InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Welcome To The Machine ❯ Evensong ( Chapter 5 )
[ 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: 06.02.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.2K | Visits: 209 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense / Supernatural / Occult / Mystery | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.02.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.2K | Visits: 209 | Status: Completed
Welcome To The Machine
Chapter V: Evensong
The red sun had winked out behind the skyline, and the dome above had started to turn dark blue. The moon was waxing; a small crescent, God's thumbnail, quavering with lambent, silvern beams. Luna was watching her larger brother very carefully tonight. These shafts of light fell upon two dim, dark figures standing in the shadows of trees that reached like titans for the sky.
Sango and Miroku watched sadly from beyond the treeline. All farewells, save for this one last one, had been said. Sango's eyes were still bloodshot and puffy from crying. It was strange, Miroku didn't remember ever seeing her cry before. Shippo perched himself on the monk's shoulder, and Kirara nuzzled herself against her master's ankle.
They all wondered, then, what would happen now. Kagome was going, most likely forever, and all they could do was wish her a bittersweet goodbye, and hope to see her again one day. The air around their parting had a certain atmosphere of permanence about it. This truly was for forever. And she would be gone. Forever.
...Forever...
***
"Well, Inuyasha, I..." Kagome trailed off, staring into his face. She fidgeted with her fingers, and bit her lip, and exhibiting all the other minutiae of one very nervous or anxious. Looking at his expression, she knew that, though he was trying desperately to remember her, remember why he should be so sad at her leaving, the memories and feelings of the man-boy she had known two days ago had left him, leaving nothing but an empty shell of a body with the mind of her love.
"Kagome... I, I'm sorry that I can't remember." He was sincere, she could tell. "I want to remember you."
A small, sad smile appeared on her face as she looked softly up at him. Kagome grabbed his hand, held it in her's.
"I know that you're not exactly my Inuyasha, but..." She quickly glanced away to keep from crying. "If he's in there somewhere, tell him this."
She very gently put her arms around his neck, and kissed him. Nothing dramatic; no fireworks, no lusty moans into each other's mouth, only a silent, final, simple, goodbye. A small tear pearled down her cheek, and disapeared into the porous cloth of Inuyasha's haori.
"And tell him that I love him."
With that, she turned around, and jumped into the well.
She was gone. Gone forever. Though he didn't remember why, Inuyasha sensed what he had just lost, and knew what had to be done. A memory fragment of a plan came back into his mind.
In order to save Kagome...he must forget her.
So, with little trepidation, Inuyasha walked over to the well, and, ripping out a tree to the roots, he jammed it into the well. It pushed outward at the stone structure, knocking a few stones loose, as he gave it a final push. The tree was lodged tightly inside the well. A vague sense of deja vu came into his mind. He felt that he had done this exact thing once before, so long ago.
Neither Sango nor Miroku spoke a word as Inuyasha walked slowly past them.
***
A birling of wispy incense eeked out into the humid air of the hut around Emi. In classic lotus position, a small smile spread across her wrinkled face. A caramel ray of dusk light filtered across the floor. Her eyes opened slowly, and a small chuckle escaped her lips.
"Time to come back to me, my son."
A low rustling sounded outside the door, and a hoarse voice called out, dull and lifeless.
"I am here, master. What do you wish of me?"
"Inuyasha, did you do as I asked?"
"Hai." A small, crystal reflection streaked through the opening, rolling gently before her.
Emi held the Shikon Jewel in her hand, examining the lucent orb between her fingers with keen interest.
"Inuyasha, I have something else I want you to do for me."
"Hai, sensei."
'Yes,' Thought Emi. 'The Circle will be pleased...' A quickening glance moved over the shadowy form in the corner, bits of dark red showing in the half-light of the cabin.
'...Until they find out what I have planned for them..."
***
"Suzume-san, I think we have a problem."
"Hai, Ichi-san?" Suzume looked up at him, almost startled, as he burst through the cloth entrance to her hut.
