Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

Web of Lies (Naraku/OC/Kagewaki Hitomi)	By : Crystal_Tsukino Category: InuYasha > General > DarkFic Views: 903 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and it's characters does not belong to me, only the OCs that will appear in the story are mine, yet I have no personal interest of profit with it. It's free entertainment from a fan to fans.

Chapter List
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- 92
How long has it been since the last time she saw Naraku? A month? Annabelle had no idea. At least during this period she has achieved to find a path in her life, yet it wasn't a very original idea. The lass decided to keep her powers in secret again to not draw too much attention, and began to live from her artistic talents only. With Naraku's pelt, she covered her exotic ginger hair, a thin white lacy veil sewed by her hands hid the watery color of her pools as the lass traveled like this through villages after villages, as an itinerant musician. On the first days, she sang a capella the folk songs of her homeland, till she raised enough wealth to order a small wooden lyre. Soon she got a humble wagon and a little donkey – far different from the horse that once has been her companion – still so, it was a dignified help to take the woman wherever she needed to go. Inside her neckline, Anna carried a leather purse with an amount of coins she achieved to gather from different regions. Although it wasn't easy to save wealthiness, she did the little she could, but maybe it would take years until she could return to her country.
Would it be another attempt of running from my ghosts? Anna wondered, recalling a conversation she had with Keiko, while crossing the woods into her poor vehicle which was shaking so much that she feared it would fall apart. The lass still missed the people who sheltered her, although she was conscious that her presence would put them in danger, and being by their side also wouldn't pacify her state of mind. Here or in Scotland, this won't change within me. She snorted, anguished. From there on, the same usual questions would revolve into her head: what am I doing? What is the sense of all of this?
Anytime a rumor about Naraku reached her ears, or when she sensed his youki spreading around, the lass would take the opposite trail, each time getting more distance from conflicts, from reunions, from the fate which he couldn't escape and she wouldn't be able to change, nor she would have the right to do so. However, that land was far too little and sooner or later an encounter should happen, if not with him, it would be with any other acquaintance.
"You..." a voice sounded from her back, just when she decided to take a break to brush her donkey's greyish hair.
"Kikyo!" She pulled up the veil covering her eyes and smiled in relief when seeing the priestess walking normally after almost dying in Naraku's hands. Kikyo, on her turn, was studying the foreigner from head to toes attentively.
"Why are you wearing this?" She mentioned the baboon pelt.
"It warms me on cold nights." Anna sighed, squeezing the white fur.
Then a noise came from the woods, the foreigner saw some bamboos being overthrown and soon a boy dressing a demon slayer suit emerged, wiping the sweat on his forehead.
"Miss Kikyo, now we can cross this trail." Kohaku announced, holding his scythe.
"Kohaku!" Annabelle called, bewildered but glad, capturing his attention.
"Mistress..." With widened eyes, discretely blushing, the boy stopped what he was doing and gazed at her. Then he saw the woman running towards him, soon his shoulders were gently squeezed by her hands, and his cheeks grew warm by her protective touch.
"Are you conscious?!" She asked, gasping and carefully arranging his bangs.
"Y-yes..." red as a tomato, the boy looked at the grass. "And I remember everything too."
Annabelle covered her mouth with one hand first, and next she held him tight.
"I'm so happy for you!" Moved, the lass confessed while stroking his head. "But why aren't you with Sango then?" Suddenly she got confused, seeing the boy wander around, away from his sister. Seconds later, noting a sad look in his eyes, she regretted asking that question. Anna could imagine how painful it must be to Kohaku to face Sango, it was natural that he wished to remain distant. "I'm sorry..."
"Kohaku has joined me on a mission." Kikyo came closer to them and spoke serenely. "We shall defeat Naraku using his shard."
"But, without the shard, Kohaku will..." Her face grew paler with the single thought. "You can't do this to him!" Anna stared at the miko with a terrified gaze.
"Mistress, even if I have to sacrifice my life, I already have decided." Certainty emanated from the boy's almond eyes like two intense flames. "I will avenge my family and my clan, that is the only way for me to find peace."
Tremulous turquoises widened, shimmering, as her lips parted and yet didn't make a sound, just released some air. How he has grown! Soon after, she turned and focused on the priestess, seeing the same conviction in her features, and also a sort of softness that wasn't usual. Kikyo didn't seem to exhale the bitterness caused by a premature death anymore. Between the boy and the miko there was conformity.
"Sango will be destroyed if something happens to him, he is her only family..." Annabelle said, it was the only appeal she could make. The woman of obsidian hair and snow white skin looked to every corner around them, and finally stared the foreigner in the eyes.
"You can help him," she revealed. "You can prevent him from dying and that is why I am here."
"What?!" Anna almost jumped, Kohaku showed himself as surprised as the ginger lass.
