Seven Times the Hurting

Chapter 1

Back to the Past

Song: "Good Enough" By Evanescence

Klepto: So, a little back story on Suzla. Suzla only works for Naraku because she is in debt to him for something that he did for her mother. Suzla is Kouga's elder half sister (he's 18; she's 210, which about 20 in demon years), but she rarely sees him. The way it worked, is that Suzla's mother (different from Kouga. That's why she is so much older) was saved by Naraku (don't ask me why) and she said she would repay him my giving him her first born. Naraku was disappointed when he got her. She was 155 at the time, and he thought of her as a weakling. Suzla's mother was killed shortly after, and the young demon was granted with her deceased mother's power. This made her more acceptable in Naraku's eyes. He branded her with the mark of the spider using fire and the demons own katana. In power, Suzla is only second to Naraku.

That's pretty much all you need to know, since other then that, you'll learn about her in this story. I didn't put the pairings in the summary; they are Renkotsu x OC, Bankotsu x OC, Sango x Miroku, Kagome x Inu-Yasha. It's the same OC, and I didn't say it was both sided. It's rather funny, really.

Also, WARNING! THREE of the Band of Seven WILL NOT die with the rest. I repeat, WILL NOT die with the rest. They will stay living, and run from Naraku. From there, the story branches off. In this story, not counting the Band of Seven (that includes the ones that live past the rest) three people die, which are one OC, one from the show, and another that is "unknown."

Also, if it says Ookami, that means Suzla. Ookami is her old name. Suzla is not pronounced SUZE-la, its suz-a. The l is silent. On with the story!

--

Suzla sat beside Naraku. Her long, waist length black hair was free of its regular ponytail. Her armor-shirt was slightly unclipped, her fur shoulder covers sitting beside her. Her left gloved hand sat upon her knee, her brown priestess pants pulled up to her upper thighs. Her feet were covered with more bandages then usual. Her shikon jewel shards, embedded in her ankles, shone from the light of the high sun. She fanned herself with her opposite hand, her square face shining with sweat. "It is hot," she said, turning to face the man she was forced to serve.

Under your spell again.
I can't say no to you.

"You need not point out the obvious, Suzla-kohai," Naraku hissed. Even demons got hot from the heat they were traveling in.

"When will we arrive?" Suzla wanted to know. She ran a hand across her forehead, the sweat spilling from her hand.

"You mean when you will get there. I'm sending you and Kohaku-kohai to resurrect them. I trust you to be able to do this," Naraku said, batting a few strands of hair from her own face.

"How hard will getting some shards into some dead guys' necks?" she asked, laughing.

"You will only be placing a single shard in the one named Bankotsu. You will then bring him to me. You only need one shard," Naraku corrected her.

Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand.
I can't say no to you.

Suzla sighed, and slouched down in her seat. She could feel the weather cooling, however, she felt her inside getting hotter. Something stopped her breath, and she choked. She sat straight up, and turned her Naraku, her face screwed up in confusing, "What's going on?" she hissed, her voice lower than usual.

Naraku still looked out the window when he answered her question, "We are approaching Mt. Hakurei," Naraku stated.

Suzla coughed, "That Mountain with the barrier that repels demons? How am I to get in?"

"You have your ways that I know about," Naraku said, "You're enchantments? Can't you take your demonic power and put it away in an object? I've seen you do it before."

Suzla sighed, "Whatever," she muttered. She leapt from the carriage, quickly followed by Kohaku. She did a somersault midway to landing, having jumped so hi. Her black tail swayed slightly, and twitched. She turned to face northwest, the ox-tiger direction, "This way," she said, taking off at a dead sprint. Kohaku followed, much slowly, but he still followed her. She stood before the tomb, staring at it. Memories flashed through her mind, painful as they had been when she first experienced them.

Shouldn't have let you torture me so sweetly.
Now I can't let go of this dream.
I can't breathe but I feel...

Don't leave me here!

I never could.

Will you ever come back?

I don't if I can.

NO!

Good enough,
I feel good enough for you.

"Suzla-san?"

Suzla jumped, and turned to face the younger boy who stood before her, "Ah, Kohaku-bozu. Could you get the tomb down? I have a callus I'm trying to heal on my sword hand."

Kohaku nodded, and pulled his chain sickle out. The tomb was cut clean in two, one half sliding forward.

Suzla jumped forward, into the tomb. She was the corpses, each with their names engraved on their skulls. She grimaced, and walked to the one in the back, with "Bankotsu" written across the forehead. She hissed, and spat on the ground. How dare they do that to him! She flicked the jewel shard around in her hand, and then finally into the corpses neck.

The scene before her was horrendous. The bones suddenly were covered in flesh; the limp clothes once held to his old bones were filled in. His black pony-tail reappeared, as well as his eyes and nails. He was alive again, or should I say undead.

Drink up sweet decadence.
I can't say no to you,
And I've completely lost myself, and I don't mind.

