InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Yellow Brick Road ❯ Hush Little Baby ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2: Hush Little Baby

Sesshoumaru ponder the new quandary while gazing over his garden from the study. The scrolls on the low table behind his back seemed of little importance compared to the possibility of a shadow invasion.

The shadows had to be lead back to their lands; they were too strong of a threat to be overlooked. The stupidity of the rebels was illustrated in the fact that they thought to use shadows. The problem with this idea was you do not control the shadows any more than one could control the phases of the moon. Yes, there was predictability to them, but no control. There was no good way to kill a shadow, the best one could do was trap it in the light.

Shadows were distrusted beings banished long ago, in the time of his great-grandfather’s reign, to a remote northern island. Shadows were a despised breed, simply because of how they fed. It was the evil and the blackness of one’s soul that provided the shadow their nourishment. There were very few who survived the shadows’ feeding, and none known to be sane afterwards.

The victims were forced to live in the moments of their deepest regrets continuously for days, weeks, even months at a time. Usually the feeding stopped when the victim died; for those that survived it their spirit broke. All feared shadows, for no one seemed to be immune to their feedings. Nothing good was ever written in reference to them, but one note he had read from one of his great grandsire’s scribes was that for all the pain they caused they did not take more victims then necessary to survive.

If the truth were known about the Great Banishment, then it would be common knowledge that it was more of a truce in relocation between the shadows and the West. Once his great grandsire discovered that the shadows were not power hungry, he devised a plan that would benefit both his domain and the shadows. In actuality, all of Japan benefited from his efforts but his focus was only the success of the West. Through careful manipulation of the bottom feeders of society, he managed to breadcrumb the shadows to their remote island.

The problem now was accumulating enough breadcrumbs to lead the shadows back to their millennia old home. How many would be sacrificed this time to ensure the shadows stayed on course? What of the light that the miko spoke of that denied them entrance to their home? Well on the bright side, he had an easy way of deposing of the remaining rebel forces. The irony did not escape his humorless mood, that the rebels’ greatest weapon would be used against them in the end.

Sesshoumaru’s head started to ache. The rebels had been an annoyance ever since his sire’s interaction with Izayoi became known. The problems that rebels caused for Sesshoumaru went a long way towards fueling the animosity that he felt for his half-breed brother. Now that the two were beginning to corporate with each other, the rebels were becoming much bolder in their defiance.

For all the added problems that his truce with Inuyasha had caused him over the last six years, he would not deny the benefits. While he and his brother only shared the blood bond of their father, their mighty father’s blood was incredibly powerful. Inuyasha believed that all within the West saw him only as a dirty hanyou, which simply was not true. He was seen as the second son of the Great Inu no Taisho. It was in Inuyasha that the true proof of the power of their father’s blood could be seen. His right to claim the position of second son was acknowledged because he had passed the trials set before him. He had survived on his own from early childhood. Not only that, but he had master his father’s fang with more control than even the Great Inu no Taisho had.

There was only one in the West who viewed Inuyasha as a dirty hanyou, and that individual caused Sesshoumaru the most irritation. Mother, for all her pomp and self-importance, was just a has-been bitch. A small growl escaped the lord’s throat as he was reminded that it was frowned upon to banish one’s mother without just cause. If plots to take Inuyasha’s life after Sesshoumaru declared the boy his to kill could have been connected back to her, then Sesshoumaru would have been rid of the bitch centuries ago. Too bad it was from her that he had inherited his intellect; the bitch’s was beyond devious. No, his father was not stupid, far from it, but compared to his mother, his father looked liked a drooling idiot. Her intellect and her beauty had been the reasons that his father had claimed her as breeder.

A cruel smile played on his lips as he thought of his mother’s shame that a drawl human princess had succeeded in becoming mate, where she had failed. Mother had tried in the past two centuries to rewrite history so that she was known as mate, not Izayoi. It had not worked very well, but few would publically correct her. It was known that her reprimands for such a correction were beyond vicious.

