Hey all! somehow this slipped through without being published. Oh well, here it is now.
For my loyal readers, I will have another story coming out soon that is a Kag X Sess pairing.
Enjoy!
Rated M for mature situtations, and to be safe.
I do not own Inuyasha nor do I profit in any way from the writing of this.
***
"Kagome!" cried a voice.
She didn't turn. There was something different this time.
"That icy bastard will kill you!" he yelled again.
Her feet still moved. She was drawn by the fear in his eyes. Fear! It pulled at her heart, and her feet followed obediently. There was no curt reply to heed her movement. His eyes held hers and she couldn't stop. She hesitated a moment when she stood before him, and bowed.
"Sesshomaru-sama," she breathed, "What are you doing here?"
"Kagome!" he yelled again.
Sesshomaru's gaze drifted briefly to his half brother, and then back to the onna before him. "He has Rin." replied Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands.
As his words past his lips his mask fell. Kagome's heart clenched in dread as she saw the true depth of his feelings exposed only to her. Kagome nodded once. She glanced over her shoulder to her beloved hanyou that wasn't hers anymore. Looking back to
Sesshomaru his mask was back in place, but Kagome could feel the turmoil in his aura.
"We will get her back." she said.
She turned and began back to Inuyasha.
"Don't turn your back on that bastard!" yelled the inuhanyo.
Sesshomaru stayed where he was, ignoring his brother. He had no time for him now. His daughter was in danger. Kagome stopped before the Inutachi. Sango saw the emotions flitting in her eyes that she hid from aura. She glanced at Inuyasha and knew he couldn't tell. He didn't know. He didn't see. She looked over at Sesshomaru's indifferent posture. He and Kagome stood so similar now. They were more alike than they knew. Only she saw. She could feel his aura. Not like Kagome and Miroku, both of whom had spiritual powers, but she could. She knew better. Sesshomaru had come to Kagome for a reason.
"Naraku has taken Rin." she spoke to the others.
"What?! The bastard can't protect his pack?!" Inuyasha shouted.
Kagome ignored him as did Sesshomaru, they really were so much alike.
"We will help him retrieve her." Kagome said firmly.
Inuyasha chuckled. "Asking a filthyhanyou for help now bastard?" he taunted his elder half-brother.
Sesshomaru looked at him finally. "No, I ask a miko." he responded. Then he looked away once more into the forest.
"We leave at once." said Kagome, watching Sesshomaru for a moment.
Sango studied her friend. There was so much more going on here than she was telling anyone.
"To where Kagome?" she asked her dear friend/sister.
Kagome met Sango's eyes, and that hidden something was in her eyes again. "To Naraku." she responded quietly.
"How will we do that Kagome? Do you anticipate him to reveal himself?" Miroku asked.
Kagome still held Sango's gaze, and Sango felt her heart clench when she spoke. "No, I will take us to him." she responded tightly.
All eyes were on her now. Before anyone could speak she turned away and went to Sesshomaru. She looked up at him once with unspeakable emotion flooding her face and aura just for the moment, then it was gone. She continued to walk. They followed,
stunned.
*****
They stopped well after dark. Once camp was made and food cooking, the questions began. All attention was on Kagome. Her eyes were on Sesshomaru, whom was standing away from the camp staring onto the distance. She wanted to comfort him, but she couldn't-not in front of the others.
"How can you take us to him Kagome?" asked Sango.
She sighed. She didn't want them to know, but now certain events forced it. "I can feel him." she replied sadly.
A startled grasp ran around the fire. She didn't dare look at any of them now. She didn't want to see the look in their eyes. She didn't want to see the accusations. Sango was the first to speak.
"How long?" she asked softly.
Kagome felt the pinpricks of tears at the corner of her eyes. "Since he took me." she replied, her voice trembling. She hated remembering. She hated knowing. She hated that this was her destiny.
Inuyasha fought back the sting of his failure when it was brought up, and focused on his anger. He stood. "Why didn't you tell us?!" he growled, his voice was low and menacing.
