InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Journey of the Half-Immortal ❯ Chapter 18 ( Chapter 18 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter Eighteen
 
Aniu woke with a start, having a vague feeling that something woke her. Her shutters blinked rapidly trying to rid themselves of sleep. She noticed something draped over her stomach and looked down to see a head with back hair. It wasn't Sesshoumaru. It was Kouga. His head was nestled against her bare stomach and his arm was draped around her hips. The rest of his body was curled against her legs. Panic seeped through her bones as she wondered where Sesshoumaru was.
“He is on the edge of the forest, trying to seek answers,” came a soft, bell-ringing voice.
Aniu immediately relaxed at the sound of that voice. Her head tilted back on the ground to look at the voice's owner. “Mother,” she said softly.
The golden figure smiled and stepped out of her covering. Gold hair fell past the woman's knees, covering the woman like a cape. Aniu started her gazing at the feet, noticing the pearl slippers that fit snuggly to her feet, the long, flowing, white dress that swirled around the thin legs of the woman. She noticed the golden belt around her waist and the access cloth flowing with the dress. Her eyes took in the way the top of the dress clung to her top and was sleeveless. A golden collar went around her neck and shoulders. It looked very Egyptian but then again she was a goddess out of Egyptian legend. Aniu took in the most heart-achingly beautiful face she had ever laid eyes on but what stopped her journey was her mother's eyes; the three rings that made up the different colors of her eyes. The outer ring was amber-gold and the middle ring was forest green, the inner ring was as blue as the deepest parts of the ocean; midnight blue. It looked like the edge of land staring at the sea with the golden sun creating illusions. The longer you looked at those eyes the more you became lost in the depths of the sea.
“Now, now, Aniu. You know better than to let a little illusion drag you from this world.”
The goddess's bell-ringing voice pulled Aniu back away from her eyes. “Sorry mother. It has been long since I have seen you. I forget.” Aniu smiled softly.
The woman crossed her arms over her stomach and leaned against a nearby tree, giving Aniu a knowing look. “You've been busy lately,” she motioned toward the wolf youkai draped across her daughter's stomach.
Aniu became very aware that she was naked in front of her mother with a naked man draped around her waist. She also noticed that she was unintentionally rubbing Kouga's face. She looked back to her mother and understood why the Egyptians called her `Isis'. She was goddess of the sky, nature, in their book but she was soo much more. She could change a normal day into a hellish nightmare. She could change the beautiful land into an inferno of fire. And one thing that Egyptians forgot about her was that she could control the waters. That was how she met Aniu's father, Kaito.
“How is father?” Aniu asked.
Isis cocked her head to the side. “You're asking that at a time like this?”
The half-immortal thought for a minute then nodded.
Isis sighed. “Your father died last year at the hands of another demon.”
Aniu looked away from the goddess, absorbing the news of her once beloved father. So father really died. I thought he did but didn't know for sure. She sighed. Well at least I knew him.
Panic flooded Aniu for a second as she remembered someone missing. “Where is Sesshoumaru?” she asked with worry.
“I told you before he went off to the edge of the forest to find answers within his own mind.”
Aniu narrowed her eyes dangerously. “How do you know?”
The goddess sighed. “I was here for a while but hid myself so he didn't notice my presence. I have that effect on demons, remember?”
The girl nodded and started to get her feet, gently lying Kouga onto the ground. Then her mind registered yet another problem. “Why isn't Kouga waking up?”
“I have put him to sleep.”
“Well undo the spell. Now, mother.”
“No,” the goddess glared at her daughter.
“Yes mother. Now!” Aniu's claws began to glow with a dangerous green glow.
“Are you threatening me, youngling?” Isis smiled.
“Yes,” she said unemotionally.
Isis frowned. “You are yet a pup. You can't kill me. I am immortal but if you push me I will kill you, Aniu.” She paused. “Besides, why do you even care for this wolf youkai? Do you just care for him because you had sex with him?”
Aniu growled and the glow spiked. “He is my friend.”
Isis smirked. “Is that it?”
Aniu frowned and the glow dimmed slightly. “What do you mean?”
“Is he just your friend?”
“You mean because I had sex with him?”
The goddess thought for a second and then nodded.
“I don't know why I had sex with him. I never thought I had feelings for Kouga.”
“What about now?”
