Categories > Anime/Manga > Inuyasha > In the Eyes of the Beholder
In the Eyes of the Beholder
2 reviewsSacrificing her beauty obviously wasn't bad enough. When you throw in a prophecy, competition, magic powers, a time limit, shallow hanyous, passion, and posion, things can only get more complicated...
2Exciting
Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine and never will be.
Author's Note: And I'm back from a two year long hiatus! Miss me? Anyways, I haven't written much recently...it was if all the inspiration had been drained from me, but after unearthing about 50+ story ideas I jotted down when I was younger and watching some Inuyasha episodes, I thought, what the heck? And here I am. Hopefully I finish this.
Summary: When Kagome sells a part of herself to Naraku for a chance to get closer to Inuyasha, she realizes too late that she made a major mistake. How will she gain his love when she can't even recognize the girl staring back at her in the mirror?
In the Eye of the Beholder
Prologue: Dead Wrong
Why did he have to be so intriguing? The noble stood there in a majestic, elegant pose, his silvery white hair falling in rippling sheets about his sculpted form as pensive amber eyes glowed with a fierce intensity. Two fuzzy, triangular ears twitched rapidly with the slightest of sounds. A puzzled frown tugged at the corners of his fanged mouth as he leaned against the sakura tree, a few pink blossoms fluttering down from the long, outstretched branches. Lightly, a breeze brushed against him, tangling his hair and playfully tugging at his red kimono, revealing a hint of the bronzed chest below.
Chancing one last glance at him before turning back toward her herb-filled basket, she tried to swallow the anxiety rising as a lump in her tight throat. Why was she reacting so strangely? Seeing him wasn't anything new. He was often seen perched in that sakura tree, an unreadable expression on his face, clawed fingers slipping over the velvety petals of the flowers. Usually he didn't mingle with the peasants or villagers, often opting to be alone rather than be ambushed by giggling, air headed girls who couldn't stop batting their eyelashes at him.
Even though Kagome only spoke with Inuyasha on a weekly basis, he had managed to captivate her and capture her heart at the same time. There was something intriguing about his careless, brash demeanor. Even though you could tell by the way his lips curved up in a grin that he oozed confidence, there was something sad and haunted about those beautiful golden eyes that Kagome could not quite seem to shove from her mind. Swallowing back the last few drops of lingering doubt within her, Kagome sucked in a deep breath, attempted to steady her heart, picked up her basket of basket of herbs, and slowly made her way over to the sakura tree, keeping her gaze trained to the ground.
She dropped to her knees as the base of the tree and began tugging a few flowers and placing them into her basket. Keeping an ear open, she waited for a retort from the hanyou, which was always amusing.
"Keh. Do you bother me every time I come here?" snorted an annoyed voice. For some reason, that broke the ice and all traces of nervousness melted from her body.
"Probably. But you know you like the attention," she teased. He may have been a noble, but he didn't act too authoritative most of the time, so he was often treated like a regular guy by the people who were used to coming into contact with him. For some reason, Kagome thought he preferred it that way.
"Attention from you? As if. I could have ten beautiful women all over me right now, if I really wanted it," he bragged. Kagome's heart clenched. He didn't know how much he tormented her with his simple, careless words. But she quickly covered up her hurt expression.
"If by beautiful, you mean ogre-like, then, well, what can I say? You definitely aren't shallow!" If only she could fathom how those words would come back to haunt her in a fitful cluster of dreams. A moment of silence graced the peaceful afternoon as Inuyasha struggled for something smart to say.
"Keh!" was all that he could muster. Kagome smiled secretively to herself. Why had she been so nervous to approach him at first? Granted, he could be a little...hell...very intimidating at times, but once you broke the ice, he was extremely easy to talk to (if you were quick witted and didn't get offended easily)
They bantered for a little while longer before Inuyasha leapt gracefully from his perch in the branches, landing silently beside Kagome. Eyes closed, he tipped his head toward the reddening sky, nose twitching in anticipation.