"I've been looking for you for quite a while..." Kikyo, on her turn, remained placid. "You are the only one who can help me to save Kohaku's life."
"Then tell me what to do!" Belle knew far well her power to bring the dead back to life, but what could she do for the boy if he was still alive? Would Kikyo suggest her to join their side till the day Naraku resolved to retrieve the jewel shard? Only thinking of the possibility made her heart skip.
"Understand that, if you agree, you will be condemning Naraku." The priestess has been very clear.
Annabelle felt the coldest winter storm twirling into her core, making her unable to show any immediate reaction, her sky-blue pools just kept locked with the dark ones.
"I can see you do not have the Shikon shard in your chest anymore." Kikyo slowly blinked after staring at the foreigner restlessly for a while, with an almost hypnotic effect.
"Kagome... she managed to take it from me." The lass breathed in deeply, restraining her emotions the better she could.
"You allowed her to do so." The miko corrected her. "At last..." a tiny smile curved her pale lips. "Now you are free, and whatever you choose to do will be only and exclusively your responsibility," and the smile was gone.
Anna cleared her throat, lowering the baboon pelt to her shoulders. Kohaku was watching the two women in silence.
"You know Naraku delayed the most he could to take that shard from you, do you not?" The priestess inquired.
"He..." Lips sealed for instants as she remembered their encounter when Naraku almost died by Inuyasha's hands. Annabelle recalled him embracing her, confessing he couldn't let her go. In other occasions, it seemed the hanyo would finally free her from that burden, and then he stepped back. "It wasn't the time." She repeated something he said when they met after Mount Hakurei's fall.
"Without noticing, you purified that shard. If Naraku touched it in such condition, his body would disintegrate instantaneously and not even a grain of dust of his would remain in this world. It was simply for this reason and no other else." Kikyo spoke, emphasizing the last sentence most of all.
"No, you are mistaken..." Belle wanted to sound firm, but not even she was so sure.
Another memory ascended, of the day Naraku has sent her away. His puppet mentioned to take the shard from her chest and as soon as a tentacle touched her skin, the white baboon vanished into sparkles. Annabelle felt so dizzy while remembering it, that she had to seek balance against the nearest tree. All this time she has believed that the spider hasn't released her for sentimental reasons, and once more the circumstances were proving that everything he used to do was always for his own benefit. Still so, the pressure within her core found no relief.
"Naraku would need to taint that shard before taking it from you." Kikyo continued. "In other words, he needed to stain your soul so that tiny piece of Shikon no Tama could be darkened."
So he poisoned my relationship with Ailyn again and killed her... Yes, that made sense. Since the hanyo has built his new body, most of his actions were to make her suffer somehow. However, after all the misfortunes Naraku put her through, he still looked for her in such an exasperated state after Sesshomaru brought her back to life, and even when she didn't have the shard anymore, he saved her from Hakudoshi and carefully bathed her in the warm waters of a spring... Though about a month has passed, when Anna closed her eyes she could feel those arms protectively entwining around her frail forms as if it has happened a day ago. He was regretful!
Yet, her eyelids unsealed and the blue globes fell upon the boy which features seemed faded by all tragedies he had to endure. Then she gazed at the niveous miko whose life was sustained by souls of passed young women. What was the point of Naraku repenting the suffering he has inflicted on Annabelle when he wouldn't think twice before hurting anyone else? She remembered Kagome expressing her thoughts about Naraku's feelings as if it has been said yesterday, the lass also recalled the harsh, but honest Inuyasha's words into Onigumo's cave. Nothing changed what Naraku has done, neither what he could do in the future. Sango's brother and Kikyo's presences in that wood were a proof of it.
Though Annabelle has made it clear she didn't want to participate in this story, guilt was surrounding her like a dark cloud.
"What happens if I choose to not get involved?" Her voice cracked while asking, hands were clenching into fists under her sleeves.
"As soon as Naraku takes Kohaku's shard back, the boy will die." Kikyo told. Even if she looked like a constant, unbreakable wave most of the time, in that instant she frowned and her eyes twinkled. Such emotion overcame Anna's depths as well.
Kohaku's gaze wasn't focusing on anything as he tried to dominate his own yearnings. He could be a kid, and still the experiences he was forced to go through made his naiveness fade too soon. To show himself strong was a matter of necessity. Belle kneeled in front of him and touched his chin, as a request for the boy to look at her. Almond and turquoise globes shimmered their worries and reached an understanding.
"I won't let you die." At last she made a decision, as painful as it was. She would give reason to Sesshomaru's theory, the lass would be Naraku's ruin, but she wouldn't possibly allow Kohaku's life to be taken. "What do I need to do?"
"We will do it together." Kikyo, feeling relieved and proud of the foreigner's choice, also stood on her knees. "Kohaku, please sit on your back to us" She guided.
