InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Tangled Ambitions ❯ Past and Present Misdeeds ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer- I do not own InuYasha or any of the original characters; they are the property of the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi. This story is an individual creation for personal and shared enjoyment of true InuYasha fans that I hope is up to the quality of the real series. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

Chapter 5: Past and Present Misdeeds

All through the short meal with the garrulous Noa, Sango sits silently while Miroku charms the old woman and manages to get the rest of her encounter with "that bad man" from yesterday. The Monk keeps sending the silent young woman questioning glances and vows to get her to tell him what she knows later, when they are alone.

They take their leave of the lonely old lady after making a promise to come back another time. Then Miroku blesses the worn building before they wave goodbye to the smiling woman and walk back to the road, going east.

They walk for a bit, Sango with Kirara once more in her arms and with her eyes on the ground in front of her feet, Miroku with his eyes on her. He finally grabs her arm to stop her, turning her to face him. She looks up, startled as he frowns at her, "All right, tell me who this "Akunin" is."

"Houshi-sama!" She is surprised at his intensity and it shows.

He lets go of her and says more calmly, "Please, Sango."

Kirara cranes her head back and meows up at her with an encouraging tone.

Sango pets the cat and nods to the Monk. "He was…once of my village," she says reluctantly as she turns to continue walking, Miroku keeping step and paying close attention, his staff jingling merrily in contrast to the mood.

She is silent for a minute, searching for words, "He was one of the best Taijiya, his skills were second only to my father. He was good enough and confident enough to take on many exterminating jobs by himself. My father would caution him about taking risks, but Akunin would laugh and claim that he was not afraid."

She drew silent again for several minutes, and Miroku waited patiently, understanding that talk of her family and home was difficult for her.

Sango lifted Kirara up to nuzzle the concerned feline, drawing courage from her loyal life-long companion. "Disturbing stories began to be heard; of Taijiya causing much property damage and blackmailing villages for exorbitant sums to rid them of youkai infestations. Even more disturbing were the stories of preventable deaths caused by the carelessness of Taijiya."

Her eyes stare into the distance, seeing the past. "My father would reassure anyone that came to him with these shocking tales, telling them that they were just malicious rumors with no basis for truth."

She sighs, "But he was wrong," The sad glance she gives to Miroku makes him regret making her remember things best left forgotten.

Her tale continues, "Akunin was the reason for everything…and more." Another uncomfortable pause, "When my father confronted him, they quarreled. Akunin refused to follow the Taijiya Ways, claiming that they were foolish and outdated, that there were riches to be had for those cunning enough to take advantage of convenient situations." This last was said with distaste coloring her words.

"For this, my Father claimed he had shamed our whole clan with his treacheries…and banished him, warning Akunin to never use the trappings of Taijiya again and to never return."

She bows her head and her voice drops, "There was a girl that he had been courting." She turns to look at Miroku with a slightly pleading expression, "You must understand, Akunin could be very charming, and when his duplicity became known, we were all of us surprised."

Sango faces forward again, "When my father told him to leave, he did. But later that night, Akunin returned in secret to try and talk this maiden into leaving with him, promising her all manner of things. But she would have none of it; for without honor there is nothing. She refused him, and Akunin grew angry, showing his true nature by trying to force her to go with him."

Miroku frowns with a surge of anger at the thought of such a thing happening, but stays silent, not wanting to interrupt.

She looks at him but her eyes slide away, "Akunin made two mistakes that night. The first was going against my Father's judgement by returning. The second was his arrogance to try and force a trained Taijiya to do something she didn't want to do." Her voice held a bit of pride, "They fought and she cut him deeply across his left cheek. The noise of their fight alerted the warriors in the village but he fled before he could be caught. When my Father learned of Akunin's actions, he declared that he would kill Akunin himself if he was ever found."

They walked in silence together, the sun high overhead and the gentle breeze causing the tall grass on either side of the road to rustle softly.

Miroku thinks about all she has said…and not said. He glances at her sideways, feeling strangely guilty, "Gomen, Sango."

She stops and looks at him in confusion, "Eh?"

He sighs and halts beside her, "For making you recall such sad memories."

Sango frowns and shakes her head, "No, Houshi-sama. You're not to blame for any of this. If there is any blame, it belongs to him!" her emphatic words are clear and he believes she means it, but as he watches, that glimmer of hatred returns, "It has to be him!"

