InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Silver Shadows ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Silver Shadows
-Chapter 2-
I feel incomplete, unable to bypass this circumstance before my eyes. This ningen, miko or not, was alive. I could feel gazes on me, I knew that they were surprised. When I asked for something and was denied it death soon followed. To be dishonored this way, bested, was beyond my comprehension, beyond my grasp. Something had to be done.
And such were his thoughts as his claws came down upon her soft neck. His hand plunged in and made into a fist around the bone of her neck. A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips as they cracked under the small amount of pressure he put on them. Honor ran down his fingers and dripped onto his clothes. Honor was restored to his name. Death surrounded the has-been body of the ningen woman and his golden eyes regained their haughty presence.
“You could've spared the life of your own whore, you know?”
His head snapped to the side, to the door. Light bled into the room and danced upon the crimson caressing his hands. His honor remained tarnished.
Were my senses so blinded by my need to have honor at the hands of death that I overlooked the fact that my prey was not the same? So blinded by my satisfaction that I didn't even sense this ningen's approach?
His gaze penetrated hers. This woman was disrupting the once calm, taught waves of order. His eyes flashed red, a flicker of interest on her eyes, and he straightened himself. His movements were so fluid, graceful, unseen to the untrained human eye. A hand rested upon her shoulder, he should've known he would interrupt.
My father has been blinded and bewitched by the ningen race, an utter shame upon our family and honorable pure line. Yet honor binds me to restrain myself.
“You will train this one.”
“I don't find myself bound to do such a thing,” he responded passively, as if the gory scene behind him wasn't there anymore.
As if it was the most normal of sceneries, an everyday occurrence. Perhaps it was.
“You are bound to each other through honor,” he ground out.
His eyes narrowed. Honor? Honor was something intangible to the man, unexistant. For him to lower himself to train someone below his station, such as she was, was striking another line for herself. She was alive, now he was being pushed into teaching her how to defend herself.
“Casualties happen in the battle field, not the training field,” she said smoothly.
At least she knew what she was up against. He would not deal with ignorance. He walked past her, looking down upon her for a fleeting second. His eyes settled upon his leader, his father. Another man from before, the same peculiar hair, joined them and they left together.
“Explain yourself,” the elder ground out.
Sesshomaru's eyes merely bored into his, his stance shone with displeasure.
“Allow me to translate,” said the younger sarcastically. “He's obviously saying `You son of a pure blooded bitch, how dare you so much as consider tarnishing my honor! The human is my kill and my way of restoring what is rightfully mine!' And that's the gist of it.”
“InuYasha,” he growled, his hand slowly massaging his right temple.
“You dare dishonor this Sesshomaru further by demanding I train the ningen, for this I will not stand,” he snapped.
InuYasha cringed. There weren't many instances in centuries in which Sesshomaru snapped to say something. It took much to dance upon his nerves, but obviously the situation played upon his existence. His pride and reputation were wounded and the only way to regain what was left was to kill the girl they'd found. However the In u no Taisho merely stepped on the vengeful pieces left by demanding he teach her.
“They have miko on their side, this alone will deplete half our army, the ningen are not strong enough compared to our kind. We will need her,” he finished with a daring glare.
“All we need is information which I can easily gather and then regain my honor!”
His head snapped to the door as it opened, an impatient growl erupting from his throat. She spit on him viciously and he barely restrained himself from ripping her to shreds for the insolence.
“Your honor will give you nothing on the battle field you fool,” she ground out. “Honor will not keep you from dying, neither will it give you glory nor the pride you so cherish.”
“You know nothing of honor you worthless-.”
“Fuck your honor, it's nonexistent.”
He backhanded her, the other males cringing. She'd had that one coming, Sesshomaru's patience had been thinning.
“You jaded son of a fucking-.”
“This ends here,” growled the elder. “You will cease this rivalry until you are properly set against each other.”
Her eyes shifted to him, her head bowed low. Sesshomaru's eyes held a certain amount of surprise and dislike. She yielded, submission to those that commanded it without words. This was a category he should've been included in. Yet the girl stubbornly refused to acknowledge him as being superior. Suddenly it all came down the primal matters, who was superior to who? The male had to show the female to step down, and he'd be damned if she didn't. By the time he was done with her, she'd be on her hands and knees begging for his glares, for his mere glance. Such was it supposed to be.
“It is obvious now, Higurashi will form part of this gang after being severely warned and having been initiated.”
Her eyes refused to meet his, Naraku had taught her as much. To meet a leader's eyes was to declare a challenge, to sign one's own death warrant.
“I hold your life,” he said softly, deadly. “To challenge me is to toy with the strings of life and death. Do so at your own risk.”
“What do you expect?” questioned InuYasha curiously, testily.