"We aren't ready, but it seems that is what Naraku wants." sighed Kagome.
"We are more than ready. You should have told us wench-" Inuyasha growled.
Kagome rose angrily to her feet. "No we're not!" she hissed at him.
Inuyasha did something he never did before when arguing with Kagome, he cracked his knuckles."You don't get to decide that." he growled back at her.
Kagome glared, not backing down. Her voice was soft and low, not betraying her
emotions. It was almost cold. "Are you ready for Kikyou to go back to hell? Are you ready to see Sango bury her brother? I'm not." she hissed.
Inuyasha lost his menacing demeanor. He glanced at Sango and then jumped into a tree ending the conversation. Kagome didn't need to look over to know that Sango was on the verge of tears. She knew now that Kohaku couldn't be saved. Kagome walked away into the woods. She needed to be alone. She stopped at the nearby river, and sat. She hugged her knees, and let the swell of memories wash over her. She was tired of fighting it.
*Flashback*
It was just an average fight with one of Naraku's minions; at least that's what they thought. It was a distraction and Kagome was kidnapped. The thing had her in its grasp and gagged before she knew what was happening. She couldn't cry out, just be dragged away. As the thing pulled her from her friends blackness claimed her. She woke chained to a wall. She looked around, and could tell this was a palace of some sorts. She was terrified. She knew she was in Naraku's castle. She wasn't alone either. Kohaku sat
staring at her. She could see the endless agony that consumed him. She tugged her chains
as he watched, and looked around for anything to help herself. Nothing.
"It's no use." said a voice.
Kagome stared at the boy in the exterminator outfit. What did she say or ask? Was this a ruse to lure her in?
"Kohaku-" she started.
"I remember killing them all. I remember it all. I remember my sister protecting me with her body. He likes it when I remember." he said, his voice betrayed his dying soul.
"Why?" asked Kagome.
A twisted smile crossed his face. "He likes me to suffer. He likes to see me like this. He likes seeing what it does to me, to know I killed my family with my own two hands. The blood that is on them never washes away. He likes that." said Kohaku nastily, "He only takes away the memories when he wants me to kill or hurt others. He knows I can't kill or harm others, so he makes me nothing so I can. When it's done he makes me remember again."
Kagome crawled to the boy and pulled him into her lap cradling him. She felt her tears falling, but her mind was elsewhere. She was trying to think what Naraku wanted. She had to find a way to free herself and Kohaku. She had to survive. As her mind was
whirling she felt Kohaku go ridged in her arms. She looked down to see his face blank,
and his eyes a bottomless void. She felt fear like never before. She let her arms fall away
from him as he stood. Kagome scuttled back against the wall. Kohaku watched her with
empty eyes that made Kagome shiver. Then she felt the other shards. The door slid open and before her was Naraku. He looked at her with lust. The way his eyes roamed her body made her feel so dirty. She tried to make herself a shapeless ball, but Kohaku
stepped to her, and gripped her wrist painfully. He pulled her up so she stood before
Naraku. Kagome held her chin high. Naraku approached with a smile.
"Ku, ku, ku, little miko." he laughed.Tentacles came from him, and wrapped around her arms, legs, body, anywhere theycould grasp. One gripped her neck tightly as he pulled her closer. She struggled to breath. "Such a pretty little miko." he cooed. The shackles bit into her skin as he pulled her to the end of the chains. A tentacle brushed along her face. Kagome took the chance and reached for her power. It seared him. He growled and flung her against the wall. His tentacles whipped her, slicing her skin. Kagome refused to cry out and again reached for her power. The whipping stopped, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She dared to rise up, and stand defiantly. Naraku sneered at her.
"Let's see how long you last without your hanyou." he said as he turned to leave.
"Inuyasha will come save me." Kagome replied confidently.
Naraku laughed. "And how will he find you?" he sneered. There was a moment when he said nothing and then Kikyou entered the room. "I have both his mikos. Inuyasha won't be able to find you." he smirked. Then he chuckled, and left with Kikyou.
Kagome slumped to the floor. After several long moments looking at the door, she looked to Kohaku.
