InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Strength of Bond ❯ Emotional Communication ( Chapter 27 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

A/N: I should write more chapters like the last… Get more of a protest review fall out. One of the reviewers asked if I had planned that chapter (26). As a matter of fact this was one of the few chapters that were actually planned from the very start. Yes, I am evil. Sorry for the late write up. Lots of things going on in my life that falls into the not so good category. On that note two things: 1. Zori sandals can be worn by men and my authority deals in research (plus 15 reliable sources, not internet); 2. The Japanese is correct unless I was brain dead- to which they were fixed. If you want to discuss problems with such things, I insist on an email. Anonymous reviews and such cannot allow me to completely answer your questions and claims and my story space isn't the place for it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha characters. Story is my own creation.

Translation and Pronunciation Guide:

Aoi- (ah-oy) Blue.

Baka- (bah-kah) Moron, idiot.

Byakuya- (beyah-coo-yah) Midnight sun.

Chikushou- (chee-coo-show) Damn it.

Furisode- (foo-ree-soh-deh) A formal or semi formal kimono worn by women who are not married.

Hakudoushi- (hah-coo-doh-she) To put on or take off a mask.

Hentai- (hen-tie) Pervert.

Houmongi- (hoh-moh-n-ge)- A semi formal kimono worn by both married and unmarried women.

Kami- (kah-me) God.

Kanna- (kahn-nah) Plane; Probably derived from Kannagi for medium or diviner

Mon- (mohn) Crests found on Tomesode.

Oi- (oy) Hey.

Oyasumi (oh-yah-sue-me) Goodnight (slang).

Oyasumi nasai- (oh-yah-sue-me nah-sigh) Goodnight (formal).

Seppuku- (sehp-poh-coo) Ritual Japanese Suicide. Typically this was used by samurai warriors to avoid falling into enemy hands, and to attenuate shame. Considered an honorable death.

Tantou-(tahn-toe)Japanese dagger used by Samurai, often weapon of choice for Seppuku

Temee- (teh-meh) Bastard.

Tomesode- (toh-meh-soh-deh) Kimono worn by married women, formal.

Yofuku- (yoh-foo-coo) Western style clothes.

Youkoso- (yoo-koh-soh) Welcome!

Warnings: Angst! Take a deep breath. Good. Now grab a tissue. Excellent. Now keep breathing.

Chapter 27

“Youkoso, Taishou-san,” spoke the smooth, cool voice of the mistress of the manor, Gehin Kikyou. The woman-child wore a simple dark blue business suit and classic black, low-heeled shoes. Her hair was pulled mostly back into a low ponytail; two long tendrils loosely frame her face. Her entire appearance was flawless, professional, and overall did wonders to the woman's physique. Was this really the same person who had called her a whore and a bitch?

Kagome made a short bow, but said nothing. Her face was a light red due to the fact that her emotions seethed in anger and hatred. Never in her life had she felt such utter hatred toward people. She had always been the cool tempered one. What was making her so angry though? Why couldn't she cry? All the way here, besides a few stray tears, her body refused to anguish. Instead a burning hatred had filled her to the brink. She had the urge to kill something.

“Youkoso, Kagome-san. I hope you will come to view our home as yours,” commented Naraku, seemingly ignorant of the grave insult of his informal greeting.

Kagome didn't even deign to glance in his direction. What she really wanted to do was claw off that man's face. Maybe even remove certain organs with a dull spoon. It would hurt more than a fork, though that idea was just as appealing. Appalled at herself for such thoughts, she kept her comments to herself. What was wrong with her?

And where was Inuyasha when she needed him? Would she even be able to see him again before the next trial? Or was today the last time she'd ever see him? Why couldn't she cry?! Chikushou! All she wanted right now was Inuyasha. No one mattered except him. Nothing mattered except him. Kami, she missed him. Maybe a dull spoon would appease her for at least a little while?

She barely focused as Naraku introduced his upper management, household staff. The first was a young girl in white that carried a mirror. She was apparently the head groundskeeper, which seemed a little odd since the girl didn't look the least bit darker than a white sheet of paper. Her name was Kanna and she was apparently the elder sister of Kagura. Now that was weird: a girl the elder of a full-grown woman? Okay, it was official. Gehin's household was messed up.