“I expect nothing more than the lowest position, having to prove myself and earn my positions and respect. There is no honor in what I do, and my loyalty lies with my leader and none else.”
“Who is your leader?”
“The one that shows me respect and doesn't look down upon me for my sex, but for my insufficient skill as a murderer.”
/...:...:...:...\\\
One thing one should never be without, it is knowledge. The fact that I didn't know what was going to happen to me was nerve-wrecking. To be watched like a hawk instead of doing the watching had my mentality flipped upside down. I'd gone from hunter to prey.
A young woman, no younger than her at least, walked into her room quietly. She wasn't arrogant, but she wasn't a push-over either. She had an indefinable amount of assuredness surrounding her that send a clear warning message to all that threatened her. She set down a plate of food and drink on a small coffee table in front of her. She'd been kept in the room without any information, any entertainment.
“I don't want it,” she stated clearly.
The woman's eyes narrowed, obviously thinking that she was another stuck up whore. A cockroach skittered across the floor and Kagome's nose scrunched up in distaste. With a fast, deadly hand she removed the other female's gun and shot it.
“Disgusting,” she muttered at the black hole in the floor.
A curious head peeked in, a male with a low ponytail and stormy eyes.
“Who killed Kenny?” he asked innocently.
The woman's head tilted back and forward quickly. He frowned and shrugged.
“Oh well, bastard took my porn magazines too damn much anyways.”
Kagome then took the time to look down, through the dark hole. She could make out a darker hole, one in an oversized man's head.
Woops.
“You're a cocky whore,” the female said at last, her gun pointed at Kagome's forehead. “I don't think I like that, but first let me inform you of something slut. Just because you sleep with one of the leaders or right hands doesn't mean shit around here.”
Kagome raised an eyebrow, she liked the attitude. Much like her own, the woman was assertive and to the point. No bullshit.
With a content smile she asked, “Are all the females going to try to kill me?”
The woman's eyes flickered with curiosity.
“I'm not going to have a bitch fit,” Kagome said, guessing at her thoughts. “I'm not fucking any of the leaders nor any of the males in the vicinity. I'll pass on the opportunity, should it come to pass.”
The woman's face lightened, “I like you.”
The gun lowered the women became allies. The male had still been outside, now scratching his temple absent-mindedly. Women were strange, acquainting each other over threats and guns. But the results were instant and undying loyalty. Men met much the same way in these circumstances, however the results were more, instant death. Men met allies in those that were equal in strength, if not stronger. He rolled his eyes and walked away.
“Stupid dog-eat-dog world.”
/Sesshomaru/
His claws twitched, though his posture was calm and relaxed. He felt the need to kill, to feel blood run on his hands once again. It wasn't that he was a blood thirsty creature, quite the contrary. He felt no desire to kill on whims, but being in the underground changed all of the rules. Let no man with any information of you walk away alive, let no offender walk away with your honor. His ways were different, much like those of the ancient samurai. He looked down upon those that walked proudly with shame. His eyes locked on the door, narrowing.
“Listen here you little wretch,” warned a woman in a low tone, “I will not have you wasting Sesshomaru-sama's time with your useless prattling.”
He found the situation unamusing. Another female was vying for his attention, another female as threatening what he considered was his. His deadly form moved with the practiced grace of an assassin. The young girl's eyes widened, she knew what was coming.
“Leave,” he commanded.
She'd seen it once, and once was enough. She yanked herself out of the female's grasp and ran. As she rounded the corner she heard the screams bouncing of the walls, chasing after her. She pushed herself to run faster, feeling as if she was being chased by the dying woman. She covered her ears and ran into the first room she found, uncaring. She threw herself into a dark corner, her eyes shifting from side to side. She rocked herself and willed the images to leave. But they were there and imbedded into her forevermore.
“Go away,” she whispered, her mentality reverting back to one of a child.
The slices across the bare woman's stomach, the cuffs that held her suspended from the ceiling. She'd tried to betray them, give information to the enemy. She had been murdered slowly, day by day. It had been a nightmare to stumble upon the scene of her guardian slapping the dying woman, reopening wounds on her abdomen. His eyes had met hers for a dull moment, the crimson gaze demonically masochistic. He'd stepped back a smile dancing in his eyes. A liquid exploded above the girl and she screamed in pain and choked. She'd vehemently struggled against her bindings to no avail. The faint smell of alcohol reached her and she ran.
To get used to death is to accept death.
She wasn't used to the death that played around her everyday. She didn't want to get used to it either.
“Shinra?”
The suddenness of the female voice behind her jolted her. Her heart was pounding violently blocking out all other sounds. Her eyes slowly raised to the woman's face and found a disoriented expression. She shook her head softly once, unable to say anything. The lights blinded her eyes and she tensed up. A soft hand caressed her cheek and smiled at her.
“You resemble Shinra.”
