I reserve the right to certain characters, and the entire plot of the story for myself. I borrowed Sesshoumaru, Kagome, et all you recognize, from the remarkable Rumiko, and thank her graciously for allowing me to use her characters as inspiration for this story.
Chapter One: The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything!
Kagome could smell the tang of blood, so much blood, and she could feel the unbearable dim that came with Naraku’s presence. She looked, but did not see; she was so overwhelmed with the sounds, smells, and feeling of the battle that all she could do was hang on. Kagome felt Kushi grab her left arm, felt the crinkly skin, the hard bones, smelled that old book smell with its mildew and musk… And she was brought back to the present.
“You can still fix this, little girl… We can still fix this.”
Yes, Kagome thought, yes, I can do this…
While Kushi tugged at her one arm, she suddenly felt herself being lifted by both. Looking to her right, Kagome saw those eyes. He hadn’t forsaken her, and they could keep their promises after all. Every other deal would be broken, perhaps, but this one.
“It is time. I will help.”
~*~*~*~*~ *$* ~*~*~*~*~
“The universe is not static. Always, there is motion, movement. Something is always growing in the dark. It was not always so, however…
At first, there was only the mysterious emptiness that was and always had been. Nothingness. However, the Nothing was not infertile. Immeasurable in mass, the Nothing bore closely to another Nothing in the dark, and when at last, they grew so vast they could not help but fall towards one another, there was a breeding quietness. And then a catastrophic universe burst into existence.
It all began with a spinning. A turning of the tide, a change in the Nothingness. For an infinitely small piece of time, it seemed that the tiny new growth was doomed- there was so much against it, so much bearing down on it.
However, it began to grow, faster and faster, spinning into existence. Fragile and delicate, it began to grow as heavy and thick as the original mass had been- there was something there.
The first star was born then, as massive, heavy, and brightly burning as anything else ever would be; a hundred times brigher in fact! Nothing could rival this, nothing would ever again come close, for this was the pinnacle of creation. Its life lasted a mere few crumbs of time, before it crunched in upon itself. Infinitely dense, so heavy it was then that it blew its entire body away, in a glorious explosion of convolutions and miniscule bits of the materials that would form all other things in this new universe. Brilliant, blinding and sparkling spirals of matter, of light and of the first elements flew to the edges of Nothing, and it grew to immeasurable ends that would never approach.
Pieces of this star would be the building blocks of new life, from the heaviest elements mined from our Earth, to the most microscopic and incalculable of creatures.
Always, there is a spinning in the dark, a chance for something to begin where before, there was naught.
One might say this is all the result of a glitch-“
Kagome’s brows furrowed, and she didn’t even notice that her licorice had fallen from her mouth, onto her covers- half chewed licorice coated in saliva left a little wet red spot on her comforter. She was staring at the page, covered in mildew and mysterious brown, oily stains, trying to tell herself that she was exhausted and seeing things. And she really ought to be studying…
The book had been thrust at her by the girl at the University’s Bookstore.
“You’ll need this one for Astronomy 1101.”
Kagome hadn’t seen this title; she hadn’t seen more than two texts listed. Why was the girl handing her three? Before she could protest, though, she was being checked out, and the dingy old thing being thrown in her bag, as though holding it was a contamination risk, which Kagome offhandedly had thought it might be at the time- it hadn’t been scanned.
“Ano, did you get everything?”
The girl nodded and responded cheerily, saying that books had dropped in price, a good sign, blather and small talk and hurried work leaving that book in the bag. Then, she had waived Kagome on, and Kagome hadn’t had a chance to point out the mistake because it was so busy and the next student had stepped in her place. Kagome realized that she hadn’t even paid for the thing (not that she would have wanted to).
“She had my card so fast, I didn’t even have time to ask her about that…”
Beginning to sit up, Kagome's elbows found a sticky, cold mess. Was that- oh, ew! Her licorice was making her bedding sticky.
“Oh my God, really?!”
Picking up the not chewed up end between two fingers, as though it were some exotic and possibly venomous insect, Kagome made a face and threw the destroyed candy into her trashcan. Frowning at the loss of the treat, she turned back to the book and ruined bedspread. Gingerly, she closed the softened cover, and then, decided this must be some sort of prank- the girl was probably in one of the clubs she'd applied to, and was involved in trying to haze Kagome. Hefting the tome up against her hips, Kagome walked it over to her desk- it was massive, how had the cashier moved it so quickly?!
