Porcelain by Juul

Warnings: None, really, in this chapter at least.

Chapter Four: Rouge

Kagura looked up at Naraku, making eye contact with him. "So now she's pretty much like her zombie shard puppet brother, right? Or did you actually leave some of her soul in her?"

"Actually, I did," said Naraku, "All I took was some of her will to fight, and some of her hatred. She'll still be herself, just not as strong as she once was... for many reasons," he added, getting a really disgusted look from Kagura.

Naraku set the orb down on a table, next to a Shikon jewel shard, and another orb-- this one a much darker red, with something a deep shade of purple moving inside it. Naraku stepped away, backing up a few feet, and pulling Kagura with him.

Revealed from Naraku stepping away, was what appeared to be a ghost, or spirit. The ghost of a young woman, not much younger than Sango. The ghost was giving off a pale blue light, as she just hovered there, unmoving, her face twisted in a vacant frown, her eyes shut.

"Turn around, Kagura," said Naraku.

Kagura rolled her eyes in annoyance and turned around. She gasped and put her hand to her mouth in shock. Standing in front of her and Naraku was the body of that same girl as the ghost. Naraku turned to the table where the orbs and the jewel shard were and muttered something, a spell probably. The orbs fused into one. Then Naraku picked up the shard and walked behind the lifeless body. He muttered another curse, and Kagura knew that this one had embedded the jewel shard in the girl's back.

Naraku carefully picked the glowing orb up off the table and held it in one hand, while putting his other hand on the girl's shoulder. With one last curse said, the orb rose out of Naraku's hand and as fast as the blink of an eye, flew into the girl's chest. The body fell backwards and landed on the floor, shaking.

She screamed, then stood up. Naraku smiled. Kagura just shook her head in disgust. The girl rose into a kneeling position,
her hands on the ground in front of her, and her gaze at the floor.

"I still can't believe you killed that demon's family, Naraku," commented Kagura.

"Can you feel your body now, Rouge?" asked Naraku, ignoring the sorceress' remark.

"Yes, Master Naraku," said the girl, apparently named Rouge.

"How do you feel?" asked Naraku, once more.

"Angry," said Rouge, in a monotone voice, "Ready to kill anyone who gets in my way."

"Does the name 'Ami' mean anything to you?" asked Naraku. "What about the names 'Yokama'? Or 'Damien'?"

"No."

"You don't feel remorse, sadness, shocked?" Naraku asked. So far, his plan was working. The demon girl didn't remember a thing.

"I don't understand," said Rouge.

Naraku smiled evilly, then looked over his shoulder at Kagura. "Rouge," he said, "I want you to come with me." The mind-controlled demon nodded her head and followed Naraku out of the room. Naraku stood in the doorway, waiting for Kagura to follow.

Kagura looked at the demon's soul, one last time. Then she looked to the back of the room, knowing of a few other things hidden in that room. She left the room, and Naraku locked the door.

00000000000000000

Sango opened her eyes and tried to remember what had happened the night before. Kagura's warnings... small fight with Naraku... Sango remembered what happened after that. She would remember being raped by Naraku for the rest of her life.

Naraku.

Just the mere thought of him made Sango sick. The demon slayer sat up, biting her lip in pain to stop from screaming. She felt like she should have died. Maybe she should have. Naraku had officially taken everything from her; her family, her entire village; seperated her from her friends; and now, taking every last ounce of innocence that Sango had left, and breaking her spirit in the process. Sango laid back down on her side and hugged her knees to her chest in a fetal position, and cried.

Sango didn't even notice Kagura come into the room. Kagura sat on the bed next to the emotionally-wrecked demon slayer. Sango, automatically assuming that Naraku had come back, pulled the blanket over her head, and screamed, "Get away from me!"

Kagura paid no attention to this, and slowly pulled the blanket off of Sango's body. "Look, taijiya-- Sango," said the wind sorceress in an unusually soft tone, "I'm sorry about what Naraku did to you. That was just horrible beyond words."

Sango looked at Kagura with the most helpless look on her face, something that Kagura had never seen her show before. "Why did you help me?" asked Sango, noticing that she was now clean and dressed, and also feeling the tightness of a bandage around her waist.

"Because," said Kagura, "I want out of here. And I know you do, too." Sango nodded. "You aren't that bad. And I suppose that Inuyasha and your other friends aren't that bad, either. And I want Naraku dead."

Sango burst into tears and threw her arms around Kagura's neck. "I don't just want out of here!" she sobbed. "I should be dead! I want to be dead!"

Kagura was surprised by Sango's reaction. Not sure what to do, she patted Sango on the back, and told her, "You'll be fine. And don't wish that you were dead. I know someone who would probably say that death is not a good way out."

"Who?" choked Sango. "Who said that?"

Kagura had to tell Sango about Naraku's plan, or at least some of it. "Rouge," said Kagura.

"Who's that?" asked Sango.

"Rouge is a demon, who was killed by Naraku. But she's not dead; Naraku used a jewel shard to bring her back. But, she's just like your brother. She has no soul, no memory, and the only things she feels are hatred and anger."

"Why did Naraku kill Rouge?" the taijiya asked, calming down a bit.

"Her parents tried to stop one of Naraku's schemes," explained Kagura. "God knows how many years ago that was. Naraku killed Rouge's parents when she was a little kid. She was raised by her mother's best friend, Cleao, who was also killed by Naraku a few years ago. And now, just weeks ago, Naraku killed Cleao's daughter, and Rouge's 'sister,' Ami. Then he killed Rouge's lover, Yokama, and his best friend, Damien."

"Naraku's so... twisted..." said Sango, her voice shaking. "I hope he dies. I hope he gets dismembered piece by piece!"

Kagura nodded in agreement. "Rouge is around here somewhere. If you see her, do not speak to her; don't even acknowledge her presence."

"What's wrong with her?" asked Sango.

"Nothing of her own doing," said Kagura, "But she is very dangerous. Rouge was once a nice, brave, loving young woman, but now, Naraku has turned her into a killing machine."

Sango leaned against Kagura's side, and stared ahead of her, at nothing. "Rouge can be saved. So can you. But not me."

"You have more hope than both me and that demon girl," said Kagura. "Naraku has Rouge's soul... and my heart."