InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Therapist ❯ Oaths And Declarations ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: I don't own "Inuyasha".

 

Word Translations:
Youkai - demon
Taiyoukai - great demon
Hanyou - half-demon
Ningen - human
Kami - deity
Miko - priestess

Shikon no Tama - the Jewel of Four Souls. The same jewel that everyone is after in the series.

 

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1 Day After Sachiko's Meeting With Inuyasha…

 

 

Kagome curled up her legs and pulled them towards her chest as she sat chained to the centre of the stone circle. The problem with suspended stone platforms was that there wasn't a single corner she could huddle into. And Kagome certainly needed somewhere where she could be alone with her thoughts.

 

For the past 3 weeks, she started feeling real fear. Although her capture and imprisonment by the taiyoukai was terrifying enough, it was rather mild considering what she knew of his tolerance level for the entire human race. True enough, she was surprised to find out that he commanded a formidable retinue of youkai, but even that wasn't something that was completely shocking. After all, there had to be some… being or beings out there who made and mended his beautiful silk kimono and kept his stately armour in good shape.

 

However, 3 weeks ago, the taiyoukai started acting strangely. He would sit on the platform staring at her for hours when he thought she was sleeping. Once, she even caught him trying to touch her cheek with his awful poisoned talons when her eyes were closed. However, he still remained rude and abrasive whenever they had their `conversations'. He seemed to be looking for something that he thought she had. Kagome had tried confronting him about it in one of their numerous shouting matches, but as soon as she broached the topic, the demon lord clammed up and simply left. She then started calling him a coward and demanded to know what his agenda was. She expected him to explode with rage and deliver a hard blow to her cheek. Instead, he glared at her for the longest time, his crimson rage almost flooding his golden eyes, before he stomped off. He did not say a word, not even a rebuke. In fact, he had decided to completely ignore her insults. He just stood silent and impassive and waited for her to finish her tirade or run out of breath.

 

Then, two days ago, the thing that truly frightened her occurred.

 

It was night, or so she thought. She had no idea what time it was outside since she was kept in a cave that was most likely located deep underground. She had curled up on the hard stone of the platform to get some sleep when she heard a strange soft growl from behind her. Quietly rolling her eyes before shutting them in annoyance, she wished Sesshoumaru would just tell her what he wanted instead of staring at her sleeping form. However, unlike the other times, the growling did not stop, but got closer and closer till she could feel his body heat on her back.

 

Feeling annoyed and a little alarmed, she swiftly turned around to confront him and found herself staring into the taiyoukai's bloodshot eyes. Before she could make another move, he pounced on her, pinning her to the ground with his body weight and one good arm. Terror rose like a cold stream from her stomach to her throat and she tried to scream, but found that she could not. The intense fear she felt had choked the voice from her. She glanced up at Sesshoumaru and found herself staring at his razor sharp fangs. His mouth was half open as he lunged at her throat.

 

Kagome gasped weakly and waited for the end. Then she felt it, the warm sensation of him rubbing his nose on the back of her neck, his soft, dry tongue lightly brushing and tickling her sensitive neck hairs. The tone of his growl changed to something that resembled a contented purr.

 

“No,” she gasped weakly. “Sess… Sesshoumaru… no...”

 

He didn't seem to notice her gasping whisper at first, until her tears fell. Then suddenly he stopped and quickly lifted himself off of her body as though he had snapped out of a trance. There was an expression of abject horror on his face as he gazed downwards into her eyes. He carefully reached out to touch her tear-stained face, but she shrunk back from him in fear. Quickly snatching back his hand, Sesshoumaru turned and left, never looking back.

 

He did not come back to see her after that, and she was glad for it. Truth to tell, she preferred dealing with the rude, arrogant dog demon that she had met when she first drew Tetsusaiga from its resting place. Although an indomitable foe in the field of combat, at least she knew how he was going to react.

 

A small thought regarding what had transpired between them started to seep into her conscious mind, but she quickly brushed it aside. She was only a teenager after all and she was hell bent on keeping things that complicated her life out of her mind. Kagome hugged her knees even tighter, determined to stay resolute despite her fears of that terrifying night. She had hardly slept a wink since then.

 

Her reverie was broken by the sounds of fighting coming from the corridor that led to her platform. She quickly rose to her feet.

 

“Inuyasha,” she whispered, smiling and expectant.