The girl behind the counter hadn’t looked like a prankster, but really, not everyone was as bad a liar as Kagome.
“Facts, girl.”
The book appeared to be old, and yet, despite old moldy binding and old timey writing, it appeared to be an abridged version of modern physics with some creative inventions. And it had said, “glitch.”
Occam’s Razor, then.
It had to be some sick joke that the girl at the Bookstore was behind. It made the most sense. The girl hadn’t charged for the book, had insisted she’d need it, and then shoved her out the door and on her way with a poopy and apparently very old manuscript in which Kagome would come to find the words,
“You are an idiot.”
Written at the very end. That was how this would work out- she would read this thing, go crazy, and try to tell people about her discovery, only to be mocked and ridiculed. Only, Kagome wouldn’t put up with it. She wasn’t going to read the whole thing like some big doe-eyed dunce of a conspiracy theorist. She would take the book back tomorrow, and insist that the girl explained herself. She’d speak to a supervisor, if she had to!
Pleased with her decision, Kagome turned to her bed. She couldn't believe she'd dropped that candy there… She'd need to do laundry then. Ripping the coverlet off, she made her way to the laundry room. When she returned to her bedroom, all appeared well- her books were ready, tabbed for chapters and key themes… Her notebooks were all clearly divided and organized- she was ready.
“Now. More licorice, and back to real studying.”
On her way to the kitchen for more licorice, or possibly some pocky instead, Kagome popped her head into the living room.
“Oy, Sota! Whatcha reading?”
Sota was buried in a book, and he jumped slightly at Kagome’s loud interruption.
You’d think he was reading my book, ha!
Smiling shyly, the boy held up the cover: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
“What’s the answer to life, the universe, and everything?” Sota asked. Kagome frowned. She just wanted licorice, and he was asking this question right now, after the book she’d been perusing… Of course. Thought it made her feel slightly ill to her stomach, she forced a smile and responded brightly.
“Why, 42 of course!”
Sota laughed and went back to his story. Kagome went on her way to the kitchen, and obtained both licorice and some pocky. She was hungry and craving sweets. Besides, she’d be back with Inuyasha soon, and her butt would end up being worked out very thoroughly… she could have the sugar for now.
~*~*~*~*~ Some other time, in the very same place ~*~*~*~*~
The moon was full tonight, the woods quiet. Inuyasha’s Forest was sleeping, and Inuyasha himself sat guard over it. The moon was full tonight, but in a few days… The cycle was halfway over with, and when it reached its end, the moon would appear to die, leaving Inuyasha the Hanyou open to all forms of attack, and even the smallest ones would be deadly. The part of himself he was proudest of would die with the moon.
He could die a human’s death in that one night’s time, as small as it was. When he was younger, that had been a serious concern and he had hidden himself away, refusing to admit it was fear that did it to him. However, Inuyasha sat now in a tree, watching the moon as it seemed to hang in the sky, falling closer and closer towards the horizon. A pale glow of dawn would appear opposite the moon soon, and then Inuyasha wouldn’t have to worry about the new moon anymore.
Kagome had promised to come back tomorrow morning. And Inuyasha would be waiting for her, just as she would be waiting for him at the end of the moon’s cycle. Golden eyes closed, the reverie broken with a grin on his face. Soon, Kagome wouldn’t have to wait for him, or look out for him every new moon. Soon, the new moon would mean nothing, no change in power or being, just another night.
He’d be a full demon then, and if Kagome wanted, he would be happy to keep waiting for her. A shadow of a thought crossed his mind, whispering to him that he could be a full human then too, and it would be the same. He’d be weaker, but there would be no more new moon, and he could still wait for her…
Further to the north, another set of golden eyes watched the very same moon as it waltzed across the heavens. The very same thought had occurred to Sesshoumaru, full demon leader of the western territories, the capital of which sat in Nara. Briefly, as he listened to the drone of his council of advisors- his father’s council- and watched the moon as it moved towards the mountains, Sesshoumaru thought for the hundred thousandth time of his half brother's weakness and shame. The whelp’s power would disappear, and he, Sesshoumaru, could take his brother’s life, if he wished. If his advisors knew about the human night, they might demand it. They were so very demanding… The buzz of his least favorite, Matsuo, cut into his calm assessment of the night sky and contemplation of his mildest irritation this night. There were so many, and it was surprising to him to discover that this old wound, the hanyou’s existence and shame, was the least aggravating.
