Whoa...
You might not see it as alot, but that has got to be the most reviews I've ever had for one single chapter in one go!!
I'd like to personally thank the following:
PriestessOfHelmsDeep, inuyashaluvskagome909, Kagome In Love, Anime Wildfire, Kaleighizms, Daddy's Pixie, JeMS7
(I apologize if I've missed anyone)
Like I said before, you might not see it as alot, but this seriously made my morning!
I'm up to it now, so here is the next chapter.
(A/N: This story still has a little way to go I think, but I don't think it will go any further than 30 chapters, if that.)
Please read, review and enjoy!
Past and Present
Kikyo and Naraku continued to stare down at eachother. InuYasha and Koga finally took in what was happening, with Kagome unconscious in InuYasha's arms, the half demon still in a demon state of mind.
Sango and Miroku had never seen such hate in Kikyo's eyes before. It sent more chills down their spines. Naraku looked back at the priestess with equal force.
If looks could kill, both Kikyo and Naraku would be six feet under.
Kikyo spoke once more, her voice laced with venom.
" Onigumo, I tried, but failed to kill you once before. This time, my arrow will, not, miss. "
" Is that a promise Kikyo? Much like the one we made to spend the rest of our lives together? "
" I was fool back then, I let my feelings get the better of me..."
" But you never loved me Kikyo, and I hated you for that..."
Kikyo's grip on her bow string tightened.
" Do not think you can tell me how I feel, or have felt. You truely know nothing of me, Onigumo..."
Naraku's eyes narrowed further if possible. He could not believe that the pure and innocent priestess he had met so long ago could really have such hatred and anger in her eyes. Sure, back then, Kikyo had been stoic, much like she was now, but she had been alot more relaxed, alot more open and feeling.
It was those old qualities of Kikyo that Naraku had seen in Kagome's eyes, it had been that that drew him to the younger miko.
Now, as he gazed upon the miko he had once loved, he saw nothing but a whisp of that woman.
The Kikyo that stood before him was one filled with remorse, hurt, pain and hate.
Hate for him.
How could he have been so foolish, as to think this woman could ever have loved him like he did her?
She despised him.
And, now...
He despised her.
Kikyo again chose to speak.
" Whatever drove you to betray me Onigumo, it matters not to me anymore. If you had really loved me..."
Naraku chose that time to retort.
" You feel so sorry for yourself, don't you Kikyo? You think you have suffered all the pain and betrayal...you have no idea what suffering truely means. I loved you once. I was willing to do anything for you. It appeared my affections were mutual, and I was happy. Happier than I had ever been as a bandit..."
Kikyo intervened.
" But that still wasn't enough, no? "
Naraku almost snikered. This woman seemed to know everything about him...
" No. I longed for power. I was weak as a human, and those bastards who threw me off that cliff left me with horrific scars, scars that kept other humans away from me. They treated me like dirt. Then you came along, and everything changed. You took care of me, nursed me until I was fit enough to stand on my own two feet...
I loved you for it, I lusted for you to be mine..."
" But you still desired power? "
" Yes. Having you by my side was not enough. I wanted to become more skilled, to rebuild my shattered life once more. Having you with me made me happy, true, but I could still have so much more..."
Kikyo's gaze lowered sadly.
" So you traded your human body to demons? In order to gain power, a new and improved body...you were so desperate for power, that you were willing to stoop so low..."
" Clever girl. It's true, I traded my pathetic human body to demons, allowed them to consume me...I gained improved strength and power. We could have been perfect like that Kikyo, we could have accomplished so much like that, a miko and demon, ruling the land we dwelled upon...Why Kikyo? Why you betray me? "
The older miko's gaze returned to Naraku, staring him down once more.
" You forget one thing Naraku. I am a miko. A priestess. It is my duty as one to purge the world of demons, to protect my village and the Shikon-no-tama that you stole...and now hold within you..."
Miroku eyes widened when he heard that and he gazed up at Naraku once more.
Sure enough, Miroku spied a round, glowing pink resting underneath Naraku's torso armour.
The Shikon jewell.
So, that time when it had supposedly disappeared when Kikyo shot Naraku...
The half demon had somehow managed to escape with it?
Kikyo continued.
" Yes. I knew it was strange that the Shikon jewell would just disappear like that. You took it with, before i could do you anymore harm...you hurt me in more ways than one that day, Naraku..."
" I thought it was perfect for us both. I was no longer a puny, weak human. I could have protected both of us Kikyo..."
" But in trading your body to demons, you tainted your soul...you did vile things Naraku. You came and attacked our village, you even dared to try and kill the villagers...one cannot blame them for their mistrust of demons...you stole the jwell to gain even further power...because of your evil actions, and corrupted soul...one such as me could never be with you. I had no other choice but to kill you, to save the world from what you would do to it...I preyed I had killed you that day, but no...you used the jewell to save yourself, and then have been in hiding all this time. Am I correct? "
Naraku flew back a little, his hand running over the part of his torso that contained the now tainted jewell.
" So, because I was half demon, you could never love me? "
Kikyo hesitated. She had loved Naraku. No, not Naraku, but Onigumo, the human bandit she had saved and cared for. The man...no, the monster he was now...
No matter that he was half demon and half human.
Onigumo was gone forever.
" Naraku may still posess a human heart, but the man I knew, the man I loved...he is gone forever..."
Kikyo took proper aim with her bow and arrow.
She nodded solemnly in response to his earlier question.