 

Unfortunately, it was not the loud brash hanyou that burst through the opening into her chamber. Instead, a rather tall human swathed in a dark cloak with a hood that hid his face leapt from the landing onto her platform. He ran over to Kagome and grabbed the chain that was attached to her leg, snapping it as though it were a twig.

 

There was a tremendous burst of light when the enchanted chain broke. The miko gave a little shriek and fell to her right, but before she could land on the hard stone floor, she felt strong, graceful arms catch a hold of her and lift her from the platform. The next few minutes were a blur as her vision had been clouded by the blinding light. However, she heard the sounds of fighting and the roar of demons. Then there was a deep gloomy darkness as she felt the cloaked being run swiftly through the forest. At one point, she managed to turn her head so that she caught a view of a full moon in a sky sparkling with stars. She also started to notice the pungent smell of some kind of herbal substance hitting her nostrils. It seemed to originate from her rescuer.

 

They moved for quite awhile before the cloaked man sat her down on the stump of a tree in a secluded forest clearing.

 

“Who are you?”

 

With a single sweeping motion, Kagome's rescuer pulled off his cloak to reveal a very familiar handsome face that was framed with black, flowing locks.

 

“Naraku!”

 

`Bah, woman! That thing really stinks!'” he wrinkled his nose.

 

“Wha…?”

 

“I am not talking to you, miko,” the demon turned to a dark patch of forest where, to Kagome's surprise, a completely human woman walked out from behind some trees.

 

“My apologies, master,” the woman bowed. “It was necessary to prevent identification by the very discerning noses of the youkai in his stronghold. After all, we don't want you spark off any further enmity between you and Sesshoumaru.”

 

Kagome's jaw dropped a little before she started scrutinizing this unknown human female. She wondered if the woman was some kind of priestess, just as Tsubaki the dark miko was. The woman moved into the clearing and stood to the side at equal distance from both Naraku and the girl. She turned to Kagome and bowed.

 

“I apologise if our hurried rescue has distressed you,”

 

Kagome was thrown off balance by the sincere tone in which this strange woman gave her apology. She felt an instinctive reflex to bow back and state her grateful thanks, but she did not and stood staring at the pair.

 

“Let us dispense with pleasantries, miko,” the dark-haired demon began in a very business-like manner. “I have wrestled you from the dog demon's hands because of a proposition that I intend to convey to you.”

 

“I won't deal with a liar like you, Naraku!” Kagome's voice was resolute.

 

“Regardless, you WILL still listen to what I have to say!”

 

“I don't have to!” Kagome stuck her fingers in her ears.

 

The strange woman and her erstwhile nemesis stared at her. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Kagome removed her fingers from her ears. She was starting to feel a little foolish under the calm and impassive stares coming from the pair.

 

“What do you want with me?”

 

“I offer to take you back safely to the hanyou and your friends, in return, you have to enter a sacred oath with me where you and I will both swear to end all enmity and vendetta between us for now and all eternity. I will also swear not to harm your descendants, if you would swear on their behalf not to harm or pursue me. Should either side break the agreement, the sacred oath will cause lightning to strike the offending party and tear him into a thousand pieces.”

 

Kagome was truly caught off-guard by the proposal. Her eyes popped and mouth fell open as she struggled to comprehend what she was hearing, “How about all the lives you have destroyed by your evildoing! Do you think you can escape retribution for all of that?!”

 

“I do not fear nor care about your perceived notions of `retribution',” his voice was unnervingly calm. “I am a pragmatic being and I have decided that I will no longer live with the mistakes made by that thief Onigumo.”

 

“But aren't you Onigumo?”

 

Naraku raised his eyebrow. “How little you understand, miko. I, Naraku, am the demon that was born from Onigumo's sacrifice of his body and soul. Although I have, for the longest time, been directed by the heart and desire of that lowly brigand, I am myself a separate entity from that despicable being. It has only been recently that the distinction has finally been made clear…”

 

He glanced at the blank look on Kagome's face and wondered if the miko was truly as ignorant as she appeared.

 

“Therefore,” he paused for the dramatic effect. “I have decided to `put things back as they should be' so to speak. I understand your reluctance to bind yourself to the vow that I have proposed. So I have decided to offer this… as well.”

 

He pulled out an almost black Shikon no Tama from the folds of his robe.

 

“Enter into that oath with me and I will give you the Shikon. In your hands, I believe it will be purified in no time.”

 

“W…what?” Kagome was speechless.

 

“Did you not hear me, mortal? I agree to relinquish the Shikon to you forever.”

