Corpse Cave ((Yuunagi))

[Kikyo / Jaken]

"You lecture me as though I am dumb." Kikyo removed his hand from her cheek and took a step back. She realised that Yuunagi had touched her due to fascination with her structure, but she still had an emotional re-action to his touch. "Do you think I am dumb because I was not aware about sentimental demons?"

Kikyo smiled due to the concept. She had never met a sentimental demon and when Yuunagi told her that sentimental demons were real, she re-acted as she would have if Yuunagi had told her mythical creatures were real. "I am not. I spoke what I believed. What I believed was based on experience, experience I gained when countless attempts were made on my life by monsters that were called 'demons'."

Kikyo broke eye-contact with Yuunagi. She could hear the bitterness in her own words, and with that bitterness she could not make eye-contact with Yuunagi. She continued, however, "I am a regular priestess now, but there was a time when I was an important priestess. I guarded the Shikon Jewel when it was whole 50 years ago."

"The Shikon Jewel was the reason countless attempts were made on my life. I was killed by the demon Naraku and I was resurrected as an 'anthroparion' by the demon Urasue against my desire. With that said, I apologise about any 'human misconception' I may have had."

It was silent for a moment. Kikyo realised that she was jaded, and that because she was jaded she was ugly. She did not want to be ugly. She wanted to be beautiful. However, she was distracted when she remembered what Yuunagi had told her about his heritage.

Kikyo made eye-contact with Yuunagi again. She had to look up to make eye-contact with him. He a tall man. He was much taller than her. However, it was not his height that had intimidated her when he told her about his heritage. It was how he had looked at her. It was how he had spoken to her. As though she were no better than the earth on his boots. Kikyo smiled at the irony because she was constructed with earth, after all.

Yuunagi had called her an "anthroparion" but Kikyo didn't even know what an anthroparion was. However, she assumed that an anthroparion must be what she was. She had never known what she was. When she thought about it now, Kikyo decided that she didn't care what she had been resurrected as. It was an abomination to her.

Kikyo commented on Yuunagi's heritage, "You are half-viper demon and half-dragon demon." It was not a question. "I think I understand your conflicting aura now." Kikyo had thought earlier that it was powerful and it was benevolent.

"You told me that your 'benevolence' was a by-product of your maternal heritage. Perhaps I am mistaken, but you do not seem to think this by-product is important. Or you do not seem to think it exists at all. Whether or not I am biased about demons I am a good judge of character." She had only been wrong once.

"However, are you determined to prove me wrong?" Kikyo closed her eyes before Yuunagi responded. When her eyes were closed she summoned her shinidamuchu (soul collectors). The shinidamuchu appeared in the room.

"This conversation had reminded me. I came here to kill you." Kikyo opened her eyes. "I do not intend to do that now. It is not because I am wounded," Kikyo looked at her leg, "I lied when I told you I was not wounded. It is not terminal, but it is not a 'minor injury' like I told you earlier either."

Kikyo looked back at Yuunagi and there was sadness in her eyes. "I came here to kill you because I thought you were a ghoul. I told you this earlier too. However, I did not explain that a ghoul is a malevolent creature. It does not understand the world around it, nor does it want to understand the world around it. These creatures benefit naught but themselves."

"However, you are not like a ghoul. You want to understand the world around you. I do not think you understand it yet, but when you do you have the potential to do great things." Kikyo was prepared to ride her shinidamuchu out of the cave. However, Kikyo wanted to ask Yuunagi a question before she rode her shinidamuchu.

"What do you intend to do with me, Yuunagi?" She wanted to know. Did he want to kill her? Did he want to learn more about her (as all scholars she had encounter did)?

[Sesshoumaru / Yuunagi no Kimi]

She called him a half-viper demon and half-dragon demon. While the former was accurate, the later was incorrect. He found it oddly irksome that his mother had been referred to as such. Fallen though she may have been, a dragon demon she was not. His mother was a goddess; thus, Yuunagi was both a hanyou and a demi-god. The insinuation that he was fully demon felt strangely offensive.

He was tempted to correct her error, but he doubted that she would be receptive. Instead, he chose to answer her final question. Something else she had said had caught his interest.