The “younger sister” was a sharp, red-eyed woman with a brilliant red and white fan. She wore an expensive looking houmongi kimono in bright red with white and green floral designs. Kagura was Naraku's personal secretary for some sort of business. Kagome liked her instantly. Something about her said that she would rather eat live cobras than listen to Naraku.

Next was a small boy with white, purple-tinted hair and magenta eyes, fiddling with a small horse statue. His name was Hakudoushi and he… well she couldn't remember what he did at all. Lastly, there was a feminine looking male who also wore a rather fancy male kimono. He appeared to be peering into a mirror made of paper. She logged the pretty-boys name, Byakuya, in her mind so that she could avoid the bizarre male.

“You must be tired.” Naraku snapped his fingers. “Kagura will escort you to your rooms, Kagome-san. Dinner is served promptly at six.”

Kagome didn't answer, except to follow Kagura down a long corridor before heading up a set of stairs. The house was very modern with a western world appearance. Kagome hated it on sight. In fact, she really wanted to break some of the fancy vases that stood at intervals down the hall. There were no tatami floors, shouji screens, traditional flower arrangements, and painted scrolls in this house. There weren't even wooden floors! There was carpet, marble, and slate tiles, but no visible wood. Besides the slippers on her feet that were given to her upon entering the house, she could swear she wasn't even in Japan anymore.

Kagura stopped before two double oak doors, and opened them both wide. The wind demon entered the room first, beckoning the wary schoolgirl. “This is the Aoi Room. It has a queen size mattress, two large bay windows that open, and your own personal bathroom to the right. The wardrobe is filled with proper attire, as is the dresser. I took the liberty of bringing a few of my makeup and hair ornaments in here for when you dress for dinner.”

“That's very kind of you, but I will not be going down to dinner.”

“Naraku-sama has requested your presence. He will be most displeased if you do not attend.” Though the words were spoken in a monotone, an underlining of amusement could be heard.

Kagome, annoyed, strode confidently over to the wardrobe and opened the doors. If she had to go to dinner, well she would just insure them that she wouldn't leave this room without acceptable clothes. To her pleasure, it was filled with bright, flashy kimono and a few western evening dresses. “Whose are these?”

Kagura blinked, before a shadow of a smile flickered at the corner of her mouth. “Naraku-sama bought them specifically for you.”

Immediately Kagome began to pull the beautiful fabrics out. “I can't wear any of these,” she said, as she tossed down a vibrant red silk kimono. “I'm married and these colors are too bright, the patterns too flashy, and some of these are furisode!” She tossed another kimono out; this one could almost pass as a tomesode except it lacked the traditional mon and enough of a muted green color background.

After that, she started on the western or yofuku clothing. When she had finished cleaning out the closet, there wasn't a dress or kimono left in it. She dusted her hands off and turned to see a barely suppressed grin on the wind demon. “Well, that settles the issue of going to dinner. With nothing proper to wear, I cannot go. Do inform Gehin-san that I will not be attending dinner.”

“And what shall you do when Naraku-sama comes up here to pick an outfit for you to wear?”

Kagome stared at the bright mess of fabrics on the floor. The soft pitter-patter of the start of rain brought a decidedly evil grin upon her face. She grabbed a handful of cloth and walked to one of the windows. With one hand, she struggled to open the window. Almost giving up in opening the window with one hand, the glass slid upward. She turned her head to see Kagura standing there holding the window open, an impish grin on her face.

For the first time today, she smiled. With glee, she tossed the garments out the window. She continued this until all the clothes in the dresser and wardrobe had a new home outside. Kagura helped the mission of destroying the clothes by using her fan to swirl a little mud and rain onto the fabric outside to thoroughly destroy the offensive items.

“Naraku-sama will be most displeased,” Kagura stated, as she closed the window.

“I sure hope so. Thank you Kagura-san. Now I really do wish to rest and not be disturbed the rest of the evening.”

Kagura made a polite bow and turned to leave.

“Oh and Kagura-san? I will only come out of this room if I have my own clothes from home. Otherwise, I suggest you let Gehin-san know that anything other than my own will meet the same fate as the ones today.”

“Of course, Taishou-sama.”

“Please, call me Kagome. After all you helped me quite a bit.”

