Hello my lovelies! Soooo sorry for the long wait, but track has been rough this year and I've been way too tired when I get home to do much of anything. But anyway here's my favorite chapter since the first one. It was kinda hard to get out, but's it's here. Kagome is extremely… sarcastic in this chapter. Read to find out why!
Also if anyone's been getting lots of notices in their inboxes, it's not because I've been updating, but because I've been revising and editing some of the earlier chapters. Nothing major has been changed, but I think I should mention that every chapter will start with Kagome's POV and after the pound signs will switch to Inuyasha's POV or vice versa.
"Have we got everything?" the woman-Sango!-asked.
"There wasn't much we were in need of to begin with, surprisingly enough. Just the bark of a crying tree-which I presume is a weeping willow, the water of salted lash-tears I believe, shriveled petals of red-dried rose petals, and the one whose left with nothing-Kagome," the pervy-I mean Miroku!-rattled.
"How uplifting," she said sarcastically. "Remind me how any of that has anything to do with summoning a demon?" she asked.
"It doesn't," Inuyasha cut in, finally showing up in the dark, abandoned clearing. "But I have a real bad feeling about this so let's just get it over with."
"Right," Miroku agreed. "Kagome?"
I looked up at the sound of my name, goose bumps racing across my skin, but I knew there was no life in my expression, no light in my eyes. My shakes, tears, and sporadic shrieks of terror had subsided, but I was still thoroughly freaked out, as I should be. After the little 'incident' back in the well, I had no reason whatsoever to trust these people and therefore didn't. If I can't trust these people not to shove me down a well, what can I trust them for?
Had I been able to summon the demon alone, believe me I would've, but there was something about needing four people including myself to perform the summoning. Whatever. I just wanted to get my memory back and leave alive if that was at all possible.
When Inuyasha and I had made it back to Kaede's hut to form a plan as to how to go about summoning this 'demon', she'd explained to me how the well worked. That anyone who passed through its threshold would be forced into another time, but that still hadn't explained the strange visions-if they could even be called that-I saw. Or why Inuyasha had pushed me into the well in the first place.
By the time I'd digested that the well was no ordinary hole in the ground, we were already halfway to the deserted clearing deep in the forest to prepare for the summoning. I'd barely had any time to calm myself down let alone even attempt to decipher what had happened in the well, what any of it meant, or let anyone know about the strange visions. Though, I think I'll be keeping that last bit of information to myself. With these people, who knows how those visions could be used against me.
I could barely contain my emotions and fear at present, not to mention my complete lack of trust in these people. I just couldn't stop thinking about that man in the pink bubble. Something about him, since the first time I'd woken up, danced along the edges of my memory. Something that made my heart race and blood boil. Something bad.
And then there was the whole 'I'm retrieving my memory through voodoo magic' thing going on. Think about that last sentence, girl. I'm losing my mind. No pun intended.
I was an outsider lost in my own thoughts, confusion, and wariness at this point and in turn chose not to stand with the others, but to sit off to the side alone.
"We're about to start!" he called.
I stayed motionless. I keep telling myself I just want my memories back so I can get the heck out of here, but what if I don't want them back? What if they're bad? What if there's a reason I don't have them anymore? Did I do this to myself? What if I'm not who I am or… or I'm not…good? I could've been anyone. A medicine woman. A priestess. A murderer. A sister. A wife.
I was shocked out of my speculations when Inuyasha violently grabbed my wrist and pulled me to my feet. I smacked his hand away, to angry to meet his eye. "Don't touch me," I quietly snapped.
"Kagome-"
I turned and began striding off towards the rest of the group. "I can't even look at you right now."
"But Kagome, I said I was sorry!"
I whipped around, a crazed look in my eye. "NO! You didn't!"
"Okay so that was a lie-"
"Just stop talking!" I yelled.
"But-"
"I hate your guts!"
I didn't wait to see his expression, but needless to say the ensuing silence was overwhelmingly large. I fumed my way over to the other two, wordlessly waiting for my own directions.
"Well, okay then. Shall we begin?" the monk asked, trying to break the awkward, but failing miserably. "Everyone has what they need? Yes, okay. Sango, you stand over there." He pointed off to his right. "And Inuyasha you stand over here." He pointed slightly to his left. Together they formed a lopsided triangle.
"Kagome, you stand here in the middle," he motioned.