The boy obediently complied. Already sitting, he rested the hands over his legs and closed the eyes.
Kikyo took Annabelle's right hand and put it next to the kid's nape.
"Concentrate all your energies here," with her fingers still covering Anna's, the miko said calmly.
Sky-blue pools closed, she breathed in slowly and did what she was told. The lass summoned the nature's forces to herself, then she sent them to that piece of skin her palm was pointing. The white veil of light evolved her and hovered upon Kohaku's silhouette, gradually warming him, nearly making him sleep. Soon, Kikyo's spiritual energy mixed with Annabelle's and both hands, entwined over Kohaku's back, have shone like a little star.
"There..." Discretely gasping, the miko released Anna's hand. Kohaku opened his eyes.
"You aren't fully healed from Naraku's attack yet." The foreigner sadly sighed, then offered the other woman an arm so she could raise.
"I am well enough to finish what I started." Kikyo accepted the help and got up along the red-haired highlander.
"How so, Kikyo?" She asked, feeling discomfort about such way of speak.
"You will understand in time..." The priestess smiled. "What matters the most is that Kohaku is safe now, all because of you."
"What have we done?" Still troubled, Anna wanted to know.
"If it makes you feel better, know that your power was responsible to heal him from the deadly wounds he has suffered. If I took this shard off his back now, Kohaku wouldn't feel a thing."
Annabelle sighed like an enormous weight has been taken from her shoulders. Still so, there was the other side of the coin, the part which wouldn't allow her to find peace.
"And Naraku? How does it affects him?" She asked melancholy.
"You and I, together, have purified the shard. I had my way on concealing this light so Naraku will not notice it. In the moment he touches this shard, if his heart is in his body, he will perish." In the end of the phrase, the priestess released a sigh, for the pain overflowing from the foreigner's features was almost palpable.
"He will know!" She said, a bit for the fear, and much for having hope that if the hanyo figured it out he could escape from such destiny somehow.
"He will not, I assure you," Kikyo said.
Anna bit her lower lip and her head leaned down, one hand of hers rested over her chest, uselessly trying to restrain the ache inside.
"Be proud of yourself." Kikyo touched her shoulders. "What you did was commendable".
I betrayed him. Though the miko's words should calm her down, that was the only thought filling her mind. How could Anna feel so wrong if she knew she has done the right thing? And why did she still care, still thought so much of him, even without that cursed piece of gem to manipulate her?
"Thank you, mistress Anaberu." Kohaku knelt humbly in front of her, bringing her back to reality. "How can I pay for such enormous favor? Tell me, I'll do whatever I can."
"When all this hell is finished," she swallowed her bitterness and lifted her sight to the skies. "When Naraku has been defeated, I want you to go back to your sister."
"What?" Blushing by surprise, he stared at her.
"Promise me," her eyes met his again, "you will deal with your past with head up high, and will return to your sister." Seeing him hesitate, she leaned down and held his hands. "Do you remember what I told about pain?" The boy nodded, Anna kept talking: "face your pain. After fulfilling your goal, you must reach an understanding with Sango. Rejoice for still having a family, Kohaku." Her final words made emotions flow hard, she was alone after all. A tear poured by the corner of her face. "Do I have your word?"
"I promise, mistress..." Also moved, he rubbed one arm on his eyes and sealed the pact.
"We must go now." Kikyo announced.
"Will you be alright? Naraku tried to kill you, he'll surely try again." Annabelle stared at her, visibly worried.
"You have no need to worry, my path is already marked out before me." On her back to the ginger lass, she started to walk away. "Now take care of yourself, you have a whole life ahead, do not waste it." Kikyo glanced at her.
"Will we see each other again?" Anna gave two steps towards her, then stopped. Following the priestess wasn't her intent.
"I believe this is our last encounter." Kikyo smiled. "Although everything we have been through, it has been good to meet you."
"It was good to meet you too, Kikyo." A hunch took over her thoughts, like a voice within, telling her that it was really the last time their paths would cross. Although that made her feel sad, she was smiling to show a gesture of kindness to a woman who already has suffered a lot.
Finally, the duo went through the trail Kohaku has made between the bamboos and vanished into the vast green. Annabelle was alone with her donkey and wagon one more time. In additional, she had only a dreadful feeling, a new anguish to her collection. The foreigner looked at every side, even gazed at the sky, searching for any sign of being watching by him, there was nothing at all. Not a single Saimyosho, nor a puppet, in such crucial moment Naraku has been absent, he wouldn't know she had contributed to his demise.
At last, Sesshomaru was right, she would indeed be Naraku's fall.
How could I do that? Anna jumped inside the wagon and made the donkey walk. On the next nights, her great deed would haunt her more than the very Kagewaki's ghost did.