"The cook has started dinner," he muttered to himself as his stomach rumbled audibly. Okay, that's his way of saying goodbye.
"Good bye Inuyasha," she said cheerfully. Moving as fast as lightning strikes, he disappeared into the horizon within a few seconds. When Kagome was sure that he was out of earshot, she closed her eyes in contentment, a warm dreamy feeling tickling her insides. Little did Inuyasha know that he could melt her into a puddle on the floor with just a fanged grin. Why couldn't she like some sweet, sensitive guy instead of a rough, calloused one?
"I wish there was some way that I could get closer to Inuyasha! Someway I could get him to at least acknowledge me as more than a mere friend and peasant from the village..." Kagome sighed to herself, shuddering slightly as the sun slowly dipped behind the trees. "I want him...to be mine..." Closing her eyes, she smiled a little in spite of herself.
Kagome turned around to see someone sitting a few feet away from her, back against a tree stump. He was a teenage boy with dark tendrils of hair falling over a ghostly pale face. When had he gotten there? Inuyasha had only just left and he would have definitely sensed him! Where was he from? Why was he there?
"Hello," she said uncertainly; she was still a little on edge. For some reason, he seemed familiar to her, but didn't have the faintest idea why. Maybe he was a traveler seeking rest in the village and she had seen him passing by before. The boy looked up at her with dark, blank eyes, his lips pressed together, eyebrows drawn together in what looked like deep thought.
"You can have him, if you want," he muttered, gazing up at her.
"H-Have who?" she stammered, a light blush kissing her cheeks. He must have heard her talking about Inuyasha! How embarrassing...
"You know who I am talking about...You can have him, if that is what you truly desire..."
"That's really none of your business!" Kagome said as politely as she could muster. Who did he think he was?
"Well, I was only trying to offer help, but if you do not wish for it..." The boy turned his head away from her, closing his eyes.
"What? Help?" Kagome tried not to seem too eager. Naiveté was sinking its talons into her, and it didn't seem like it wanted to release its grip.
"Yes. I have the ability..." his voice trailed off. A cold look in his coal colored eyes seemed to suggest that he was teasing her. "You could be with him. Forever. Happily ever after."
"How could you do such a thing?" Kagome asked with rising curiosity. The boy bought his hands together, bowing his head as he muttered a few words under his breath. Images of her and Inuyasha embracing, dancing together, and kissing filled Kagome's head, making her mind feel muddled and dreamy.
"This is what could happen," he said. "I am extremely skilled with working my powers. Are you interested?"
"How do I know that I can trust you?" Kagome asked suspiciously.
"Your mother...Didn't she tell you that your time for romance would soon come? She meant tonight." Kagome thought back to earlier that week when she was complaining about loneliness to her mother. She had said the exact words that the boy had just uttered...Ironic and almost creepy in a way. "She summoned me to help with your relationship issues because it is well known that I, Naraku, am among one of the best matchmakers in Japan." Another wave of naiveté went crashing to Kagome's already muddled brain the moment those words left his lips. He seemed to have a strange power over her.
"Okay Naraku! What do I have to do?" He chuckled to himself and the sound sent chills darting up her spine, but Kagome ignored her instincts.
"I will set you up with a job as a servant at his manor. But this isn't a give and give and give relationship. It's a give and take. You can have your man, but under these conditions: He must fall in love with you within three months and you must give something to me. Getting you a job with Inutaisho is not an easy feat, plus I need compensation."
"What do I need to give?" Kagome asked innocently, thinking that it would be a bag of gold or possibly an item very precious to her. There was that creepy chuckle again.
"Oh, nothing of much importance. I want your beauty..." Naraku said nonchalantly.
"My what?" Kagome cried, startled. That was something that you could take? Why did he of all people want it? It wasn't as if he would be entering any pageants any time soon! "I don't have any beauty." Naraku shot her an unreadable look. Foolish girl.
