hand over his. A faint purple aura surrounded the former priestess' slender hand as it breezed by his claws. Upon contact the outstretched claws retracted into his hand, nothing more than sharpened nails.

Inuyasha scowled at the transformation. Even though it had been fifty mortal years since the pair were bound together and divinized into spirits, able to watch over mortals while living in their band of clouds, he had never become accustomed to the effects of Kikyou's spiritual powers when used upon him.

For the spirit, whose reward for her Earthly servitude was to be commissioned amongst the Gods and worshipped in her own right, retained both the spiritual powers that were bestowed upon her, as well as the Heavenly beauty she had possessed while alive. If anything, both qualities seemed to have increased ten-fold after she had been chosen by the Gods, along with her servant, Inuyasha, to keep watch over mortal affairs -- especially in regards to the infamous Shikon no Tama, a jewel guaranteed to bring its possessor up to the level of the Gods.

The story of the sacred jewel was as legendary as Kikyou's own tragic life; both were told as myths, with hardly anyone believing in their existence.

Kikyou herself had only learned of the jewel's existence after her death. The Shikon no Tama was a jewel whose power would only work in the possession of a mortal. As Kikyou was a priestess whose duty was to ward off demons, a human treasure, spoken of mostly in tales, was of little significance to her in life.

In death, however, the Shikon jewel was very important. The Gods had entrusted Kikyou with the task of protecting the jewel, the last defense of the holy object. It was through this position, however, that Kikyou did more than guard the jewel. She used her post to observe mortals and seek out any that were potential rivals in both beauty and spirituality.

Though it was obvious why the Gods would want a jewel such as the Shikon no Tama sealed away, Kikyou, too, had a desire to keep it hidden. What if a mortal were to chance upon the jewel and use it to become as beautiful and powerful as she was in life? Kikyou, who had been struck down at such an early age, just past eighteen, would be forgotten. All of her good deeds and sacrifices would have been for naught.

And Inuyasha knew that Kikyou would do everything she could, including severing the strong bond that kept him at her side and allowing him to return to Earth to serve her purposes, in order to keep her own memory intact.

He dared a glance at Kikyou, still floating just above him, and, though the strong bond forged from his foolish act of heroism a half century prior kept him at her side so he was used to her by now, he appreciated the allure of the spirit. If only she wasn't such a cold heartless bitch, he thought. He had never thought that she was so vain, neither. She had shown neither quality to him while they were both alive. If only I knew then what I know now.

Fighting a sigh, Inuyasha twitched his ears again. A new thought had just occurred to him. He was aware that Kagome would not be the first mortal that Kikyou had destroyed due to her jealous need to remain the greatest: the most beautiful, the most powerful. Out of her jealous desires, she had convinced the Gods to create for her a band of menial demons. She explained that she could do a far better job guarding the Shikon no Tama if she had servants that were able to enter between the two realms freely; the same servants she would later use to destroy any rival she found. The Gods agreed and allowed her control of a small sect of demons in order to contend with blasphemous mortals, should they draw to close to the sacred jewel. These demons were called her "helpers", but Inuyasha knew better - he referred to them as "soul collectors", since they were always disposing of Kikyou's competition and bringing their souls to Heaven, regardless of their proximity to the jewel.

But, if she had such obedient demons at her beck and call, why was she giving her only reluctant servant the chance to return to Earth for such a routine extermination? Surely there was more to this than Kikyou was telling him.

And, of course, there was. But she wasn't going to tell him that just yet.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to ask, but Kikyou cut him off. "You ask me how I would have you get rid of this girl?" She made a motion with her hands and, instantly, she held a bow and arrow. She offered it to him. "Take this bow and arrow, Inuyasha, and pierce her heart with them."

He accepted the tools from Kikyou. "You want me to kill her with a bow and arrow? You know, my claws would be much easier. And quicker."

Kikyou laughed.  It was a low laugh that sounded hollow. It suited her. "Oh, I don't want to kill the girl. I want to destroy her."

