InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Welcome To The Machine ❯ The Riddle of Being ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Ejecta2248586 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense / Supernatural / Occult / Mystery | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 05.18.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 230 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense / Supernatural / Occult / Mystery | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 05.18.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 230 | Status: Completed
Welcome To The Machine
Chapter II: The Riddle of Being
Firelight flickered in amorphous, dancing patterns across the blades of grass beneath them. Kagome sat, hunched near the fire, warming her hands from the cold night. Sango had gone to sleep on a bed of leaves nearby, Miroku was leaning in his stoic fashion against a large rock, asleep, and Shippo had curled up against Kirara while waiting for Kagome to go to bed. Above their heads, Inuyasha was perched silently in a large tree above, as it was the new moon.
In noctilucent, wordless songs, the white stars in the blue-black sky over their heads wavered into the solemn night. A lonely warble, sounding much like frogs or crickets, sounded in sympathy with the forlorn background of nighttime. As unnatural as the night seemed, it was also very peaceful.
The troupe had decided to spend the night out on the meadowland, under the stars for this one, last night, under the waxen green canopy a large tree. Kagome could not find it in herself to fall asleep, though she was exhausted. If she fell asleep, this precious moment in time would be lost forever, never to return. So she decided then to stay in this single, meaningful moment for eternity. She would stay in a living photograph, one capturing all these cherished faces, recording all those cherished voices, as if on celluloid, to capture one ephemeral moment for time immemorial.
"I suppose that's the riddle of our being," She murmured to herself. "to grasp and hold onto something so tightly, even when we know we will lose it someday. What queer creatures we humans are."
She chuckled lightly at herself, mumbled "Gosh, Kagome, lighten up." to the fire, and laid herself on the soft, noisy cushion of leaves.
Above, Inuyasha stared with an intense gaze upon the sleeping girl.
'It hurts,' He thought, 'To know that the only way to save Kagome...'
Inuyasha cast a sweeping gaze out over the silver moonscape below.
'...Is to forget her.'
***
"Ichi-san?" A small girl of about ten in a light blue kimono peeked tentatively into the tiny hut. A small fire in the center, a censer pouring out incense into the room. On the other side of the fire sat the Lonely One.
"Aye? Chikako-chan, is that you?"
"H- hai, Ichi-san." She stepped nervously inside.
"Aah," Said the man with the twisted neck "What can I help you with?"
"Ano...Ichi-san, I was wondering..." She bit her lip.
"Hnn?" He raised an eyebrow. Only one could be seen with the way his neck rested on his shoulder, so perhaps he raised both.
"A- a lady wants to see you, Ichi-san."
"Hmm, send her in, Chikako."
"H- hai!"
The small disappeared through the door. Moments later, a larger, hunchbacked form squeezed through the curtains. A ratty, old kimono draped loosely around her shoulders. She leered at him with squinting, black eyes.
"Emi..." He muttered under his breath. The word held a certain pathos that longed for days long ago. No scorn or contempt was audible in his word.
"Zatoichi," She whispered, anger evident in her shrill voice. "It has...been a long time, no?"
"Hai, Emi-chan, it has."
"Don't call me that."
"That is your name, old friend, and your only one."
"Wrong. I have been given a new name now. One that does not mock me when it is spoken. My name is Malia. The bitter one."
"Never heard that one before."
"I'm sure you haven't. It isn't Japanese."
"What are you doing here, Emi?"
"I need something of you."
"Aah, as I suspected."
"Don't..."
"What do you need?"
"Six strangers came here yesterday, asked about Suzume, my sister."
He looked thoughtful for a moment.
"So?" His steely eyes shimmered in her direction.
"So I need you to help me find them before they reach her. Where are they now?"
A bony hand pointed to the southeast. "Two miles, grassland, by the old cedar, half-mile from The Scar."
A nod, and she was gone in a fluttering of cloths. Zatoichi sighed, and picked up a blanket with his working hand, covered himself up, and drifted into a troubled sleep.
***
The earth was shaking off sleep. A few chirrups of songbirds erupted from the foliage of the tree, a little too close to Inuyasha's face for his to remain asleep for long. He pounced down, landing on his feet. Miroku and Sango were sitting around the fire, their eyes still full of sleep. A couple dim brushstrokes of gray diffused across the skyline. There was dew on the grass and a fresh smell to the air. Inuyasha saw Shippo still asleep, buried in Kirara's fur.
He looked to the two humans.
"Kagome?"
"Firewood." Miroku said. Evidently, Kagome was the only morning person in this group. Inuyasha sat, cross-legged, on the ground in front of the dying fire.
"Stupid girl," He said, staring off into the dull red glow that seeped out of the embers. "She'll get herself killed."
