Truth and Storytelling
Hold me whatever
Lies beyond this morning
Is a little later on
Regardless of warnings
The future doesn’t scare me at all
-Simple and Clean/Utada Hikaru-
&nb sp;
Unbearable.
Such was the feeling when he slipped into darkness. He began to feel like his life was being sucked away. Despite that he was light, floating like he had no body, he was suffocating. He was beginning to be as cold as the hand that he had held.
He opened his eyes.
There she was. White, beautiful and ethereal. Kikyou.
Her black fathomless eyes were boring deep into him, calm as sometimes her long raven black hair strayed to caress her delicate face.
"As we have promised, Inuyasha, we will be together."
And together they fell into the abyss.
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&n bsp; Inuyasha could only stare at the hissing lump of clay before him.
"Kik-"
The name choked in his throat. He could not bring himself to call this putrefying mass in the name of the miko he once loved.
It almost seemed like a blur for him to remember. They were falling fast. Then suddenly streams of light shot out of her body. Like white ghostlike comets, it left her body one by one, and altogether Kikyou began to wither like a ground under the scorching sun.
Inuyasha could only watch for a moment in stupefaction before he had enough sense to hold her closer. He tried to grab her arm only to fall out of her body before it crumbled into pieces. Shouting out her name, he futilely kept hold of her as she broke into a thousand pieces, as a porcelain doll would shatter to the ground.
In the end, he was left alone in this barren place. The mass that was once Kikyou had now became part of the ground of which he was standing. As Inuyasha looked around, he could see nothing but an endless stretch of land. There was no trees, grass, nor even the sight of mountains. He could feel no breeze and as he looked up, there was no source of light. Yet, for some strange reason, the place diffused a sort of eerie light that illuminated the place.
" Hello there!"
A voice rang out from the emptiness, startling Inuyasha from his short reverie. It was strange that he had not caught the scent before it announced its presence. Nevertheless, the thought of having other people than him in this barren placed eased his creeping loneliness though it scared him a little.
Finally, he saw a figure walking towards him. The stranger was not human nor was it in near resemblance. The creature had green scales with horns jutting out from its joints. It had four hoof-like feet and three pairs of hands. Its eyes were blood red and an impressive array of sharp teeth displayed as it sported a ridiculous grin.
One would have difficulty reconciling the jolly voice from the frightful appearance.
As for Inuyasha, he just stared at one of the feet that trampled on the mass. He assumed that it was her face.
'She really is gone now…'
&n bsp; The creature's smile did not falter despite the fact that Inuyasha was ignoring him but it seemed to be more fascinated as it got a closer look at the hanyou.
" Hey, what's a living thing like you doing in the Land of the Dead?"
Inuyasha in shock fell into stupid speechlessness. Then he sputtered unintelligibly, trying to form coherent words from his info-loaded brain before slinking into a defeated silence.
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; For four months Miroku had been walking. The monk had traveled from village to village asking for any clues on the whereabouts of a certain hanyou. There had been none. He then tried his luck in the wilderness thinking that he had more chances here than the villages. Dog boy was not much of a people person to say the least.
The monk now stood on top of a mountain. Cold wind blew unmercifully and the air was harshly whispering to his ears but he held on to his ground, scanning at the green expanse of forest that lay before him.
He had a lot more ground to cover and such a thought made him sigh.
'Where are you Inuyasha?'
Another strong gust of wind came through in his direction and this time Miroku recoiled in its chilliness. He retreated under the shelter of a nearby tree and made fire for the coming darkness.
At night, he could not see the stars above the clear black sky.
Such was this night when he and Kagome last met.
" You will look for him?"
He nodded in affirmation, not trusting his voice to speak lest they sound broken. Kagome managed a small smile and it took all his might to smile too. He knew inside she was falling apart and it made him angry that he could not do anything to ease her pain. For the past weeks, Kagome was turning weak and pale before them, yet on this dark and starless night, her whiteness seemed to shine like a candle.