At first, I couldn't move. I was rooted to the spot in fear. This is pathetic, being afraid of my own past. I couldn't have been that bad, right? But then I thought of the animosity I felt towards Inuyasha and the suspicion of the others. What could that have stemmed from? It had to be a memory, right? And that man… Who am I kidding? I'm probably a psychopath axe murderer who between killings enjoys roaming the countryside as a street pharmacist!
I tentatively walked into the center of the triangle, nervous to the very core, and shifted my gaze between Miroku and Sango so that my back was to Inuyasha. "Like this?" I asked.
"That will do," he replied. "Now, I need you to close your eyes and concentrate on where and how you woke up after this thing took you're memories. The scenery, what you felt, who was there, everything."
"Okay."
I began thinking. All I could really think of was Inuyasha. Honestly, I hadn't been paying too much attention to anything else. He had been there, and was strangely enough willing to help me much to my now utter disbelief. At the time, I had been too focused on trying to gain bearings that I would never find and his ears that may or may not be real to really notice anything else. In essence he had been kind of my savior. Oh how the times very quickly change. And there was that white gooey stuff, but that's about it.
Maybe, this is a dream. I think I'd like to wake up right about now. I pinched myself, but shock!-I was still smack in the middle of the twisted séance.
Miroku spoke to the other two in the background. "Sango, you take the rose petals. I need you to place them in a circle around Kagome."
"On it," she said. I heard a slight rustle as she hurriedly rushed around me in a circle, supposedly spreading flower petals.
"Inuyasha, use your claws and cut the bark into four equal pieces." There were three simultaneous crunches as he sliced the wood into fourths. "Now put one piece in each of the four cardinal directions around Kagome.
"Whatever." I heard him slowly place each small piece of bark on the ground.
"And now I will sprinkle tears, happily supplied through my own volition thanks to the actions of Lady Sango, over Lady Kagome." What's that supposed to mean?
As I felt the drizzle of water sprinkle over my head, I couldn't help but wonder why each of them was here. Each one of them had dropped everything they were doing to help me, a virtual stranger, get her memory of all things back. We might have been friends before the accident, I get that, but this good of friends? I can't imagine any normal group of friends ever going to such lengths to help one another. Were we really this close or were they indebted to me? Did I make them do something before to force them into helping me? Was my memory loss planned? Were these people my slaves? Oh no, what've I done?
And there's my complete and total distrust of them, but they trust me? What's up with that?
"Still thinking, Kagome?" Miroku asked.
"Yep." I took a deep breath. "I'm ready."
"Better be ladies and bastards because this bitch is already here."
####
My gaze snapped to a high oak tree silhouetted by the light of the half-moon where the shadow of girl sat reclining in a branch, swinging her feet back and forth over the side. "Show yourself!" I demanded.
With a light giggle that reminded me of a kitten being dragged over hot coals, she leaped from her perch on the branch, her bare feet making the slightest crinkling sound as she hit the grass. She slowly sauntered toward our group, taking her sweet time, as her pale skin glowed and a creepy smile lit her face. My hand immediately flicked to Tetsusaiga, but didn't draw the sword just yet.
The girl promenaded right up to Kagome, who still had her back turned and eyes closed, and tapped her on the shoulder. "Sweetie," she said, Kagome nearly jumping out of her skin. "Do you have any idea how ridiculous you look?"
"Do you have any idea how much I'd enjoy hanging you with your own intestines!" I shot back.
The girl slowly swung towards me, wagging her finger and a disapproving scowl on her face. "Hush now, dog. I'm getting to you. Wait your turn." She turned back to Kagome, I seething in my own frustration. "How are you feeling, sugar? No nasty side effects I hope? No bone swelling, uncontrollable urination, or toe nail loss?"
"Nope, but I do seem to be suffering from a severe case of split ends," she replied dryly. "Oh!" she said, snapping her fingers. "I almost forgot! Silly me. I'm also having a bit of trouble remembering anything everything before the past two days, but that's no big deal." Huh. Never seen Kagome so sarcastic. She must be seriously pissed off.
The girl placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder, her incredibly short kimono riding up her thighs. I heard the loud slap of Sango's hand against Miroku's face and a muffled groan of pain. Of all times now, Monk? "Oh well, that's to be expected," the girl said. "I mean, that was your wish."
"So it was you that took Lady Kagome's memory?" Miroku asked, still rubbing his face.
"Well, duh. Do ya see anybody else here?" she retorted.