“What I want with you?” He paused for moment to consider his words, and then continued with:

“Information. There are things that I want to know, priestess. You mentioned Naraku and the Shikon Jewel as though they should be common knowledge; yet, I know little of either. I have been away from these lands for a very long time—only recently am I returned. I seek to learn what I have... missed out on. From context, I can deduce that this Shikon Jewel is a relic of vast power. Still, I seek confirmation: what is the exact nature of the jewel? Also, who is this Naraku of which you speak? I’ve heard murmurs of the name since my return, but I have yet to receive a straight answer as to the identity of this demon. There seems to be too much incongruous rumor about, far too much to form any conclusion."

[Kikyo / Jaken]

"Information?" Kikyo repeated. Kikyo had information for him. Kikyo let go of her shinidamachu and the shinidamachu flew to join the other shinidamachu. "I have information." She confirmed and sighed before she sat down. Her leg was regenerating and she was thankful that it was regenerating.

"The Shikon Jewel..." Kikyo said as though she did not remember what it was. "The Shikon Jewel was invented before I was born. 'Invented' is not the right word. The Shikon Jewel was 'created' when an ancient priestess named Midoriko took the soul of a demon into her own soul and expelled that soul from her body."

"Midoriko was not a regular priestess. She was a strong priestess, stronger than I am. Although you may not be aware, I am much stronger than a regular priestess." Kikyo told Yuunagi without arrogance in her voice. She did not brag about her spiritual powers. It was her spiritual powers that had doomed her.

"She was able to stabilize souls. When she stabilized the souls of demons, those demons died. 100 demons used a human as a crucible to become one great demon that attacked Midoriko. That was the demon that Midoriko took into her own soul, but was unable to stabilize before it was thrust out... as the Shikon Jewel."

Kikyo had summoned her shinidamachu earlier. When she had summoned them the shinidamachu began to collect souls. These collected souls were returned to Kikyo, who absorbed the souls the shinidamachu brought her without interrupting her information. "The Shikon Jewel was able to increase the power of demons."

"Demons sought after the Shikon Jewel to increase their power. Humans sought after the Shikon Jewel to prevent demons from increasing their power. 50 years ago the Shikon Jewel was discovered by warriors and brought to me. The Shikon Jewel was brought to me, because as I mentioned earlier... I am stronger than a regular priestess."

Kikyo paused. She contemplated how she should continue. She doubted that Yuunagi wanted to hear about her personal experiences when he asked for information and decided that she would not mention her personal experiences in depth. "I was protecting the Shikon Jewel at the same time I was nursing a wounded bandit."

"His name was Onigumo. He was unable to move so I kept him in a cave. I fed him and changed him in that cave. Although no one wanted me to nurse Onigumo, I wanted to nurse Onigumo because I trust in the good that exists in all people." Kikyo frowned, "Onigumo betrayed that trust."

"Onigumo wanted me. He also wanted the Shikon Jewel. He gave his body to 100 demons to create a new body. This new body was a hanyou and this hanyou named itself Naraku... Naraku took on Inu-Yasha's appearance and wounded me. Inu-Yasha was a hanyou I loved 50 years ago. After he wounded me he stole the jewel."

Kikyo sighed again. "Naraku did not have to do that. Naraku could have killed me in his regular form, rather than the form of Inu-Yasha. However, he wanted to hurt me. Naraku took on my appearance and wounded Inu-Yasha too. Naraku wants to hurt people. He is an evil hanyou."

"He seeks the Shikon Jewel to become a full demon. However, the Shikon Jewel was broken into fragments. Now Naraku seeks the fragments of the Shikon Jewel. When he a full demon I know that he intends to kill me. I do not know what he intends to do after he has killed me, but I doubt that he has good intentions. I am going to stop him. After I stop him I am going to kill him."

"After I kill him... I do not know what I will do." Kikyo paused because she was afraid to continue. "However, that is all the information I can give you on The Shikon Jewel and Naraku. You are a dai-yokai. I doubt that you are interested in the Shikon Jewel fragments. If you are not interested in the Shikon Jewel fragments, Naraku will not be interested in you."

Kikyo did not mention what she thought. "However, Naraku will be interested in you if you become involved with me."