Kirara jumps down and Sango raises a clenched fist to stare at it, no longer just a woman but a warrior that is prepared for battle. "With my people gone…and this man's behavior the same as before…" She looks back at the Monk who watches her in concern, but doesn't really see him, "The scar in the same place…together, they are proof that it must be Akunin!"

Sango takes a deep breath and flicks her pony-tailed black hair back over her shoulder, watching Kirara transform from cute kitty to feline predator, a signal to her human companions that she was ready to go. "And if it is…" She looks at Miroku very seriously, "He is a dangerous man, we cannot underestimate him." He stares at her and she adds; "Akunin is capable of anything."

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There is not much in the wooden-walled room to distract herself, only one small table and a curiously large iron chest with a very sturdy lock. The windows are covered with a heavily carved wooden lattice on the inside and the outer shutters are closed keeping the stale air trapped inside. The only light was coming from a lone candle left burning on the table.

Kagome tugs half-heartedly again at her bound wrists held above her head by a heavy metal ring set crudely but solidly into the wall at her back. She sighs and leans her unbruised cheek against her raised arm making the cloth gag tug a little and bothering her sore flesh anyway.

She blinks back weary tears and takes several deep breaths, staring at the candle flame across the room from her. It seemed closer than it was but was too far to reach, even by stretching out one free leg…as she had tried and failed earlier.

`I suppose I should be glad to have any kind of light…' Her thoughts slow as her eyes are drawn to the wall with the only door on it. The macabre collection of edged weapons and tools, for purposes she knew not, hanging all over the wall to either side and above the door causes her to shudder and pull her eyes away to stare at the tiny flame once more. Likewise she did not look again at the woven mat that she knelt on. The origin of it's mysterious stains were not something she wanted to think about, nor were the rough scratches covering the wood below the ring that she could feel through her shirt when she leaned back.

Kagome closes her eyes with a worried frown, `InuYasha…where are you?' She focuses inward and sifts through her sketchy memory.

The rest of the trip in the back of the wagon she remembers not at all and an uneasy feeling washes over her when she tries to focus on what had been said when they had arrived here…wherever this was.

`Something about…"My Lord"…and money…and…"cage"…I think.' Flickering images by torchlight, distorted by pain and fear, remain indistinct and there was only a vague recollection of being carried down long hallways and past furnishings with blurred colors and features…then waking up here…mostly in the dark…and completely alone.

Kagome opens her eyes to stare apathetically at the candle, its wax slowly dripping, and listens to her own breathing. She watches it burn down until it reaches the brass holder and gutters out, leaving only faint traces of light that seep around the edges of the window shutters to keep it from being completely black. The ensuing silent, dark, dragging hours that follow are demoralizing and she slips into an uneasy doze.

It is an eternity later, it seems, before the sound of the door sliding open startles her to alertness. Blinking at the light spilling in from beyond the doorway, she watches her captor enter, still wearing the garb of the Taijiya over his lean muscled form, with another lit candle and a bundle under his arm. He closes the door behind him and crosses the room to set the object on the table then goes around the room, using the candle to light several lamps mounted on the walls.

He sets the candle down and slants a sideways glance at the wide-eyed girl watching his every move. He turns to face her with a slight smile. A flick of his wrist and a knife appears in his right hand from up his sleeve and he steps toward her, twirling the knife playfully with each step.

Dull flashes from the reflecting blade causes Kagome to wince, her eyes sensitive from being in the dark for so long, and her heartbeat speeds up with paralyzing fear, `Oh God!'

Still with that twisted half-smile he kneels on one knee in front of her and reaches out with his free hand to take hold of her chin and tilt her head up.

He heart is pumping madly and a whimper escapes as he brings the knife close to her face, placing the flat edge against her cheek, the cold metal sliding caressingly along her skin. Kagome stares directly at her own death in his black eyes and begins to tremble inside, `Oh God!!' Her family's faces flash in her mind, `Mama - Jichan - Souta!' Sudden regret assails her at never seeing them again - and one face over all; with dear dog-like ears surrounded by a wealth of silvery hair. She closes her eyes to picture that tender look on his face that he had just for her…one last time, `InuYasha…'

There is a tug…the gag loosens and her eyes fly open to see the scarred man staring at her. Confusion rushes through her as she spits the cloth out of her dry mouth, "Nani…?" Her voice croaks and she tries to swallow.

