Perfection's Descent by Ayrith

Consent

Perfection's Descent

.:consent:.

prologue

The night air was dark and unnaturally heavy, enshrouding the village nestled at the secluded base of the mountain in a sense of grave foreboding. From the rocky crags that began the ascent up the peak, to the village's bordering vacant fields and tall, fortifying evergreen trees, an ominous chill had crept its way into the homely atmosphere. The green canopy overhead was dank and empty of its usual chattering occupants, the forest floor with its damp foliage and browning leaves lay silent and unmoving. Even the villagers had noticed the significant change, having ushered their young children inside and closed their mat doors. Without the glow of burning fire and snaking tendrils of smoke, the settlement of huts looked like nothing more then a collection of straw, mud and wood, piled together and scattered profusely across an open plain.

From her standpoint on the cliff overhanging the small village, the temporary resident miko and healer gazed at all of this solemnly, her blue eyes calculating. There was a distinct tang to the air, a particular tainted musk that left a bitter taste in the dark haired woman's mouth. The unease that came with it was not comforting.

Lifting her head, she sniffed testily. The smells of dust, mineral and rust assaulted her nose first, the usual smells that came with the wild of the rugged climate. But beneath the mountain's distinct layer, something heavy and malicious brimmed and boiled, reminding her of death and darkness and the repugnant taste of dried blood. Her body thrummed instinctively in reply, her discomfort growing into apprehension.

This did not bode well.

Turning her head away from the view of the valley, the woman grimaced. Her character's nature demanded she not blindly assume anything she did not know directly, but even she had her guesses to what this cloudy abomination was. Having dealt with various kinds of dangerous youkai and memorized their inhumane behaviors, only one possible candidate fit this kind of shadowy description and she noted upon it with certain unpleasantness. For now, she would only have to wait until who ever had invaded the lands was fit to reveal himself, but even then, the possibility still lingered.

If her assumptions were correct...

She feared for this village.

The mountains were still, quite. Crouching down on the balls of her feet, the woman quickly plucked the rest of the weeds and herbs she had been gathering earlier. There was no time to worry over things that could not be changed. Higan no chu-nichi* was coming swiftly, the Autumnal Equinox causing quite a disturbance in the village. Many families would be leaving to visit their kin's graves, giving offerings of ohagi** and incense.

Though she particularly didn't act on this Buddhist holiday, as she was a Shinto shrine maiden, she would never abandon her people and force them to fend for themselves, no matter the trivial matter. So with the prospect of their well being in mind, she was going to help the villagers prepare on such a significant day.

With one last pluck, she twisted the last greenly weed in her hand and carefully placed it in the reed twined basket on her back. The pack was heavy against her shoulders, filled to the brim with the smell of herbs and it relaxed her a bit. Bracing her arms on her knees, the woman quickly wiped away the excess clumps of moist dirt, rubbing at the stain it left on her ghostly pale skin.

Once a majority of the dirt was chased off her hands, the woman gripped the straw hat she had set down on the ground and placed it inside the basket and over her plants, protecting them from the heavy dampness of the air. With a shake of her long hair, she swept gracefully to her feet.

She immediately stiffened, freezing in place. A slow summer breeze blew over her desolate form, lazy and warm, but carried on its current, a barely discernable trace of youki teased at her senses, circling around her guarded mind with prodding fingers.

She would have known that youki anywhere. Her fist clenched briefly before releasing, her pale brow furrowed slightly.

But why was he here?

It took her a moment to compose herself into indifference, building once again that iron wrought wall that she surrounded herself with, the one she used to guard her motives and emotions. She breathed heavily, tasting the coolness of the mountain and letting it calm her slightly ruffled nerves, before gripping the straps of the basket fastened to her back tightly. With her face pale and withdrawn, the somber miko slowly began her descent down the mountain.

She was a third way down when it began.

Wisps of darkness began to dance and weave around her, inky mist rising behind in the shadows of every corner and nitch. It seemed to flood down the mountain path, bubbling and oozing like swamp muck, hovering just around her aura with a biting flavor. The sound of another pair of footsteps descended upon her, their stride slow and sinister. The blackness curled, clawing at the ground with sharp talons.

She continued on, undeterred. Stretching out a hand to steady herself on the stone, the woman deftly dropped off a small incline, her wooden sandals clacking against hard rock.

Suddenly, a voice spoke out in the silence.

"Ahh...the little miko is alone...without her faithful pet." It was whispered darkly, smoothly, crinkled with daunting amusement. It seemed to surround all sides of her, a ring of vague shadows and indistinct shapes.

The woman continued her spiraling trek downward, undaunted. "And what of it?" her tone was steady and neutral, completely wiped of any emotional attachment.

A chuckle. "Surely, I would have expected to find you combing the lands for that pathetic hanyou of yours, staking your rightful claim for his death." A movement to her left, and suddenly a dark crouching figure in an ashen pelt had joined her, his mouth twisted smirkingly. She gave him a brief acknowledgement, her eyes instantly drawn towards the stark contrast of white his robes created in the darkness, before she flicked her eyes forward once more.

"The time for that is not now." She said simply.