"Emi is meddling once again in others' lives."
"No great surprise there. Why do you look so panicked?"
"Because it's not just the strangers' lives at stake." Zatoichi was haphazardly dressed, his hair looked even more disheveled that usual. A wild, vacant look was in his normally prescient, perceptive eyes.
"How do you mean?" Knowing her sister, Suzume was filled with a sudden emotion bordering on fear. Emi was a careless tamperer. If anyone could unravel the fabric of the universe while trying to fufill their own selfish desires, it was Emi.
"It's involving Hotaru, and Bodaway. Emi has used, I think, The Circle members' limited knowledge on this legend to manipulate them. She has used the Elixir on the ones called Inuyasha and Kagome. While under the influence of this powerful drug, she place in their minds certain...triggers. All that is needed for her to control a subject is for her to use a simple call-and-response memorized dialogue. This will take her into the victim's Inner Chamber. The place where our root feelings and emotions are. By changing some things around inside the Chamber, a skilled puppetmaster can distort the person's logic, even." Zatoichi looked thoughtful for a moment, then sighed. "Why am I telling you all this? You already know most of this anyway."
"Hnn. But what is most important right now is a way counteract the Elixir. Were did Emi get any of that anyway?"
"It's not The Elixir, I don't believe. It must be some kind of sacred plant or herb that allowed her to enter these innocents' minds."
"But don't forget the legend, and what the Oracle said. They may just be the fulfillment of her prediction."
"It can't be."
"Why not?"
"The girl, Kagome- Hotaru, as they call her - has gone more than a day's travel from here. Inuyasha arrived last night."
"Gods," Said Suzume. "I don't know what to do. My older sister will be the death of me."
"And everyone else in Japan."
"Hai. We'll have to get some help."
"Who?"
"Tomorrow, we'll go see the Oracle. She'll know what to do."
I apologize for short length and delay in getting chapter up. My appreciation to all reviews, and I'll will earnestly try to get a new chapter out soon. My life is kind of busy right now, so don't be surprised if it takes a few days.
Thank you for your time.
Chapter V: Evensong
The red sun had winked out behind the skyline, and the dome above had started to turn dark blue. The moon was waxing; a small crescent, God's thumbnail, quavering with lambent, silvern beams. Luna was watching her larger brother very carefully tonight. These shafts of light fell upon two dim, dark figures standing in the shadows of trees that reached like titans for the sky.
Sango and Miroku watched sadly from beyond the treeline. All farewells, save for this one last one, had been said. Sango's eyes were still bloodshot and puffy from crying. It was strange, Miroku didn't remember ever seeing her cry before. Shippo perched himself on the monk's shoulder, and Kirara nuzzled herself against her master's ankle.
They all wondered, then, what would happen now. Kagome was going, most likely forever, and all they could do was wish her a bittersweet goodbye, and hope to see her again one day. The air around their parting had a certain atmosphere of permanence about it. This truly was for forever. And she would be gone. Forever.
...Forever...
***
"Well, Inuyasha, I..." Kagome trailed off, staring into his face. She fidgeted with her fingers, and bit her lip, and exhibiting all the other minutiae of one very nervous or anxious. Looking at his expression, she knew that, though he was trying desperately to remember her, remember why he should be so sad at her leaving, the memories and feelings of the man-boy she had known two days ago had left him, leaving nothing but an empty shell of a body with the mind of her love.
"Kagome... I, I'm sorry that I can't remember." He was sincere, she could tell. "I want to remember you."
A small, sad smile appeared on her face as she looked softly up at him. Kagome grabbed his hand, held it in her's.
"I know that you're not exactly my Inuyasha, but..." She quickly glanced away to keep from crying. "If he's in there somewhere, tell him this."
She very gently put her arms around his neck, and kissed him. Nothing dramatic; no fireworks, no lusty moans into each other's mouth, only a silent, final, simple, goodbye. A small tear pearled down her cheek, and disapeared into the porous cloth of Inuyasha's haori.