He smiles again and puts the knife away, then sits on the floor in front of her, "Good. I was concerned that I had hit you too hard Little Bird," he pauses to admire the flare of anger that leaps to her eyes at the sound of the nickname and grins at her. "There are things we must discuss."

A little lightheaded with relief and her mind beginning to function again, she clears her throat and stares at him, "Discuss what?" Her eyes widen at the familiar pulse of Shikon Shards coming from his person; they are already showing signs of being tainted by his greedy desires. She stiffens and looks him directly in the eye to demand, "Give them back!"

He raises his eyebrows in surprise and reaches into his clothes for the small bottle containing the Shards to rattle it, "These?" He shakes his head in amusement and looks at them briefly, "I don't think so Little Bird," before tucking them back out of sight.

She stares at the Shards' glow for a moment, their deepening tint a good measure of the darkness seething inside his pseudo-pleasant demeanor, not to mention his earlier behavior and treatment of her. She studies his face recognizing a ruthless intensity in his eyes and wisely holds back useless words of appeal.

A wisp of memory…sounds echoing in the wavering shadows…a deep voiced answer to a greeting… "Akunin." She watches his twisted smile return.

His admiration is unsettling, "Ah, my resourceful Little Bird!" He puts his hands on his knees, elbows out wide, and bows his head at her, "Correct!" He relaxes his arms and straightens, "A bit bare as introductions go, but it will do." He tilts his head, "And you…?"

She keeps her mouth firmly shut and he shrugs, "I prefer `Little Bird' anyway."

Kagome huffs in disgust and turns her head away but remains silent.

He sighs and stares at her profile for a few dragging minutes with one elbow resting on a knee and chin in hand, then shrugs to himself before speaking, "Many have heard of your search for the Shards of the Shikon no Tama." She keeps her head turned from him and he frowns, "You and the Hanyou."

Her eyes slant back to him and he continues, "Many believe that the Shikon no Tama is gone, others think that it never existed."

Kagome turns to face him with a frown, wondering what he is getting at.

He pats the spot where the bottle of Shards is hidden, "But we know different, don't we Little Bird?"

She rolls her eyes at the name and barely manages to keep her mouth shut, `I'll "Little Bird" him! Just wait until I get my hands on a bow.'

All humor fades from his face and his voice grows cold, "It is said that you travel with a Monk and Taijiya as well."

She glances at his familiar black outfit with widening eyes and he nods at her, "That's right; I'm Taijiya." His voice becomes remote, "I had heard that my people had been slaughtered, every last one." His eyes narrow with, what seemed to be, satisfaction, but she couldn't be sure.

He continues, "I went to my village, and saw the destruction myself." Someone listening to him would claim that his coldness stemmed from great grief of this tale, but anyone looking into his eyes, as she was when he said this, would see the violent joy he was feeling, and shudder in fear.

Kagome clenches her teeth to keep them from chattering as a wave of iciness washes over her and she swallows back bile. Fingers curling and her body trembling, she pulls her eyes away from his, not wanting to see anymore.

Akunin's attention is still inward, "There were many graves…" then his eyes focus on her, "Yet one lives." His hand snaps out and grabs her chin, forcing her to face him, "Who is it?"

Her breathing speeds up and she stares fearfully at him, saying nothing.

In a second, he is up on his knees and grabbing her hair to pull her head back, bending her neck painfully and the knife reappears in his other hand, pricking the skin of her throat. "Tell me!"

Kagome gasps and closes her eyes, tears running back into her hair but she remains silent and awaits the lethal thrust.

Just as suddenly, he releases her hair. Her eyes open to see him cut the rope binding her hands and then turn to walk back to the table. She lowers her stiff arms and rubs her raw wrists, still shuddering and watching his back. She glances longingly at the door but didn't trust her legs to hold her.

Akunin picks up the bundle, turns and tosses it at her, "Put this on."

She barely catches it and takes a shaky breath, not fooled for a minute by the smile that has returned to his face, "Why?"

He looks at her bare legs and returns the knife to its concealed sheath, smiling wider, "You're unacceptably dressed to accompany me."

His leering glance makes her skin crawl and she tugs down on the edge of her green uniform skirt. The bundle in her hands turns out to be a plain blue kimono with a matching obi. She looks back to him and uses the wall at her back to climb unsteadily to her feet, still holding the kimono, "Accompany you?"

He bows with a mocking smirk, "To see your Dog, of course!"

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To: LadyOrion(notsignedin) - Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it!

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Thanks, Darkless