InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Suffer The Fray ❯ A Couple of Strays ( Chapter 14 )

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

Disclaimer: I hold no claim to InuYasha...Rumiko Takahashi does. Bummer.

A/N: Reviewer Acknowledgements- Midoriko-sama, unistar, blackr0s3, Novemberkid, Koolkat191, Cynbad146, sufferingkagome, wlp0604, & Sassa. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews- from both my steady and new critics. I can't express how much I enjoy reading them...I get all excited and happy for hours. I know this update is a little late, but I was out of town for Labor Day weekend and my computer had to stay home. Anyway, read on and enjoy!

Reux

There was a time when he'd thought his luck had run out. From that point forward he fully expected everything to be a hassle, to most likely come back around to bite him, and he had been right. He guessed that made him the World's Greatest Pessimist, but making a lot out of himself wasn't one of his strong points. Even as a young child, self-doubt had been his one, constant companion. He'd joked for a long time that he must have been adopted because neither his father, nor his sister held a single ounce of doubt in themselves. It was notions like those that made his current predicament so all the more bitter.

It was also that distasteful conditioning that had him rooted in place and blinking with astonishment.

I must be seeing things. He rubbed his balled fists into his eyes and tried again. Peering around the local fishmonger's hut, he watched the pale woman stride alongside the village's Headman. Nope, definitely not seeing things. Her identity was unmistakable.

Kikyo, the legendary re-animated miko with the power to sense and purify the Sacred Jewel, had come to his tucked-away village.

And almost on cue, her chilly gaze darted to his current peep-spot and Kohaku had to duck behind the shabby thatched hut. No kidding she can sense them. Reaching behind his head, he absently rubbed the tiny ridge beside his spine. He knew Kikyo didn't travel aimlessly. It was probable that his shard was the one that had drawn her here to begin with. Slipping back out around the building, he hoisted the string of pelts he'd brought with him. He was on his way to sell them when the miko's presence sidetracked him.

The village may have been off the beaten path, but it certainly wasn't dull. Hidden away between twin peaks and adjacent to a swift river, it was quite the busy place. The bustling little market was situated on the eastern bank, with several crossings to connect it to the homes on the western. Being so closed off from the rest of the countryside made it very self-sufficient, but it also made the people overly cautious. When he'd stumbled upon it nearly five years ago, he'd been chased out repeatedly until they realized he meant no threat. And although he'd finally been accepted, he was not allowed to reside with any of the other families.

Instead, he took up residence in an abandoned hut on the southern end of the market strip. Its previous owner had been an elderly parasol maker, leaving behind colorful oiled-paper scraps and the unfinished bamboo frames of the umbrellas. He'd cleared out the cluttered, cobwebbed hut and repaired as much of the shabby tatami mats as he could. It only had two rooms- the work room where he sold his goods, and the slightly larger living quarter where he slept. At the start he had no means to survive, but he caught onto the idea of selling pelts when a young mother had commented on how fine his rabbit-fur overcoat was- it had been winter then, and he'd been very hungry. Now he had a steady business, more so in the winter months, selling an assortment of pelts he hunted himself. He even made some extra money selling the excess meat from the animals.

Kohaku merged into the crowd, making himself as inconspicuous as possible. He didn't want her to single him out just yet, not that he hadn't already assumed that would be her intention. A miko- even a dead one- never was without a purpose. He followed the flow of traffic, always keeping her within sight, and continued on until he reached the local tailor.

Paper, cotton, linen, and silk were the normal resources used to fashion clothing, but up in this mountain country- and especially with the chill of winter looming- his furs were becoming a staple for staving off the cold. The grizzled old man chose what he wanted and handed over the appropriate amount. Kohaku slung the remaining pelts over his shoulder and started back the way he'd come.

But this time he planned on making a detour.

Angling his way past the denizens, he cut his way through the market to the alley that abutted the thoroughfare just north of where the Headman was speaking with Kikyo. Leaning against the closer building, he eavesdropped.

"Perhaps the tale of our ill children has blessed our humble village with your presence?" The Headman bowed his head.

"Do not trouble yourself with displays of rank. I am but a miko." She spoke in a tone that was otherworldly calm. "And yes, I have heard of the plight of your youth. I came to offer my services."

"Miko, do you mean to help heal our sick?"

"Yes."

"We are humbly blessed by your kindness." He pressed his hands together and bowed again lower. "We are in your debt."

"Healing the indisposed is my duty and you will owe nothing for it."

