A/N: Hm. Well that was strange...
I thought I'd uploaded this chapter last night (or this morning, depending on how you look at it) but I guess it didn't go... Hm. Oh well, my mind is a little incompetent as of late, so... (seriously-- I am Out Of IT! This morning, instead of my email address, I typed in Needless to say, that didn't work. When I eventually figured it out, I switched it around some. But not enough. Strangely enough, there is no ) The point of this was though, that the summary did get updated, and I think this may have caused some confusion among the masses, so gomen for that!
NEway, there's something screwed up with ff (at least on my account) and "chained" has been stuck at 19195 for the past 5 chapters or so... not that I mind, it's just a little weird. And, on that topic, I suppose I'd like to point out that people really shouldn't bother expecting the same # of reviews as they get hits. Especially if they have multiple chapters. If people like the fic, they're going to come back and read it again, and they're not gonna review each time.
Also, sorry to everyone if this seems a little rushed, but that's only because it is. I don't have all that much time right now, and I want to make sure that I got everything in...
-Punk Rock Miko2 - Lol, don't we all? And not just for the loyalty, but take a look at her cool boomerang and pets?
-Kitsama - Lol, yep, stubborn Sango. Can't say I can blame her though... -- I'm glad you get the whole beta thing, it's just really not something I'm good at, and I wouldn't put risk to someone else's story with something like that when there are much more capable people out there who could do much better. -- Still though, if you ever need help in anything else, just ask away and I'll see what I can't come up with and then give you the opposite.
-Box Queen - Lol, well I suppose that works for some people. Not me though. If I were to right a plotless chapter I'd then be stuck in a fanatic stage in which I couldn't focus on anything else but coming up with a plot for said chapter, and then a story. It would just end in the same results anyway, so why bother?
-Black Betty - Yeah, I just couldn't see Sango leaving Kagome behind for some reason... as to the plot twist... well, okay, if that's what you see... I have no idea...
-lunerfox - Yeah, I figured it would be something along those lines. It's a shame that your other name was taken. That's one of the reasons I worked so hard to come up with my name, though it didn't turn out quite the way I wanted. i recently dsicovered that someone has been using this same name on other websites. I have no idea if they just saw me usinag it and liked it or came up with it themselves, and I don't really care. Just so long as everybody doesn't start using it, I'm fine. -- Yeah, sure we can email. I don't always check my email everday (got a lot to do sometimes) but I try. Still, I don't doubt there'd be something interesting to talk about there. my email is gossamercurtain hotmail . com (just is case ff blocks out emails).
-Almandine-Azaleea - Lol, it really fascinates me how different people can enjoy different styles of writing. Some people think the sentences are too short, while other's think they're just right, and still others want them done in a slightly different manner. All I can say to them is, sorry if you don't like, any tips will be accepted, but not necessarily used, and, as I'm sure I've said before, I have no control over what I write. Still, anything that helps your eyes.
-Sexy Kat - Okay, I think I'm getting close to understanding what you're asking, but I'm still not quite there (maybe it's cause it's really late right now and I'm not focusing entirely well), if I could ask you to just clarify a bit more what you're asking, and hopefully my uncooperative mind will get there with the next round. (Baka thing!) -- Also, I understood what you meant about getting the girls out, I was just saying it sounded like that... -- Yeah, I don't know if this is as exciting as people were hoping, but still, it's there... -- And I don't call people baka's. Not seriously anyway. Not unless they deserve it. B-day in six days? Congrats! Happy birthday to you, and all that jazz!
-wolfygirl13 - Lol, sounds like you're getting things under control again. Naraku and Inu playing freeze tag together... now, even as chibi's, that's quite the pciture! Sounds like you've got more than a few nuts in the chocolate factory though... Maybe it's time to get hold of an extra straight-jacket... just to be sure! -- I'm glad you liked my portrayal of Sango-- I had never really given it much thought, but I still like to know when people think I'm portraying a character right. The character's are the main basis of the story after all!
-Wish-full Thinker - Lol, thanks for the tip of the URL. I think I fixed it. Also, I have never actually read "To kill a mocking bird." My sister did, told me a little bit about it, and I very nearly fell asleep. There's just too much... bleargh! When I got to that area, I got to choose between that book and three others, I went with the Chrysalids. It's a good book, but I think it's mostly reflective writing, so I don't know how much you'd enjoy it. Still... -- Anyway, I'll try to keep it in mind. Not that my mind has anything to do with how or what I write (or really anything at all), but I've really got no other place to put it!
-RamblingPhilosopher - Huh? Did I put that? Woosh. -- Lol, yeah, Amaya's using illusions. Not very many other ways to fool Naraku, now are there? Give him a taste of his own medicine I guess. Here's hoping that it'll continue to work! -- I like Kagura too. She's one of the only female characters I have any tolerance for. Sango, Rin and Kagura (and Kirara if she counts) being pretty much all of them. All the other's are waaaaaaaaaaay too over dramatized or annoying or just plain dumb.