His amber eyes reflected curiosity but Inuyasha knew better than to question her motives. When it came to preserving her memory one did not ask why. Instead, he asked, "How will this bow and arrow destroy her if it's not supposed to kill her?"

Kikyou refused to meet his eyes; she stared straight into the open abyss of the Spirit plane and waited a moment before answering him. "This arrow has great powers. Once it pierces her heart, her destiny will be re-written. This arrow will cause her to fall in love the wickedest man alive. Once her fate is fulfilled, she will live the remainder of her life in bondage by a man she can not help but to adore. Her beauty will wane on its own accord until the precious young maiden is nothing more than a hideous old maid. Think, Inuyasha: if the girl truly is my equal in beauty, and her life is snatched away from her, all will remember her as the girl she is now. That is the last thing I would want. For one so beautiful, such as this Kagome, the greatest sin is for that beauty to fade."

Inuyasha blinked twice and stared at Kikyou in disbelief. Never had he before heard anything so cold cross her lips -- she must view this Kagome as a great threat. Knowing that, he was not about to refuse her mission.

There was a hitch. After he had been brought to Heaven with Kikyou fifty years ago, all he had tried to do was return to Earth. Unfortunately, he found himself unable to go more than a few steps away from the priestess.

Meanwhile, Kikyou took his uncharacteristic silence to be understanding. Still floating, she cupped her hands so that they were closed and mumbled a few words. A similar purple haze covered her hands. Once the aura had subsided, Kikyou opened her hands. There, in her open palm, sat a set of prayer beads. "Inuyasha, I am willing to offer you these enchanted beads. As a divinized spirit, I am only able to return to Earth myself within the confines of my shrine. Though this girl does reside in my old village, I am not able to take care of her myself. I, then, have no need for these beads, but they will allow you to travel back and forth between the Spirit plane and Earth. That is, as long as you have business to attend to."

Inuyasha placed the bow and arrow on the cloud and reached for the beads. But Kikyou made no move to had them over to him.

"Inuyasha, promise me. Promise me that if I give you these beads you will take care of the girl."

Inuyasha hesitated. As her intensity sent waves of purification out of her body, Inuyasha felt uncomfortable. He held out his hand for the prayer beads, using a callous smirk to mask his uneasiness. "Whatever. Just give me those stupid beads."

Kikyou nodded and folded her hands in prayer. She muttered a few simple words more and the beads began to glow brightly. As Inuyasha watched, the beads flew out of Kikyou's hands and settled themselves around his neck.

He tugged at the beads. "You mean, I actually gotta wear these things?" he snarled, trying to lift them up over his head.

Kikyou glanced at him. "Your attempts are in vain, Inuyasha. Those beads will only break free when I wish it."

He continued to pull at them, regardless of her words. "After all these years, this is how much you trust me?" he snapped, before dropping his hands to his side, in defeat. Still sitting on his cloud, he swiveled around so that his back was facing Kikyou's floating form.

She bristled at his action. "Inuyasha... Sit."

Before he could reply to her obvious dog reference, the strength of the prayer beads forced him face down. As he was only resting on a cloud to begin with, the extreme pull in which the beads exerted sent him tumbling straight out of Heaven.

Kikyou raised an eyebrow as the cloud quickly mended itself, erasing any sign that a hanyou had just crashed through. With a sigh, she noticed that in his hurried exit, Inuyasha had left the bow and arrow behind.

She wafted over to where the two objects lay, discarded, on the side of the repaired cloud. She waved her right hand over them and they were gone.

With a satisfied glint in her normally expressionless eyes, Kikyou floated gently down to resume her perch on the cloud below. She had no doubts that Inuyasha would complete the job -- but would he return back to her?

Of course, she mused, Inuyasha loves me.

She flicked her wrist and conjured up her mortal mirror, a second gift from the Gods that enabled her the power to keep watch over the Shikon no Tama, and any human who may try to take possession of it. It was this mirror that she also used to search the world for anyone who may strike her as a rival. She had found Kagome through this mirror.