" I do not love you any more, Naraku. I loved you as a human, but you shattered that the day you gave your soul to hell itself..."
She pulled the arrow back on the bow string.
" You're heart was to weak Naraku, to easily corrupted..."
She fired.
Naraku moved out of the sacred arrow's path with just seconds to spare. He had the hate still present in his eyes, but also...
There was the pain of anguish.
" Damn my human heart...I have long reigned this body, but Onigumo's feelings for Kikyo are still alive and present...I can feel his pain..."
Naraku spoke once more to Kikyo before he disappeared into the forest once more.
" You hoped you'd never see me again, you couldn't love me as I was...I hated you for it, and so, I did get my revenge..."
Naraku inclined his head to InuYasha, still in his demon state, growling and holding Kagome's still form close to him. Naraku gazed and Kagome, causing Kikyo to look over at her younger sister.
Kikyo's heart wrenched in worry and concern when she saw the state InuYasha was in while holding her sister...
That and the fact that Koga, was standing a mere ten feet away from Kagome.
Koga...the one who had nearly killed her sister. The one that had made both Kikyo and Kagome alike in the pain they had both experienced with love...
The one she had sworn long ago to dispose of, like she had sworn to do so with Naraku.
Naraku kept his gaze locked with Kikyo eyes as he motioned with head away from Kagome, now turning to tilt in Koga's direction.
Kikyo was puzzled. What was Naraku trying to tell her? From the almost smug look on his face, she could easily tell that it wasn't any good on her part...
Or Kagome's for that matter.
" ...I did get my revenge..."
Did Naraku?...
He had motioned to Kagome, then to Koga, and now back at Kikyo.
Kikyo lowered her bow, her fists beginning to tighten as she held onto it, a new and disturbing realization beginning to cross her mind...
Did Naraku...have something to do with what happened between Koga and Kagome?
Naraku smirked, knowing from the look on Kikyo's face that he had gotten his message across.
Naraku finally disappeared, leaving a very stunned elder miko, Monk and demon slayer behind.
Had Koga truely betrayed Kagome at all? Had it all been part of some sick trick of Naraku's?
What...what had really happened that day?
These were all questions running through their heads, as they all turned to look at Koga.
The wolf demon noticed all eyes were on his. He had seen what Naraku had been implying...and now, these people wanted answers.
That dog demon that was holding his Kagome, who still lay limp in his arms...
He would have be dealt with first.
Koga would get Kagome back, and leave this village with her forever.
This village held both good and horrific memories for him, Kagome aswell.
He recognised the miko who had confronted Naraku as Kagome's elder sister. She hadn't changed much in looks, but she came across as alot more cold and stoic than she had once been.
The result of betrayal. Betrayal of the heart.
Koga glanced at Kagome once more, his eyes saddening a little.
InuYasha continued to growl at Koga.
If that wolf took one step closer to him and Kagome...
Kikyo, Miroku and Sango noted how Koga's expression had changed.
He looked almost...regretful.
Koga continued to wonder. When Kagome awoke, would she forgive him? Could she ever forgive him for what he did to her?
Would she be the same as her sister Kikyo? Cold and stoic towards him?
At that exact point, Kagome began to stir in InuYasha's arms.
Everyone whipped round sharply from Koga to look at Kagome.
" Kagome..." Kikyo whispered.
Kagome could no longer feel the pain from her shoulder. It felt like she was awakening from a nightmare, one she was glad to be rid of...
InuYasha growled his dissaproval at her rash movements, afraid she might hurt herself like before.
Kagome recognised the growl and looked up into InuYasha's red eyes. They startled her, and she realized from the feel of his aura that all trace of his human blood was gone, only demon stood now.
She was afraid.
But not of him.
She was afraid for him.
No matter what form he was in, he was still her InuYasha. But in this form, not only was he a danger to those around him, he was a danger to himself. Kagome knew if he had proper control of his inner demon blood, he wouldn't hurt anyone. He didn't though, being a half demon.
He could hurt her or himself...
But he wasn't doing either.
Instead he was...moaning? No, whining?
Whining in worry...for her?
Kagome couldn't help it. Despite his current state, she still felt strangely safe in his arms...
InuYasha bent down and nuzzled Kagome's cheek, purring with happiness with the fact that his mate was alright.
Kikyo felt her heart pang.
" Even in this form, he cannot help but love her..."
Kagome closed her eyes, rubbing her cheek back against his.
" InuYasha..."
She could feel his aura starting to calm.
Kikyo knew it was only Kagome's reawakening that had this affect in him. He was controlling his demon blood now, holding it down.
Holding it down for Kagome.
Miroku and Sango saw this to.
Sango's heart went out to him.
" He...he really does love her..."
" Kagome..."
Kagome's temporary bliss was shattered when she heard her name being called by him.
She slowly inclined her head towards Koga, afraid to look at him, to meet his gaze.
InuYasha's eyes had become gold once again, him returning to his half state.
He remembered punching the wolf, gathering Kagome who still lay in his arms...
...and then, that wolf had called her name.
He could sense Kagome's fear, and it spiked when Koga took a step forward.
InuYasha felt Kagome lean closer to his chest. He growled and glared at Koga, holding Kagome closer to him still.
The wolf stopped his advancement.
His heart wretched painfully at the sight of Kagome in another's arms but his. It hurt even more to see that she was afraid of him, that he had caused that pain.
Though...he supposed he desereved it.