Kohaku watched with mild awe as she shifted her one-handed grip on the ebony long bow so that it pointed in his very direction. It was so subtle that the Headman, watching her so intently, hadn't noticed. She knows I'm here. Smiling to himself, he gave up hiding and strode right up beside her. "I couldn't help but over hear, Miko," He gave her wide, astonished eyes. "That you're a healer."

He could tell from the suddenly harsh set to her eyes that the irony of his words was not lost to her. She smiled. "That is true."

That peaceful smile held promise of more discomfort than any his so-called 'master' could produce. He nodded his head beseechingly. "It is above my station to make such requests, but I am in need of your help."

"My help?" Kikyo couldn't help the edge of contempt in her voice.

Not wanting to discontent someone of such high esteem, the Headman intervened. "Lady, please allow me to apologize for young Kohaku's rudeness. He is a ruffian."

Kohaku kept his head ducked to hide the rolling of his eyes. Idiot. The Headman had it out for him since the beginning and only the praise of the villagers kept him from banishing him. He had no idea what he'd done to offend him so severely, except for his persistence to stay. Grudgingly, he bowed low and turned to leave. "Please forgive me, Miko. I must return to see to my wounded sister."

Kikyo's cool eyes widened a bit as she watched him start off. Sister? Does he mean Inuyasha's youkai-taijiya companion? She stepped after him. "Kohaku! Wait!"

He disappeared into the crowd.

Dampened, she turned to the arrogant Headman. "His sister, is she actually here?"

He nodded, somewhat annoyed. "You must have met his kind before. He came here a few years ago, half-starved and wild as a feral dog. And just like one, he refused to leave- always hanging about waiting for someone to throw him some scraps." He sneered in the departed boy's direction. "And as any dog eventually does, he stayed. He started selling those pelts, such a crude trade, and whenever anyone ever asked about his family all he'd mention was a lost elder sister."

Kikyo was steadily growing to dislike the ignorant man standing before her. It was apparent he only cared about himself and the title he had so repetitively pressed upon her. "When did she arrive?"

He held his chin in thought. Kikyo wasn't fooled. He knew. He lifted his pock-marked face to gaze at her with mock enlightenment. "Oh, yes! Now I remember! She showed up mysteriously about a week ago." He beamed.

She ignored his antics. "Tell me, Headman, where does Kohaku live?"

"The mutt lives in the old parasol maker's hut at the end of the row." He watched in disbelief as she started off in that direction. "Lady Kikyo, what of healing the children?"

She smiled over her shoulder at him. "I'm sure a few hours time will not make a difference."

"But these children are much more important than one boy's wounded sister." He spread his arms admonishingly.

She turned to face him directly. "Just by listening to you in our previous conversation, it became obvious to me that you would not have told me of his wounded sister simply because you despise him. That lack of common courtesy is what made me honor his request before honoring yours. You wonder why the children to do not come first? Look at yourself and the answer will become clear to you."

Thoroughly chastised, he bowed low- almost to his knees- and spoke hastily. "You're wisdom is great, Lady Kikyo."

She watched him go and fervently hoped that he heeded her reprimand. Sighing, she continued on down the dusty market strip. The village was much more urbanized than any she'd visited before. Just another sign of how long ago I was truly of this earth. Fifty-five years from the time of her death. She smiled genuinely at the children staring at her regality with awe and thought wistfully of the life stolen from her by a greedy, obsessed youkai. Time goes by so fast.

Her graceful stride carried her silently to the front of the final shop on the row. It was an old structure, but well-kept, and nailed above the woven, bamboo door were a pair of identical snake skins. The rust colored scales glinted in the afternoon sun, the dark geometric designs running their length giving away the obviously venomous danger of their former owners. Kikyo couldn't help but notice the similarity between the twin skins and the owner of the shop they were attached to. Kohaku is the same, beautiful and deceptively lethal. Raising her bow, she pushed the flap aside and slipped inside.

The front room was lighted by the twin windows on the sidewalls, allowing her to see the large variety of pelts hung on finely crafted display racks. The array was impressive- rabbit, mink, badger, raccoon, doe and buck skin, snake, fox, wolf, and even what she believed was bear. Quite the busy bee. Moving deeper into the room, she could see him sitting behind a small table entering his sales in a thick, leather-bound ledger. He looked up from the book and smiled. "We meet again, Lady Kikyo. And so quickly. I take it that the Headman made his true nature apparent?"

"He did."