XXX
On days ahead, between fulfilling quests along the pilgrimage that would lead her to the next village where she would raise more wealth, the feeling of remorse for having stabbed the hanyo on the back persisted tormenting her, it didn't matter how much Anna was trying to convince herself that she didn't commit any crime. In truth, if she was selfish, the lass wouldn't have found courage to save Kohaku.
I was thinking of a greater good! She scolded her own thoughts of repentance while pulling the donkey's reins, wanting to fasten their rhythm, yet nothing happened. Instead of rushing the pace, the donkey just stalled.
"Wonderful!" She jumped of the wagon, and in a glimpse of anger, Anna kicked one of the wooden wheels just to hurt her foot, then she yelled, throwing her frustration against the world and her own self.
"My, my, what do we have here?" The lass heard a masculine voice at first, then many other giggled, hiding behind trees.
"Who are you?" Anna covered her forehead, seeking for some patience inside.
"She is different," another man said, while getting close.
"I like that!" One more started to approach, and suddenly there were five men there, everyone dressing old clothes and looking dirty, disarranged, the typical road's bandits.
"I have nothing to offer you," Anna mentioned the idea of climbing the wagon, then she remembered her "stallion" was in fact a mule, and was refusing to leave it's place. I shouldn't use my power, they're only ordinary men... Her honor wouldn't allow her to spill their blood, even if their character were dubious. As her last option, there was a wooden stick tied on her back, under the baboon pelt. Well, at least they didn't call me a yokai. Some sense of humor remained inside Annabelle.
As soon as the first thief came close enough, Annabelle tossed the baboon pelt over the wagon, pulled the long stick she kept on her back and hit the fellow's head, making he faint on the moss. The others then cornered her, each one holding a sort of knife or sword. She thanked Himawari in thoughts for teaching her the movements, so Anna spun her body gracefully and fast, hitting the men on his ankles and bellies, knocking them down. Luckily for her, those bandits didn't seem to be skilled fighters, it shouldn't be a coincidence they had chose her as a victim. Surely such jerks must have thought she was just a defenseless maiden wandering alone in the woods, an easy prey indeed.
In the end, Anna defeated them all, startling the men. However, during one of her twirls, the purse carrying her savings fell from her cleavage. One of the bandits, till then faking to be unconscious, took it and ran away frantically.
Outrageous, Annabelle would run right after, yet she noticed the rest of them aiming to assault her wagon. The lass couldn't let her food be taken, so she hit all of those heads with her stick one more time, letting their tops with a considerate amount of bumps.
Howls suddenly echoed, sounding near.
"Wolves!" One man screamed and gasped, immediately all of the thieves fled desperately and Annabelle saw herself isolated on that mossy trail.
"Come on, come on!" She embraced her donkey, then tried to help him to walk, yet nothing made the little fellow move. Growls sounded even closer, reverberating from every sides. Anna breathed in and climbed the wagon, making everything she could so the donkey would walk. When the first step was finally given, unfortunately a wolf emerged between the trees and jumped directly on the poor animal's neck. The lass muffled a scream while her companion's throat was being slashed and the brownish wolf's fur ended dyed in red with the donkey's blood.
Another predators like that came to feed themselves with the poor animal remains. One of them raised it's bloody head and noticed Annabelle's presence. Soon, many of those starving beasts were fixated on her, while their mouths were salivating.
I hoped I wouldn't have to do this, but I see no other alternative... Anna lifted up and came down the vehicle, being followed by those monstrous eyes. However, not a wolf stepped further to initiate an attack. She stared at them directly, slowly coming closer. Subtly, Annabelle looked at one specific wolf, the biggest of the pack, and decided she should go to that one. The animal insisted on growling, assuming a hostile position till a hand touched his forehead and caressed it. Then, the beast and the woman stood staring at each other for a while, never once blinking. The grunts faded gradually, till only silence remained. The other wolves began to walk away, and finally their leader followed the same path.
The foreigner glanced at the little pieces of her donkey, spread upon the ground. She sighed sadly. Anna could bring him back with her gift, but the poor animal was visibly stressed on the last days, maybe pulling the wagon was too much for him, he wasn't happy indeed. It was fair to let the donkey rest in peace.
Then how will I leave this place?
"Impressive!" Someone said, they weren't far.
Annabelle searched for the direction where the voice came and saw the fellow over a high branch, his clear-blue eyes were shinning over her visage.
The wolf demon! She recognized Koga and shivered, noticing he had seen Naraku's pelt over her things in the wagon, and if a human like her could still sense the hanyo's scent on the fur, the yokai jumping from the tree to the soil surely was sensing it as well.
To be continued...
XXX
Oh, well, my goal was to divide the original chapter (which had about 7k character) in two, so this one here ended up a bit bigger than usual, I hope you don't mind.
See ya soon, kissuuuus!
- 90
- 91
- 92
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Web of Lies (Naraku/OC/Kagewaki Hitomi)