In reality, Kagome was actually gorgeous to everyone but herself. Inuyasha had to grapple with his hormones so that he wouldn't break down and compliment the girl. Her glistening ebony hair curled about her slim torso in flowing waves. Eyes the color of the sea always radiated kindness and warmth, as well as stubborn pride and a sense of strength. Her skin was bronzed from summer days of working in the sun and her pink lips were full and soft. A smile from Kagome could light up the entire night sky and the light flush on her cheeks rivaled streaks of light at dawn.
"I can't do all of this for free, you know," Naraku snapped, growing a little impatient. "I need something to seal the deal. You will get it back on my word."
"How do I know that you will not break your promise?" Kagome asked, arching a thin eyebrow. Naraku took her delicate hands into his pale ones, brushing his ice cold lips against them. Instantly, a red mark, the shape of a crescent moon appeared on her palm.
"On the last day of the third month, if you do gain his love, then this symbol will disappear and you will look the way you do now."
"And if I fail?" Kagome asked with uneasiness settling into the depths of her stomach. But it was too late now. The mark was already etched onto her.
"Do I really need to answer that question?" Naraku growled.
A small voice in the back of Kagome's mind screamed for her to say 'no!' To turn around and run in the opposite direction, as far away from Naraku as her legs could carry her. But another voice, the larger voice that dwelled in her rapidly pounding heart, urged her to complete the contract, reasoning it was the only way to get closer to Inuyasha.
Silencing any traces of doubt that still loitered within her, Kagome swallowed the lump of uneasiness that swelled in her throat. If this is what would bring her closer to Inuyasha, possibly even give her Inuyasha, then so be it. And if she failed, would it really matter? She wasn't all that attractive anyway, according to him.
"I am positive I will look the same," she whispered to herself. "Okay Naraku. You have yourself a deal." Brushing his thin, freezing fingers against the warm skin of her face, he began the process. Instantly, Kagome's vision blurred and her head started to pound insanely. Soon her legs started to tremble and her arms turned to jelly. She dropped her basket and quickly joined it on the ground, passed out cold.
"Oh you were dead wrong, wench," Naraku hissed, gazing down at her emotionlessly before stepping over her crumpled body.
A/N: I haven't written an actual story in a loooooooooooooooooooooooong time. So what do you think? I didn't do to badly did I? Please R&R. I have a major problem finishing fics. .
Author's Note: And I'm back from a two year long hiatus! Miss me? Anyways, I haven't written much recently...it was if all the inspiration had been drained from me, but after unearthing about 50+ story ideas I jotted down when I was younger and watching some Inuyasha episodes, I thought, what the heck? And here I am. Hopefully I finish this.
Summary: When Kagome sells a part of herself to Naraku for a chance to get closer to Inuyasha, she realizes too late that she made a major mistake. How will she gain his love when she can't even recognize the girl staring back at her in the mirror?
In the Eye of the Beholder
Prologue: Dead Wrong
Why did he have to be so intriguing? The noble stood there in a majestic, elegant pose, his silvery white hair falling in rippling sheets about his sculpted form as pensive amber eyes glowed with a fierce intensity. Two fuzzy, triangular ears twitched rapidly with the slightest of sounds. A puzzled frown tugged at the corners of his fanged mouth as he leaned against the sakura tree, a few pink blossoms fluttering down from the long, outstretched branches. Lightly, a breeze brushed against him, tangling his hair and playfully tugging at his red kimono, revealing a hint of the bronzed chest below.
Chancing one last glance at him before turning back toward her herb-filled basket, she tried to swallow the anxiety rising as a lump in her tight throat. Why was she reacting so strangely? Seeing him wasn't anything new. He was often seen perched in that sakura tree, an unreadable expression on his face, clawed fingers slipping over the velvety petals of the flowers. Usually he didn't mingle with the peasants or villagers, often opting to be alone rather than be ambushed by giggling, air headed girls who couldn't stop batting their eyelashes at him.