"No it's just I had no idea a beautiful demoness such as yourself was capable of something-"
Her overly-happy, tittering, way too composed countenance suddenly clouded with pure, stark rage. "I'm not a demoness! I am the embodiment of misery, dammit!" She stamped her foot. "I take my power from wounded souls blah, blah, blah. I transcend time and all its limitations yada, yada, yada. Long story short, I'm. Not. A. DEMON!" she paused. "And this little bitch right here," she pointed to Kagome, "had it coming. I could smell her misery from hundreds of miles away. After what you did to her," she pointed to me, "I consider taking her memory was an undeserved favor on my part."
I could do nothing, but stare at the smug look on her small, round face.
"Yes that's right little puppy. I've found myself increasingly infatuated with young Kagome's memory here, and my oh my does she have some interesting little things lurking about in that mind of hers. You've been a very naughty little boy lately concealing-"
Before I knew it, I'd ripped Tetsusaiga from its sheath and was already up in the girl's face, the sword tip millimeters from her nose. "Shut up! I've heard enough," I growled. "Give Kagome back her memory now before I get mad."
"Or what? You can't harm me. Try and I guarantee you'll fail," she batted away the sword with a delicate, shining hand that I really wish I could've ripped from her arm and shoved up her nose. "Threaten me again though and you'll wish you hadn't."
"Fine," I said, lowering the sword. "Will you please give Kagome back her memories?"
"Sure!" she giggled, clapping.
"Really?" I asked, skeptical.
"No, but nice try."
Had I not had Tetsusaiga, I would've gone full youkai on her ass. I vaguely heard Sango 'strongly advising' me to calm down, but I was far beyond rationalization. My teeth clenched and I readjusted my grip on the hilt of the sword, ready to swing the death blow, when a fleshy shape knocked me to the side. I stood there blinking for several seconds before I realized Kagome stood ahead me, glaring at the girl.
"Inuyasha, stay out of this. I can get my own memory back, thank you very much!"
I gaped in shock for several seconds before shouting, "What do you think you're doing wench?"
Completely ignoring me, she said to the girl, "Why me? Did I do something to upset you? Did I cross you? Betray you? Why my memories?"
The girl put a finger to her chin, thinking, then snapped. "Convenience. I was low on power, you were high on misery. Plain and simple as that. I just never thought your mind would be as interesting as it is and have decided to keep it until further notice."
"What do you mean 'interesting'?" Kagome asked.
"Hun, if I told you now, this wouldn't be any fun at all, not to mention your doggy friend would be thoroughly upset. Goodbye now!" she began to walk away.
"You better get back here or I'll…" Kagome trailed.
"Or you'll what? You're powerless without your memory and therefore can do me no harm! Now I really must be on my way. Toodles!" She wiggled her fingers and turned to strut off into the night.
But there was no way in hell I was letting this girl leave alive with Kagome's memory.
"Get back here, bitch!" I screamed. I leapt for her retreating form and sliced through her torso with Tetsusaiga. Or attempted to, I should say. 'Cause this is my life. Nothing is ever that easy. A small squeak from Kagome and faint snip later, the girl suddenly had a whole new hairdo.
She slowly spun to face me, malice in her eyes. "You. Did. Not. Cut. My. Hair. This was my favorite hair! Do you have any idea how long it took me to get this shade and luscious cut?" She shrieked, fingering the back of her scalp.
I stared at the metallic, blonde strands lying in the grass and the diagonal cut in her locks. "Well, gosh, when you put it that way… nope still don't care," I said matter of fact.
"What he means," Miroku cut in, "Is that he's very sorry-"
"Not really, but if it helps," I started, "I didn't mean to cut your hair. I was really just trying to kill you." I began picking at the dirt underneath my claws.
"Shut your face!" she screeched. "And pseudo-apology not accepted jackass! Humph. And to think I even considered taking you for a husband."
I groaned. "Tell me I imagined that last sentence."
"Oh dear God," I Sango murmured, exasperated.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't just here that and that I'm not potentially scarred for life, but do you honestly think I'm going to let your sorry carcass live to see the sunrise?" I asked.
The girl's eyes flashed a brilliant silver that left me seeing a rainbow of stars. "I told you not to threaten me again. It's incredibly rude of a gentleman such as you. Or should I say a filthy half breed." I snarled and Kagome gasped behind me. What did she expect? I have cat- I mean dog ears, dammit. "You've insulted me beyond belief and even more destroyed my hair. Your friend will never know her own memory again."
"Not if I can help it!" I lunged for her, but she was already ten feet away giggling malevolently.
"If you kill me, how will you retrieve the poor girl's memory?" she chided.
"I'll figure it out!"
"Inuyasha calm down! She's out of her mind, but right! We need her alive to retrieve Kagome's memory!" Miroku shouted.