Kagura smiled lightly and bowed again, before departing and closing the doors behind her. Kagome sighed, her burst of energy gone and anger setting in again at full force. She locked her bedroom doors and flopped down upon the western bed. In moments, she screamed her fury into her pillow, pounding occasionally. Why couldn't she cry?! She wanted to cry!

“Inuyasha!” Her mind screamed.

~~~~~~

Inuyasha collapsed to the ground outside in the rain. It had only been three hours, twenty-seven minutes, and four, no five, seconds ago from when they had taken her away from him. He could not find the strength to talk, let alone enter his brother's home. He couldn't make himself go inside. Her fading scent would be there, waiting for him. His heart clenched and he dug his claws into the mud.

He had heard Shippou, earlier, lock himself in his room, refusing anything and anybody. The poor kit was completely distraught to have lost yet another person in his young life. Inuyasha didn't know if the boy blamed him for losing Kagome. In any case, Inuyasha couldn't deal with the boy. His whole being felt ripped into shreds. How could he deal with a child in a similar condition when he was barely keeping his inner youkai at bay? The instinct to kill outweighed his moral view of right and wrong. He felt physically ill, and couldn't stop crying, as he tried to keep in control.

Which is why he remained outside, in the pouring rain where his tears could be mistaken for the rain. He was trying to find some semblance of that elusive control. But it seemed nothing would help him calm down. There was zilch left to keep him centered. His world had been put off kilter. The last time he had been like this, he had been a rookie for the Magera Shi-yakusho Saibanshou (MSS) and Rikugun Hanata of the Mageran Council International (RHMCI).

The rain continued to pour down, icy and chilly upon equally frozen flesh, forming the rain and hanyou as one entity. Why couldn't things ever go his way? Why did his life always have to go wrong when he finally had something he needed? Why couldn't he just catch a break?

There had been a time, approximately a year back when he seriously considered just killing himself to give his life a break. He was a recent graduate from school and was the first hanyou about to embark on his career with both the MSS and RHMCI. Back then, no one believed in him. He had a particular nasty scrape with some lesser co-workers at RHMCI, aka the rouge youkai hunters. He wasn't the first hanyou to be a hunter, but he was the first to have received top rank as a rookie for the RHMCI. Many believed he was too weak as a hanyou to be given such a position.

Of course, this sort of hate had always been there since he was a child. He had hoped that as he matured, so would society. He had been wrong. In school, he had protected himself from the bullies. But what was one to do in the working world with people who were even worse and had a license to kill? He could not fight back like he had done in school. With the exceptions of a few reprimands from the higher-ups, there was nothing to stem the flow of hatred.

That day, a few crack shot youkai had taken it upon themselves to teach him a lesson. The result was four injured youkai and one tired hanyou. And who gets suspended for a few days from work? Him. The other youkai got a slap on the wrist and he had to get suspended without pay for three days. The news that he had started the fight hit every major outlet of the Mageran media. People spit at him, mothers hid their children, and there was even a petition about revoking his license and job. There had also been rumors about seeking a death penalty.

He had almost finished himself that day. After bathing and dressing in snow-white robes, he had knelt on the floor in his room before his bed. A gag was placed to the side to be used on him to prevent any noise that would alert the household to what he was doing. He had the tantou to his belly, his radio blasting to also muffle the sounds that were sure to happen. Lost in his misery, inches from suicide, a face had appeared before him. Kagome. The cute, innocent smile of a child he would one day take care of. A girl that would one day need him to survive.

At first, his hand had faltered before his depression worsened. Was it fair of him to bind her to a life of pain and suffering because she was mated to a hanyou? If he ended it now, she would be given a new mate, a human mate. Her life would forever be happy and bright, instead of clouded by the darkness of people's hearts. His hand had become steady again, and the blade pressed against his chest.

Then he remembered her smile again. His hand shook and he dropped the blade. He was too selfish. The council had given her to him. She was one of the few things that belonged to him without question. Maybe that was the reason why he couldn't bring himself to die. He, however, would be deluding himself if he believed that. No, his real purpose to stay alive was… to see her smile. He wanted, no needed, to see if that smile could ever be fixed upon him. It was after that defining moment, when he started to work harder in the things in his life. His brother had stepped in and cleared his name from the fight, allowing the hanyou to continue his jobs without incident. He earned respect through his diligence, competence, and infallible loyalty. He wanted to earn the right to be with her, to earn that smile. And now, they had cheated and taken her away from him.