He went back to his book. "And am I right to assume you learned of the sister I happened to allude to earlier?"

"Yes." His calmness bothered her. "Was that a lie?"

"Yes and no." Kohaku set down his writing brush and stood up. "Yes, there is a woman residing here. No, she is not my sister." He strode to a strong wooden door without looking at her. "This way, Lady Kikyo."

The miko suddenly felt uneasy. "She is not Sango, the youkai-taijiya of Inuyasha's band?"

The high-pony tailed boy stopped and turned pained brown eyes at her. "I do not wish to insult my guest, but I do wish she truly was my elder sister, Sango." He took a relaxing breath. "That, sadly, is not possible. However, with your help, I may be able to see her again without violent intentions."

Kikyo kept her thoughts to herself and followed him into the larger rear room. She sensed the aura immediately, recognized its owner, and raised her bow to the wind witch sitting demurely on the straw mattress. "Kagura."

Kohaku stepped in front of the arrowhead and held up the wind-youkai's fan. "She intends no ill-will. We just wish to speak with you."

"Minions of Naraku cannot be trusted!" She hissed.

"That is true." The hoarse voice startled the miko into gazing at the other woman. "But I hold allegiance to Kohaku alone. Naraku uses me against my will."

It was then that Kikyo saw the glaring wound at her neck, partially healed and speaking volumes at how cruel a master Naraku was. The woman's pale face was strained with pain. In the depths of her brilliant persimmon eyes she could see her desolation. "Naraku did this to you?"

Kagura smiled bitterly. "Punishment for trying to kill my brothers." She leaned back against the hut's wall. "He wants to see to you."

"I should've known." Kikyo tightened the arrow.

The wounded youkai laughed and ended up folded over, hacking violently into her hands. The sound seemed to echo about the room and the miko finally lowered her bow. She couldn't kill her when she was wounded and unarmed. Kagura sat up with a shuddering gasp, blood on her lips. "Spare your arrows, Miko. Killing me will prove to be a fruitless endeavor."

Kohaku knelt beside her and held out a rag. "We were given orders to find you and bring you back to him. For what reasons we do not know." He stood up and rested a hand on Kagura's shoulder. "We don't know what he's planning, but we know that it'll involve killing Sango and her friends." His fingers tightened on her shoulder until she had to cover them in a motherly gesture. Kohaku hung his head. "I don't want to kill anymore. I don't want to be his slave."

Kikyo absorbed this in silence, not allowing her feelings to lower her guard. She shifted neutral eyes to the wind sorceress. "And you?"

Kagura wiped the blood from her chin. "I once thought I was better than all these ningen peasants because I was a youkai. Turns out that I'm really no different. I was born a slave to a master I despise, but unlike a peasant, I cannot buy my freedom."

"You never seemed to care before."

"You've only really seen me during battle or when in his company. As contradictory as this sounds, killing is not something I enjoy. When Naraku slept I had zero confrontations with either youkais or ningens I encountered." She paused to take a few wheezing breaths. Kohaku moved to a small bucket of water beside the bed and moistened the cloth. He gave it to Kagura, who pressed it against her wound and eased with relief. Her vibrant eyes looked over at Kohaku. "I am of the wind and I want nothing more that to share its liberty. Kohaku and I both desire to live free of Naraku's grip. That bastard is unwilling to grant it to either of us, always holding it out in front of us like a carrot to a horse."

Kikyo finally allowed herself to kneel opposite them. They had been honest from the start and were not going to attack her. She set down her long bow and sighed. "There is another way."

"Of course there is." She smirked. "If we fail to kill him and are not released by his death at the hands of you, Sesshomaru, or Inuyasha, then we will gladly take our freedom in the form of death."

The brown eyed miko gazed between the two seriously. "You are willing to die to free yourselves?"

Kagura smiled at that. "You know as well as I do that life does not end after death, even for the damned."

She didn't respond because the wind witch was right. One's soul did not cease to exist after leaving its physical body. Kikyo weighed her options and leveled them both with a hard stare. "I have no choice but to go to him?"

"No."

She hesitated a moment, not completely sure she was actually going to follow through on her thought. Sighing, she got to her feet. "I will help you as much as I am able. I shall keep your request in mind so long as you honor one of mine."

"I'm not going to regret this, am I?" Kagura leaned forward and using her hands, stood up to face the now standing miko.

"Only if your distaste for murderous killing was a fabrication." She smiled with a slightly haunty flair in her ethereal features.