Even though Kagome only spoke with Inuyasha on a weekly basis, he had managed to captivate her and capture her heart at the same time. There was something intriguing about his careless, brash demeanor. Even though you could tell by the way his lips curved up in a grin that he oozed confidence, there was something sad and haunted about those beautiful golden eyes that Kagome could not quite seem to shove from her mind. Swallowing back the last few drops of lingering doubt within her, Kagome sucked in a deep breath, attempted to steady her heart, picked up her basket of basket of herbs, and slowly made her way over to the sakura tree, keeping her gaze trained to the ground.
She dropped to her knees as the base of the tree and began tugging a few flowers and placing them into her basket. Keeping an ear open, she waited for a retort from the hanyou, which was always amusing.
"Keh. Do you bother me every time I come here?" snorted an annoyed voice. For some reason, that broke the ice and all traces of nervousness melted from her body.
"Probably. But you know you like the attention," she teased. He may have been a noble, but he didn't act too authoritative most of the time, so he was often treated like a regular guy by the people who were used to coming into contact with him. For some reason, Kagome thought he preferred it that way.
"Attention from you? As if. I could have ten beautiful women all over me right now, if I really wanted it," he bragged. Kagome's heart clenched. He didn't know how much he tormented her with his simple, careless words. But she quickly covered up her hurt expression.
"If by beautiful, you mean ogre-like, then, well, what can I say? You definitely aren't shallow!" If only she could fathom how those words would come back to haunt her in a fitful cluster of dreams. A moment of silence graced the peaceful afternoon as Inuyasha struggled for something smart to say.
"Keh!" was all that he could muster. Kagome smiled secretively to herself. Why had she been so nervous to approach him at first? Granted, he could be a little...hell...very intimidating at times, but once you broke the ice, he was extremely easy to talk to (if you were quick witted and didn't get offended easily)
They bantered for a little while longer before Inuyasha leapt gracefully from his perch in the branches, landing silently beside Kagome. Eyes closed, he tipped his head toward the reddening sky, nose twitching in anticipation.
"The cook has started dinner," he muttered to himself as his stomach rumbled audibly. Okay, that's his way of saying goodbye.
"Good bye Inuyasha," she said cheerfully. Moving as fast as lightning strikes, he disappeared into the horizon within a few seconds. When Kagome was sure that he was out of earshot, she closed her eyes in contentment, a warm dreamy feeling tickling her insides. Little did Inuyasha know that he could melt her into a puddle on the floor with just a fanged grin. Why couldn't she like some sweet, sensitive guy instead of a rough, calloused one?
"I wish there was some way that I could get closer to Inuyasha! Someway I could get him to at least acknowledge me as more than a mere friend and peasant from the village..." Kagome sighed to herself, shuddering slightly as the sun slowly dipped behind the trees. "I want him...to be mine..." Closing her eyes, she smiled a little in spite of herself.
Kagome turned around to see someone sitting a few feet away from her, back against a tree stump. He was a teenage boy with dark tendrils of hair falling over a ghostly pale face. When had he gotten there? Inuyasha had only just left and he would have definitely sensed him! Where was he from? Why was he there?
"Hello," she said uncertainly; she was still a little on edge. For some reason, he seemed familiar to her, but didn't have the faintest idea why. Maybe he was a traveler seeking rest in the village and she had seen him passing by before. The boy looked up at her with dark, blank eyes, his lips pressed together, eyebrows drawn together in what looked like deep thought.
"You can have him, if you want," he muttered, gazing up at her.
"H-Have who?" she stammered, a light blush kissing her cheeks. He must have heard her talking about Inuyasha! How embarrassing...
"You know who I am talking about...You can have him, if that is what you truly desire..."
"That's really none of your business!" Kagome said as politely as she could muster. Who did he think he was?
"Well, I was only trying to offer help, but if you do not wish for it..." The boy turned his head away from her, closing his eyes.
"What? Help?" Kagome tried not to seem too eager. Naiveté was sinking its talons into her, and it didn't seem like it wanted to release its grip.
"Yes. I have the ability..." his voice trailed off. A cold look in his coal colored eyes seemed to suggest that he was teasing her. "You could be with him. Forever. Happily ever after."