He was himself again and crying. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
Kagome pulled him to her, and they sat together.
*****
For weeks Naraku beat and abused her. She always stayed defiant; she never gave into him. He used Kohaku on occasion, making him hurt her. This hurt the boy more than anything when he "awoke" again. Kagome did the best to console him, but it was hard when she never knew when Naraku would take control of him. It was after such a time when she held Kohaku.
"We'll get out of this. I know we will." she told him, trying to sound cheerfull.
Kohaku laughed a cold laugh that made her wonder if Naraku had taken over again, but in his eyes it was still the haunted boy.
"You will Kagome, but not I." he said.
"Kohaku don't think like that!" she admonished him.
"Kagome, even if I escape Naraku and his control I don't want to live. Not with knowing everything I've done. I was meant to die once, and I want the mercy of that once more." he said as he grabbed her wrists, and forced her to look into his eyes. "Promise me, that if you free me, you'll let me die."
"Kohaku I can't-" gasped Kagome.
"Promise me!" he begged.
Kagome began to cry. "I promise," she whispered to the broken soul of Kohaku. He hugged her, and she returned it staring off into space. "I promise." she whispered to herself.
*****
Naraku returned the next day; she saw a dark joy in his eyes, and feared. She backed away from his grasping tentacles until her back was pressed to the wall. He grasped her suddenly and jerked her to him. She cried out as the metal tore her skin and flesh. His tentacles were thrust in her mouth as she did. She tried to scream in horror but nothing got passed the slimy appendage shoved in her throat. Her eyes were wide and she tried to call to her power. She was whipped breaking her concentration and tears flowed free as she prepared for her death. Then the tentacle pulled back so she could breathe, but still invaded her mouth. Another joined it and her mouth was wrenched open. Something hot and thick was poured in. Kagome tried to spit out the liquid, but her mouth and nose were plugged. It was swallow or die. Finally the need for air became too much and Kagome swallowed the foul slimy contents in her mouth. Naraku released her and she gasped for air until the process was completed. Twice more he forced her to swallow before he dropped her. He retreated to a corner away from her to watch
Kagome's eyes never left him as she wiped her mouth. The stain on her fingers caught her attention and she looked at them in growing horror. Blood. He had forced her to drink blood. She looked at his gleaming grin, and felt a stab of pain radiate from her stomach. "What have you done?!" she cried, curling into a ball, twitching in agony.
Naraku laughed. "I made you drink my blood." he smirked.
Kagome wanted to scream. "Why?" she gasped out instead.
"Because you are mine." he growled.
Pain consumed her. It filtered into every part of her body. She was the pain as it was her. There was nothing outside of the pain. It was all there was, and all there ever would be. Her eyes saw nothing, and in her mind there was only pain. Then she heard and felt something begin to crack. It was slow and just a low groan of protest at first, but then the crack spread and split. It raced through her, and then in a final shrieking protest it shattered. Her body reacted violently to the revealed part. The pain was seared away by something white hot and comforting.
*****
Kagome woke panting, and confused. She belated realized she was still in Naraku's castle. He was gone from the room as was Kohaku. She was still chained. She was amazed to find all of her wounds were healed. As she studied her unmarred skin she felt something. It was like, but vastly different, her sensing the jewel shards. She closed her eyes and concentrated. It was moving, and had shards whatever it was. She reached out to it, and recoiled instantly. It was Naraku. She could feel him now and every bit of the jewel. She was aware of every shard and where they were. Then she felt a huge powerful aura heading for her as Naraku was fleeing. She waited, unable to free herself from the chains, for whatever was coming. She knew it was coming for her. She wondered why she could feel what was coming. She felt so much now. Experimenting she pushed outward, expanding herself. She could feel every demon and could tell what they were feeling. She quickly retracted back into herself in her surprise. At that moment the immense aura stepped through the door to her room. She looked up into the molten golden eyes in wonder. She quickly stood and bowed to the Lord of the Western Lands.
"Miko." he said.
"Hai, Sesshomaru- sama?" asked Kagome.