[Sesshoumaru / Yuunagi no Kimi]

After hearing Kikyou’s tale about the Shikon Jewel and Naraku, Yuunagi scratched thoughtfully at his chin and murmured, “A jewel capable of instilling power… I wonder…”

Trailing off mid-thought, Yuunagi promptly stepped away from Kikyou. As he made his way toward the back of the cave’s chamber, he elaborated on his sudden distraction:

“Some months ago, I had come into the possession of a deceased chimaeroid. While dissecting the contents of its stomach, I found a crystalline fragment. Although I did not know what caused the fragment’s formation, nor its exact composition, I was able to observe that it had been infused with malicious youki. Thus, I decided to keep it for study. I have only conducted a few tests, so far, and have yet to unlock its innermost secrets. I did, however, discover that it is able to bring madness to the weaker minded--or control over the mindless. Also, it draws upon lesser youkai like a flame does the moth. The later proved to be both bothersome and distracting, therefore, to prevent more youkai from sensing the fragment, I sealed it inside a box of Cold Iron.”

After reaching into the drawer, he extracted an iron lockbox. Atop its lid was a talisman made of cloth, an ofuda, upon which the name of a sea kami, the serpentine dragon god Owatatsumi, along with a containment seal, had been scrawled in neat calligraphy. As he touched the container, it sparked and crackled as though trying to repel Yuunagi’s touch. The serpent gave a faint grunt of discomfort, but otherwise gave no indication that the box caused him any pain. Placing the box atop his desk, he pulled off the lid and set it aside. Then, he quickly released his hold. The crackling and fizzing stopped, but his palms were now tinged a red colour. After giving his hands a quick shake, to ward off the pricking sensation of pins-and-needles left behind from touching the box, he reached inside. A sensation of malice suddenly filled the cave as Yuunagi extracted a shard of the Shikon Jewel from the container. The shard was a tinted lurid black-violet, and carried the dark glow of corruption.

Turning back toward Kikyou, he leaned against the desk. Holding the shard between his left thumb and forefinger, he extended his hand so that she may see. An eerier spark glinted in Yuunagi’s pupil-sit eyes, as his lips twisted into a grin far wider than humanly possible—giving him a rather snake-like appearance.

His long tongue traced across his lower lip, before he drawled, “Quite the curiousss oddity, thiss little thing. Tell me, young priesstesss, iss thisss the sshard of which you ssspoke?”

[Kikyo / Jaken]

Kikyo looked at the tainted shard. Kikyo had seen a tainted jewel before. Kikyo had seen a tainted shard before too. But Kikyo had never seen a shard as tainted as the shard Yuunagi held now. Kikyo inhaled and held her breath before she exhaled and stood up.

Kikyo approached Yuunagi although she approached Yuunagi with caution. A regular demon would have been overwhelmed due to the taint on this shard. Kikyo was glad that Yuunagi was a dai-yokai and not a yokai. Kikyo took the tainted shard from Yuunagi and the moment the tainted shard touched her she shivered.

However, she did not shiver due to the cold in the cave. Although it was cold in the cave the taint on this shard was more disturbing. Kikyo told Yuunagi with the purple light from the tainted shard on her face and reflected in her eyes, "Yes, Yuunagi. This is a shard of the Shikon no Tama."

"However, it is not a regular shard of the Shikon no Tama. This shard is tainted." Kikyo shut her hand with the shard in her hand. Kikyo closed her eyes and said a basic incantation. Kikyo frowned when her incantation was repelled. The shard had repelled her incantation!

Kikyo shut her hand tighter, and a white light surrounded her hand. The second incantation was not repelled. The shard became pure again. When the shard become pure the room became brighter. The air became thinner. And Yuu had a different aura. Kikyo looked at Yuu in surprise and realised his aura had become more balanced.

Kikyo opened her palm. Yuu took the shard from her palm. "You should be able to tell a difference. Although it is common for a shard to become tainted, I have never encountered a shard as tainted as your shard was. You told me that you found that shard in a chimera."

Kikyo frowned. "That is unusual. A chimera is not a benevolent creature, but it is not malevolent enough to create a shard as tainted as your shard was. I would not be surprised to know that shard belonged to a dark priestess or Naraku to be as it was."

Kikyo shivered again. The shard was purified but the tainted aura still lingered in the cave. The tainted aura was heavier than the smell of corpses. However, Kikyo assumed that because the source was gone the aura would not linger much longer. Kikyo looked at Yuu again and asked him, "You told me that you tested that shard."

"How did you test it? It is possible that if you tested the shard through immoral actions the shard could become tainted because of those immoral actions." Although Kikyo did not think that Yuu was malevolent, Kikyo thought that he would do something immoral to learn something new.

[Sesshoumaru / Yuunagi no Kimi]

As he took the shard from her hand, she’d told him that he should be able to tell a difference…

Oh! What a difference it was!