His very soul was broken. Why did she have to be the bearer of the Shikon no Tama? If she hadn't been, would they have been left alone? Instead, she had to be a symbol to the people, and thus she would have to remain “pure” in their eyes. She was no longer his. She belonged to everyone except him.

He knew without a doubt that if they broke their bond, he would die… even if he had to voluntarily eliminate himself. His youkai and his human sides would not survive that severed separation. She was and always had been his hope. Without her, he would be a lifeless shell.

He tipped his head up to the pelting rain. A fitting punishment for a hanyou was to die an un-honorable death. By committing seppuku, he would be able to prevent those temee from ending his life in an un-honorable way. Perhaps there would be a way to say goodbye to her before he ended himself. It is said that most bonded go insane upon the severed link. If they broke their bond, he probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between friend and foe. He would have to hope that enough sanity would remain for the ability to slit his throat. He would not, could not live without her or his mind.

He shook his head. He hadn't lost her yet. He stood up from the ground. He could still fight this. He had to fight this, even if he had to defy the council. She was his. No one would ever take her from him, even if death was the solution. It would be a far better to die than to live without. He stared at a clawed hand; warm drops of water hitting the palm. Why couldn't he stop crying? Come to think of it, where was the anger that usually accompanied his thoughts? What was happening to him?

As if from far away a voice echoed inside his head. He glanced around and peered into the hazy gray world. Where had that voice come from? Was someone out here? He raised his nose to sniff, but all he got was a nose full of rainwater. He wandered across the yard.

“Inuyasha,” came the whispered call.

He paused in mid-step. “Kagome?” he asked in surprise. When no answer came, he shook his head. Wonderful, he was hearing voices now. He collapsed under a large tree, and tilted his head up into the empty, leafless trees. It wasn't spring yet, but slowly warming as the days began to lengthen with the winter drawing near March. Had it been that long since he had met her?

He reflected the days before the ceremony on the 15th of January. They had stayed four or five days in his brother's home before moving into that apartment. That had lasted, three weeks or so, with Kagome at school before the apartment was destroyed. Then a further two weeks at Sesshoumaru's house. By the end of the first week in March, it would be determined if he would get to keep her as his mate. Barely two months he had been able to keep her.

“Kagome,” his thoughts whispered.

“Inuyasha?” came the answering echo.

A long pause before Inuyasha cursed rather loudly. Only to be scolded by a slightly amused miko voice in his head.

He closed his eyes, and felt warmth grow inside of him. “I didn't know the youkai soul bond did this.”

“It is strange, ne? It's almost as if I can feel you,” came her whispered voice.

He closed his eyes and in that instant he felt the tendrils of magic wrapping around his core of power. Why hadn't he noticed her aura's presence before? Theoretically, this was what mating and soul bonds were made to do: a mixing of the auras to create one entity in two bodies. Only a soul mate would ever cause such a bond.

The problem, though, was that never in the history of the council had there been any such recording of a bond actually mixing so well. Sure youkai and their mates mixed their powers together, but communication and presence were kept at a low minimum. Complete communication through a mental link was just not possible.

“Inuyasha?”

“What?”

“Stop thinking so loud,” came the muffled giggle. There was a pause before she began in a more serious tone, “Do you think our communication is due to the Shikon no Tama?”

He pondered this a moment before he thought, “A good possibility. I will have to ask Sesshoumaru about this. He would know better about youkai bonds and the effects of the soul bond magic created by the council.”

“Hmm.”

He focused on the swirling blue of her aura dancing around his red. It was several minutes of gazing like a bull does at a red flag, when her voice startled him from his zone.

“Why did the council rule to separate us? I just don't understand. What happened to make such a decision? We didn't hurt anyone.”

He gave a soft sigh. “There was a lot of things they included in their ruling, according to what Sesshoumaru said.”

“Start at the beginning, Inuyasha. What happened with the other testimonies?”

“Well the people who were supposedly injured lied for starts. Sesshoumaru said that each of the so-called victims came in with severe injuries. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were in a car crash. There were burns, deep gashes, broken bones, internal bleeding, and multiple bruises one would get in a rough bar fight.”

