With Kanako following close on her heels, Kagome returned to her house at the edge of the village. After hanging back at the doorway, the waif crept haltingly forward, Kagome paying her little mind as she set about making dinner. Kanako was so silent and unnoticeable that by the time Kagome took the kettle off the fire, she’d almost forgotten that her strange visitor was even there. It was with an eerie, phantom prickle that she turned and caught sight of the girl staring out at her from the shadowed corner of the hut.
Sitting with her knees bent at sharp angles before her, Kanako had been watching her as if entranced. Round and faintly luminous in the low light, her pale grey eyes had a fishy silver cast to them, the translucent whiteness of her skin completing the image of something that had crawled its way up, low and grasping, from the murky, sunless depths of the Kiso river. That Kanako had been malnourished and downtrodden from birth was starkly apparent, and Kagome felt her unease give way to pity as she beckoned the girl over to her.
“Come and eat, Kanako-chan.”
By Feudal standards, the Edo region was richly prosperous, owing to the sanctity which had historically kept nefarious forces at bay. It was easy for Kagome to forget, especially after her prolonged isolation, just how miserable the lives of most mortals were. Plagued by bloodthirsty youkai and warlords alike, poor villagers’ existences were often short, brutal and bleak.
This was the way of the world, and although Kagome despised it, what could she do? The powerful preyed upon the weak. Destroying the Shikon no Tama hadn’t changed that. Nothing would ever change that. Even in her own time, this fact remained true.
All she could do was use her power to protect those closest to her. This was what her past failings had taught her. This was what she knew, yet the child in her heart grieved for the forsaken multitudes, and longed to save them still.
On timid footsteps Kanako approached Kagome’s outstretched hand, and the miko thought to herself that surely, surely she could protect one more.
Just this one soul more.
“Here,” she said, handing the waif a bowl of steaming stew.
The girl slurped the contents like an animal, her thin grubby fingers scraping the last few vegetable remnants from the bottom and sides. When Kagome offered up the better half of her portion as well, Kanako gazed at her in weepy rapture.
“You are so noble, Kagome-sama—so good,” the girl mumbled as she ate, muddy tears tracking down her hollow, dusty cheeks. “No one would look at the dead woman. No one would touch her. No one knew what to do with her. But you looked at her, and you touched her. You knew what to do with her, Kagome-sama.”
The too-bright points in her eyes glowed like marsh lights in the gloom. Setting her jaw against the onslaught of sickening memory the girl’s words evoked, Kagome resisted the impulse to glance away. “What became of her,” she asked tersely, “after I left?”
The waif blinked, uncanny and slow. “They burned and buried her, proper.” Lowering her empty bowl, Kanako leaned in, her reedy voice falling to a breathless, lurid whisper. “And after…they strung up the fat woman and fed her to the crows.”
Kagome tensed, looking at her in sharp bewilderment—and rising dread. As though she could scarcely contain herself, Kanako babbled on.
“You knew, Kagome-sama. You could see what a foul murderess she was. How wondrous you were, as you revealed her wickedness—like a goddess from heaven in your holy wrath! Everyone could see it, after that. One by one, they came forward to accuse her. And so the lord had her thrashed, and hanged, and left to rot—as well she deserved.”
Bile simmered in Kagome’s throat. Swallowing weakly, she turned away, tucking the fists that had beaten Koharu into a bloody monstrosity out of sight in her long snowy sleeves.
“…Kagome-sama?”
“You can sleep at the shrine for now,” the miko said in a strained tone. “I’ll fetch you in the morning.”
Long after Kanako had slipped away into the night, Kagome lay sleepless in her lonely bed, thinking of the Beast, and the ghosts between them.
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Very interesting and surprising chapter. Another amazing twist in this story with Kanako’s tale. What on earth did that foul mouthed fat servant do to be called a foul murderess? Who all did she kill? Did she perhaps, kill those young girls or maybe it was Mayuri she killed and not Sesshomaru? Hmmm…the question is why would she have done such horrible things? Was it perhaps out of just plain jealousy? Also, Kagome shouldn’t feel any kind of guilt about beating the woman to a bloody pulp…after all she did deserve it for all of the awful things spewing from her foul mouth.
Well it seems that at least Kagome hasn’t lost all of her humanity…she has just became jaded with the life and era she is living in now. This is understandable, I guess anyone with a conscience and a heart would be desensitized or jaded of the world around them under the circumstances. She seemed to have had cocooned and isolated herself from most of the brutality, misery, poverty and starvation of the other villages around her, but at least Kanako’s sudden appearance in her life has awakened her eyes and maybe even her heart…hopefully?
Thank you for updating so soon with another wonderful work of art char. 🙂
Thank YOU, Cheryl 🙂 Always look forward to hearing your take!
Kanako certainly dropped a bit of a bomb on Kagome haha – so glad to hear you found it interesting!! Man, personally I don’t think I could hack it in Feudal times. I agree that it’s understandable Kagome would become at least somewhat jaded. Out of necessity if nothing else.
Thanks again for sharing! Been going through some stuff lately, and your words always lift me up <3
Ooooh I really liked this chapter, Char! I love how you utilized this minor OC in such a major way: just her physical description set a particular mood-a creepy foreboding feeling as well-that reveals actual historical information about this time period (the hardships due to lack of resources and a dangerous environment)…then to reveal the superstitions held by many, and how such false beliefs can lead to a mob mentality. That was so very clever to have Kanako inform Kagome that her “rant” to the fat woman was the impetus to the fat woman’s murder. ( Of course, Kagome intended the rant as a scolding which would end up being pretty much harmless if delivered in the future Kagome was born and raised in); however, as a high priestess in the feudal era, her “rant” was taken seriously, as enlightened information-a divine judgement of the guilty-and even though it was the villagers who hanged the fat woman…in essence, Kagome is now responsible for the death of an innocent woman. How like the Beast she has become!
OMG, girl…you are just so amazing and awesome,,,I can’t say it enough…you are a brilliant author (and always my Queen of Smut too— yay!)
Hahaha! Yay, thanks so much, Sage!! <3 <3 I'm honored to hold the title 😉
So thrilled you liked the atmosphere and revelations in this chapter! That sort of mob mentality/violence has always been fascinating to me - in a trainwreck sort of way. Kagome will always have somewhat of a modern mindset, which is a double-edged sword...
Love hearing your take on the events! And thank you for the glowing compliments - you are too kind!! 🙂 Hope you enjoy the next part in the story! <3
Bomb DROPPED.
I really liked this chapter. I love this portrayal of Kagome- her jaded nature feels like a natural response to the brutal world she now lives in. Seeing her struggle with the power she holds over others (Kohaku, Sesshoumaru, and the villagers that idolize her) also feels organic- I wouldn’t know what to do with her status, that’s for sure. Great comparison to the Beast’s behavior.
Thanks for these updates Char!
Thanks, Lace!! So glad you’re liking this portrayal of Kagome and that her power struggle feels organic! I wouldn’t know what to do in her position either haha…probably go crawl under a rock D:
<3 <3