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Love\'s Consequences	By : Sylean Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > Naraku/Kagome Views: 10440 -:- Recommendations : 4 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor do I make any profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 21
- 22
- 23
Love's Consequences
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor do I make any profit from this story.
Warning: Spoiler alerts! Just make sure you've seen the whole series, Final Act and Movies included, for I touch upon pretty much everything at one point or another.
Warning: There will be lemons in this story later on. Also, there will be character deaths in this story at a later time.
Chapter 22: Traumatic Memory
(A/N: Spoiler alert! Final Act Episode 16: Hitomiko's barrier)
"Soooo, where is Mount Azusa?" Kagome asked as Naraku flew them across the land, encased in his barrier so as to leave no trace of their presence.
"South, two-days travel by air," he responded simply and Kagome shifted uncomfortably. Sure, she liked being held against him, but for two days straight… her legs were going to be so stiff.
"Umm, do we have to fly the whole way?" his gaze met hers and she explained further. "We could walk some, stretch our legs a bit." Naraku could already tell this trip was going to be longer than planned, but there was no reason to rush back; they had time. He made to land and Kagome smiled widely. "Thank you," she stretched languidly in the middle of a forest, letting joints pop to relieve the built up tension, and just enjoyed the freedom of movement. A few minutes into their walk, Kagome commented on the irony, "You know, I kind of miss trekking all over Japan. It does feel a little different having you travel with me though, instead of hunting you down." Naraku was just glad her smile had returned; this trip gave her renewed hope.
They passed several villages along the way, since Kagome much preferred to carry herself across the lands, and stayed the night where rooms were available. The weather was becoming too cold for her to safely sleep under the stars, so lodgings were essential. Kagome chatted with Naraku how Miroku had operated in their past travels; usually claiming an ominous black cloud hung overhead and procured lodgings in the nicest tavern with regularity. She felt much better actually paying for her room rather than tricking the owners. She wasn't sure she wanted to know where he got money from though.
It amused her how Naraku took on a variety of human appearances as they would enter a village; he seemed to enjoy taking on different personas. It was probably practice to keep his mind sharp; she knew he got bored way too easily. It was harmless enough, so she let him have his fun messing with the villagers. Her favorite was when he took her dare seriously and shifted to look like an elderly old woman; Kagome could hardly keep from laughing due to the absurdity of it all. He played the role very effectively; complete with cane to knock the young priestess's would-be suitors on the head with. She was still giggling about it several hours after they left.
Kagome made sure to pack her priestess attire, she hated wearing that thing, but seeing as she intended to request permission to enter a sacred site, she rationalized it would be a wise thing to at least bring along, especially with the weather turning colder by the day. She was glad she did, since she was still chilled even with it on. They should be getting close to the mountain by now, if she calculated correctly, but the sky was already taking on an orange hue from the approaching sunset. Shivering at the idea of needing to sleep in the open on a frigid, fall night, Kagome rejoiced when she saw the lingering lamp-light from a village in the distance. She didn't notice how Naraku was deliberately avoiding this village, altering their route to circumvent notice.
"Look, a village," Kagome bounced beside him. "We can stay the night there and continue in the morning."
"That would not be wise," he redirected her request smoothly.
"Why not?" Kagome moved to get a closer look through the edge of the forest. "It looks nice enough."
"Consider the company you keep," he reminded her. Now she understood, not all humans were accepting of demons, especially one reputed to cause terror and destruction such as he once had, but he was no ordinary demon, and she knew just how to remind him of that.
"Are you saying you lack the ability to fool a simple village into thinking you are human for a single night?" he looked back at her pointedly, but she did not back down; she knew he would never hurt her.
Despite knowing her words were intended to goad him into agreeing with her, she effectively cut off any escape route. It wasn't the normal villagers he was concerned about discovering him, however. He had been to this village before, two decades prior, and there was one person here, he did not wish to encounter. Nor was he enthused about concocting half-truths about certain aspects of his past; he would rather let sleeping dogs lie and not disclose such things to her. In this case, however, there was naught he could do to dissuade her, short of revealing these secrets, "Very well."