‘Maybe mother could be employed in the second banishing of the shadow. No, there would be too much of a mess to clean up afterwards. For all her brilliance, she does not let the complications of ruling play into her calculations. This Sesshoumaru could have hoped for the reprieve, but cannot take it at the expense of his domain. Curse you father for not dealing with her before your death.’

His thoughts were suddenly cut short as a scent surround him. A light rapping at the door informed him that this time she was not just aimlessly walking the halls. Re-schooling his features so that he had the proper stoic façade, he would allow entrance.

“Enter,” Kagome slid the shoji screen open, took three steps in, and then immediately prostrated herself on the floor. This development in her behavior was most unnerving. This was the one person he had never expected to see in this position; the more bizarre part was that she was being completely sincere in her actions.

“My lord, I apologize for this intrusion upon your time however, the matter is somewhat urgent. “ All was spoken into the floor; she had not received permission to rise. He was not used to her not looking him in the eyes when she spoke. He did not appreciate this kind of respect from her. It reminded him too much of the games his mother played.

“Hn.”

“They grow restless. They want to return home, but the light blocks the path. I believe the path can be darkened, but they cannot remember the way. Too many places are lit anymore. They do not want to remain where they are despised; however, they refuse to die. They were tortured by light until they were too weak to refuse those that would use them as tools in a war that is not theirs to fight. They have endured and survived all this, and will not have it end in their extinction. They do not ask for mercy for their crimes against the West. Punishment will be accepted, for they know that they should have been stronger, smarter, and many others things that would have avoided their current situation. Death is not punishment. Death will make the war theirs. This is not a threat, nor is a demand, but a simple statement of understanding.”

Her voice was once again hollow. This was not her speaking. The foolish miko was still holding the shadow. The urge to strike for her defiance and stupidity almost overpowered his iron will. He was not allowed to strike those he swore to protect without just cause.

“Miko. This Sesshoumaru told you to put the shadow down,” his irritation was breaking into his voice. Really if he had known how much trouble she would be, he would have turned his brother away.

“My lord, forgive me. Nevertheless, my reason for defiance still stands. The young one is easier to hold onto than to catch,” she finally looked up at him from her subjugated position on the floor. For the first time in five months, she sought eye contact. “The Kagome that once fell through a well long ago gave in to the peace of nothingness. I am all that remains in this shell. The real danger my lord, is not the shadow. It is I, the one who is losing control, fading into madness,” her eyes began to plead with him to understand that she still had things that must be done. “I know of the promise you gave Inuyasha on my behalf. I absolve you now of that duty. He had no claim to me that allowed him to beseech you for my protection.”

He rose swiftly and in the blink of an eye was towering above her still kneeling form. “You, WENCH, will never dictate to this Sesshoumaru about his duty. You have no idea what honor and duty are; your feeble mortal mind is incapable of understanding those two things.”

She never flinched, never faltered in her gaze. He smelt salt and noticed the one tear trialing down her cheek. She did not move to wipe it; instead, the shadow braved the light to caress away the miko’s weakness.

“Hai, my lord. I have no understanding of duty, honor, or sacrifice. This wench before you is nothing above the mud on your boots,” she had a steady voice through all of this. Never once did her voice betray her soul’s anguish. He tried to will himself to believe what the voice was telling him and not the eyes. “This wench knows she has overstepped her bounds; however she also knows the price to be paid if she does not leave the Citadel. Once this wench loses her control, only one within these walls will be safe. And no, Sesshoumaru-sama, it will not be you.”

He had her up and pinned to the shelves containing scrolls before she finished the word “you”. His eyes were now tingeing pink around the rims.

“Wench, you dare threaten this Sesshoumaru.” He hissed the words between his growls and snarls.

His hand was not clenched tight around her frail little neck began to drip poison on the ancient hardwood floors. His mind was swirling with murderous thoughts about the one who dared to insult his honor, and then threaten him, after he promised to protect her, all while in his own home.