The woman's eyes clouded over and she retrieved her hand.
“What are you doing in a place like this?”
“I live here,” she managed in a stressed voice.
The woman nodded slightly and stood up. That's when she took notice of her appearance. She was lean, the obvious working woman. She wore a black wife beater with a silver chain hanging loosely against her chest. Her track pants and expensive brand track shoes spoke volumes for themselves.
“I'm Kagome,” she finally said.
“Rin,” she responded, finding speech easier now that the woman didn't look threatening. “Who's Shinra?”
Kagome winced, she should've known that the girl would be curious.
“My younger sister,” she said softly.
She didn't know why, she didn't know how, but she found herself sharing her pain with a girl half her age. She found it gratifying, a weight was lifted from her heavy conscience.
“She's gone, huh?”
Kagome nodded fighting back the wave of sorrow. A silence settled between them and she didn't want to break it. She'd then find herself explaining her sister's whereabouts. How do you go about explaining that you got your sister brutally murdered? That you were under the rule of those that took pleasure years before in taking what precious little you had? Shinra had been all she had after her parents' assassination. She'd been found by Naraku then and he'd become her savior, a god in himself in her eyes.
“I've never seen you here before,” she said softly, a question lingering in the air.
It had been a twisted fairy tale in which she'd thankfully kept herself intact. After finding herself financially stable, the money coming from unspeakable missions, she'd retrieved her younger sister. Shinra had been horrified, but understanding.
“I'm new,” Kagome said softly, afraid her voice would betray her.
But that night Shinra had inconspicuously followed her, Naraku had known but kept quiet. Kagome had been assigned to what she did best as a sniper. Her gun was aligned directly with the heart of what she'd been taught was sin itself. The Inu no Taisho, the ruler of the dog demons, had been her prey. As she shot she noticed her younger sister's reflection on the glass of the building. Instead of running she'd stood and looked at her, blood running cold. They'd noticed her indecision.
“They killed her,” she said through a furious haze.
“Sesshomaru-sama?”
She said nothing, but noticed the girls attention was elsewhere. He stood there arrogantly in the doorway. Kagome's anger spiked and she withdrew both her guns and shot insanely.
“You bastard!”
The shots rang comfortably in her ear and blood was pumping, a much needed adrenaline rush. Her finger pulled the trigger until it was devoid of bullets. Without wasting a second she withdrew twin katanas, holding one in defense and the other above her, ready to strike. His gaze was deadly and trained upon her.
“You will restrain your need to attempt against my life when in the presence of Rin,” he said venomously.
Kagome looked to him and lowered her weapons back into their sheaths. She bowed slightly, holding slight respect for the man.
“You will train her, sensei?”
His eyes turned to the young girl, a speck of tenderness, and nodded imperceptibly. This drew her to a question that didn't plague many minds. How was it that this cold blooded beast could care for a young, naive girl? His cold, domineering glance commanded she leave and she did. Their rivalry was to be restrained unless they were alone.
/Sesshomaru/
He didn't like that woman, her sex was sin itself in a body meant to seduce and betray. His eyes narrowed, he was ensnared by a younger girl that looked to him as a father figure. He would probably never comprehend her thoughts upon choosing him and relying on him, but he provided for her. She was his, and he took care of his belongings viciously. A small, minuscule, part in him said that at least she obeyed him this time around, she was starting to learn. However, the majority said that finally the bitch was getting some sense, but she needed a shit load more if she wanted to stay alive.
Rin shoved her elbow into his hard stomach with a frown, “Stop thinking of ways to kill her.”
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at her.
“I like her,” she said with a smile.
“There's nothing to like,” he said, anger lacing through his words. “She's just like the rest of them.”
Rin winced and remembered the woman a few minutes before. She was one of `the rest of them', treating her harshly and demanding to be given a place near Sesshomaru. They were, how to say, dealt with accordingly. She wrinkled her nose, so many women threw themselves at his feet like he was a walking god. Perhaps women looked for danger and ruthlessness in a man?
I'd much rather have a man that can provide me with comfort and a normal life.
“I represent money,” he said coldly.
She didn't have to look up, he was gone. She could feel her arms warming. His presence gave a cold, unfeeling sense to any place existent. She looked up in time to see Kagome peek in. Rin gave a small wave and a beckoning smile.
“The reaper's gone?”
Rin stifled a laugh. The reaper? But it was close... She nodded quickly. She smiled and walked in with a bounce in her step.
“Good, he annoys me,” she said enthusiasticly.
“Aren't assassins supposed to be cruel and heartless?” Rin blurted out with wide eyes.
Kagome giggled, “I guess, but good company's good company.”
Rin smiled warmly.
I think I've found myself a friend.
His cold eyes pinned the group of men with a dark glare.