She resisted the urge to spy on Inuyasha, instead focusing the mirror on the cave in which the jewel lay dormant. She would show her companion just how much she trusted him. & . & . &

Kagome sat out on the front porch of her family's cottage, her hand cupping her chin. Anyone else seen in this position would appear to be bored -- and she was. However, the three boys surrounding her found her nothing short of awe-inspiring.

It has been like that for the past hour. No, corrected Kagome, not just the past hour. The past few months. Ever since a passing visitor had chanced upon the Higurashi cottage and spied Kagome while asking for shelter, rumor of her beauty had spread to nearby villages. Following that encounter, she had been plagued by visitors who all sought to make her their bride, but actually lacked the ability to speak to her when in her presence.

And, as it had been ever since, Kagome had to endure the visits of varied men as they came to call and spend the evening sitting in her company in silence. Not only did this make her extremely bored, it also made her very lonely. She didn't want to be adored. She wanted to be just like the other village girls -- surrounded by friends and family. Kagome herself had very few friends; the girls were all jealous of her appearance, while the boys could never work up the nerve to approach her.

Well, most of the boys.

"Higurashi!"

Kagome lifted her head out of her hand and smiled. "Hojou!"

A handsome young man, close in age to Kagome, came hurrying forward, freshly picked flowers in his hand. Right before he reached the front porch, he knelt down and held out the flowers. "For you," he said as Kagome blushed.

She accepted the flowers and inhaled deeply the little white buds. Immediately she began to cough as the strength of the odor caused her eyes to tear.

Hojou was oblivious to her discomfort. "My mother told me that these flowers produced very strong medicines. Whenever you have taken ill, boil some of these in water and breathe in the steam. You'll feel as good as new."

Her attack over and sense of smell returned, Kagome grinned, somewhat weakly. "Thanks, Hojou. I'll keep that in mind."

Hojou nodded before sitting himself down on the porch next to her three other suitors, each one looking more surprised than the next.

He turned and smiled at the others. "Oh, have you fellas come to see Kagome as well?"

The tallest of the three, a muscular boy with a long dark ponytail, glared at Hojou. "Why yes," he answered quite possessively. "Kagome is my woman," he continued as his two companions nodded their heads.

Kagome grimaced. Oh, Kouga. He hadn't said more than one word since he, and his pair of lackeys, had arrived earlier that evening. Now he was acting like he owned her. "Boys," she began, and all four heads turned to her. It was almost if, in the midst of all of the testosterone, they had forgotten she was there. "This is my friend, Hojou, from the village," she said for the benefit of Kouga and his friends, "and he is as welcome here as you are."

Hojou, the smile still on his face, nodded. The three other boys looked away, embarrassed, as if Kagome were scolding them.

There was a moment of awkward silence that was broken when Kouga stood up. He gestured to the other two before facing Kagome and grasping her hands in his strong ones. "My apologies, Kagome. Shall we call on you again tomorrow?" he said in a sweeter tone than the previous possessive one he used with Hojou.

Kagome blushed faintly at his proximity and formality. "You may -- if you want." Kagome wasn't so good with all the formal courtship things.

Kouga nodded and began to walk away, his companions following close behind. But, before he had left the Higurashi property, he turned and glared fiercely at Hojou, who remained oblivious to it all.

Kagome waved the three boys off before turning her attention to Hojou. A friend, she had called him. If only she could tell everyone that she saw him as much more than that.

He was a companion, a confidante, a comfort. She could always count on him to sit with her nightly, alone or with various other boys, carrying a conversation or content in her company.

If there was anyone she would allow to capture her heart, it would be Hojou. If he hadn't already captured it, anyway.

Kagome folded the skirt of her kimono under her before sitting by Hojou's side. She was gawking slightly at his profile when she saw his kind smile turn nasty.

Kagome, concerned, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Is something wrong, Hojou?"

