Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Darkening Skies ❯ Knowledge Of Pain ( Chapter 2 )

Darkening Skies

Chapter II

Knowledge Of Pain

 

That night, Kagome decided to sleep on the floor... away from the really warm demon. She barely slept, because her thoughts kept going over the fact that whoever that one man was, he'd probably be coming back with some type of ward for her. Her memories brought her to what one of the souls of the shikon had told her.

 

The second demon spoke up. "You will be changed upon your return to your home time. Know that you shall return no matter what. Your ability to heal will be powered up, and you will no longer need your miko ki to do it."

 

She suddenly started mumbling about evil jewels and hidden messages. "So that's why they'll work without needing to use miko ki, I won't have any." Sighing, she resigned herself to the fact she'd be going through pain. Whether it be from torture or rape, she wasn't positive. Though from what that man was saying, it'd be from rape. "I hope you're happy Shikon." She mumbled as she curled in on herself.

 

She was awoken the next morning when the sun started shining on her. Mumbling incoherently, she tried to hide her face away from the annoying light source. At least she did until she heard the door open. Jumping up, she watched as a servant entered with food. Two plates were set down before they left and closed the door. Sighing, she merely looked at the food, not really wanting to eat it. She didn't trust it. After she realized why that guy probably left, she didn't want to even try eating it. "Aren't you eating?"

 

Turning to see the demon walking towards the food, she sighed and shook her head. "No, I know why that man left. I don't trust that they won't try something that'll knock me unconscious so they can put some sort of ward on me."

 

"So you're actually smart." He said with a smirk.

 

Glaring at him, she turned her attention onto the piece of leather he wore around his neck. "Why do you wear a collar?"

 

"It's a ward." He shrugged. "Before you ask, I can't take it off."

 

"Can... can I try?" She asked, her voice slightly wavering.

 

"Whatever." He says as he grabs his food.

 

Quickly scrambling to her feet, Kagome ran over to him. He was now sitting on the bed, and she crawled in front of him. Putting her hands on it, she pulled and it zapped her. "Ouch." Looking at her hand, she realized she'd been burnt. "Dang... it looks like an intense flame is about the only thing to get it off."

 

"An intense flame?" He questioned with a raised brow.

 

"Hai, my powers aren't working on it. Not that I can use them well anyways, but it seems like a really hot fire is the only thing that can get it off."

 

"That's funny, considering fire is what it wards."

 

"So you're a fire demon? Hmm...." Kagome was staring closely at the collar as she thought. "I get it now..."

 

Rolling his eyes, he decided to hear the onna out. "You get what now?"

 

"It's a barrier." Meeting his eyes, she realized that she needed to explain. "The collar creates a barrier that runs underneath it and encases your entire body to hold your power in. In other words, you'd have to have enough power to shatter the barrier in order to break it. And whoever made this was extremely powerful, as the entire idea of making it shouldn't really be possible without certain knowledge."

 

"What kind of knowledge?"

 

"Well, the leather collar is easy enough to make and ward, but the way they did it would require vast amounts of skill and power. Unless of course there's kanji inscribed on it someplace, but the power it would take to create the barrier still has to be forced inside. The collar holds extra power as a safeguard, in case the barrier needs strengthened."

 

"How do you know that?"

 

"I was trained by an old miko as well as a buddhist monk. The monk taught me his ways, so I could use offuda to channel my energy through. That collar however, seems to work as an offuda, but seems to have pure ki circling through it. Since the energy is raw power, I can't purify it or reverse it, so it's quite carefully thought out. A demon wouldn't be able to destroy it easily either. The leather would hold strong against to many things since it seems to stop youki, but fire would be able to heat it till it snapped."

 

"So I need to melt it off?"

 

"It'd take a pretty strong flame, so I doubt you'd be able to. Unless you know a strong fire demon you could fight with, you could get him to hit you with a powerful flame." She said as she giggled slightly.

 

"You are a strange onna. You take things to lightly."

 

"When one knows their own destiny, they can do that. I know what I face in the future, so I don't need to worry for the present." A small smile adorned her face as she looked at the demon in front of her.