“My lord, it was not a threat, merely a poorly worded warning. This wench’s feeble mortal mind did not understand the implication of stating it in such a manner. It appears that the only thing that this wench is accomplished in; is failure.”

He knew that she was not speaking out of spite or defiance; this was true self-flagellation. Nothing he thought he knew of this girl was making any sense with how she was behaving. The only thing that was clear was that she knew something about the situation that he did not. That was unacceptable; no mere human would know more about his domain’s safety than him.

“Explain.”

“The wish was not mine, but the curse burns me. I have fought to contain the fires, my lord. I am failing. Those here do not deserve the punishment for my inadequacies. Please.”

“The wish?” He was going to incapacitate Inuyasha for at least a week. How dare his moronic half brother seek his protection for someone without telling him all the reasons why that individual would need it?

As though she was privy to his internal dialogue, “None knew of Naraku’s wish. My failure shamed me so, that I did not want to tell. I failed to stop him in time. The Shikon no Tama will never be pure.” Under her breath, she whispered her thoughts aloud. “Though by its nature it was never pure to begin with; if it was ever truly purified then it would cease to exist.”

“The Shikon was destroyed on the same battlefield as Naraku.” What secret has she hidden from them all? This little slip of a girl that had never been able to lie without being caught, had hidden an object of such calamity as the Shikon no Tama?

“I failed.”

“You test this Sesshoumaru’s patience.”

“I beg forgiveness. It was not destroyed, but absorbed. However, for some reason I do not think all of it was absorbed. It burns now more than it ever has before. I tried to learn how to control, but none could help. If I had been better I would not have allowed the darkness from my heart to enter my soul. I beg for forgiveness I do not deserve. I failed.”

Her broken voice was not the shadow trying to gain control. It was not a ploy most would use in order to gain sympathy. She did not know how to gain anything anymore. For so long all she had known was shame and loss, too long since anyone told her of her worth. Too long she has fought the voice in her head tempting her to give into the bliss of madness. The unforgiving amber anchored her to her remaining duty.

“Midoriko lost her battle. I was too slow to learn, to move, to act, to protect that which was mine to keep safe. I hope that I never learn how many I have failed. That hope is quickly fading, for he whispers their names, shares their woes. Nothing makes it stop, wake or sleep he is always there…or rather here.” She stared at him with lifeless eyes, raising her hands to her head. Her fingers jerked back from her temples as if they had been burned.

The shadow skittered out from her clothing, across his hand that was still clenching her neck. The shadow disappeared into the tresses of her hair. Its tiny hands stretched to rub smoothing circles on the miko’s temples. He became aware of what could only be described as a cooing sound emanating from the miko’s hair.

For the first time in his long life, he believed that his senses had misled him to an incorrect conclusion. That noise could not be coming from the shadow. Shadows never vocalized. In fact, it was near impossible to hear them even breath. The haunting screams that were associated with shadows originated from their victims, not them.

His reflexively released her neck, his whole body jerked away from her. He did not quite understand the danger she was speaking of, but that the shadow deemed her worthy to speak to was enough to have his heckles raising. His inner beast was rampaging back and forth within his inner confines to eradicate the threat to him and that and that which was his.

Kagome’s body had not been prepared to support its own weight. So when the outside assistance was removed, she clasped in a heap on the floor. The blackness the shadow was casting around her was so nice. The voice was having a hard time breaking through the shadow created fog; the fire did not seem to burn as hot. Yet the most spectacular thing about the black was the numbness that was encasing her body. Yes, she had made the correct choice. The shadows would not be destroyed by her. Even if she never woke from this black, the shadows would protect their unending food source. The only thing left to do was to convince her current protector that he need not be her protector anymore. She started to see him through the haze. By his eyes it would seem that this finally final task should not be hard at all. The problem was that Kagome forgot that if it was her task it could never be simple.

“You will not leave,” he turned, walked to his sitting cushion, and sat staring at his garden once more.

Kagome’s heart clenched. She failed again. The shadow stopped her cooing sound to start humming a haunting tune.

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