Sango chimed in, "It's not worth it!"
"Feh. In what world?" I swung Tetsusaiga again, this time unleashing the Windscar. The blades of golden light swept over the girl, incinerating her tiny body on impact. She disintegrated into nothing.
I turned, sheathing Tetsusaiga, to face the others. Miroku and Sango were shaking their heads in disappointment and Kagome… well she was staring at me with wide eyes, an incredulous look on her face.
"See something ya like, wench?" I asked.
She clenched her fists. "You just destroyed my last hope of ever regaining my memory!" she screeched. "Who do you think you are?"
The blood drained from my face and my heart skipped a beat. "Kagome I-"
Her hands unclenched and her head fell forward. "Just forget it." She spun, her whole body somehow drooping, and slowly began to trudge towards the path leading back to the village. "I'm going."
I turned my back to her and scoffed. "Good luck finding the village."
"I never said I was going back with you," she whispered.
Just as I began to protest, Kagome screamed shrilly. I immediately spun to find the girl (whose clothes were burned off I might add) glaring at me and practically frothing at the mouth. I vaguely heard Sango scrambling to cover Miroku's eyes to spare us all his womanizing, but I was way too focused on the girl to notice.
I ran over to Kagome, shielding her from the girl with my body and quickly pulled Tetsusaiga from its sheath once again, brandishing it in a flash of yellow light.
The girl's previously grey eyes suddenly widened to literally the size of sand dollars and burned a dazzling gold. "Suffer my wrath."
Kagome instantly grabbed the back of my haori with a hand, her fingers trembling. "Yeah, that'll be the day," I said, sardonically.
The girl raised her palms to the sky, beams of white light that I instantly recognized shooting from her hands.
"Inuyasha," Kagome said worriedly.
"It's okay," I said, uncharacteristically gentle. "This girl is just a pathetic wannabe demoness, who doesn't actually have any real power."
A large sphere of white light began to form around the girl, pulsing every couple of seconds or so. The ball began expanding and rose into the sky, girl and all, until both nearly touched the tops of the trees. With each throb, another wave of sheer power rolled off the sphere and made my clothes cling to my skin with static electricity. The air crackled.
The light shooting from her hands was the same from the night that Kagome lost her memory.
"But just to be safe, don't let go," I said. Kagome raised her other hand up and gripped tighter onto my haori, pressing her face into my back.
And then the circle exploded, engulfing everything, including us, in its path.
As soon as it had blinded us all into oblivion, the light was gone, leaving us to blink away an array of stars.
"Miroku," I shouted, hoping he hadn't somehow managed to get himself killed. "You got any idea what's going on?"
There was a slight cough, a rustle of grass and then a raspy, "No."
I turned to find him and Sango lying flat on their backs in the middle of the field a good ten yards away. "And how the hell did you get all the way over there?" I asked.
"If I knew, do you honestly think I would be over here?" he shot back.
"SILENCE!"
All of us turned in unison to find the girl levitating in a blue sphere, her body in a T-shape.
And then she began to talk.
"Two choices conveyed from light,
Contributed at your disposal.
Two children of the father of coat white,
The cataclysmic proposal.
In the land beyond the sun's reach,
The corporeal elixir rests.
Upon entrance capture the stone screech,
Failure to do so-annihilate the quest.
Under the velvet of darkest night,
Cripple the blind passage.
Agile and quick your flight,
One soul death salvage.
Bring me the prize at the spire,
All assuming you survive.
Acceptance of the correct object dire,
If you wish your friend alive.
A single, second way to return the lost,
Is easier said than done.
The realization of the cost,
Be given by only one.
The price cannot be paid,
By simple vow alone.
The ultimate promise must be made,
Away a flames heart blown.
Thoughtful concern will be the downfall,
Of the one who cares the most.
The loss of timeless, eternal call,
Be nothing, but a ghost
In a sphere of crimson blaze,
The portal shall seal.
Dormant it will lay for a myriad of days,
Until the touch of pure blood releases the wheel.
When secure embrace of mind,
Slightly loosens grip.
The bearer of the curse blind,
Reality will slip.
The color of moon on water,
The glow of candles light.
The closest will be slaughtered,
Fire in the night."
And then she was gone. Vanished into nothing. Again.
"Well that was cryptic," I said.
"I do believe we have a prophecy on our hands," Miroku responded.
The only words that came to mind were, "Well, shit."
Review? Make my day? Please?
Next chapter will probably be kinda short. Well shorter than the usual length I should say.
Excerpt: "This ain't normal fire!"