“Lord, your brother and his companions cut freely across the lands… Your father would have permitted this, but they are yours now, and perhaps it would be wisest to stop the trail of destruction they continue to leave behind? And they’ve dragged other Half-Demon trash in with them, this Naraku…No taxes paid, do dues given, no respect for our laws, and they rile the peasants up into quite a frenzy…”
Matsuo had been his father’s most devoted civil servant. A simpering fool with a nasal groan behind his every word, Matsuo had always been so complimentary of his father in life. Now that the Great Dog was dead, Matsuo was no longer worried about concealing his treachery behind flattery. He had made several concerning speeches as of late, concerning "the lands" and "what must be done" to ensure "that the regime remains stable." Many of these sentiments seemed to express a doubt in the Great Dog General, and a concern that the taint had been inherited by his greatest son.
“Whose man are you now, Matsuo?”
The ignoramus’s whiny nasal groaning voice ceased in its endless undulations, and Sesshoumaru heard the moment of fear, confusion, and deceit sniffing out the correct answer. It was disgusting, in a peculiar way – it was so disgusting it roused Sesshoumaru’s hunger for blood, his instinct to catch his prey and devour it.
“My-m-m-my Lord, I am your faithful servant, as always- I served your father before you, and I shall continue to serve the family of the Great Dog as long as I live!”
A moment of silence rang out, and Sesshoumaru considered. Matsuo's eyebrow twitched. The other advisors eyes were averted. How long would Matsuo live? In fact, all Sesshoumaru knew of him was the pretense he wore to the court… Perhaps an investigation was in order. Why was Matsuo so concerned with "the lands?" Why did Inuyasha's crossing concern him so?
“Perhaps you meant as long as I live?”
The turn of words was a smack in the face, an insult of honor. If Matsuo had any, perhaps he would speak up, issue a challenge to right the wrong he'd been dealt. Sesshoumaru would kill him, because Matsuo was smeared with lies. But the coward had none, and instead, trembled, prostrating himself before the Son of the Great Dog.
“Never, my lord, never! I-”
The stink of fear was pungent; the terrible smell of the heart trying to escape the corpse before it fell.
“What will you do to prove to me that you are indeed my loyal servant?”
The scent of fear was intriguing, and Sesshoumaru felt the wild part of himself stirring; fear brought good smells, smells that made the predator rise and revel. Would he smell piss in a moment too? The appeal of spilling blood was almost unbearable. However, this was a council, not a battlefield. And killing or teasing or any other sort of badgering was usually frowned upon, and Sesshoumaru was nothing if not meticulous and well-mannered where his honor was concerned.
“I will- I will- whatever my Lord demands! It is yours for the taking my Lord!”
“The lands are my concern… What assurances can you offer that you will not interfere, and you will focus your attention where it truly belongs? For instance, you mentioned the failure of Inuyasha's pack to present tribute…"
"Our treasuries are dwindling, Lord, I seek only to maintain your coffers…"
Matsuo was beginning to shake the table, his trembling body disturbing the tea. Other nobles on the council scowled at the coward, disdainfully lifting their cups to silence the aggravating ring of the porcelain against the table.
"The coffers are emptying, yes, but to where, I wonder? To what end? Surely, one vandal is not enough to drain them entirely… Would you have me for a fool, Matsuo?"
Matsuo actually sobbed at this point, and Sesshoumaru could not hide his sneer. His teeth gnashed and he rose, his shoulders angling and cracking, joints and ligaments growing and moving beneath his skin, preparing…
"My enemies grow in number and you worry yourself with a pup…"
Sesshoumaru's cold voice slithered over the table like a snake, and suddenly, Matsuo's bubble of containment burst. Sesshoumaru smelled the piss.
“I shall fill your coffers again, and your court will never know such riches, Lord! Your enemies will cower before you as I do! I will see that they are crushed, driven before you, and that you hear the lamentations of their women! I will work towards finding where the half-breed Naraku has gone, and bring you his exact location myself! That vandal, that scoundrel, that trash…”
The shrieking came to a halt, as Matsuo tried to catch his breath, and fell into a pile of sobs. Courageous. Falsely so. However, it would be interesting to watch Matsuo try. So many promises: would he keep them? The savage inside, demanding blood, was satisfied. Matsuo would be called out, revealed for what he was.
“I give you my leave.”
