InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Rokuro-Kubi ❯ Rokuro-Kubi ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and I make no $ from this story.

 

 

The InuTachi sat around the campfire, warming themselves after a dinner of rabbit stew. The firelight lit up their faces, casting long, flickering shadows.

 

“Miroku, it's your turn to tell us a story,” said Shippo.

 

“So what shall it be, my kitsune friend?” Miroku said, smiling at Shippo indulgently.

 

 

“Oh, make it a kwaiden!” Shippo said jumping up in down in excitement. “I just love scary stories!”

 

The monk nodded, and put his hand to his chin, thinking. The others watched him expectantly. Finally he looked up and gave them all a nod.

 

“Tonight I will tell the story of the Rokuro-Kubi,” Miroku said.

 

The monk's tale was of the Buddhist monk and former Samurai, Kwairyo, who was afraid of nothing. One night on his travels, he was taken in by a friendly woodcutter and his family for the night. Finding that they used to be of the upper classes and had fallen on bad times, Kwairyo spent the night praying for them, but on his way out to get some water he noticed that his host and family were lying in the other room without their heads!

 

“No heads?” Shippo cried in horror.

 

“Yes,” said Miroku. “They were Rokuro-Kubi, goblins whose heads could leave their bodies - but if their bodies are moved while they are away, the heads will die.”

 

The image of the headless yet living bodies made Kagome gulp, and she clutched the suikan. InuYasha looked at her and rolled his eyes.

 

Kwairyo moved the body of the aruji, (the house-master and woodcutter), and left - only to find the heads talking about how they planned to eat the priest! When they discovered the body had been moved, they attacked Kwairyo - and the arujis head attached itself to the priests sleeve. He fought off the other four, who fled, and it was now morning. Laughing at the horrible head, he had no fear and traveled on.

 

Coming to a village, he was arrested for murder - because of the head! But a wise elder surmised that the head may not be human, and convinced them all the Kwairyo was innocent. So as the priest traveled on, where he was accosted by a robber. The robber decided the priest must be daunting indeed to wear the head on his sleeve, and decided they should exchange clothes.

 

But the robber then grew afraid that the spirit of the Rokuro-Kubi might give him trouble. So he buried it, and performed the Segaki-service for it. It lies under a tombstone, the Tombstone of the Rokuro-Kubi to this day….

 

“That was really gross,” Kagome said, and Sango nodded.

 

“Keh, listen to you!” InuYasha scoffed. “You two dismember youkai all the time, how can that scare you?”

 

“Well, we don't go about wearing heads on our sleeves!” Kagome retorted.

 

Suddenly Mioku's eyes went wide and he stood up.

 

“What is the matter Miroku?” Sango said.

 

He raised his sleeve - there was a head attached to it! Kagome and Sango screeched then fainted…

 

“Shippo!” InuYasha yelled.