 

“But isn't that what you have always wanted?!” she could not believe her ears.

 

“It is what Onigumo wanted, not I.” he held out the Shikon to her. “You will need to make a decision now. Do you want this jewel or not?”

 

Kagome blinked furiously. The aura of the stone told her that it was indeed the real macoy.

 

“Wh… what evil are you up to this time?! I won't be tricked by the likes of you,” her gaze never moved from the stone.

 

“It is as I have plainly stated… your life, your freedom and the Shikon in exchange for your vow. Or… you will find yourself back in the dog demon's prison. I am SURE he will be `pleased' to have you in his clutches again.” There was a horrible smirk on Naraku's face as he coolly stated his threat.

 

Kagome recoiled at the thought of being back with the inscrutable Sesshoumaru. Somehow, being underneath Inuyasha's half-brother caused her insides to curl up.

 

“You WILL send me back safely to Inuyasha, right?”

 

“Upon the sacred oath, lest I be struck and torn into a thousand pieces,” the dark-haired demon raised his hand sardonically as though he were swearing an oath.

 

They concluded the arrangement soon after with the strange woman handing out a scroll each to both Naraku and Kagome. In it, was a very carefully worded oath that both parties recited while clasping their hands together. Kagome sensed a rush of energies as she spoke the words. There was a tingling feeling in her hand and body as she felt the strange magic of the oath take effect.

 

She was still in a slight daze when she heard Naraku say, “It is done,” and handed the Shikon over to her. In her hands, the dark miasma that clouded the jewel slowly faded. It would be some time before the jewel was entirely purified.

 

 

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1 Day After Rescuing Kagome And 2 Days After Meeting With Inuyasha…

 

 

Despite his awful reluctance, the hanyou agreed to the terms stated by Sachiko when she went back to him for an answer. He did not even look at Naraku when they eventually met and clasped hands during the ritual. Once the ritual was over, he swiftly snatched his hand back from the dark-haired demon.

 

“Where is Kagome, fiend!”

 

“Remember the oath, hanyou…”

 

“Feh, I would gladly accept a thousand bolts of lightning if I find out that you have deceived me!” the half-demon was as brash as ever.

 

Naraku rolled his eyes, “Well, unlike you, I have no love for lightning.”

 

With a wave of his hand, he caused a dense mist to appear around them. When it cleared, Inuyasha saw a sleeping Kagome on the ground, with the nearly complete Shikon no Tama on a cord around her neck.

 

Dumbfounded by this incredible sight, Inuyasha rushed to Kagome's side and did not even notice the departure of Naraku and his retinue.

 

 

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1 Week After Speaking With Sango…

 

 

“I cannot believe that Naraku would give up a shard of the Shikon and Kohaku, just like that,” Miroku had examined the proposal from all angles. He simply could not understand the demon's motives.

 

“Your curse would be ended. He said so himself,” Sango didn't look up at him. The little kitsune that followed the monk on his search for the demon slayer, trotted over and hopped into her lap, hugging her as tightly as he could.

 

They fell silent for a moment, not daring to look each other in the eye.

 

“What are you going to do, Sango?” the monk asked.

 

Sango lightly stroked Shippo's hair. “We've been fighting for so long. How many years now is it?”

 

“And?”

 

“It seems every time we gain some kind of victory over that evil fiend, he seems to bounce back even stronger,” her voice was soft and sad. “It didn't end in your father's time. Do you think it will end with us?”

 

“Sango…”

 

“I'm not youkai or kami… so I won't last forever,” there were tears shining in the slayer's eyes. “But in whatever time I have left, I would like to have a family again…”

 

The monk's eyes widened. He went over intending to put a hand on her shoulder. However, before he could do so, a large gust of wind caught the sleeve of his robe and caused the trees to rustle noisily.

 

“Have you come to a decision?” a familiar voice spoke from behind Miroku.

 

The monk quickly turned around to face his dreaded nemesis. “What kind of trickery is this, demon?!”

 

“There is no trickery, monk,” wrapped in his familiar baboon skin, the dark-haired demon had come alone. “It is as I have said.”

 

“Since when have mercy and compassion been your companions?” the sarcasm dripped heavily from Miroku's words.

 

“Since when have mercy and compassion NOT been a monk's preoccupation?”

 

Miroku frowned in confusion. Just what was the fiend's game plan?