"And tell him that I love him."
With that, she turned around, and jumped into the well.
She was gone. Gone forever. Though he didn't remember why, Inuyasha sensed what he had just lost, and knew what had to be done. A memory fragment of a plan came back into his mind.
In order to save Kagome...he must forget her.
So, with little trepidation, Inuyasha walked over to the well, and, ripping out a tree to the roots, he jammed it into the well. It pushed outward at the stone structure, knocking a few stones loose, as he gave it a final push. The tree was lodged tightly inside the well. A vague sense of deja vu came into his mind. He felt that he had done this exact thing once before, so long ago.
Neither Sango nor Miroku spoke a word as Inuyasha walked slowly past them.
***
A birling of wispy incense eeked out into the humid air of the hut around Emi. In classic lotus position, a small smile spread across her wrinkled face. A caramel ray of dusk light filtered across the floor. Her eyes opened slowly, and a small chuckle escaped her lips.
"Time to come back to me, my son."
A low rustling sounded outside the door, and a hoarse voice called out, dull and lifeless.
"I am here, master. What do you wish of me?"
"Inuyasha, did you do as I asked?"
"Hai." A small, crystal reflection streaked through the opening, rolling gently before her.
Emi held the Shikon Jewel in her hand, examining the lucent orb between her fingers with keen interest.
"Inuyasha, I have something else I want you to do for me."
"Hai, sensei."
'Yes,' Thought Emi. 'The Circle will be pleased...' A quickening glance moved over the shadowy form in the corner, bits of dark red showing in the half-light of the cabin.
'...Until they find out what I have planned for them..."
***
"Suzume-san, I think we have a problem."
"Hai, Ichi-san?" Suzume looked up at him, almost startled, as he burst through the cloth entrance to her hut.
"Emi is meddling once again in others' lives."
"No great surprise there. Why do you look so panicked?"
"Because it's not just the strangers' lives at stake." Zatoichi was haphazardly dressed, his hair looked even more disheveled that usual. A wild, vacant look was in his normally prescient, perceptive eyes.
"How do you mean?" Knowing her sister, Suzume was filled with a sudden emotion bordering on fear. Emi was a careless tamperer. If anyone could unravel the fabric of the universe while trying to fufill their own selfish desires, it was Emi.
"It's involving Hotaru, and Bodaway. Emi has used, I think, The Circle members' limited knowledge on this legend to manipulate them. She has used the Elixir on the ones called Inuyasha and Kagome. While under the influence of this powerful drug, she place in their minds certain...triggers. All that is needed for her to control a subject is for her to use a simple call-and-response memorized dialogue. This will take her into the victim's Inner Chamber. The place where our root feelings and emotions are. By changing some things around inside the Chamber, a skilled puppetmaster can distort the person's logic, even." Zatoichi looked thoughtful for a moment, then sighed. "Why am I telling you all this? You already know most of this anyway."
"Hnn. But what is most important right now is a way counteract the Elixir. Were did Emi get any of that anyway?"
"It's not The Elixir, I don't believe. It must be some kind of sacred plant or herb that allowed her to enter these innocents' minds."
"But don't forget the legend, and what the Oracle said. They may just be the fulfillment of her prediction."
"It can't be."
"Why not?"
"The girl, Kagome- Hotaru, as they call her - has gone more than a day's travel from here. Inuyasha arrived last night."
"Gods," Said Suzume. "I don't know what to do. My older sister will be the death of me."
"And everyone else in Japan."
"Hai. We'll have to get some help."
"Who?"
"Tomorrow, we'll go see the Oracle. She'll know what to do."
I apologize for short length and delay in getting chapter up. My appreciation to all reviews, and I'll will earnestly try to get a new chapter out soon. My life is kind of busy right now, so don't be surprised if it takes a few days.
Thank you for your time.