Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, so don't sue me! MY fanfic is based on the Swan Princess.
+Recap+
Naraku watches me carefully, "No matter, I want your answer by sunset. In the meantime, come," he offers his elbow, "Let me make your decision easier by showing you my might and the possible power of our union."
I shrug off his offer of an elbow and take a nice long swig of the wine instead. When I finish the chalice, I toss it to the ground.
He seems pleased, a knowing smile slices his face, "Ah, that spirit. You present to me my greatest challenge yet. But you WILL be mine."
"You still have not answered my question. What do you want with me?" I demanded.
+End of Recap+
Beauty? Is That It? -- Chapter 14 (Kagome's POV)
"Well, you see, I have to get over my disappointment. At first sight, I swore you were a virgin just like my Kikyo," says the vile Naraku.
He constantly bewilders me and I force myself not to react, not to break his illusion. Naraku has superior senses, but must never find out that Inuyasha and I are not actually married yet, nor have we ever slept with each other. "So you know the truth, but why don't you get some innocent girl from the village?" I concentrate on his last word though…'Kikyo'. That name sounds familiar.
"That is simple, my Lady. I have had plenty of those and they bore me. I have already had tastes of your talents and abilities all those years ago; you take on a new meaning for me. You will be the perfect Queen."
His expression suddenly changes from cockiness to slight sadness. I seem to be seeing Onigumo instead of Naraku now. He mumbles, "My Kikyo…how is it possible that you look exactly like her," he looks at me with sorrowful eyes, "yet be totally different?"
'How' indeed…He unnerves me completely, "How-how long do I have t-to stay with you?"
Naraku comes back and he smirks, "Although I don't take you for being naïve, I am rather surprised that you ask such a dim-witted question. The curse is for eternity. I only want you for the rest of your life." Naraku looks straight at me, "That sounds rather fair, don't you think?"
I suddenly have difficult time breathing, "What IS the curse, anyway?"
He seems bored of my interrogation, "The curse that I am able to bestow on your lover's family and himself is quite frightful. Every generation of sons will be clumsy and disoriented whether they want to be or not while evil and misfortune shall befall on every other member of their families. To put it simply, it is an eternity of EXTREME bad luck."
I shiver at the mere thought, "No! You can't do that! I won't let you."
"Ah well, ultimately the choice is yours. You have till sunset to make your decision." He bows down to his waist, extending an arm in a mocking gesture of greeting loyalty, "I shall return then, my Princess." With that said, he turns to leave.
I put my hand out as if to stop him from leaving, "There is no need, Naraku. I have…already made my decision. I will convince Inuyasha that I want to stay with you and for him not to challenge you." He gives me his all-so-famous smugly grin and struts off. I am FINALLY relieved of his presence.
I look at the resting imp demon. If I hadn't known better, Naraku had shown some sign of compassion a moment ago.
I carry the little demon to where Shippo was still sleeping and find Kohaku washing some fruit by the lake. He sees us and rushes to me, "You all right?"
I smile, "I am okay. Why do you ask?"
"Well, you look ruffled up with your dress torn and all, so I assumed-"
I stop him, not being in the mood for another male being "concerned" for me, "-Okay, I get it. Thanks for asking."
All of a sudden, Shippo sits up with his eyes closed and exclaims, "TWO ACORNS PLUS THREE TOPS DOESN'T EQUAL FIVE FISHIES!" Then he falls back down, snoring.
We stare at his sleeping form for a minute almost frightened by his unexpected outburst. I break the strange silence, "Um, Kohaku, can I ask you to do a very big favor for me?"
He nods his head, "I'm listening."
"Can you go out and get some herbs for me so I can treat this imp demon? It doesn't matter which kind, just get whatever you see."
He looks at me surprisingly. He opens his mouth and answers, "Oh, all right then." He leaves the clean fruit next to me and runs off.
With the utter stillness and the snoring of two small demons accompanying me, I suddenly grow somewhat glum, being drawn to the past, that dreadful incident of my youth.
Flash Back
For about a few months, I would meet Onigumo outside of the castle wall to practice my archery and learn a few tricks from him…or at least that was what he called it. He taught me how to do "simple" things such as sensing the inner thoughts and emotions of a person, using certain herbs to treat regular wounds, and creating simple illusions.
As I got older I realized that I already had these abilities and Onigumo just helped me harness them.
One day, he did not come for me, so I decided to go to him. I found him just outside his cave. I was about to call to him, but he sharply turned around and went back into his home. He never allowed me in, but I figured since we were friends that he would not mind. As I neared the entrance, I could hear water droplets and sobbing echo to me. I sensed deep sorrow, not knowing from whom the pain came.
I walked cautiously through the long tunnel. There was a light and I saw Onigumo, his back towards me, staring at a large cage in front of him.
As I got closer, I saw a woman in the cage shout, "Let me free, this instant!" She had long black hair and was wearing a red and white kimono. That woman was Kikyo.
He smirked, "Not a chance, beautiful." He waved his hand and purple smog began covering her. She struggled and aimed to shoot him with an arrow. WHOOSH and THUD! An arrow hit his side, but Kikyo was not the one who shot it…that person was me.