Kagura surveyed her critically. This was the turn of character she was concerned about. When she was spiritually calm, the miko was generally a motherly, lend-a-hand, guidance type. A shift like this made her unpredictable and extremely dangerous. It made her regret handing her fan over to Kohaku as a gesture of good will. Stepping to her left, she partially obstructed Kikyo's view of the boy. "I am not bloodthirsty, Miko."

"Hmm," She shut her eyes. "Am I that untrustworthy?"

"I don't know. You tell me." She folded her arms. "I am a youkai. We have a natural tendency to be wary of the spiritually strong."

Kikyo chuckled softly. "Tactfully put. Do not trouble yourself, Kagura. I always keep my word."

"A welcome change, I guess." She swallowed past a particularly painful throb in her throat.

"I expect so." She flicked her bow. "Now, of my request-"

"What is it?"

Kagura stiffened at Kohaku's murmured demand and tensely eyed him over her shoulder with strained crimson orbs. "Easy, Kohaku."
"No." The miko tipped her head. "He is right. We are wasting time with insignificant banter."

The unperturbed boy slipped around his wounded shield and met her eyes with deadly seriousness. "Your request?"

She stared down at him harshly. "I will offer my aid if you two promise to leave Inuyasha and Kagome alive."

"How the hell am I supposed to promise that?!" Kagura sputtered, but staved off that horrible rakish cough. Blinking back tears, she pushed Kohaku aside. "You know damn well that he'll send us after them. It's written in stone."

"Yes, I'm sure it is."

"If I hold back in a fight against them, he'll know and then I'll never be free of his torture. Not to mention that being passive in a battle against Inuyasha or your annoying little twin could kill me."

"Then you understand the risk I am taking by aiding you." She tapped the end of her bow on the wooden floor as if reprimanding her. "They are to remain alive, regardless of who attacks them."

Kagura sneered at her. "You know we cannot guarantee their safety at Naraku's hands."

"Then I will leave it to you to make sure they are not killed. Otherwise my obligation to you will be nullified."

"You are quite ruthless to be a miko, Kikyo. I'd say close enough to be in league with Naraku."

"I was a miko once, yes, but I am now a member of the dead using a miko's pretense as a disguise." She smiled sweetly. "Do I have your word that you will insure Inuyasha and Kagome's safety?"

Kagura glared at her smug expression. Curse you, Kikyo! Jaw clenched tight enough to possibly crush bones, she bowed her head acquiescingly. "Very well, Kikyo." She watched her turn to leave. "I do have one question though."

Kikyo narrowed her chocolate eyes. "Yes?"

"Does taking Inuyasha to the grave and stealing back your soul really your heart's desire?"

The miko looked away in thought, and after a few tense minutes, returned her eyes to the wind sorceress's. "As much as your freedom is yours." She stepped towards the door. "I will be tending to the ill children of this village. When the time comes, send Kohaku to me and I will come peacefully."

The boy nodded. "Thank you, Lady Kikyo."

She disappeared through the doorway and Kagura slumped back down on the bed in exhaustion. She honestly had no clue whether or not it was prudent to rely on Kikyo- especially with such bias towards youkais- but what other choices did she have? She had offended and nearly killed all the others capable of liberating her. She clenched a fist and stared intently at it. Naraku has negated all of my options. Although she doubted he was powerful enough, the wolf prince Koga would not aid her on the grounds of her vicious slaughter of his kin. As a wind-youkai herself, enlisting in Sesshomaru's strength had insulted his honor, as well as admitting weakness- which was blasphemy in his eyes. And then there is Inuyasha, the Inu-hanyou. The number of times she'd attempted to murder him or his little group of friends had escaped her recollection- that in and of itself obliterated any chance of earning his favor. I hate being weak! It sickened her to rely on the help of others, but without her heart, her strength could only grow a small amount.

And she now had taken a strong protective urge towards the forsaken boy beside her. It bewildered her to want to actually protect something other than herself and made her wonder if the dog brothers weren't crazy in their thinking. She watched silently as he tidied up the room and started a small cook fire. It was in that moment of observation that she realized what she was thinking. A faint smile played on her lips. If it came to be that only one of them could be freed, then she'd gladly be the one to die bound. He deserves it so much more than I. He glanced in her direction and winked before turning back to the food cooking on the wooden board. I'll protect you as much as I am able, Kohaku.

Straying from Naraku was surely dangerous, but now she had to wait and see if it would kill her.

A/N: Comments from the peanut gallery are warmly welcomed. XD.