Kagome chattered on while Naraku contemplated the best disguise; his lord-like attire would draw too much attention. Perhaps a samurai, or mercenary, that should be sufficiently intimidating to discourage anyone from prying, and from forcing him to show his true nature. It was a quick change making his boney armor plates look like mad-made armor, removing his demonic markings and changing his unnatural eye color. He still carried the Fuyoheki, thus masking his demonic aura, a trinket Kagome complained about many times since it made it so she couldn't feel his presence as strongly either. If it weren't for the black, spider-shaped, mating mark on her neck, he would be all but invisible to her holy senses; it got warm and pulsed when he was near.
The distance was covered quickly, much to Naraku's dismay, and once in the village Kagome walked easily through the dwindling crowd. She stopped along vendor stands and played with the children, but Naraku remained almost ramrod straight, eyes ever vigilant. Kagome observed his tension curiously, even though no one dared approach the pair while he looked so intimidating, "You seem uptight; what is it about this village that has you feeling so uneasy?"
"It is nothing," Naraku dismissed, glancing once again towards the nearby shrine. He did not wish to inform Kagome of the reason he was wary, for there was no immediate threat, not unless the one he was avoiding came down from her shrine. With any luck, they would be gone before she even knew he was here. "We should retire for the night." The sooner he got them out of sight, the better. Kagome agreed, even though she wanted to explore a bit more, but if it would alleviate his apprehension, it was worth it.
"You can breathe now," Kagome teased lightly as Naraku sat beside a window and focused his gaze outside. He did not react. "You're not mad at me are you? You know I didn't mean anything by-"
"No," he cut her off.
"Then," Kagome sat on her knees beside him, "what is it?" Concern shined in her gaze; she hadn't seen him this pensive since the time before they became official.
"I usually make a point of avoiding holy ground," Naraku relayed, not missing the contradiction that they were staying the night in a neighboring inn, only minutes from one of the biggest threats to his existence, and seeking out a holy mausoleum on the morrow.
Kagome looked out the same window his gaze never left since they got to this room. A shrine rested at the top of the hill, surrounded by forest, strong enough that she could feel it; even the air felt cleaner here. If she could feel it, he probably could too, "Does, does it hurt being this close to a shrine?"
"It is not pleasant, but it will not cause me harm," Naraku soothed the rising guilt in her throat. His every instinct was to get far away from here, threat or no. He'd honestly prefer to reside in a dark, dank hole, void of life and saturated in blood, but he doubted Kagome would go for such garish lodgings. She wasn't demanding by any definition, but being human, certain necessities did need to be met lest her health fail her.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have insisted," Kagome apologized, her head falling forward as she found it difficult to meet his somber gaze.
Her attempts to hide her face failed when his large, slender fingers lifted her chin and her eyes leveled with his crimson stare, "Your health is more delicate than mine." It was not an insult, she knew him well enough to discern that. He had personal experience being human, and knew the varying demands that it harbored; this was his way of saying that he would provide appropriate conditions for her, and outside on a crisp night like this, was not sufficient. Smiling softly, Kagome let sleep take her away as she nestled in the safest place she knew: cuddled up in Naraku's lap.
"Kagome," a whispered tune reached the priestess's ears. "Kagome." She sat up, finding her pillow and bed had wandered off, leaving her instead draped in a familiar white fur. Looking around the room revealed she to be the only occupant, well, other than the several inch-long, spider servants Naraku often used to keep an eye on her. Whether conjured or miniature detachments she wasn't sure, but they each sported a specific pattern that let her identify them as his. She wasn't sure where Naraku vanished to; he sure was acting strange, well, stranger than usual. His absence did not bother her too much, though; he would come back, he always did. But, if he wasn't here, then who had called her name, or was it just a dream?
She stood shakily, letting the baboon pelt slide to the floor as she stretched. The cool morning air nipped at her skin and she quickly decided that getting dressed would be the first task of the morning. Sliding her arm into the priestess robes, she heard it again, "Kagome, Kagome." That was definitely not a dream. The second she moved to leave the room, one of the tiny spiders scampered up her hand from the door and resolved to rest on her shoulder, under her hair and out of sight. She couldn't help but think how cute the little things were, even though her first encounter had been decidedly less calm. The instinctual fear of poisonous arachnids flared the first time, resulting in everything within reach to be thrown haphazardly, but now that she knew they would be harmless to her they resembled little pets that would prove deathly lethal to anyone wanting to harm her.