Aniu was silent and took a few minutes to think. It looked as if she wasn't going to answer until, “I guess I love him too.”
“You guess?”
“No, I love him.”
“In the same way as Sesshoumaru?”
Aniu shook her golden head.
“As much?”
The girl had to think again. Did she love Kouga as much as Sesshoumaru? She nodded.
Isis smirked again. “I know why you had sex with them both.”
Aniu perked a little. She really wanted an explanation to all this madness.
“You know that you have formed two triumvirates of power, correct?”
The girl nodded.
“You didn't eat anything yesterday did you?”
The half-immortal thought back on the day and shook her head.
“You were starving the two triumvirates because you and Sesshoumaru are the heads. Because of that you had to feed in some way and right then you weren't thinking food or blood. So the power chose for you. It chose sex.”
The girl looked confused.
“Oh, my daughter. Come here.”
Aniu walked into her mother's open arms. Her mother held her close and brushed the girl's hair with her hand until it shined. Aniu relaxed against her. “Mother, I'm so confused.”
Tears seeped down Aniu's cheeks and Isis wiped them away. “What confuses you my dear?”
“Everything.”
The goddess chuckled and it sent shivers down Aniu's spine.
“Could you narrow that down a little? Everything is kinda a big category.”
“I don't know if Sesshoumaru still loves me. I don't know a lot about Kouga so I don't even know what feelings he has toward me. I knew he loved Kagome but does he now? I don't understand why Naraku can control me. I don't understand anything, mother.”
Isis rocked the girl and spoke softly in a language that Aniu didn't understand. “I'm sure Sesshoumaru still loves you, otherwise he wouldn't be thinking about what happened between you. But I will tell you that he feels betrayed by you.”
“Why?”
Isis shook her head. “You must ask him yourself.”
Aniu nodded.
“Kouga seems to have changed his mind about Kagome seeing the way that Inuyasha and Kagome have come so close together.” The goddess sighed. “I can't help you with Naraku. I could tell you why but this is not my journey you must find the answers on your own. Then you must stop him.”
Isis turned her eyes to the young girl in her arms. “You are my only daughter. But I have given you a harsh existence. For that, I am sorry.”
Aniu looked up into her mother's eyes. “I bear no grudge against you or father.” She smiled.
Isis gave her a sad smile then looked beyond her daughter to the figure rising from the ground.
Kouga growled softly at the person holding Aniu. Who is this?
“I believe you friend is awake,” Isis said. She looked back down at her daughter. “You must find Sesshoumaru.”
Aniu again looked confused but before she could ask her question her mother was gone. “Goodbye, mother,” she said softly.
Kouga heard Aniu's soft words. Her mother? That person wasn't even from this world. He looked at Aniu as she turned around. “Who was that?”
“Isis,” was all she said as she began to search for her clothes.
Kouga's cheeks turned a rosy color as he notice them both still naked. He quickly turned and looked for his clothes. He put them back on and looked up just in time to see Aniu run into the forest. Kouga sighed and followed her.
* * * * *
Aniu led them to the edge of the forest, where she spotted the taiyoukai sitting in a little in the field. She turned back to Kouga. “Stay here.”
Kouga narrowed his eyes but nodded.
Aniu gave him a small kiss on the lips then began to walk out of the forest to her lord. She was stopped by a soft growl, when she was only a few feet away from him.
“Sesshoumaru?”
The taiyoukai didn't turn around or acknowledge her in anyway. She took a hesitant step forward before she was knocked to the ground with a hand on her throat. Kouga yelled her name but Sesshoumaru told him to stay back.
Aniu looked up into those cold amber eyes. She could feel her face and eyes drain of life and look just as cold as his. “What—?”
She was cut off by the growl that dripped out of Sesshoumaru's mouth and the slight squeeze of his hand around her neck.
“You betrayed me,” he snarled at her.
The half-immortal's mask slipped and confusion showed through. The taiyoukai growled at her. Then it hit her. She remembered feeling the betrayal when Kanna was taking their souls. But he had it wrong. She didn't betray him, Naraku did. Tears flooded her eyes and Sesshoumaru jerked back.
Aniu quickly came to her feet, rubbing her neck. “Sesshoumaru I didn't betray you.”
“Bullshit,” he growled.
“Please believe me.”
The taiyoukai turned his back to her and began walking farther into the field. He stopped when he heard a sharp crack. Then he was falling into a dark abyss.