At the sudden pain, he spun around to find me, holding up my bow as I gaze at him with surprise. Kikyo was released of the smog and knelt to the ground, leaning on the bars of the cage for support.
His eyes looked dead, "Kagome! What are you doing, here?" He pulled the bloody arrow out and threw it to the ground. His wound continued to seep into his garments, spreading.
I stammered, "I-I was-as…you-you w-were hurting h-her s-so I-"
Before I could finish he glares at me, "I befriend you and THIS is how you repay me! By trespassing into my home and shooting me with the sacred arrows that I taught you how to handle!"
I began to cry at his harsh words, "No! I'm sorry! I-"
"ENOUGH! You are going to die, little girl!" With that said, he moved his hand as if it was hovering over me. I looked up and saw a creature with three heads. It leaped down from the ceiling and I jumped to the side barely missing its tentacles…
End of Flashback
"You do know that too much thinking for a woman can hurt her, don't you?" says Kagura, interrupting my trip down tragedy lane.
I glare at her, "You do know that males giving birth to females is absolutely sickening, right? And not to mention VERY distasteful to the demon race."
She growls, aggravated that I hit her soft spot. She knows that I already knew that she was just a reincarnation of Naraku, implying technically that he did give birth to her and kept her heart separate from her body so he could control her. Since Naraku has a fondness of me, she can't hurt me when I tease her.
I put a hand over my mouth, pretending to be brainless, "Oh, I so sorry. Did I say that out loud?"
Kagura snarls at me and takes out her fan, "You insolent wench! Why I ought to-". She stops and calms herself, "Naraku wanted me to inform you that he will send you to do your little 'mission' tomorrow." She smirks, "Have a good night's rest, Princess; you have a BIG day coming." She laughs arrogantly and flies off on her inflated feather.
I sneer at her flying figure and focus my attention to the sky. It is already nighttime with the stars and the moon shining brightly. I close my eyes and sigh as I go back to my awful time with Onigumo.
Flashback
I saw the creature with three hyena heads, four horse legs, and five tentacles. Its coat was pure black but its six eyes were a piercing purple. It growled at me hungrily, showing its horrible dental hygiene.
I crawled to a side of the cavern while struggling to dodge the creatures' tentacles. When I moved to the right, I suddenly lost my footing. My left leg swung into the air and I found it wrapped inside one of the monsters limbs. My head banged against the ground before I was completely in the air, upside down. I heard Onigumo laugh maniacally in the background.
I was still grasping my bow and I had grabbed an arrow before my disorder of orientation. I closed one eye and shot one of the monster's three heads. It shrieked with pain causing me to ache as well inside. I felt emotions no matter in what form I sensed them from.
The monster dropped me, but not before flinging me to the cavern wall and I dropped my bow. I grunted as I reached the pain on my head to find it slightly bleeding. I was out of breath and barely conscious. Suddenly, I heard a feminine voice, "Watch out!"
My eyes widened and I jumped away from the plummeting tentacle. I groaned, feeling a jagged sting on my side. On falling, a sharp stone sliced its way into my side.
The creature constricted me in one of its tentacles and I was in the air again. Its grip on me became tighter and tighter as I felt the blood circulation to my head stopped and my lungs squeezed from the pressure. I kept gasping for oxygen but none of it came as I began thinking, this is it, I am dead. Good bye, Father. I am sorry…
Unexpectedly, I saw a blue light. The constriction loosened and I fell into the arms of Kikyo.
End of Flashback
I lay down on the soft grass, officially depressed that I have to face Inuyasha, that I won't get any sleep tonight, and that Inuyasha gets to see me when I am at my ugliest...in the morning.
Great…I get to meet my doom tomorrow. I am soOo excited. Sarcasm…one has GOT to love it.
TBC…
This isn't one of my best chapters…the next one will be better! The flashbacks are still coming and will fill in some of the blanks! REVIEW!
Thanks to the people who read!
Personal thanks to the following people who reviewed:
B.D. Gerretson - Well, I've updated. I had already checked out some of your stuff, which are really awesome. Thanks! TTFN!
NeuroticallyDignified - Hahaha, oof! gets tackled/hugged Eh...that 'virtually' hurted. I have updated...so please don't hurt me again...LOL, just kiddin. Thanks for the review!
FireLilyQueenofMagic - Yay! A new reviewer! I'm glad you like the Swan Princess. I do too! I didn't put in the songs because (1) I don't believe any of the characters can sing (except Rin) and (2) I think it's a little weird for them to sing especially in serious situations. Thanks for the compliment and your review! gives welcome/thank you hug
raina - Finally you get what I'm saying. haha! The last chapter ended with a clifhanger b/c if I didn't end it there, the chappie would be too long. Thanks for the review!
Fanficluv7Inu - Naraku is THAT bad. He's good at his job of being evil. Btw, thanks for your interesting review! To Kag, you only think you are the damsel, but I am agreeing that you are in distress. Especially in this chappie. To SyaodaMAN (?), don't worry I'm notoffended and eh...thanks for the support, hehe. And I have updated!