He shrugged off her hand as he rose, staring at the path leading up to the Higurashi cottage. She followed his gaze and was surprised to see his malice focused on an elderly woman groping her way forward.

Kagome got to her feet and rushed forward. The woman, though she only wore a single eye patch covering her left eye, was finding it difficult to travel in the coming darkness, brought by the setting of the sun.

When she approached the woman, leaving Hojou to sneer uncharacteristically back on the porch, Kagome held out one of her arms. "Here, old woman, let me help you."

The stranger grabbed hold of Kagome's sleeve with her right hand but, when Kagome began to lead her forward, she paused.

Before she could question her, the woman used her left hand to gently feel the features of Kagome's face. "Be ye Kagome Higurashi?" she rasped in a softly accented voice.

Kagome waited until the woman had lowered her hand from her face to answer. "Yes, that's me," she said, confusion creeping into her tone.

"I am the priestess Kaede and I have traveled long and hard in search of ye, child," the woman said. "Am I correct, ye are still a child?"

So I was right. She can't see, thought Kagome before nodding. Then, remembering her earlier thought, and feeling foolish, she said, "Yes, Lady Kaede."

Kaede nodded to herself. "Good, then. That part of the prophecy is true. I feared it may have taken me too long to find ye," she rasped, then started to lumber forward.

"Prophecy?" asked Kagome before continuing to gently lead Kaede to the porch of the cottage.

"Yes, child. After such a search, I think that I have finally found the girl spoken of in a prophecy I have seen. Ye should be glad. I know that I am," Kaede answered, as if talk of prophecies was normally and Kagome should be pleased that there was one about her.

As the old woman drew nearer, Hojou's handsome face distorted further. "You don't actually believe anything this woman is saying, do you, Kagome? Look at her. She appears not as a priestess but as beggar -- and a thief, I'd bet."

Kagome glanced upon the weathered face of the old blind woman. Her gaze traveled downward until they spied the worn and torn traveling clothes, rather unlike the garments a priestess normally wore. But Kagome knew better than anyone to judge someone solely based on their outer appearance. Afterall, people had been doing that to her her entire life.

Besides, she also knew all of the tales. As her grandfather had told her countless times, the strongest priestesses achieved their spiritual powers by forsaking Earthly pleasures. And, she remembered, it was said that it was those who were unable to see with their eyes that had the ability to see better than anyone else. If Kaede said she was a priestess with a prophecy, Kagome believed her.

But, didn't Hojou know the same tales, the same lore? What happened to the kind boy who did whatever he could to help anyone in need? Why was he so reluctant to help this particular elderly woman?

In disbelief Kagome stared at Hojou. "I think it would be best if you returned to your mother, Hojou. If this poor woman is indeed a thief, I wouldn't want you to be robbed of your pompousness," she said heatedly. Maybe she had been wrong; maybe Hojou was just like the others, only kind and caring towards her because she was beautiful. If Hojou was reluctant to help Kaede because she was old and blind, what would he do when her beauty, no doubt, faded? Loneliness overwhelmed her as she remembered what she had said to her mother earlier that evening: Oh, Mama, you don't understand. None of those men want to court me -- they just want to gawk at me. They don't love me for me, but for what I look like. She had never, before now, included Hojou is such statements as those. Now she felt that it was only right, now that he had shown his true nature.

Hojou watched indignantly as Kagome helped Kaede step onto the porch and led her past him. "Here, Lady Kaede. Come with me into my family's cottage and we can speak more of the reason of your appearance."

After she had opened the cottage door and helped Kaede inside, Kagome peeked her head back out. "And I thought you were different," she said, tears beginning to dwell in her large grey eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Kagome. It's just that I wanted to make sure that you weren't taken in by a bandit. You are so kind and trusting, one must ensure your safety," he answered, quietly, trying to bring back the grin to his face.

Kagome stared at him for a moment before bowing her head and closing the cottage door.

He wanted to ensure her safety -- loneliness was safer.