 

Naraku rolled his eyes, “If you MUST know, my actions are not motivated by compassion in any form… I am a pragmatist, as I believe you are as well. And in recent months, it has dawned on me that I have little to gain from collecting and corrupting all the Shikon shards. The trouble that it has brought and continues to bring to all its keepers is simply not worth the time and effort it takes to assemble all the lost bits.”

 

“Then WHY pursue it in the first place?” the monk quizzed.

 

“Alas, it was the heart and spirit of Onigumo, the human who sacrificed his body and soul, resulting in my creation… that drove me on this mad quest. Of late, I have finally dispensed of his influence over my actions.”

 

“His influence?… Who are you?”

 

“I am Naraku, the demon born from the bargain that the thief Onigumo made with the dark powers of this world. I am myself a different and separate being from him. For the longest time, his heart and desire have held sway over my mind and actions. I am now attempting to disengage myself from this terrible karmic tangle that he has put himself into,” the demon's words were clear and direct. “I am sure that as a monk, you appreciate the significance of what I am doing.”

 

Miroku shifted his feet uneasily. Years of traveling around vanquishing demons on his own and later with Inuyasha and the others have pushed the tenets of his own belief far from his mind.

 

“You are… repenting?”

 

It took all the willpower that the demon had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

 

“Call it what you will, monk. But know this. I am willing to do whatever it takes to end all bloodshed and vendetta between the three of us. After all, blood begets more blood and vengeance is a circle that never ends. You yourself know this to be true.”

 

Alas, he was right. Miroku sighed. He never knew that forgiveness required so much willpower and the sacrifice of one's most intimate desires.

 

“I want this to stop. And I want Kohaku back,” the tears were now running freely down Sango's eyes.

 

The monk's heart softened at the sight of her tears.

 

“Alas… alas… this is surely the product of some divine will. As such, I will not stand against it. I am willing to follow the path of compassion and end this vendetta with you,” Miroku held out his hand to the dark-haired demon.

 

Naraku then summoned the wind sorceress who brought Sango's little brother to the meeting. Despite Kohaku's reluctance to enter into the sacred oath at first, Sango soon made him see things her way. The rituals for the oath were then performed and all the parties went on their separate ways as soon as they unclasped their hands.

 

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The Evening Of The Seventh Day Since All The Negotiations Began…

 

 

Sachiko paced around the mossy glove as she quietly rocked the infant in her arms. She looked around and only saw the expressionless face of Kanna who was sitting on a rock, quietly waiting. Soon, a huge gust of wind shook the trees, and the all too familiar figure of Kagura descended to the ground.

 

“Is it done?”

 

“The monk, the exterminator and her brother were the last ones,” Kagura closed her fan with a snap.

 

“And Naraku?”

 

“He arrived a moment ago. I think he went in that direction…” she pointed in a southward direction.

 

Sachiko handed the infant to Kanna and headed in the direction indicated by the demoness.

 

“I still can't believe he gave up the Shikon just like that,” Kagura snapped her slender fingers. “I won't be surprised if he decides tomorrow that he wants it back.”

 

Kanna gave no reply to that comment and Sachiko was already gone. Kagura flipped open her fan and stared at the starry night sky, “I am already starting to miss that Kohaku. At least he would say something some of the time.”

 

Sachiko walked through the gloomy, green forest till she came to a clearing where a mass of huge rocks framed the most beautiful natural hot spring that she had ever seen. Peering through the steamy mist made luminescent in the light of the newly risen moon, Sachiko soon spotted Naraku's baboon skin cloak folded on a rock and its owner leaning against the rocky bank with his back towards her.

 

Seeing that it was an inappropriate time to disturb the demon, Sachiko decided to turn back.

 

“Come here, woman.”

 

Padding softly on the mossy ground she came up directly behind Naraku, “I am sorry to have disturbed you.”

 

There was no further response from the dark haired demon who did not even turn around. A deep silence ensued as Sachiko found herself staring at his black locks and strong, sculptured shoulders. Feeling awkward, she fidgeted a little, wondering how she could excuse herself politely.

 

“Do you know, woman… I have never visited a hot spring,” he suddenly remarked, his back still turned towards her.

 

“Really?”

 

“I didn't think I would ever be able experience looking back and finding no enemies hot on my heels… Your insane plan has caused the unthinkable to happen.”

 

Sachiko smiled, “It was nothing. They merely had to see that ending the vendetta was the best decision they could make.”

 

“But it cost me the Shikon…”

 

“Which you never really needed,” she quickly interjected. “Your will and mind have served you better than any magical trinket.”