Sesshoumaru’s eyes rose to those of the other council members. They smelled it too, the scent of treachery. Was it theirs as well, or was Matsuo acting alone?
“Perhaps your companions at this council will join you?”
All eyes went down, and Sesshoumaru knew then that they were all against Matsuo, but also that they would simply elect another leader once he had been eradicated in the wilds. So loyal were they, that should Sesshoumaru fall, they would probably move on to the next most powerful being for their Lord, perhaps scrabble over his seat of power for themselves. His insides began to stretch about and twitch again…
Useless. And this new matter hadn’t even been noticed by them, he thought. Did they not realize that their precious tributes were growing smaller every moon? Did they truly believe it was a lack of discipline? Sesshoumaru cared little for tribute, but when his army began to show smaller numbers, inexplicable fear, and holes, Sesshoumaru had set out to find the source. If the other leaders had noticed the gaping fissures in his defenses… If the other warlords noticed…
It couldn’t be Matsuo, but the simpering fool had brought up an important point. Inuyasha. Eyes narrowing, Sesshoumaru gracefully arose and departed to his inner chambers.
As Matsuo scurried out of the room, hoping to escape the shameful debacle he had been forced to endure for all of his efforts, he tried to think out the solution to his problems. It wasn’t that he sought ruin for his lord- only, he sought power for himself. If Sesshoumaru wouldn’t conquer, then he, Matsuo would like to try.
They had all thought that was Sesshoumaru’s chosen path- the path of supreme conquest. So why now did he remain in the diminished west, enforcing only those borders which they had claimed for hundreds of years already? There were other riches to be had, people to subjugate and pay tribute to them, the rulers of the west… The coffers need not be filled by the struggling peasants in the West when there were lords and lands outside to fill them.
Behind him, Matsuo felt the eyes of the council burning into his back. He had disrupted their precious order, and now they’d be out for his blood. Sesshoumaru had increased his troubles. Matsuo should like to see him pay… The Lord was failing in his duties, and Matsuo was punished for pointing it out. He deserved so much more regard!
~*~*~*~*~ *$* ~*~*~*~*~
The air was stagnant, the miasma thick. Bits and pieces that had been discarded in the last shedding were lifeless little clumps in the dark. No moon shown in this sky. Naraku had disappeared, again. It was his usual. Kagura, having been left as per her usual, spent her time wandering around, uninterested in anything but the idea of escape.
Kanna had disappeared too, and Kagura wondered if perhaps this time she really had been left as Onigumo had been once, to unknowingly perform Naraku’s plans, one last time before being destroyed. The thought should have made her afraid, but it didn’t. Though Naraku had left, she could still sense that he would return here- as a part of him, she supposed she could believe such a thing within reasonable limits. Unfortunately.
He wasn’t likely to abandon this hidden safe hold, and if the magic surrounding it began to fade, then she would know her fate was such. Kagura was a part of Naraku, but her heart being apart from him made her different. She supposed that her very nature, as useful as it was to him, was as much a hindrance to his control over her. She was able to act independently from time to time though it cost her dearly. She would welcome the fading of his power, if it only meant that she would be abandoned. She’d rather be abandoned and imagine she was free than stay in the cloying grip he held over her.
As her eyes glazed over, she saw the moment she had realized that her life was never her own. She had been so angry, and so helpless in that moment. She had felt like a child, surrounded by wolves, dying and unable to do anything about it but cry out to ears that would not hear, would not care.
She felt a twinge of pain, and when the moment was over, she realized she’d cut herself on her fan, her grip having been so tight seconds before in her endless rage; she was but a helpless child. The wound seemed to seal itself instantly.
“So, you haven’t abandoned me yet.”
Would that he had.
“Where have you gone? Why do I feel like you’re watching me, even now?”
As the miasma cleared for a moment, the moon winked at Kagura, and she wished it could set her free; she would enjoy trying to visit there, if she ever escaped. What a journey that would be.
~*~*~*~*~ *$* ~*~*~*~*~
Welcome to re-rewrite. It has been 6 years since I started this, and asked for a beta. If anyone wants to volunteer, PM me please. Reviews are kind and make me feel like people want to see this to the end… Even critical ones. Those are the best. Thanks.
I know where I want this to go now, thank goodness. It’s been eating at me.
PS, if anyone knows the authors I've chosen to pay some tribute to in this (there are two), kudos to you all, and possibly, sneak peeks!