InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Middle Road ❯ Carnivale/The Loscusts/Cornerstone ( Chapter 14 )

don't own Inuyasha.

Carnivale/The Locusts

"Hello, friends!" A tall, stringy, quite annoying man with strange eyes approached Inuyasha and Kagome. "Welcome to the largest festival this side of Musashi. Over here we've got..." He waved his hand in the direction of many queer festivities and games he had never seen before. It was as if he was showcasing to them, like he was trying to sell something.

Damn it, Inuyasha thought, I don't have time for this.

"...and special fireworks smuggled in from China--" Inuyasha had his claws to the man's throat, his eyes glowing with anger.

"Where's the old witch that lives in this village. You know the one I mean."

"Why sir, I'm afraid I don't know of whom you are speak-" Inuyasha's grip tightened as he pushed the man against a shop wall.

"Don't fuck with me," He said angrily. "Just tell me where the hag is."

The man awkwardly pointed to a small, reed hut two shops down.

"Thank you," Inuyasha muttered with venomous sarcasm. "'friend'."

As Inuyasha dragged Kagome toward the hut, the tall, stringy, annoying man with strange eyes held a hand to his throat. He narrowed his eyes at the departing Inuyasha.

"Fool," He muttered under his breath. "you haven't even scratched the surface."

With that he stood up, cursed quietly under his breath at the hanyou, and walked off.

*** ***

"Why, Inuyasha-sama," The old woman said as she settled her weary bones on a mat in front of the fire-pit. "What can I help you with."

"I need to know as much about this 'seer' you sent me to as possible."

"I know nothing," She said. "only what every person in this country has already heard. She is an old witch with powers far beyond any of even the highest Shinto priestesses in Japan."

Inuyasha's face betrayed his disapointment.

"So, you don't know anything further about her?"

"A little, child." She said, her eyes shining with the same mischievous twinkle she always had. "A little."

*** ***

"Go, my little children." The tall, thin man whispered as he drew a small, brown lump from his pocket. "I have further use for you yet." He said. "I have returned."

A swarm of insects flew from out his hand and disapeared into the blue sky.

"I have returned," He repeated quietly to himself as his long, black hair doubled in length suddenly. "I have returned. For you, Inuyasha." He said. "Only for you."

*** ***

The evil, old soothsayer sat on a tarnished, old mat. The room was dimly lit, the soft threads of light filtered through weaved, reed blinds and danced on the dirt floor. She rocked rhythmically back and forth, the rose-colored prayer beads clutched tight in her hand. The echoes of whispered spells and chants filled the room. The nauseating scent of centuries-old incense swirled around her.

The door creaked.

"What do you want?" She said, never turning her head. "You're supposed to be in there with them." She leered at him. "You were ordered to kill them from the inside-out." She waved her hand toward the four sleeping bodies in front of her.

"You must kill their will. That is the only thing keeping them alive."

"Have you tried it again?" He asked as he sat down on a piece of firewood.

"I try every ten minutes," She said, irritated. "I cannot kill their bodies by any means possible."

"How about this?" He drew his long, shimmering katana and raised it over his head.

"Stop, you fool!" She yelled. "Such a shock to their bodies will wake them before we have a chance to do our job. We must kill them slowly, with poison. I have tried six different kinds, with all of my supply, but..."

"But what?" She looked at him strangely.

"First we must crush their will, their strength their-"

"Their love." He finished.

The witch smile at him, almost proud.

"Yes," She said. "we must destroy their love."

*** ***

"Two thousand years ago," The old woman started as she sat next to the fire. "There was a fire-demon-"

"Fire-demon?" Asked Kagome. "I've never heard of that before."

"Yes, yes, of course," The witch said. "no one but the higher priests and priestesses know of their existence."

"Then how do you know?" Inuyasha opined from the doorway, looking at the festival. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"We have many appearances Inuyasha," She said. "don't be so quick to assume."

Inuyasha snorted, noticing her lack of honorary suffix.

"Anyway," She continued. "this great fire-demon was battling with a powerful monk bent on destroying her evil. Her belligerence and his determination caused a battle that raged for two millenium, and rages still today. The monk and his descendants have battled her minions for these centuries, never andvancing, never getting any closer to the witch."

"Wait a sec," Kagome said, confused. "That old witch is a fire-demon?"

Inuyasha turned toward them, his surprise evident.

"She seemed so..." Kagome sought the right word. "weak."

"Kagome," Inuyasha interrupted. "When did you see her?"

"When I-we followed you through the cave." He gasped in shock.

"Y-you mean you followed me?"

"Of course, Inuyasha. We didn't know if something had happened."

"But," he said. "I nearly killed you. Just to get the jewel."

"Well, I know," Kagome stared at her hands, almost ashamed. "but I thought maybe it was something I did wrong. Something that I should have apologized for."

"Are you crazy?!" he yelled. "How--why in the hells would you even want find me, after what I did to you?!"

Kagome stamped her foot defiantly. "Because," She screamed. "I love you!"

He stared at her wordlessly for a moment, then spoke.

"You're not real." He said.

"Of course not, none of us are."

"No! You're like the other one. You're gonna try and kill me." he readied his claws for attack.

"Inuyasha!" The old woman yelled angily. "Do not be a fool. Kagome-san is the only thing keeping you alive. She is the cornerstone for this world we're in. Now," She said. "I did not want to do this, but I suppose I shall have to show you my true form."

*** ***

A figure walked calmly through the riotous cacophony of the festival. He clutched a cloth bundle in his hand. The crowd blurred around him, colors, lights, yells; flashes, sparks, the rabble surrounded him. Everything blended, everything lost distinction, the colors, the lights, and the deafening roar of people's voices hurled around him as he danced in sync with the rest of them. Their muddled minds were alike to his own as they moaned and yelled and shook with euphoria.

Waves of elusive pleasure danced over his skin. His breathing slowed as he enjoyed the heaven that was now, the beautiful, multi-colored pleasure that coursed through his veins, his blood. He grasped and gasped and shook and moaned as he spun around, the blurry, twinkling stars becoming firy, white rings above his head.

The crackle of a firecracker sung through the air.

*******

I would appreciate a review or two more. 't'sup to you, I don't care. Just want to know I'm not the only one reading this.