He did not know that the shard could be purified in such a manner—and stranger still, the thought had never even crossed him mind. Had it, he wondered if he would have the means to purify the jewel, himself.

Perhaps—Or, perhaps not.

A creature born of opposing forces, he was as much a demon as he was a god—knowledgeable in the providence of both realms, but master over neither. His magic, for good or evil, could only go so far. The act of purifying a jewel so tainted might just be a feat beyond his capacity. Regardless, now that he knew about this possibility, he wanted to test it—thoroughly. His tongue, no longer forked as it had been moments ago, traced across his lower lip as the thought of this new avenue of research.

He’s almost forgotten the priestess’s presence. Although he had heard her continued speaking, she was far from his mind in these last few moments. It was only when she asked about his research, that his attention returned to her. “There may be merit to your hypothesis, Priestess.” Yuunagi acknowledged her words with an affirmation of his own; however, he chose avoided answering her other question about the means by which he conducted his research—at least, not in detail. Instead, he said:

“This shard did become increasingly… endued… whilst I worked. Such that… I reached a point in my research wherein I needed to limit my exposure. Hence: Sealment within Cold Iron.” Stepping away from Kikyou, he returned to the aforementioned box, and placed the shard within. “I thank you for doing me the favor of purifying this shard, as well as for providing information ‘bout its nature. I shall take caution to pursue future research more judicially.”

[Kikyo / Jaken]

Kikyo understood that Yuunagi wanted her to leave. Kikyo wanted to leave too. Her leg was healed and now that her leg was healed nothing was preventing her from leaving. However, now that the jewel shard aura was gone Kikyo sensed a demon aura. Kikyo frowned and told Yuunagi,

"Yuunagi, there is another demon in your cave." The light in the cave came from the torch light, but the torch light was not bright enough to light all the dark places in the cave. Kikyo looked in one of the dark places in the cave where she thought she sensed a presence.

Kikyo pointed in that dark place. "The demon is there." However, when Kikyo concentrated on the 'demon' she realised that it was not a 'demon' at all. Kikyo had never sensed a presence like this presence before and it frightened her. Yuunagi had frightened her when she realised that he was a dai-yokai.

However, a dai-yokai was at least something that she was familiar with. What she sensed in the dark place was not something she was familiar with at all. "If it is not a demon then what is it?" Kikyo asked. She did not ask Yuunagi. She did not ask herself. She asked the question to no one.

Although Kikyo did not expect an answer, Kikyo received an answer when the presence she had sensed came into the light.

[Sesshoumaru / Yuunagi no Kimi]

A man stepped forward into the light. Beautiful in appearance, he held a kind face. His hair was short and mostly blond in color, but not quite. It carried platinum-like appearance through the mottling of ashen blond, white, and pale blues. Hard to see in the dim lighting, his eyes were heterochromic—one the color of pewter, the other of midnight blue. His ears were rounded like a human, and he might have easily mistaken for one, were it not for his odd coloration and manner of dress. His clothing gave the impression of a nobleman; however, its style did not resemble that of the local nobles. Stylistically, the dragon patterning on the fabric gave the impression of him being from the main land—or beyond. Attired predominately in indigo and violet, he nearly blended into the shadows. However, in the candlelight, the silver of his gauntlet and jeweled adornments seemed to flicker like stars. At his hip was a sword hilted in gold. While man carried no discernible aura of youki, he still held a powerful sense about him. Impending and inevitable—like a force of nature. Is this truly the vibration of an Eclipse Dragon’s soul? How fascinating…

“M’lord,” Yuunagi drawled in greeting. A smile twisted at his lips and fell somewhere between too-sincere and incredulous. Folding himself into a bow that still somehow managed to not seem more indulgent than subservient, the serpent asked the stranger, “To what do I owe your sudden, unplanned visit… Fukuro-ousama?”

The man gave Yuunagi a withering glance, “We had an appointment… or didst thou forget?”

The serpent’s eyes widened and a lilt of surprise entered his voice, “Oh?” Sliding his eyes to the side, and toward his desk, Yuunagi took on a pensive look as he stroked his stubble. On the desk was a candle, burnt down to the ninth hour, “So we did.” He then rolled his shoulders and sighed. “Well, well, then.”

The grin returned as he turned toward Kikyou and stepped forward, soon ushering her in the direction of the cave’s entrance. “My dear priestess… As pleasant as it was meeting you, I must cut this short. I do hope you understand.”

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Fukuro-ousama = Owl King