InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Way Ice Can Turn Into Sun ❯ The Undead Miko ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter 11: The Undead Miko

 

 

Sesshoumaru was still holding the unconscious miko, so mesmerized by her still features that he didn't realize how much time had passed and he smelled Inuyasha's scent coming closer. Late as usual.

In a few minutes Kagome was checking Kumiko's pulse and bandaging the small wound she had inflicted upon herself.

“I think she's gonna be ok.” She announced, noticing with surprise the relief on the demon lord's face.

He sat down next to Kumiko and listened to her now stable heartbeat. The girl was asleep.

“What happened?” Kagome dared.

“Yeah, where the fuck is Naraku? I could smell him clearly.” Inuyasha said looking his brother in the eyes.

Two pairs of golden eyes met each other without hatred for the first time.

“He got away. He controlled Kumiko to fight me as he made his flee.” Sesshoumaru answered bitterly.

“Did Sesshoumaru actually answer Inuyasha? Wow.” Sango whispered to Miroku.

“It is weird, isn't it? He seems a totally different youkai.” The little fox demon added.

“Shhh, Shippo, he might hear.” Sango whispered in the lowest possible voice.

Sesshoumaru had actually heard the entire conversation because of his extremely acute senses. The little fox was right. He was a different youkai now.

Inuyasha seemed to notice the change in his brother and didn't question him any more. If it was true, then he would let things flow. And besides, there was a very familiar scent coming their way...the woman he had loved 50 years ago and that still stirred strong feelings inside of him. The Miko Kikyo...

She had died 50 years ago after she had sealed him to a tree. They were in love with each other but Naraku had tricked them into killing one another. Kikyo was the keeper of the Shikon no Tama and when she died the jewel was burned with her body and her strong spiritual powers made it disappear from this world. Until Kagome came. She was the reincarnation of Kikyo and the jewel had been inside her body. She had removed the arrow that sealed him to a tree and she was also the one that broke the jewel. Dumb girl...yet he couldn't deny he had feelings for her.

And now Kikyo was back...she had been resurrected and needed the souls of the dead to stay alive. Even if she was no longer the pure Miko he had fallen in love with, even if Kikyo acted strangely and seemed to hate him now, he still loved her. And he loved Kagome as well. He couldn't choose between the two because he thought he owed Kikyo...after all she had died and he was still alive.

The scent of burial soil that Kikyo emanated was coming closer. Inuyasha turned away from Kagome and sat down on a rock, waiting in silence. Everyone realized something was wrong. Unlike Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha was rarely silent.

“Inuyasha, what's wrong?” Kagome approached him.

He didn't need to answer her as Kagome saw a pack of soul-gathering youkai flying their way. The long sheath-fish like creatures were called shimidamachu and they were Kikyo's. They gathered the dead souls that she needed to stay “alive”.

Sesshoumaru was still by Kumiko's side and he was the only one that couldn't care less about the dead Miko's arrival.

Kumiko let out a soft yawn and opened her eyes. They now had their normal dark color.

Sesshoumaru took her in his arms pulling her tightly into him and caressing her hair.

“I've missed you.” He said softly.

She turned her dark eyes to his and asked:

“What Naraku showed me...was it true?”

“It was a lie. But the event itself did happen. The two demons you saw were my enemies from the Western Lands. If I had told them the truth, you would have been in danger and probably a war would have started in my domain.” He replied, still caressing her hair.

“Oh...” She lowered her eyes, thinking about his words.

“But the truth will be out after we deal with Naraku and you will reign with me over the Western Lands.” He tilted her chin up to meet his gaze.

Kumiko was awed by his statement. She didn't know what to respond. She still had a home and a family in the future...

“I...don't know if I can do that.” She murmured slowly.

His expression turned icy as he asked:

“You do not want to be with me?”

Almost every female he had met turned their heads for him and many youkai women would probably fight for the chance to be the Lady of the Western Lands, could he have mistaken her feelings? Sesshoumaru thought, realizing he felt insecure for the first time in his life.

“It's not that! I do want to be with you! But I want to be with my family too...”

He sighed with relief. So she did have feelings for him.

“You can visit them.” He said as if that was the obvious solution.

She didn't answer, not knowing if she should accept or not.

To her relief, everyone's eyes turned to a woman that approached their group. She was pale yet very beautiful. Her long dark hair was tied with a ribbon and she wore Miko clothes.

“Kikyo!” Inuyasha said softly and approached her.

“It is not you I have come to see, Inuyasha. Get out of my way.” She responded coldly although Kumiko could have sworn her eyes betrayed feelings for the hanyou.

Inuyasha remained dumbstruck at the sound of her harsh words as the Miko advanced towards Kumiko.

Sesshoumaru gently released the girl and got up, placing himself in front of her, protectively. His stature was tall and proud, dominating the rest of them.

“What businesses have you here, dead Miko?” He asked, pointing out the last two words.

“My business is not with you. Step aside” Kikyo replied boldly.

Sesshoumaru was running out of patience.

