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((Dreams))
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All she could feel was pain. Pain in her chest, pain all over her body. She could feel her own chest rattling about as she wheezed out a cough, and Kagome closed her eyes again as a warm hand brushed the bangs from her face, claws scraping her forehead just moments before a cool towel did. She chanted the word over and over and over within her mind. Momma, Momma, Momma. Her mother was here. Her mother was with her! Tears welled up in her hazed blue eyes, and she sobbed softly. "Momma," she repeated.
"Hush," her mother whispered to her, pressing a kiss to her head. "I…here…"
The breath left her in a whoosh and she gave a mournful sob. Inu's fingers gently wove through hers, squeezing her hand. She whimpered at the hopeful look on his face, and gave another hoarse cry. It wasn't fair! She could remember flashes of the woman before her. But why couldn't she remember anything else?! She raised she and Inu's clasped hands and hugged them to her chest, tears threatening to roll down her cheeks. "Inu," she whispered.
Inu's golden eyes darkened. "No," he rasped, whimpering other words that she desperately longed to know. His ears disappeared into the silver hair she loved to touch, and Momma made a sound of confusion, questioning him. He answered in a muffled voice, speaking for a few moments before the blaring of the strangest sound caught their attention. Her mother repeated a strange word, and Inu scooped her up without hesitation, face expressionless.
Kagome squealed in surprise, looping her arms around his neck. He furrowed his brow, wiping sweat from her illness away from her cheeks with the sleeve of his haori. She whimpered, resting her head weakly against his chest, closing her eyes and panting for breath as he ducked out of the room. Momma stopped him, placing a hat that a young boy had given her. The boy's eyes gleamed anxiously…for her. He was worried about her?
She mulled over this as her Inu muttered a "thanks", and Momma and the boy followed him down the stairs and outside. He gave an impatient sound as they reached another, larger set of stairs. He cursed, and Momma gave him a warning look, nodding at the young boy. Inu had tensed, obviously forcing himself not to rush down the stairs as he stepped carefully, making sure to not drop the young woman he carried.
And then he hesitantly brought her over to the strangest thing she'd ever seen. Her mother spoke hurriedly with the two men that were waiting with grim expressions, and Inu gave a low rumbling growl to them before depositing her on a bed. The minute the bed was moved; Kagome began to panic, immediately moving to get up and return to Inu, but was stopped.
She watched as the men strapped the bed down in the back of the strange thing, and then huffed angrily when she wasn't allowed up to invite her Inu into the back beside her. Instead, Momma leaned down and whispered into the boy's ear. The boy gave a nod and Inu stopped the men from closing the doors as he climbed in with one of them. Kagome eagerly reached for him, ignoring the pain in her chest. Inu merely said, "So-ta, Kagome," waving at the boy. "So-ta."
"So-ta," Kagome repeated with a wheeze. She blinked at the boy, understanding lighting her gaze. Sota. His name was Sota. And it sounded fairly familiar, too… She turned her blue eyes back on Inu, but the men had closed the doors. One of them, the one who had climbed in the back as well, began to bustle about. Confused, Kagome turned exasperated eyes on Sota, who smiled reassuringly, patting her cheek gently as there was a slight pain in her arm.
Kagome whimpered softly, desperate. Where was her Inu?! But then, a few moments later, exhaustion set in and she found herself falling asleep.
~~OO~~II~~OO~~
Run!
That was the word that she thought of as she watched the flash tear through the screaming twin tail that stood protectively in front of her. Her heart raced. Her eyes filled with tears. Kirara fell. "Inuyasha, why?" she whispered, taking a nervous step back as he grinned, eagerly licking the blood of the demon that had once been their friend from his hands.
Apparently, Sango and Miroku agreed with her. "Kagome!" Sango cried, wielding the large Hiraikotsu in one hand and her katana in the other, her eyes narrowed with grief and anger, tears spilling down her face. "Go! Get out of here!"
"I can't leave him," Kagome protested, but Miroku placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it as she met his violet eyes. "He's gone, Kagome. There's nothing left of Inuyasha. He's a mindless monster now…I don't want you to be here when…" he trailed off, and Kagome gave a sob. They were going to kill him!
But they had to, she realized dully, tears pricking her eyes as she watched Inuyasha grin, his red eyes ablaze with pride for killing Kirara. His hands had come clean of blood, but some stained his lips and the fangs that poked over his lips. Some had splashed onto a violet striped cheek. Kagome closed her eyes. "I…what about you?"
"He's after you," Miroku said, his eyes flashing when Sango suddenly found herself engaged in hand to hand combat with a furious dog demon, who laughed when she swung her katana. He shoved her in an ungentle way towards the well, which was nearby, standing in the middle of the clearing they fought to live in. "Go! We'll be okay, I promise." He gave her a smile, and she knew then and there that she would never see the monk again.
As Miroku moved forward to help Sango, who had begun to panic as the demon lunged in an attempt to rake his claws across her stomach, which held the child that she and Miroku had yet to decide upon names for, Kagome whirled away, darting for the well.
She hadn't made it more than three strides before a strong arm wrapped around her waist, stopping her. She cried out; claws pricked her throat as she cried, and she fell silent. "Did you really think," he panted in her ear, his eyes gleaming with disgusting excitement, "that you could escape me, Kagome."
Kagome sobbed. "Inuyasha, come back," she whispered, pleading. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she felt the demon's claws slice just barely into her slim and pale throat.
"He's gone," the demon taunted, chortling gleefully. "And it's your fault. You gave him the Jewel and released me."
Suddenly, the image of her dead friends and Inuyasha disappeared. Kagome cried out in surprise, looking around her, but she was surrounded by black. The voice swirled around her with hatred evident in it. But, Kagome realized at the same time, there was a feminine voice as well, soothing just as the other voice hurt. A hand stroked her cheek, and she leaned into it, taking the comfort it offered. "Kagome, Kagome," the softer voice whispered, overpowering the harsh one. "My protector, our guardian."
"Who are you?" Kagome whispered. The black around her made her feel empty, and her tone was full of defeat as she spoke.
"We," the voice said, the harsh tone began to rise again, "are the Shikon no Tama. You, my precious girl, suffered much on our part, I apologize." The softer voice had overpowered the harsh once more. "I apologize greatly. You will be gifted in return for what you have given us. But…" The harsh tone rose once more, overpowering the softer, practically screaming, "You will suffer for the pain! You will only regain what you have lost once you have grown to accept the monster once more!" The softer voice said once more, "I'm so sorry. You are punished for our mistake. Forgive us, my precious girl. The half-demon deserves no more of a punishment then you do. But this is not what we wished to tell you, my dear." The harsh voice. "You have been warned, you stupid girl. Should you give us to the half-breed, then you will die. The slayer will die. The monk will die. Everyone…will die. And I would gladly do so, should I be freed."
Kagome gave a scared sound, and the image of a woman flickered before her, as well as a massive demon that reared above her, threatening to lunge at her. The woman whirled around with a furious look, wielding a sword that appeared in her hand.
"Go!" the soft voice, the woman, cried.
The demon's multiple jaws parted, lunging forward, engulfing the woman and moving to snatch Kagome up as well, triumphant.
She closed her eyes.
~~OO~~II~~OO~~
A piercing scream tore through the air of the almost silent hospital, and startled a man that had been watching her with intent eyes out of his daze. He cursed, and tore out of the room at the sound of feet pounding closer.
Soon.
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A/N: Well this was certainly an intense chapter. o.o Hope you all enjoyed! What did you think of Kags' dream? ^_^