 

Narrowed red eyes looked at her upon her admittance of knowing her own destiny. "How would you know what your future holds?"

 

"I was told by a higher power." Hey, it was true. The jewel is was more powerful than she was. "I am to suffer before I can return home.... And I want to kill the higher powers for using their stupid hints." She mumbled the last part, but the boy still heard it.

 

"Why are you so happy if you know that you're going to be suffering?"

 

"Why not enjoy the time that I'm not suffering in? I don't know how long I'll be stuck here, but I plan on fighting the entire time. They'll expect me to succumb to my fate, but I won't, and I'll be happy while I can."

 

"You're foolish. What makes you think you'll be able to make it out of this alive? I highly doubt that these supposed 'higher powers' said you would."

 

"I'll live until the end then." Kagome replied with a smile. "But my end won't be while I'm here. It'll happen sometime after I get home."

 

"You really are a strange onna."

 

"Strange is special." She said happily. "So, will you tell me your name, or should I call you Shadow?"

 

"I don't want him knowing my name."

 

Kagome giggled slightly. "I wasn't planning on telling him. I just wanna know what to call you... but I can always call you Hotaro." She giggled again at his face for the nickname she picked. "What, I think firefly's a cute nickname. I mean, you are a fire demon after all."

 

He just glared at her, sending her into a fit of giggles. Crazy onna. His thoughts went away with him as he laid down in bed to wait for something interesting to do. Not like that'd probably happen. Nothing of interest ever occurred for him. Unless you counted the recent events that consisted of the girl being brought here. He supposed that a miko being captured and brought here might be considered interesting. She was after-all, quite amusing.

 

Speaking of which, said miko was back to trying to figure out a way to get out of the room. "It'll only open for Hiroshi unless you come in from the outside."

 

"You're a big help." She muttered as she continued poking at the barrier with her aura. "Has this barrier always been up?"

 

"No, it was only erected when you were thrown in here. It's because you're not warded."

 

"I'm sure he'll try changing that soon enough."

 

"Probably." The boy said without emotion. He was used to the treatment he received, and he knew better than to show emotion. If you let the man know you were in pain, he'd enjoy it. Even make it more painful. Looking back to the bubbly girl, he decided to help her out. "Since you know you'll be suffering, I have a little piece of advice for you. Don't show that you are. He'll just enjoy more."

 

"Noted." Came her statement as she continued messing with the barrier. It was an hour later that she sighed. "He's using a paper ward on the other side. I can't break it because I don't have the control to do so." She was, of course, ignored. Shrugging, she moved back over to her 'bed' on the floor and closed her eyes. The wounds that she still had were demanding that she rest often. In her sleep, her wounds would heal faster.

 

So it didn't take long for her to fall into oblivion. Everything was dark, but it didn't bother her at all. In fact, it seemed to make her feel better. That's when color swarmed around her. Vision blurred for a few moments before Midoriko's form stood before her. "I have come to speak with you Kagome."

 

The miko bowed before the priestess before slowly meeting her eyes. "What is it Midoriko-sama?"

 

"I wished to prepare you for what is to come." The young miko nodded. "Your body is using all of your energy to heal itself, so when Hiroshi comes you will not be able to protect yourself. He will not be alone either, so the demon in your company will not be able to help you."

 

"I did not expect him to try."

 

"In time, your opinion of him will change. The mask of indifference he puts up is only that, a mask. Before the end of this trial, you will need his help and he shall need yours."

 

"Do you know how long I will be here?"

 

Midoriko closed her eyes and sighed. "I am not allowed to say child. I wish that you did not have to go through this, but the other three souls have decided. This is their test to see if you are truly worthy."

 

"Worthy?"

 

"Worthy to hold the jewel and it's powers. Worthy of the gifts it can give to you. Worthy of what the future holds for it's true protector. This is but one of the trials. Be aware that there are more to come. Stay strong and trust in yourself."

 

"I will." The young miko agreed as the older woman slowly disappeared from her sight.

 

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I would like to thank the following people for submitting reviews on the last chapter.

 

Madmiko

 

ILoveAnime89

 

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