Slipping out of her door, she listened carefully, following the incoherent melody that occasionally called out to her by name. It grew louder the closer to the front of the inn she got, but just as she reached the courtyard, it stopped cold. "I was sure I heard my name," Kagome whispered to herself, searching for where the enchanting sound could have come from. There was a elderly couple walking by, two men talking jovially while taking what they thought were sly glances at her, and a mother walking by with a basket on her head and a baby on her back.
About to turn and return, the sound rang out clear as could be, right outside the inn, "Ka-gome, Kagome." She turned and headed for the sound, not about to let it get away this time. "You are no more than a bird in a cage. Crane and a turtle gonna slip and fall. Who's behind you now are they big or small?" What she saw however, made her feel silly for rushing in the first place; it was just a group of kids playing a game. The game just happened to have her name in the song. Kagome was no stranger to this game, the other kids had made fun of her with it when she was little, always making her sit in the middle while they made a circle and sang, and every time, she knew exactly who was behind her. There was no explanation, she just knew. The sight was almost hypnotizing with nostalgia; even if it was a less than favorable memory, it still reminded her of her family, back in her own time. Oh how she missed her mother's wisdom; she always knew just what to say when she needed help with issues of the heart.
Reiki was blanketed over the shrine and extended into the village below; it was usually enough to keep your average demon far away. Then why was there a trace of demonic aura invading her senses? Hitomiko, the resident shrine maiden, could not shake the nagging feelings of wrongness that permeated the air. Her clairvoyance had never been wrong before and succeeded on drawing the priestess from her hilltop shrine. The aura was miniscule, evasive, and exceedingly difficult to pinpoint. Actually, if felt like multiple aura's, all centered around the inn. Determination glimmered in tired, violet eyes; this was not the life she had chosen, but it had become her fate to hunt demons, just as she had for two decades, ever since meeting him.
The disturbance in the land drew Hitomiko through the streets, searching for the cause. Word from the villagers told her of a priestess that was passing though, with a formidable looking guard, and so, she set out to find her. It was the only lead, and explained why it was the inn that stole her attention. Catching sight of the woman who looked about the same age, yet full of youthful life sent warning bells off in the other's mind. There was nothing overtly dangerous to her appearance; but that did not alleviate the ominous presence she felt as the lively woman danced and played with the children in the courtyard, 'There is something odd about that priestess; it almost feels like she has a demonic aura.'
The children spotted Hitomiko first and moved their game away, causing the foreign priestess to look up curiously, which made Hitomiko all the more wary; one with similar powers should have already known of her advance, "Are you the priestess that is passing through this village?"
Kagome heard a tiny hissing sound by her ear; Naraku's spider was not pleased with this priestess's proximity. Kagome's friendliness overrode her mate's aversion; it would look suspicious otherwise. Naraku was not here at the moment, so there was no harm in talking to another priestess, right? "Yeah, I'm just waiting for my friend, then I'll be heading out," she smiled brightly and did not shy away from the slow release of holy aura such as a demon would. "My name's Kagome. The children called you Lady Hitomiko?"
"Hn," she nodded as her mind was trying to piece together this puzzle before for with subtle tests. "That is correct." 'Curious,' Hitomiko could clearly feel a small, tainted aura on the other woman, but she did not appear affected by her powers. Unseen to Hitomiko, the spider under Kagome's hair was throwing a royal tantrum; hissing, crawling just about everywhere under the silken, black veil, and prodding her with its forelegs. "Where are you headed, if I may ask?"
"We are going to Mount Azusa," Kagome looked around briefly before adding, "whenever he gets back, that is." Kagome did not miss the interrogative tone of voice, or the prodding at her with holy powers. Thinking back, it was similar to how Kikyo used to treat her; a very familiar and unappreciated sensation. Hitomiko seemed to relax when Kagome mentioned her destination being a holy sight, but her gaze quickly changed to aggressive.
"What business would a demon have on sacred ground?" gentle prying had not worked in unearthing this creature; next course of action was to be blunt.
Kagome stumbled back at the sudden intensity, "D-demon? You're not calling me a demon, are you?" Not that she had anything against them, she mated one for heaven's sake, but she hadn't been mistaken as one past that first day she fell through the well, and she was even wearing era appropriate clothing this time.