 

“That is true… However, it's funny I never noticed that until today. Still, the Shikon was a pretty powerful bauble…”

 

“Which every demon will now be chasing with a vengeance, since word that it has left your hands will probably be traveling around youkai circles,” Sachiko reminded him. “I do not envy the miko and her friends.”

 

Naraku laughed, “I suppose I can be quite frightening to scores of lowly demons... Are you also frightened of me, woman?”

 

“I RESPECT you… master.”

 

“Is that so? In that case then, o respectful one, I would like for you to scrub my back,” he handed her something that resembled a loofah.

 

Sachiko stared at the water, and then at the naked back of her demonic master.

 

“Well, hurry up and get in, you can't do much scrubbing kneeling on the bank,” he snapped.

 

Swallowing hard, she quickly slipped off her kimono and slid into the water beside him on the side where his back was turned towards her. Although the steam rose thickly from the spring waters, it didn't offer much in the way of concealment. She still had a pretty good view of Naraku's perfectly muscled back and body as she started scrubbing him.

 

“There is the chance that the hanyou and his friends could reconstruct the entire jewel and break the sacred oath,” the dark-haired demon remarked.

 

“That is unlikely to happen,” the petite woman replied. “The demon slayer will not allow anyone to take the jewel fragment from the brother. And even if he did sacrifice himself for that, they will feel obliged to use the jewel to save him. However, I don't think that half-demon, Inuyasha, will allow anyone to take away his one chance of becoming a full demon.”

 

“And even if he were to give up that notion entirely to please the miko, she would want him to use it and turn into a human being, so that they can be together… At least that is what I gather from my conversation with the exterminator.”

 

Naraku chuckled, “I look forward to the day when they start fighting amongst themselves…”

 

“When there are so many opposed desires and only one jewel, conflict is inevitable.”

 

The demon fell silent for a second, before adding, “You are really a devious woman. If the heart of onigumo were still in me, I might feel the need to kill you. The thief always suffered from a touch of insecurity…”

 

The comment caused Sachiko to freeze. “So it's true then,” she quietly observed, “You and onigumo are two separate entities.”

 

“While his heart remained in me, his wishes and desires were put ahead of mine,” there was no hint of regret or anger in Naraku's voice, he was simply stating a fact.

 

“What are YOUR wishes and desires?” His previous comments still ringing in her mind, Sachiko hoped that killing her wasn't something he was secretly planning.

 

Looking upwards at the night sky, Naraku silently considered.

 

“I honestly do not know,” he laughed. “However, I do have one desire…”

 

“And er… that would be…?” He really knew how to keep the nerves of others on edge.

 

Naraku turned around, causing Sachiko to jump back a little. The crystal clear water did nothing to conceal the contours of his beautifully formed body. Although the male form held no secrets for her, Sachiko's eyes grew wide as she took in the graceful, primal beauty of the being who now approached her.

 

Then quickly, she turned her head aside and backed away. She didn't move two steps before her back touched the surface of a large boulder. She searched around for somewhere else to duck to, but the dark-haired demon was faster, and blocked off her retreat by slamming both palms into the rocky wall on either side of her body. He then slid both hands behind her back and pulled her towards him. Putting up her hands, Sachiko tried to push him away, but was overcome by his superior strength. Naraku bent down and gently attempted to place his lips against hers, but her struggling made that impossible. He caught hold of the nape of her neck and crushed his mouth against hers, forcing her lips open with his tongue.

 

The passion behind his kiss caused Sachiko's knees to buckle. A part of her wanted to embrace the fury of his ardor and respond to the kiss. However, there was a small nagging voice deep down inside that stopped her. Something was horribly wrong and she could not shake the feeling that she had. She pushed against him with all of her strength and after awhile, he released her lips.

 

She braced herself for a stinging slap, but there was none. Instead, she felt his hand rubbing her back gently.

 

“I am sorry, this was rather sudden.” The silky warmth in Naraku's voice was quite unlike anything she had ever heard from him.

 

“I… I'm…”

 

The dark-haired demon placed a finger lightly on her lips. “No need for words. It is I who should explain myself…”

 

“For some time now, I have found myself… drawn to you. I do not claim to understand the emotions that humans call `Love', but I do know that I desire you from the depths of whatever soul I possess.”

 

Sachiko had no words of reply for the declaration that she had heard. Anything she said at that point would simply be awkward. Silently, she stood with Naraku in the steamy pool, and allowed him to hold her in his warm embrace.