“How is that possible? We didn't do anything! No one was even touched!”

“There was the faked video tape of the surveillance. Kagome, someone must have been a shape shifter, otherwise we both have our own doppelganger. Even your mother couldn't tell that the person on the video wasn't you or me. It was a state of art. A professional job of the video and all the players.”

“Hmm.”

“Testimony wise, out of twenty other uninjured witnesses, the stories were too consistent to be considered false. They weren't good enough for the councilors to believe they were rehearsed or bribed. We, of course, know they had to have been rehearsed, but the audience and the counselors couldn't be sure.”

“What about Sango, Miroku, Kouga, and Ayame?”

“Basically Sango's and Miroku's testimonies were pointless and ineffective to our cause. They proved the outing was my idea as well as the location. They supported the fact that we hadn't gotten permission to enter Shibuya without a pass with the council. Furthermore, since they were occupied and not in the dance hall when everything went sour, they could not support our side of the story. Kouga's pack was ruled as biased and inconclusive beyond showing that we were in fact in the Dance hall with a bunch of people crowding us. His testimony also caused serious questions to arise to about his suggestion to have us spend some time alone.”

An overwhelming sense of sadness pulsed through the link. “He smashed all our whole side into nothing.”

“Yes, he did. Maybe if we had gotten a pass, we could have prevented some of this. But what I don't understand is how all those people obtained passes to Shibuya, when they didn't have them at the time? Shibuya is Kouga's patrolling area. Those passes had to have come through someone in his pack. He's furious.”

“A traitor?”

“At least one, maybe more. It has made Kouga rethink the loyalties of his members.”

“Flawlessly executed,” murmured Kagome.

“Exactly. It was too clean and too coincidental.”

“But the Council didn't find it suspicious. Gehin won them over without even a fight.”

A wave a fear replaced the anger. “Don't be afraid Kagome. Naraku cannot hurt you. Our bond protects you from him.”

“That doesn't really reassure me.”

He shrugged. “You are my mate. He can't change that. Only the Council can rule and break the magical bond. The magic is old enough that it cannot be broken except by even older magic. Naraku doesn't have that. You will stay safe until the next meeting.”

“Promise?”

“On my life.”

For a while, their aura's melded and blended together as they sat in silence. It felt like he would be okay now that they had a connection to each other. The council obviously had no idea about the bond communication. They had forbidden him from speaking to Kagome on the telephone. If they found out that their ruling to separate them could not work, they might consider severing their soul bond. And heads would roll if they got within five feet of her.

More laughter. “You have a rather violent mind, Inuyasha. Now I can see where my irrational bout of anger and violence came from. I actually threw priceless clothing and accessories out my window into the rain.”

He laughed this time, picturing her in devilish glee as she threw things out the window. He could actually see the fury blazing in her eyes. Kami, how he would have loved to see that. The few times she had exploded her temper on him were frightening and usually ended with several painful plants into the ground. But, Kami, did she look delicious.

“Hentai.”

His cheeks burned. “This is a bit ridiculous. I don't know if I like you reading all my thoughts.”

“Well, I can't read all of them.”

He felt a slight push on his mind, as if someone was trying to force open a door. “Oi! Stop that!”

“See. You have a most of your mind sealed off from me.”

“Feh.” There was a short pause while he felt her shuffle through a variety of questions she wanted to ask. He only picked up bits and pieces that made his head hurt because of the chaos. He decided to just wait until she picked one before he tried to pick out what she was thinking.

“How's Shippou?”

“Locked in his room.”

Sorrow flowed through the link. “He'll be okay, right?”

“Of course. The runt will be fine.”

“You better be nice to him. He's hurting.”

“Keh.”

“I mean it, Inuyasha! You hurt him one time, and when I come back you'll sleep on the sofa for a week!”

“Feh!”

He heard a weak growl. “Why can't you answer like normal people?!”

“Keh. Go to sleep wench. I'll be nice to the kit.”

“I'm not sleepy,” came a faint, rather dreamy reply. Obviously the girl was starting to nod off.

“Oyasumi, wench.”

“Oyasumi nasai, baka.”

Then in the wake of her silence he felt the majority of her reached power recede back down their link. A small residual of blue remained, apparently making itself cozy in his soul. It filled the place where some of his power had decided to live in Kagome. Funny how he never noticed it before today.

He stood slowly and finally entered his brother's home. His worry lighter than it had been before. Now all he wanted to do was beat something up. Hopefully a whole lot.

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