She would not utter her fears but Miroku knew her for a long time enough to read her heart.
“ If Naraku had gotten hold of Inuyasha, we would have known it by now.” Naraku could never resist gloating over victory nor would he haste in using an opportunity to win a battle but of course no one could ever also outguess Naraku and that was only the houshi’s fear.
“ So I guess I better be going …” He tipped his straw hat and started to make his way to a nearby path.
“ Miroku, won’t you say farewell to Sango?”
“ She and the others already know of my plans, Kagome.” Miroku stopped and turned around with a crooked smile.” As for you, Kagome, you should rest and eat some healthy things and don’t worry about the father, I’ll find him and drag his fat ass back to this village even if it takes a month.”
When he was at a fair distance, he heard her echoes as she called out his name again
“Miroku, if you see Inuyasha tell him I still love him and I want him to come back.”
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&n bsp; “ Tell me a story.”
Inuyasha could only roar back in frustration at the creature as spittle and everything went flying on its face. The hanyou was pissed to say the least because whatever he did, he could not do any damage to it. He tried clawing it, kicking it, he even bit it (though he instantly relented as he came in contact with a taste that was a cross between rotten meat and loam soil), and when he finally used his Sankon Tetsu, its head was decapitated. He almost rejoiced until he heard the head still talking, insisting to tell a story with its saccharine smile as the body bent over to pick it up.
Inuyasha sputtered in annoyance. This being was the peskiest creature he had ever met, compared to Shippou, the fox kit would be as well behaved as a rock.
“ I’ll make you a deal.” The creature’s voice was calmer now but it still kept that infuriating smile. “ For this timeless stretch of being in this barren place, the only thing that entertained me was hearing stories from its inhabitants. I listen to the stories of the souls who have left off from the living world. I hear their regrets, their joys, anger and the hope that had flickered out together with their lives, and I remember all of them.”
His reddened eyes narrowed as he growled to show his impatience. The most important thing right now was to get out of this place and this creature was not helping him much despite his forceful means of persuasion.
“ I will show you how to leave this place and return to the living world. All I ask in return would be to tell me a story .For I know that you hold an interesting tale.”
That seemed to placate the hanyou turned demon. He unceremoniously sat down and waited for his demon blood to wane.
On the moment that he was capable of speech he started to recount his tale.
When he finished his tale, he abruptly stood up and folded his arms.
“ Ok, get me out of here.”
&n bsp; But the creature was strangely laughing and Inuyash kicked it out of its jolliness.
“ Hey we had a deal remember!!” the hanyou maddeningly shouted “ NOW GET ME OUT OF THIS SHITHOLE!!”
“ Alright, alright” the creature raised its hands on mock defeat” but I must say you have made me very happy indeed”
“ I’d be happy to do that again.” Without waiting for an invitation, Inuyasha kicked it.
“ Ok, I’ll lead the way out.”
Silence.
“ Aren’t you going to ask me why I am happy.”
“ ..don’t give a fuck.” Inuyasha mumbled.
The creature ignored his comment. “ I once met a lady in these parts whose name was Kikyou.”
Inuyasha did not convey any reaction to the statement.” She was a priestess,like the girl in your story. When she was still here, she vowed that at one point or another she would return to the one she loves. Of course plenty of things like that occur among the lost souls. But this one was different.”
Infuriated at the cliffhanger, Inuyasha gave it a deadly glare.
“ She made a deal with the head man, you know Enma Daiou, right? Well the deal was when she would be reincarnated, she would be able to transport back in time to be with her beloved and in return she would never be again reincarnated if she should die.”
&nb sp; “ I am happy that Enma Daiou fulfilled his promise after all” The creature grinned.” It would be a pleasure to help you get back to be with Kagome.”
Inuyasha could not utter a single sound. Something ached within him and it took him all his might to hold back the tears.
“Please take care of that girl, she had gone through a lot just to be with you.”