"You hold a demonic aura," she raised her belled relic, causing the item to ring. "It can only be assumed that a demon has taken control of your body for foul purposes." She swiped it to the side, releasing blades that cut into Kagome's skin and splattered blood in a circle around her form. "Whether demon yourself or possessed by one, you will not be able to move. You would be wise to show yourself."
Kagome's hand held her cut cheek. Feeling the blood slide between her fingers made her red with fury; this person had no right to attack her. Even if she were a demon, she wasn't hurting anyone; blind hatred was one of the things that really got the open-minded priestess's blood burning. Defiantly, she stood tall and took one smooth step out of the circle, "And what about if I'm not a demon?" The little spider on her shoulder stopped moving when the circle was placed, but resumed hissing when she stepped outside the entrapment. Hitomiko looked on perplexed at the angry visage before her. She had been so sure of her conclusion. "As you can see," Kagome held her arms out in the search me pose as her own holy aura rose in response to her emotional state, "I am not a demon."
Hitomiko's arm went limp at her side; her bell-clad relic hang from her grasp. She closed her eyes and inclined her head slightly, "It would seem I was mistaken. Please, accept my apology." Looking back up at the miffed woman, she could still clearly feel the tiny demonic aura on her person, but whatever it's cause, could not be dealt with in the typical fashion, it would seem. "In recompense, allow me to advise you. Kagome: that name you bear holds a special power; it was not given to you by chance. Is that why you seek Mount Azusa, to escape your cage, little bird?" Hitomiko's voice was soft as she urged Kagome to look behind her and see who was really pulling her strings. Perhaps this Kagome priestess was unable to ask for help and speaking in code could get around her captor's notice.
"What are you even talking about?" Kagome's voice increased in pitch as she grew tired of defending herself to this person she just met. "You seem to think I'm trapped, but that is not true. I'm-" Her rant was stopped mid sentence by a familiar hand gripping her shoulder gently. "There you are. Where were you?" Kagome was glad; anything to change the subject.
Naraku had been trying to get Kagome to just walk away from Hitomiko, but the stubborn female refused to listen to the hissing messenger perched on her shoulder. He was faced with no other choice but to retrieve her himself, hopefully, this could be done quick enough to avoid further confrontation. Hitomiko was not one to mess with without extensive plans in place. Even as a child, she held the power to drive him off; he did not wish to test her powers further at this time.
'That man, the moment he approached, all trace of demonic aura vanished,' Hitomiko registered the anomaly acutely. 'It is not the girl that I need be wary of, but him, I am sure of it.' "You, why do you not speak?" she addressed firmly, not one to miss his silence at his companion's question. She could sense nothing from him; nothing at all, whereas even humans gave off some clue of their integrity. Something deep down signaled a memorable danger in this one; something faded by time, but never forgotten. "You seem familiar to me."
Kagome looked back and forth, is this priestess the reason he did not wish to come here? Piecing the puzzle together, she took the initiative to take their leave, "Well, anyways, it was nice meeting you, Lady Hitomiko. I hope you fare well." She let Naraku lead her away, keeping up with his long strides, but halted and turned when Hitomiko called out.
"Wait," her bells rang with every step. "If you will forgive my earlier assumptions, you have yet to relay your purpose on Mount Azusa?" Kagome looked away, not wanting to get into that topic, especially with one who would likely turn it around on her again.
Sensing the turbulence in Kagome's aura and knowing that tears would soon follow, Naraku responded in vague words to get them away quicker. His voice slithered out in sensuously low tones that could make a person's insides quiver in both desire and terror at will, "To seek counsel."
Like a alarm chiming in a void, that voice brought the distant, but vivid memory forward; the day fighting demons became her purpose, whether it was desired or not. Every detail played out in her mind in that instant, from the white-clad demon's attempt on her life, to the way the other children melted down to bones around her, and lastly to her master's death. Hitomiko gasped sharply, "I know, that voice!" It was the same voice that disturbed her nightmare-filled sleep; the haunting sound that made her wake in a cold sweat. "It couldn't be. You- you're that demon from twenty years ago!"
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Love\'s Consequences