Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz Media. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Papa's Red Cello
The light from the street lamps bounced over the sleek metallic paint of the patron's cars. The ground glowed as the damp surface picked up the stray rays of warm light. Everyone rushed inside out of the drizzle and into the theater. The dull hum of voices and the smooth sound of tires on pavement a serenade into the night. Through it all the haunting sound of a cello played.
Heels clacked in a rush to enter the auditorium as exclamations of being late and the show starting early flitted though the air. Soon the previously bustling parking lot and front entrance were eerily quiet; the haunting notes of the cello the silence's only companion.
A silver car streaked up the drive and into an empty space. The door flung open and black leather shoes clacked against the wet asphalt as a platinum haired man rushed into the theater. The double beep from his car told him it was locked. After having his ticket stamped and rushing through the lobby, he slunk into the auditorium. The still hair made him feel like a young boy making too much noise in a library as he scanned the crowd in his section, looking for the strawberry blonde hair and white dress.
Carefully slipping past seated patrons, he dropped into the seat beside his date with a quiet whisper of, “Sorry”, into her ear.
“Watch”, was her only answer, with a flippant gesture towards the stage. He knew he was in trouble for being late so he obeyed.
Now the full effect of the ethereal song reached his no longer distracted mind. It made him feel the blood flow through his veins, sent a shiver down his spine, set the hair on his neck and arms to rise. His tongue swelled in his mouth and his throat constricted. The song was frightening, cold, like water with a thin veil of ice over the top. His hands tightened on the arm rest to try and keep himself grounded, he looked around to notice everyone else was similarly entranced.
Then his eyes drifted back to the stage. The red cello danced against the dark backdrop of the stage, swaying back and forth as a pale hand caressed the neck of the instrument. The bow stabbed and swung through the air lying against the strings with a feather soft touch. Barely noticeable was the cellist, in her black clothing and her dark hair sprawled over her face. The stage lights dancing on the smooth surface of her black tresses gave her away, revealing her ghostly presence beside the red cello.
It seemed only minutes but in reality was hours before the lights came on in the auditorium. “Kagome Higurashi”, boomed over the speakers as the cellist stood to take a bow. The crowd stood and offered a standing ovation as she swept silently from the stage.
The lobby was alive with people again, the roar of the conversation reverberating off the walls and filling the previously haunting space. Slipping through the crowd with Ayame on his arm, he could be very thankful to the young cellist music. It seemed to have entranced his date into forgetting his tardiness and she happily chatted with friends and coworkers while he stood quietly beside her.
Ooo
Loosening his bow tie, Sesshoumaru walked up the steps to his hotel. A few days vacation to come to the show with his girlfriend was a nice get away from the stress at work.
The pictures of the crime scenes drifted past his tired mind. Two victims so far, both found in abandoned buildings. Each body hung from the rafters on thin strings, the bodies positioned like marionettes. Their faces arranged into a haunting peaceful visage. Not a drop of blood to mar the perfection of their picture. The haunting song of the cello from the show that night slipped into his mind, the perfect soundtrack to each scene like they were made for each other.
His eyes narrowed on the door handle, he shouldn't be thinking about the case now he was on vacation. The song reached his mind again, drifting against the stone walls of the building and dancing to his ears. He noticed then that it wasn't his mind supplying the song; someone was playing it on the balcony two floors above him. His room was on that floor, he thought, maybe he would be able to see them from his own balcony.
Opening the sliding glass door he stepped onto the cold concrete surface suspended in the chilly night air. Checking to the left, he saw the red cello sitting on the balcony beside him. She was still dressed in her dark attire, her silhouette barely visible against the dark night sky. Her back bowed and curved with each stroke against the cello and he watched, entranced once again.
She stopped, and he was released from her spell. The cold, disgusted look that twisted her features as she pulled her head back and her hair revealed her face made him take a step back. She stared at the strings and with practiced ease; her hand slipped up the neck to the tuning keys and she drew the bow across until she received the proper sound again. He didn't even notice it was off.
“I'm sorry papa”, she whispered to the night. He couldn't stay her silent watcher any longer, something about her compelled him to want to speak with her, learn about her.
“Where did you learn to play,” his deep voice boomed over the wind. She looked up at him, surprised to find someone there. For a second she looked livid, upset that her privacy was invaded. Then, as if she had just heard his question, her lips turned into a nostalgic smile.
“Papa, he taught me how to play when I was young.”
He nodded, “Did he teach you that song? The one you were just playing?”
She looked back down at the strings of the cello as she began playing again, a quiet whisper of a tune that Sesshoumaru could barely hear. “No”, she stated firmly. “I never play Papa's songs unless I'm alone...,” her voice drifted off as she focused on the notes. She sounded much like a child to him then, as if she wasn't there on the balcony but somewhere else remembering her father. “Papa played beautiful songs...,” she whispered as she took a long pull on the bow and drawing out a quivering note.
“Your father, has he passed,” he had to ask, the way she spoke of the man gave him that idea.
She frowned like a sad little girl, “Papa left when I was little, he was bad and had to run away...,” the notes quivered again and he thought it almost sounded like the cello was crying. “He went to America, but he couldn't stop being bad... so they locked him up. He died there.” She sighed as she caressed the crimson colored wood, “But he left his little girl his cello... You'll play beautiful music one day..,” the last part she whispered and slightly deeper in tone like they weren't her own words.
Slowly stepping backwards towards the door, he nodded even though she wasn't looking at him. He felt like he was intruding now. Her song played again, the same one from the theater. He realized then that only someone who had a dark broken side could play such a frightening tune. By the time he was back on the other side of the glass door, unable to hear her music, his heart was pounding. He lay down on his bed hoping relaxing would stop the blood from roaring in his ears and he tried to forget her empty blue eyes. Vacations weren't supposed to be like this...
~~~~A/N
Thanks Smittee, for betaing for me ^.^
I know some ppl have already started reading this but Ive decided to abandon it. Not completely! I feel like this is so far from the true Kagome Sesshoumaru characters that all Im using is their names. So Im going to write it as my own and not as a fanfic... wish me luck :P