Kagome was trying to understand what she was feeling from him, which was mainly surprise. He said nothing but watched her. Suddenly his poison whip lashed out. Her aura spiked dangerously along with her power, and then the chains fell away harmlessly.
He continued to watch her. "What has happened here miko?" he asked her.
She understood it was a command. "Naraku had me, and made me drink his blood. I- I don't know what happened after that." she replied.
He seemed to regard her for a moment. Then turned and strode away. Kagome quickly followed after. He led her through the woods to a hot springs. He turned to her.
"Wash miko, you reek of the filthy hanyou." he ordered her.
Kagome nodded, and did so. As she soaked she felt Sesshomaru move away. He was easy to track with how big his aura was. She cleaned her uniform as best she could, but knew the blood stains would never come out and laid it aside. Not long after Sesshomaru returned with a kimono. Kagome gladly took it, and dressed while Sesshomaru faced away.
"Thank you Sesshomaru- sama I am grateful." she said bowing.
"Hn." he replied and they began to walk again.
Kagome felt something rushing at them, and her fear spiked. She felt something tear from her body. She was gasping on the forest floor. Sesshomaru stood not too far away eyeing her curiously.
"What was that?" she gasped.
"You have put up a barrier. Take it down at once." he said cold and indifferent as ever, but his aura said something different.
She stood slowly. "I- I don't know how." she said softly.
"Pull back what you have pushed out." he replied as if it were obvious.
Kagome did so, and felt it rush back into her body. She stumbled when it impacted with her, and then flared her aura looking for what she had felt earlier. Whatever it was, it was gone now. Silent as ever Sesshomaru turned away, and began to walk once more.
Kagome followed.
*End Flashback*
"Kagome?" asked Sango.
She looked up at Sango. She hadn't even heard her friend she was so lost in her
memories. "Yes Sango?" she replied.
Sango sat, and looked at the glistening black water."You never told what happened while Naraku had you. Was- Did you see- Was it bad?" she asked.
Kagome looked at her treasured friend. If this was indeed the end than she would never see her again after it was over. "He was there. He spent a lot of time with me." said Kagome, referring to Kohaku.
Sango just nodded. Tears pooled in her eyes and threatened to spill over. Kagome was answering the questions she couldn't bring herself to ask.
"Sango, he remembers when he isn't doing Naraku's bidding. He remembers it all. He made me promise to-" Kagome's throat closed on the words.
"Promise to what?" She asked because she had to hear what she knew in her heart
already.
"He made me promise to let him have the mercy of death when it's over."
Sango nodded. "Thank you Kagome for telling me." she said. She looked at her friend, resolve shining in her eyes. "Together we will make sure he has that peace." said Sango.
Kagome nodded, and Sango stood, her hands in fists. She disappeared back into the woods. Kagome sat for some time.
"We will get her back." she said softly, knowing that he would hear her anyways. There was no reply but she knew he was listening. "Why did you come that day?" she asked, referring to the day of her transformation.
"I felt raw, unadulterated power like I never had before. It felt like something terrible and yet beautiful had awakened. I wanted to see what it was, and see the blood it would shed in its fury. I found you." came the reply as Sesshomaru stepped out into the moonlight.
Kagome nodded, and rose with her eyes still on the seething river. "Tomorrow will be a terrible day." she said.
"And the blood will finally be shed." said Sesshomaru.
Kagome turned her eyes to Sesshomaru. "Yes it will." she replied.
*****
Kagome led them into the trap. She felt the demons all around her, but kept her aura in check. It wasn't long before the air erupted with a horde of demons. The fight was on. Naraku cowardly stood back and let his minions fight. He held Rin on a leash, and set
Kohaku against his sister. Inuyasha couldn't use his wind scar or other attack for fear of
harming any of the humans present. Kagome resisted sending out a purifying blast for
fear of her demonic companions. So they fought, and they fought and fought.