"How could you do such a thing?" Kagome asked with rising curiosity. The boy bought his hands together, bowing his head as he muttered a few words under his breath. Images of her and Inuyasha embracing, dancing together, and kissing filled Kagome's head, making her mind feel muddled and dreamy.
"This is what could happen," he said. "I am extremely skilled with working my powers. Are you interested?"
"How do I know that I can trust you?" Kagome asked suspiciously.
"Your mother...Didn't she tell you that your time for romance would soon come? She meant tonight." Kagome thought back to earlier that week when she was complaining about loneliness to her mother. She had said the exact words that the boy had just uttered...Ironic and almost creepy in a way. "She summoned me to help with your relationship issues because it is well known that I, Naraku, am among one of the best matchmakers in Japan." Another wave of naiveté went crashing to Kagome's already muddled brain the moment those words left his lips. He seemed to have a strange power over her.
"Okay Naraku! What do I have to do?" He chuckled to himself and the sound sent chills darting up her spine, but Kagome ignored her instincts.
"I will set you up with a job as a servant at his manor. But this isn't a give and give and give relationship. It's a give and take. You can have your man, but under these conditions: He must fall in love with you within three months and you must give something to me. Getting you a job with Inutaisho is not an easy feat, plus I need compensation."
"What do I need to give?" Kagome asked innocently, thinking that it would be a bag of gold or possibly an item very precious to her. There was that creepy chuckle again.
"Oh, nothing of much importance. I want your beauty..." Naraku said nonchalantly.
"My what?" Kagome cried, startled. That was something that you could take? Why did he of all people want it? It wasn't as if he would be entering any pageants any time soon! "I don't have any beauty." Naraku shot her an unreadable look. Foolish girl.
In reality, Kagome was actually gorgeous to everyone but herself. Inuyasha had to grapple with his hormones so that he wouldn't break down and compliment the girl. Her glistening ebony hair curled about her slim torso in flowing waves. Eyes the color of the sea always radiated kindness and warmth, as well as stubborn pride and a sense of strength. Her skin was bronzed from summer days of working in the sun and her pink lips were full and soft. A smile from Kagome could light up the entire night sky and the light flush on her cheeks rivaled streaks of light at dawn.
"I can't do all of this for free, you know," Naraku snapped, growing a little impatient. "I need something to seal the deal. You will get it back on my word."
"How do I know that you will not break your promise?" Kagome asked, arching a thin eyebrow. Naraku took her delicate hands into his pale ones, brushing his ice cold lips against them. Instantly, a red mark, the shape of a crescent moon appeared on her palm.
"On the last day of the third month, if you do gain his love, then this symbol will disappear and you will look the way you do now."
"And if I fail?" Kagome asked with uneasiness settling into the depths of her stomach. But it was too late now. The mark was already etched onto her.
"Do I really need to answer that question?" Naraku growled.
A small voice in the back of Kagome's mind screamed for her to say 'no!' To turn around and run in the opposite direction, as far away from Naraku as her legs could carry her. But another voice, the larger voice that dwelled in her rapidly pounding heart, urged her to complete the contract, reasoning it was the only way to get closer to Inuyasha.
Silencing any traces of doubt that still loitered within her, Kagome swallowed the lump of uneasiness that swelled in her throat. If this is what would bring her closer to Inuyasha, possibly even give her Inuyasha, then so be it. And if she failed, would it really matter? She wasn't all that attractive anyway, according to him.
"I am positive I will look the same," she whispered to herself. "Okay Naraku. You have yourself a deal." Brushing his thin, freezing fingers against the warm skin of her face, he began the process. Instantly, Kagome's vision blurred and her head started to pound insanely. Soon her legs started to tremble and her arms turned to jelly. She dropped her basket and quickly joined it on the ground, passed out cold.
"Oh you were dead wrong, wench," Naraku hissed, gazing down at her emotionlessly before stepping over her crumpled body.
A/N: I haven't written an actual story in a loooooooooooooooooooooooong time. So what do you think? I didn't do to badly did I? Please R&R. I have a major problem finishing fics. .
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