“You presume to give me orders, corpse?” He growled, knitting his brows as a slight yellow glow to his claws indicated the forming of his energy whip.

Inuyasha was just about to jump in between them because, even as he had great respect for Kikyo's spiritual powers, she was no match for his brother, when Kumiko slowly put one hand on Sesshoumaru's shoulder, calming him down.

She walked past him and looked Kikyo straight in the eyes.

“What business do you have with me?”
”So you're Midoriko's reincarnation.” Kikyo said, looking at her with apparent interest.

Kumiko saw everyone turning their awed gazes upon her and even Sesshoumaru appeared astonished.

“I was going to tell them myself...” She though, sighing deeply.

“You're a black Miko?” Kikyo asked, her gaze fixed upon the girl's garments.

“A what?” Kumiko looked at her clothes realizing they were the reason for Kikyo's question. “No, I'm not a black Miko, I'm not a white Miko, I'm not a pink Miko, I'm not a Miko!”

“You may not have been trained as a Miko, but since your previous self was a Miko, you too possess spiritual powers, which makes you a Miko.” Kikyo replied calmly and then turned her gaze toward Kagome. “Just ask her.”

Kumiko looked at Kagome not understanding what the Kikyo was talking about.

“She is my reincarnation.” Kikyo's low voice came.

“How can that be...how can Kagome be her reincarnation if this woman lives...Sesshoumaru called her dead Miko...and her aura is extremely unusual. Just when I was beginning to understand this world, there it goes throwing me in the darkness again.” Kumiko sighed, looking at Kikyo with a puzzled expression.
”I am not alive. The souls of the dead are the only thing keeping me in this world.” Kikyo said as if she could read her mind.

Kumiko kept looking at Kagome, who remained strangely silent and seemed sad. The girl realized it probably had something to do with Inuyasha.

A soft voice she had been hearing in her dreams told her this woman's soul bared hatred, that she had no place in the world of the living, but she could not achieve peace.

She turned her eyes to Kikyo and said firmly:

“You are nothing like Kagome.”

Everyone except Sesshoumaru froze and Kagome gave Kumiko a look full of gratitude.

“What business do you have with me?” Kumiko asked again, her dark eyes sustaining Kikyo's gaze.

“I just wanted to see if you truly are Midoriko's reincarnation. Naraku seems to think so, but I am not so sure. You do not resemble her physically.”

Kumiko's eyes narrowed at the woman that was so rudely questioning her.

Sesshoumaru growled again taking a step forward. Kumiko turned his eyes to meet his and silently asked him not to intervene.

“I have nothing to prove to you.” She said, turning her eyes to Kikyo.

Faster than anyone could notice, Kikyo pulled out an arrow and shot it directly towards Kumiko. The girl froze but the soothing presence inside of her released a calming wave throughout her whole body. Warm light began to radiate out of her and she remained calm as the arrow stopped millimeters away from her chest and turned around facing Kikyo.

Kikyo's eyes widened as she saw her arrow suspended in mid-air and aiming for her heart.

Kumiko's dark eyes pierced through Kikyo's and for a few seconds the dead Miko expected death once again. Suddenly the arrow fell limp on the ground and Kumiko said coldly:

“I suppose you have satisfied your curiosity.”

To everyone's surprise Kikyo bowed in front of Kumiko and said in a soft voice.

“Please forgive me. I had to know.”

“You...are no longer yourself.” Kumiko answered, not knowing exactly why she had said that.

Kikyo lowered her eyes that seemed even sadder for a moment and then a faint smile brightened her features.

“It is not you who has said that either...” She thought, “But it is the truth.”

Kumiko searched her eyes for a few moments and then smiled:

“I forgive you.”

Kikyo smiled back and turned to leave. As she was walking away, they heard her saying:

“Now I truly believe this world will be rid of Naraku.”

“Next time, I'll send her in her grave, where she belongs.” Sesshoumaru said, looking with disgust after the dead Miko.

“It's okay. She's not a bad person.” Kumiko responded.

Inuyasha's eyes were following Kikyo absently and he didn't notice Kagome's gaze fixed upon him.

“What did she mean by Midoriko's reincarnation?” Sesshoumaru asked Kumiko.

“Well...I was going to tell you...Naraku said that I'm Midoriko's reincarnation and that he needs me to gather all the jewel shards for him.” She replied, lowering her eyes from the intensity of his gaze.

“Midoriko...” Sesshoumaru thought aloud.

“I heard she was a Miko that...” Kumiko started, but Sesshoumaru's voice interrupted her gently:

“I know.”

If there ever was a human he had held some form of respect for, it was the warrior Miko who had managed to defeat countless opponents with her amazing powers.

He realized now the reason for the pain he had felt in his chest when she was attacking him. She was unconsciously extracting his soul. Then the lowly half-breed was right. Kumiko really was Mikoriko's reincarnation for she possessed Midoriko's unique power.

Kagome was approaching them timidly:

“Uhm....Do you want to come with me to the hot spring?” She asked Kumiko in a low voice, afraid that that the youkai lord might object.