Kagome watched as her friends tired. Sango had disabled her brother, holding him long enough that Kagome could purify and dig out his shard. He had come to himself just before he passed, and thanked his sister. Now she and Miroku protected his lifeless body from the demons whom sought to devour it. Inuyasha had managed to kill the majority of the demons, and was now assaulting Naraku along side Sesshomaru. They were thwarted
often as he would tug Rin out in front of him. The poor girl was hysterical. Kagome
continued to fire her arrows at demons.
Then she felt an oh-so-familiar tug. Kikyou entered the battle just behind Naraku. Inuyasha stopped his attacks as she went to the evil hanyou. She glared at Inuyasha and then met Kagome's eyes. She smiled, and Kagome knew that she had teamed up with Naraku to get her soul back.
Rage flooded though Kagome. And then she felt the tug of Naraku strengthen. Suddenly it all made sense. Naraku had forced her to drink his blood to try and control her like he controlled Kohaku through the shard. It had gone wrong though, and he had awakened and unlocked her power. He hadn't realized it. He didn't know that he had inadvertently created the one person that could obliterate him.
Kagome now was in complete control, but Naraku thought he was. Kagome dropped her bow, and let her face and eyes go blank. She let her body go to Naraku as if it was indeed controlled and called. She passed Inuyasha and Sesshomaru whom watched in horror, and interest respectively. She could tell from Sesshomaru's aura that he knew she was in control. So she walked to her enemy like she was fodder. She stopped just before him, and let his tentacles caress her. She saw, from the corner of her eye, as Kikyou pulled out a dagger in which to finish her reincarnation.
She lifted her arms, wrists up, as Naraku wanted her too. Instead of being still though, she grasped him. Expression flooded into her face, as she grinned ferally at him. She stretched out her hand, and pushed through his body. She seared away the flesh that she encountered as she grasped for the jewel. She was oblivious to his screams, but not the fact that he dropped Rin's leash, and she fled to her Lord. She grasped the jewel, and
looked from Naraku's eyes to Kikyou. She was frozen in disbelief.
"Thought you would get your soul back? It's not yours anymore; it's mine now." said Kagome, "And it's more than you could ever handle with how it's grown. That clay body would never hold it all."
With those words she unleashed the rage inside of her and with it a massive wave of spiritual energy. It purified Naraku, and his minions, as well as Kikyou. Kagome felt her part of the soul return, and felt whole again. In her hand the nearly full Shikon no Tama sparkled pink.
She turned to the others to see Inuyasha looking at her with disbelief, Miroku was saying a prayer for Kohaku, Sesshomaru had a hand on Rin whom was clinging to his leg, and Sango looked at her with peace in her eyes. The deed was done and it was over. Kouga had come at some point, and now it was he Kagome went to. He handed over the shards, and with hers she fused the jewel to make it whole once more just like her. She looked at the complete jewel.
"What will you wish?" asked Kouga.
Kagome looked up with a watery smile. "Nothing." she replied.
Miroku regarded her. "Why not?" he asked.
She looked at Inuyasha. "The jewel will never disappear because there is no truly unselfish wish. And each wish will only be corrupted and twisted by the demons within the jewel. So I will simply protect it." she replied, looking at each member of their group after Inuyasha, resting on his form again.
Inuyasha nodded. He looked away from Kagome unable to see her right now, but only his dead and lost love. Right now her face was a reminder that was too hard to bear.
Sango pulled her brothers body onto Kirara with herself, and then took off once Miroku and Shippou climbed on behind her. Inuyasha ran below them.
Kagome turned to Kouga. He bowed once. "I must go tell the elders of the wind witch's demise. I will return later." he said and with that he was gone.
Kagome at last faced Sesshomaru. With no one unwanted to see, he bent to his ward, and hugged her. She hugged him back, and then released him. They faced her. "I must return to the castle." he said and Kagome nodded. "What of you miko?" he asked.
She smiled. "I don't know only time will tell." she replied cheerily.
Sesshomaru formed his cloud, and Kagome watched him till he was gone from her sight. She looked over the battlefield, and then she walked away from it all. It was over, but she still had a job to do.
-AJ
--betaed by Eternal Cosmic Sailor Saturn