“What do you mean, `Sorry boss, we couldn't find her'? That fucking bitch was my right hand, she knows more about this gang than anybody else.”
He stood slowly, men trembling attempting to keep control of their shaking bodies.
“Do you understand what this means!”
His voice echoed on the walls, seemingly closer than before.
“Right now, she's probably selling off information to opposing gangs,” he sneered. “You idiots are incompetent. How can you kill men quickly and effectively yet be outsmarted by a woman!”
Their shoulders tensed.
“Oooh burn! Need some ice?” chuckled a man, nudging his friend in the ribs, trying to lighten the dark atmosphere.
The boss' eyes narrowed and he shot him. Eyes widened as the man fell back onto the wall, his body sliding heavily to the floor.
“Don't test my patience!” he roared. “Or would you like to find why men cower like dogs with their tails between their legs at the mere mention of `Naraku'?”
All the men kept their eyes forward, restraining their urge to run. That in itself was incredible, to have grown men, assassins and cold blooded murderers, wanting to run from a single man. The power he yielded was incredible, his ways were ruthless.
“You assholes chose to work for me and there ain't no fucking way out, should've read the tiny print at the bottom of your death certificates.”
And that was no lie. Every man had seen their death certificates legalized in front of their own eyes. Any and every casualty went unnoticed as they were dead at the time they were chosen by Naraku. All gangs did this for the purpose of keeping themselves strictly undercover
Did you see the report on the young man that died the day before his wedding? Yeah, he's right here, and let me tell ya, he ain't happy that his son's being fathered by the elderly neighbor.
“Listen you pussies, gangs aren't groups of teenagers that vandalize the streets with graffiti! Gangs are brutal murderers escaping the law because the law is bullshit. The only laws you need are mine,” he finished with a maniacal laugh.
Escaping the law? More like short of money, forced, you know too much.
“To let the enemy catch you is to let your family die. As for you orphaned imbeciles, I'm sure your whore won't be too happy when she gets knocked up by a couple of strangers. Or maybe she will, who knows?”
To say the men were pissed off at the ex-right-hand was an understatement. Actions from one person had a domino effect on the inside of these small mafias. One leak could kill off many of them, everybody was linked wether they knew each other or not.
“You better find this bitch tonight, because if you don't all of your asses are getting the punishment.”
The new right hand slid in and next to her boss, or more likely her newest bed mate. Nobody liked her, actually the last right hand was much better than this one. The last one had a brain and a smile. This one had a grim, bitch-mode expression. She was completely useless to the very sense of the word. She was clueless as to how the gang was run, had no interest in learning; She didn't know how to plan a heist, she was still wondering what the word meant; She didn't know how to shoot somebody, but hey the girl didn't want to break a nail. Her use was, plain and simple, a carnal one, or so it seemed. Women ran from the mention of his name, others from his appearance. The man wasn't distasteful or offensive looking, however his unnatural beauty had an aura of death and depression.
“Get the fuck out of my sight,” he growled impatiently.
The men shuffled out quickly, not wanting to see the carnal exchanges between their leader and his newest whore. Funny thing was, she resembled the old right hand disturbingly. Perhaps the rumors of Kagome rejecting him time and time again were true. However, one had to wonder what would lead the new girl to be anywhere within the ten centimeter area of the leader's persona, much less be involved with him willingly.
/Naraku/
To have found one so graceful was a miracle, but to have found the creature that so closely resembled his one desire was an astounding victory. She might not have been as feisty as the original, but one could look past certain things. Her glare and the fact that she withstood all his touches with pride and resistance made the withheld reactions all the more sweet. He disgusted her, his touches repulsed her, yet he held all that was dear to her.
“I love you,” he whispered against her neck.
“I hate you with a passion,” she stated unmoving.
“Watch what you say,” he growled as he gripped her against himself.
“I only speak the truth.”
He bit down on her neck and her eyes closed, the only sign of her pain.
“Perhaps you need a reminder as to why you are here in the first place,” he said almost to himself.
Her inexpressive eyes widened a small fraction. No, she didn't need a reminder. The screams of the orphans in the shrine still echoed through her skull. Their cries for their older sister went unheeded, but it was for the best.
“Murderer,” she spat.
His disgusting attention on her broke her each day, becoming an empty shell of what she was. She'd been with an opposing gang, dragged away through her duty to those she had sworn to protect to her first sister, Kaede. She hated the woman that resembled her, it was selfishly her fault that she was there in that situation.
“Just remember that Chiharu could always be a woman at the age of five.”
His laugh echoed against the walls and slid out into the empty halls.
“Your choice Kikyou-onee-sama,” he said with a smile. “Your choice.”
-Same rules apply, if this keeps you interested, I'll keep writing. InuYasha & Co. do not belong to me in any form or fashion, they solely belong to Rumiko Takahashi.-