“Yeah! Sure I do...It's been a long time since I've bathed in hot water!” Kumiko answered happily.

Sesshoumaru watched them depart in silence. He worried about her safety but he couldn't follow the girls or it would be inappropriate.

He remained with the group, watching his brother and seeing him in a totally new light. He had their father's eyes. Of course, his own were the same color, but Inuyasha's eyes had a different shape and his brows were thicker. He observed the fire-rat kimono Inuyasha was wearing. Father had given that to him for extra protection. A hanyou doesn't heal as a well as a full youkai. He suddenly remembered that Inuyasha wanted the Shikon jewel to become a full youkai and something struck him that he had never thought about before. Inuyasha wanted to be like his father and brother. And for the first time in his long life, the taiyoukai felt regret for the way he had treated the hanyou.

Inuyasha noticed Sesshoumaru's gaze upon him and went towards his brother.

“You all right?” He asked, putting a knee down in front of him and looking his brother in the eyes.

“I am fine.” Came the indifferent voice of the taiyoukai.

Inuyasha sighed and got up to leave, when his brother's words stopped him:

“Inuyasha.”

“What?” He asked, turning around.

“You are my brother.” Sesshoumaru stated as if he realized that for the first time.

Inuyasha froze, awed by the taiyoukai's words...Sesshoumaru had never acted like a brother to him, but now something was different. Kumiko's influence...Inuyasha thought, smiling.

“I am.” He responded, casting a happy glance at the demon lord and walking away.

Sesshoumaru now realized Inuyasha was his only living relative. His only family. The only one, except him, that shared their father's great blood.

Kagome sat with Kumiko in the relaxing waters of the hot spring. The girls enjoyed each other's company as they were both of the same time and had many things to talk about.

“Uhm, thanks.” Kagome said in a soft voice.

“For what?” Kumiko asked, surprised.

“For saying I'm not like Kikyo”

“Well you're not! You don't act like her and you don't look like her to me, so you're not her. Even if I am Midoriko's reincarnation, I'm still me, and you are still you.” Kumiko stated firmly.

“You're right...” Kagome sighed happily.

“So...you and Inuyasha...are you two together?” Kumiko asked in an intimate tone.
”Well...I don't know actually...he still likes Kikyo...It's complicated.” Kagome answered, lowering her eyes.

“It's obvious he has feelings for you.” Kumiko replied confidently.

“Think so? I could ask what's with you and Sesshoumaru...he seems fond of you.” Kagome giggled.

“Uhm...he is I guess...I actually wanted to ask you something.” Kumiko said, lowerering her voice.

“Go ahead.” Came Kagome's answer.

“He asked me...to stay with him and rule over the Western Lands on his side.”

Kagome dropped her jaw, eyes wide in astonishment. The cold, ruthless demon lord had actually said something like that? To a human?!

Kumiko started laughing at the sight of her expression.

“Do you have feelings for him?” Kagome asked seriously.

“Yes...I do. How could I not...” Kumiko thought aloud.

“Come to think about it, he is really handsome...” Kagome replied thoughtfully.

“Yeah, I guess...” Came Kumiko's absent answer.

“Well if you care for him and he cares for you then you should stay with him. You could visit your family from time to time.”

“That's just what he said...” Kumiko thought. “They make it sound so simple.”

“I wish I had shampoo...” Kumiko replied, changing the subject.

“Then your wish will come true because I have shampoo.” Kagome smiled.

“You do?! Thank God! I'm so lucky that you're here!” Kumiko returned her smiled as Kagome was searching through her yellow backpack for the bottle of shampoo.

The two girls shared it and started to fight with water, playing around and laughing.

 

Naraku held the small vile with Kumiko's blood in his hand. He had made a reckless move, but this Naraku always had a back-up plan. He still needed the Miko to gather the jewel shards and he wasn't about to give up on her no matter what.

The ancient spell that would bring the girl to him again required a few more days and the drop of her blood.

It was a dangerous move to make though, as she would be drained of her purifying powers in the process. To a normal Miko, they might never return, but she was no ordinary Miko and he was almost sure that she would have full use of her powers again. Almost.

It was the only way to take her again, Sesshoumaru was more powerful of an opponent than he had initially thought.

Naraku grinned at the thought of how helpless the taiyoukai was in the upcoming events. Not even he could get her back now. This time, he had planned things more carefully by acquiring a stone that could hide youki. With that in his possession, they had no way of finding him. His blood-red eyes glittered at the thought of having her with him again. He didn't know why, but he needed the Miko's presence, he enjoyed having her with him. Maybe he wouldn't kill her after all was done. Maybe he would keep her as a pet, to amuse him from time to time.

 

A/N: I'm back people! :)

 

Reviewer response:

 

Idiot745: Thank you for the review and for reminding me why I write. And you're right, no one writes in vain...

 

Mian: I'm sorry the site doesn't like you, but I appreciate your reviews all the more!

 

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!