**
Kagome sat at the edge of a stand of pine trees a small walking distance from their camp. Leaning against a dead tree trunk, a large pile of branches lay to her right. Her eyes were somewhat swollen and puffy, and her cheeks were slightly damp. Her nose was running and her hair was mussed.
She bit her lip to stave off another sob. "What would Inuyasha say? He'd say, 'You stupid human girl, crying all the time. Weak little human.' " She might have smiled at that if she hadn't burst into tears once more. One visit to this witch Inuyasha kept talking about and they would be on their way back to the well. Inuyasha had heard about a magic worker who could heal people in a village last week. Though, why Inuyasha cared about a little scar Kagome couldn't say. She was about to start crying again when she heard a noise from the underbrush.
"Now, child, no need to cry."
"Who said that?"
"'Tis only poor old Suzume, a gentle witch who has been told of your wishes."
"Oh. How'd you find us."
Emi, thought a moment, then said in a counterfeit soft voice: "An old friend from the village told me of your arrival. He said that there was something you want from me?"
"Uh...I guess so. Why don't you come out?"
"Blast!" Muttered to old lady, and she walked slowly out of the thicket and into the open.
"Please do not be deceived by Suzume's looks, child, she's only hideous on the outside."
"Why, I... I mean, you're not hideous, Suzume-san."
Emi held up a hand to wave away the flattery. "Ay, I don't need your sympathy. I have something to give you."
"What is it?" Kagome stood, flattening out her skirt.
The old woman held out her hand. Sitting in her palm was a small brassy-colored ring, with a tiny crystal fragment in the center. A piece of string was tied to it. She suddenly tossed it up toward the girl. Kagome glanced up at the ring and caught it. She looked back to where the old woman had been, and saw that she was gone. A black bird flew out a tree above. A honey voice echoed in the trees.
"Come to Suzume by the evening. When the sun is kissing the trees and shadows grow long, ye will see the power of Suzume by The Scar..."
Kagome looked at the thing in her hand. It was a beautiful necklace, and the woman did give it to her... maybe she would wear it until she saw the old witch again, then she would give it back. Just a little while. Kagome slipped it over her head and around her neck. She admired the way it looked on her, and saw how it refracted small pieces of rainbows onto her chest. Just a little while, the she would give it back. Maybe.
"I don't know what is going to happen today," She said softly to No One. "but I think it will be something big. Something..." Kagome looked up at the sky just as the sun peeked over the horizon.
"...Unnatural."
Review, if you want. If not...oh, well. Doesn't matter to me.
Chapter II: The Riddle of Being
Firelight flickered in amorphous, dancing patterns across the blades of grass beneath them. Kagome sat, hunched near the fire, warming her hands from the cold night. Sango had gone to sleep on a bed of leaves nearby, Miroku was leaning in his stoic fashion against a large rock, asleep, and Shippo had curled up against Kirara while waiting for Kagome to go to bed. Above their heads, Inuyasha was perched silently in a large tree above, as it was the new moon.
In noctilucent, wordless songs, the white stars in the blue-black sky over their heads wavered into the solemn night. A lonely warble, sounding much like frogs or crickets, sounded in sympathy with the forlorn background of nighttime. As unnatural as the night seemed, it was also very peaceful.
The troupe had decided to spend the night out on the meadowland, under the stars for this one, last night, under the waxen green canopy a large tree. Kagome could not find it in herself to fall asleep, though she was exhausted. If she fell asleep, this precious moment in time would be lost forever, never to return. So she decided then to stay in this single, meaningful moment for eternity. She would stay in a living photograph, one capturing all these cherished faces, recording all those cherished voices, as if on celluloid, to capture one ephemeral moment for time immemorial.
"I suppose that's the riddle of our being," She murmured to herself. "to grasp and hold onto something so tightly, even when we know we will lose it someday. What queer creatures we humans are."
She chuckled lightly at herself, mumbled "Gosh, Kagome, lighten up." to the fire, and laid herself on the soft, noisy cushion of leaves.
Above, Inuyasha stared with an intense gaze upon the sleeping girl.
'It hurts,' He thought, 'To know that the only way to save Kagome...'
Inuyasha cast a sweeping gaze out over the silver moonscape below.
'...Is to forget her.'
***
"Ichi-san?" A small girl of about ten in a light blue kimono peeked tentatively into the tiny hut. A small fire in the center, a censer pouring out incense into the room. On the other side of the fire sat the Lonely One.
"Aye? Chikako-chan, is that you?"
"H- hai, Ichi-san." She stepped nervously inside.
"Aah," Said the man with the twisted neck "What can I help you with?"
"Ano...Ichi-san, I was wondering..." She bit her lip.