A chuff came from behind her. "But when will the time come? When you and your dead way's have little effect on the wounds of a slowly healing hanyou?" He replied evenly. His smirk grew as her shoulders instantly stiffened, the hands gripping the straps of her pack whitening at the knuckles. His voice rose a bit, taking pleasure in her discomfort. "When the time comes and you decide to take his death hand in hand, will there even be anything left to take of the ignorant fool?" A pause, before he hissed. "I hear that the girl he is with has begun to change him. And of what I know, the dead are slow to change or make change... Kikyou."

The basket of herbs and weeds strapped to her back rattled as Kikyou stopped abruptly, her eyes sharp as they snapped to his face. Her expression was hard, bitter.

"You did not come to me to chat idly, Naraku. Tell me what you want of me or leave." It was spoken with finality and warning, the words easily interpreted. She had had enough of his verbal abuse. The air thrummed around them. Naraku obediently backed off.

"As you wish."

Kikyou's eyes narrowed at the words. "Do not mock me with your tricks." Naraku remained silent. She gave him calculating look, before continuing on her trek once more. The baboon pelt fell in step with her, the smooth face calm.

"There is a rumor spreading from the far East to the tip of the far West. Maybe you have heard it, for you reside here near the border, but then maybe you have not, for this place is hidden so well." He drawled. "The rumor spreads about a particular youkai with no heart traveling through these parts, one that holds little respect for humans and is powerful and dangerous."

Where Naraku was going with this was obvious enough. Kikyou's lips quirked in amusement. "And because he is a threat to you, you come seeking like a beggar's dog for someone else to dispose of him." She said softly.

Naraku paused a second. "He...is a nuisance. One that needs to be dealt with accordingly. And because I do not have the time to worry about such things--" Here his face twisted darkly. "--I have searched for someone far more willing."

Kikyou scoffed. "And you came to me?" She did not believe he was that stupid. Surely, he was smarter then that.

When he did not reply, it slowly began to dawn on her that maybe he was obliviously fool hardy. She pulled up abruptly on the thin path, turning her narrowed eyes onto his hunched form. Disbelief instantly clouded her features. "You can not be serious."

A snort. "When was I one to ever joke?"

Kikyou gripped her straps tightly in her hand, contempt beginning to burn in her dark eyes. "Then you are a fool."

Naraku only smirked. "A fool who has lived longer then you ever will."

Kikyou's expression turned hard and the air dangerously began to thrum once more, rippling in currents. "Do not insult me. You are nothing but a charlatan, scum who know nothing of the dead. I, out of all people, will not play as your little puppet in which you control." Blue sparks began to dance at her fingertips, iridescent shimmers of power. "The living may be foolish and ignorant but I know better then that. The choice would be mine and mine only, and I have yet to see why doing this will benefit me in any way. What makes you think I would do you such a favor?"

Naraku watched her angry and wild form with impassiveness. "Because this youkai is Inuyasha's brother."

Kikyou froze abruptly, stunned. "Sesshoumaru?" With a last spark, the rest of her power died down and the air stilled. Naraku lowered his head, smirking. In front of him, Kikyou stood there in surprise, her mind almost visibly working, processing thoughts and piecing together puzzles that were finally beginning to make sense. A long moment passed, where neither figure said a word.

Finally, Kikyou turned her gaze down to the rocky path, her face bitter, and pressed a pale hand below her chest.

"I will not kill him or hurt him." She said. "He is the reigning youkai lord of our lands and without him, youkai would be flocking the country side." Her tone was soft and meaningful, leaving no room for discussion. The monotonous way she said it made it more frightening then her previous anger.

But the sentence was also left evocative, and only Naraku saw the compliance she reluctantly gave. His lips quirked and the darkness began to spiral around his white figure, tall towering shadows of opaque blackness.

"As you wish." He said. And with that, he was gone, nothing left in his wake except for a tuft of curling black.

Kikyou stared at the spot where he had stood, her face tense and unreadable. A soft wind picked up and smoothed over the sand that had been left with his foot's imprint, washing away any evidence he had been there at all. Had her mind not been preoccupied, she would have pondered longer on how he seemed to be able to wipe his very presence off the face of the earth and leave no trace he had ever existed. Instead she gave a derisive snort, before turning back to the path and continuing down the mountain.

Looking ahead, she spotted the indication of greenery and vegetation beginning to grow on the rock face, small dotting little prickled leaves that signaled she was nearing the forest floor. Clutching her pack once more, she began to slowly descend, careful to not slip on the moist moss.

But by the time she had set foot into the quiet woods, her mind was made up.

Sesshoumaru... we will meet soon, you and I.

***************************************************

I know that so far this has nothing to do with Sesshoumaru and Kagome, but trust me this is just setting up the story. And remember, I like Kikyou so no killing her, please.

Kikyou: Me? Helping Naraku? Bah...

Naraku: kukukukuku...

--

*Higan no chu-nichi – In a year, there are two Higan no chu-nichi, or Equinox, when the day and night are of the same length. The Vernal Equinox (when winter becomes spring. Generally falls around the day of March 20th) and the Autumnal Equinox (when summer becomes autumn. Generally falls around the day September 23rd). In this particular story, the setting is around the Autumnal Equinox. I'm not completely sure if back then they had this holiday, but in this story they will. ^^; Higan no chu-nichi is based on Buddhist teachings and is a time where families go to visit there deceased relatives.

Note: It might be wise to remember the facts about Higan no chu-nichi. You'll see later on what I mean...

**ohagi – sweet rice balls covered with soybean paste

(you won't believe how much research I'm doing for this story...-_-)