“Sesshoumaru!”
He heard his name but didn't know where it was coming from all that he knew was that he was falling.
Aniu had seen his hesitation and began running toward him. When he fell from her view she did the only thing she knew how. She shifted. Her body lengthened and her limbs became bigger but closer to her body. Wings spread out from her shoulder blades and a tail appeared behind her. Her neck lengthened as well as her head and razor sharp teeth filled her mouth. Two horns stuck out between her ears and smoke billowed out of her nostrils. Her skin flowed over with scales, hard, armor scales on the top and softer ones on her belly and under her neck. The sun reflected off of the scales, betraying the as green and gold. She roared into the day, fire spilling from her throat.
Now in her new dragon form, Aniu flew down into the crack, intending on rescuing her lover. She couldn't find him. The abyss seemed to go on forever but she kept going. Then she saw him. She tucked her wings in close to her body and sped faster toward Sesshoumaru. His eyes were closed but just before she reached him, they opened. Amber eyes locked onto the strange sight before him. He didn't even react when claws wrapped around his body and they started flying up towards the opening.
Sesshoumaru rubbed his hands against the gold under-scales. They were soft but strong. Like a soft metal. He rubbed his hands against the green armor-scales and found them to be hard like steel. He hadn't even notice them reach the light.
Aniu landed and Kouga came running up to them. He helped put Sesshoumaru onto the ground. To Kouga, Sesshoumaru seemed to be in a daze. He kept running his hands over the scales of Aniu.
The dragon noticed but didn't do anything. Instead she shifted. The scales were absorbed into her skin and bones broke and re-knit back into the humanoid form. All the time, Sesshoumaru kept his hand on her belly. He felt the bones and skin move to change back into a different form. It was interesting. When his hand rested on bare skin he looked up.
Hair had plastered to her body because of the clear goop that helped the girl to change. Her gold shutters were closed over her green eyes. Her lips were half parted and exhaustion showed on her face. Sesshoumaru felt her breathing coming in shallow pants against his hand.
“I hope you know how much that cost me,” she whispered before collapsing against him. Kouga quickly came back to their side. Aniu's limp, naked body was held in Sesshoumaru's arms, her head against his shoulder. Kouga reached out and gently rubbed her cheek. In the back of his mind he could `feel' that Aniu was completely wiped. She hadn't eaten in days and had used the last of her energy to save her love. Kouga felt a small ping of jealousy but it was quickly swiped away.
Sesshoumaru gathered the girl bridle style and stood, looking at Kouga. “We should clean up.”
Kouga nodded and followed Sesshoumaru back to the forest.
* * * * *
The two were unaware of a pair of ringed eyes watching them. At least she chose a good pair of men...
* * * * *
Inuyasha sat down with Kagome in his arms, under the big oak tree. He moved his hand out from under her legs and wrapped it around her upper body, pulling into a hard hug. Kagome hugged him back and kept murmuring `I'm sorry'. Inuyasha stroked her hair and silently cried into her shoulder. Kagome was also crying.
Miroku and Sango walked up to them. “What happened?” asked the monk.
“Nothing, forget it,” the hanyou said.
Miroku opened his mouth but was stopped by Sango's hand on his arm. He turned to look at her and she shook her head and started walking away. The monk looked back once more and then followed the demon slayer.
“I'm never going to let that happen again,” the hanyou whispered against Kagome's shoulder.
“Inuyasha,” Kagome said quietly.
Inuyasha shook his head and pulled back to look at her. His amber eyes met her chocolate ones and he shook his head again.
“I'm sorry,” he said.
Kagome kissed his chin. “Tell me what happened.”
Inuyasha told her.
“It wasn't your fault.”
“But I couldn't protect you. I failed again.” His ears drooped at the `again'.
Kagome kissed him and he responded. But it was a sad chaste kiss.
“You didn't fail. You did what you could. I'm still alive so don't worry about it.”
Inuyasha looked away but nodded.
Kagome snuggled into his chest and quickly fell asleep in the warmth of his arms. Inuyasha held her close and watched the wind blow through the branches of the mighty oak. You probably never let anyone down, tree. You must have protected millions, while I keep failing at everything I try to do. Inuyasha sighed and placed his cheek on top of Kagome's head. Why did he always fail someone?
* * * * *