"Hnn?" He raised an eyebrow. Only one could be seen with the way his neck rested on his shoulder, so perhaps he raised both.
"A- a lady wants to see you, Ichi-san."
"Hmm, send her in, Chikako."
"H- hai!"
The small disappeared through the door. Moments later, a larger, hunchbacked form squeezed through the curtains. A ratty, old kimono draped loosely around her shoulders. She leered at him with squinting, black eyes.
"Emi..." He muttered under his breath. The word held a certain pathos that longed for days long ago. No scorn or contempt was audible in his word.
"Zatoichi," She whispered, anger evident in her shrill voice. "It has...been a long time, no?"
"Hai, Emi-chan, it has."
"Don't call me that."
"That is your name, old friend, and your only one."
"Wrong. I have been given a new name now. One that does not mock me when it is spoken. My name is Malia. The bitter one."
"Never heard that one before."
"I'm sure you haven't. It isn't Japanese."
"What are you doing here, Emi?"
"I need something of you."
"Aah, as I suspected."
"Don't..."
"What do you need?"
"Six strangers came here yesterday, asked about Suzume, my sister."
He looked thoughtful for a moment.
"So?" His steely eyes shimmered in her direction.
"So I need you to help me find them before they reach her. Where are they now?"
A bony hand pointed to the southeast. "Two miles, grassland, by the old cedar, half-mile from The Scar."
A nod, and she was gone in a fluttering of cloths. Zatoichi sighed, and picked up a blanket with his working hand, covered himself up, and drifted into a troubled sleep.
***
The earth was shaking off sleep. A few chirrups of songbirds erupted from the foliage of the tree, a little too close to Inuyasha's face for his to remain asleep for long. He pounced down, landing on his feet. Miroku and Sango were sitting around the fire, their eyes still full of sleep. A couple dim brushstrokes of gray diffused across the skyline. There was dew on the grass and a fresh smell to the air. Inuyasha saw Shippo still asleep, buried in Kirara's fur.
He looked to the two humans.
"Kagome?"
"Firewood." Miroku said. Evidently, Kagome was the only morning person in this group. Inuyasha sat, cross-legged, on the ground in front of the dying fire.
"Stupid girl," He said, staring off into the dull red glow that seeped out of the embers. "She'll get herself killed."
**
Kagome sat at the edge of a stand of pine trees a small walking distance from their camp. Leaning against a dead tree trunk, a large pile of branches lay to her right. Her eyes were somewhat swollen and puffy, and her cheeks were slightly damp. Her nose was running and her hair was mussed.
She bit her lip to stave off another sob. "What would Inuyasha say? He'd say, 'You stupid human girl, crying all the time. Weak little human.' " She might have smiled at that if she hadn't burst into tears once more. One visit to this witch Inuyasha kept talking about and they would be on their way back to the well. Inuyasha had heard about a magic worker who could heal people in a village last week. Though, why Inuyasha cared about a little scar Kagome couldn't say. She was about to start crying again when she heard a noise from the underbrush.
"Now, child, no need to cry."
"Who said that?"
"'Tis only poor old Suzume, a gentle witch who has been told of your wishes."
"Oh. How'd you find us."
Emi, thought a moment, then said in a counterfeit soft voice: "An old friend from the village told me of your arrival. He said that there was something you want from me?"
"Uh...I guess so. Why don't you come out?"
"Blast!" Muttered to old lady, and she walked slowly out of the thicket and into the open.
"Please do not be deceived by Suzume's looks, child, she's only hideous on the outside."
"Why, I... I mean, you're not hideous, Suzume-san."
Emi held up a hand to wave away the flattery. "Ay, I don't need your sympathy. I have something to give you."
"What is it?" Kagome stood, flattening out her skirt.
The old woman held out her hand. Sitting in her palm was a small brassy-colored ring, with a tiny crystal fragment in the center. A piece of string was tied to it. She suddenly tossed it up toward the girl. Kagome glanced up at the ring and caught it. She looked back to where the old woman had been, and saw that she was gone. A black bird flew out a tree above. A honey voice echoed in the trees.
"Come to Suzume by the evening. When the sun is kissing the trees and shadows grow long, ye will see the power of Suzume by The Scar..."
Kagome looked at the thing in her hand. It was a beautiful necklace, and the woman did give it to her... maybe she would wear it until she saw the old witch again, then she would give it back. Just a little while. Kagome slipped it over her head and around her neck. She admired the way it looked on her, and saw how it refracted small pieces of rainbows onto her chest. Just a little while, the she would give it back. Maybe.
"I don't know what is going to happen today," She said softly to No One. "but I think it will be something big. Something..." Kagome looked up at the sky just as the sun peeked over the horizon.
"...Unnatural."
Review, if you want. If not...oh, well. Doesn't matter to me.