The male suddenly lunched forward, taking a long, long gasp of air. He looked up, his hand on his forehead, and said, "Suze-chan?"

Suzla leapt forward, and hugged him, "Bankotsu-kun!" she yelled, tears coming to her eyes, "you're back!"

Bankotsu was still slightly confused, but he still hugged her back. "Suze, what's going on?" he asked, confused, "am I… alive?"

Suzla leaned back, smiling, "Yes," she said, "you are alive."

Bankotsu stood, the same height as the demon, "Tell me one thing; How?"

Suzla dropped her arms from around Bankotsu, "The sacred jewel shard in your neck, as of why, I don't know yet. You need to come with me to the man I serve."

Bankotsu's face fell, "Who?"

"Naraku-sama."

It's been such a long time coming, but I feel good.
And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall.

Bankotsu shook his head, "I won't even ask you how that happened. Well, we better not keep him waiting. Let's go."

As Bankotsu turned to leave, Suzla jumped up on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. He laughed, and held her legs next to his side, "You never did get tired of that," he snickered.

Suzla growled, "I haven't seen you in over 10 years, brainiac."

Bankotsu walked up the last step, and saw Kohaku, "You brought along your little minion, why?" he asked.

Suzla sighed, "I had to bring him along. Sorry about that. I really don't see why Naraku-sama told me to do that. I can handle it on my own."

Kohaku looked up at Suzla, on Bankotsu's back, "Should I go ahead?"

"Please," the two said in unison.

Pour real life down on me.

'Cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough.

As Kohaku leapt ahead, Bankotsu took off a much slower pace. "So, tell me, Suze, what have you been up to recently? You should also tell me how Naraku came to have you in his possession. I thought you told me that you would stay true to someone, even after death."

"You dismissed me, remember?" Suzla said, resting her head on Bankotsu's shoulder.

Bankotsu turned to look at her, "What? No, I didn't! Why would I do that?"

"When you told me to leave, during the siege? Apparently, the contract was busted at that point. The seal disappeared at that point."

"Well, since you have a longer shirt, I obviously couldn't tell that. So what's the new mark?" Bankotsu started to run. She could tell he didn't want to continue this conversation much longer. It was getting uncomfortable.

"It is a spider on my back, burnt in by fire and my own sword. It hurt like hell," she sighed, and hung her head over his shoulder, "I think I preferred the tattoo on my belly."

"A spider?" Bankotsu snorted, "I think the sun fit you better."

"And hurt less."

Am I good enough for you to love me too?

They approached the mountain. Suzla held her hand up, and started to shake. Bankotsu let her slide off his back, and stood to face the shaking demon. Suzla's eyes were closed, but her face was screwed up in agony. Small bits of her demonic energy were floating to a ball in her hand. Her appearance only changed slightly. Her crystal clear blue eyes turned to brown, and her hair shortened to a VERY short ponytail (like an inch) instead of waist-length. Her claws and fangs disappeared. Finally, she opened her eyes, and the energy disappeared. Bankotsu stared at her, "What did you just do?"

Suzla stopped, and sighed, "I took all of my demonic energy out. God, I feel so much better. I'm human now, so it is easier to pass though this barrier. It still makes me feel sick though. Ugh."

Bankotsu nodded, coughing, "This makes me sick as well. I guess evil humans even feel it."

Suzla nodded, as the two of them passed thorough the barrier.

So take care what you ask of me,

Suzla jumped back on Bankotsu's back. She was weaker now, so he went way faster now. She groaned, in pain, and went limp on his back, "I feel horrible," she groaned.

"So, where to now?" Bankotsu asked, as he leapt up a cliff.

"At the top. It should be straight ahead. It's a large castle," Suzla pointed forward.

Bankotsu ran forward, and ran into the ledge on the castle. He fell forward, and Suzla went flying forward as well. She hit the ground, sat up, and said, "Ouch," rather flatly.

Bankotsu sat up, and stopped. Right behind Suzla stood Naraku, smirking. Bankotsu's hand froze half-way up to rubbing the back of his head. "Naraku-sama?" he asked his voice cracking.

Suzla flipped around, saw her master, and bowed, "Hello, Naraku-sama," she said.

"Good job, Suzla. I need to speak with Bankotsu in private. Go on inside," Naraku breezed past her.

Suzla nodded, and scurried inside. Right before she shut the paper door, she turned to see Bankotsu staring at Naraku, fear slightly written all over his face. What had she done?

--

Klepto: For the suffixes, if you are wondering, Sama is extreme respect, kohai means someone below, and bozu means something like "squirt". Well, the next chapter will have to do with Kyokotsu attacking the wolf demons. Also, Koga doesn't know that he's related to Suzla. She's the only one who knows. No one else does. Well, who's alive anymore, anyways.

Afterthoughts: To mushy. Oops. And the song took up to much space.