-Inume-Blue - Yeesh. Stolen? Wish I could do something to help... Umm, wait, I can give you a virtual 5$! Or even more if you like-- I've got all the virtual money in the world! Probably won't help much with your hunger though... : (
-Wings of Fayth - Lol, I mean exactly what I say. I can form rough ideas over where I want the story to go, but in the end I'm just as surprised as you are as how they turn out. My fingers are completely in control, and I just sort of zone out and let them do the work. -- It's better than trying to fight with them to get the story to go my way.
-Clouds of the Sky - Lol, yep, though I think Loyalness has the same meaning as loyalty... o.O I don't know, it's not my word now is it? And that still doesn't change the price of tea in china! -- As the saying goes "Loyalty is very good, but there is such a thing as being too loyal." I've been there, done that, bought the t-shirts and sold them worldwide. Loyalty is good, but people will often use it against you... best be careful and watch out for that. -- Nope, don't want world domination. I think wolfygirl13's chibi-Sesshomaru just gave me Pluto to rule, so for now I'm content with that. -- And you're right, you probably didn't need to say that, I can already guess that you like the story just by the fact that you take the time to review it, but still it's nice to hear! My ego could us a little inflation every once in a while!
-Lord makura - Well I actually don't think there is, but don't worry, I'll get back to him. Can't be everywhere at once though, now can I?
-Kuroi - Hm. Well, I don't know much about fighting off rogue pins and needs... maybe you could distract them with some ramen... or else make them "sit". Hey, it works for Inuyasha! Lol, you like oreos too? In that case, have some more.. well, virtual ones anyway... gives virtual oreos.. I'd give you some milk, but I don't think there's anymore left... -- It made you dizzy did it? Huh. That's weird... but then I suppose I get it-- I don't see a lot of other authors out there who take the time like this either. I don't know why. If you're going to spend time writing a story like this, who are you posting it for if not the reviewers? And when you take all the time to update it and such, is it really that difficult to respond to these people? They took the time to respond to you, why not you to them? I just don't understand it... I'm writing this for mine own enoyment I suppose, yes, but the only things that drive me to continue with it are the reviewers. You guys are the extra-special people that fuel my muses, and anyone who puts that time into me, I can sure as hell give back to them. Besides, I like talking to you guys. It gives me an excuse to rant!
"If Tylonel, Duct-Tape and a Band-aide can't fix it, you have a serious problem..." -- This seemed somewhat fitting for this chapter, and I think you'll get why later on.
A Welcome Change
Kagome blinked at the bright light that suddenly filled the dark cell, and cringed back slightly.
Someone-- she couldn't say who-- had come down here a while ago, perhaps no more than a day, or maybe even less, she couldn't tell, and had just started... beating her. For no reason that she could fathom. Not that they ever needed a reason.
But she had begun to figure out-- the longer Amaya stayed away, the more daring the guards got in their attacks on her. It made her miss the sorceress all that much more, since she had not been here in more than a week, and Kagome was beginning to think she wasn't returning at all.
So when she saw the sorceress descending the stairs toward her at a rapid pace, she could hardly believe her own eyes.
She quickly scrambled toward the bars.
Or tried to.
But the demon or man or whatever it had been had gotten her very good in a variety of places, and she could not find the energy or strength to pull herself up.
So instead she just lay there, panting faintly from the exertion and watching as the sorceress came toward the bars.
She was terribly surprised when Amaya passed by the little door that food was passed through and instead went over to the main door, muttering some curse under her breath that sent the lock shooting across the room in a surprisingly silent manner.
The sorceress then opened the door wide and moved a little to the side, as though waiting.
However, when whatever she was waiting for clearly did not happen, Amaya cast her a dark look.
'Get up, ningen. We are leaving.'
Kagome gaped at her, and again attempted to sit up, but a pain shot through her chest, and she grit her teeth, stifling a small cry before easing herself slowly back to the ground.
However, these small actions were enough to betray to the sorceress how much pain she was actually in, and in a second Amaya was crouching beside her, forcing her shirt up and prodding around her ribs and abdomen.
Kagome might have protested the sudden molestation of her torso, but then Amaya's fingers hit a sudden spot, and she was forced to cry out in pain instead.
Amaya frowned and prodded the spot again, and Kagome's teeth ground together.
'You are hurt.' The sorceress said after a moment, and the more sarcastic part of Kagome's mind, which had become quite well-developed since her time spent here, quickly jumped to attention with a 'No really? What gave you that idea?' That she managed to stifle only through sheer will to remain quiet.
After all, breathing hurt, and talking did even more, so why should she waste energy on sarcasm that would not be appreciated and was really not needed?
Amaya sighed agitatedly.
'I should have known you'd let something like this happen if I left you alone.' She said in a chastising tone, and Kagome glared.
'Oh right, like I wanted this to happen.' Her mind threw in again.
'Perhaps not, but you let it happen nonetheless.' The sorceress's voice answered back in her own mind, and Kagome gasped slightly, immediately regretting the action and letting out a small wince of pain. Not that that helped, that activity just caused pain to shoot through other areas of her body.
In fact, most activities caused her pain now (not that there were a lot of them, but still) and she had long ago given up on finding an activity that didn't hurt and was currently just looking for which one hurt the least.
'Well then, it looks like I'll just have to carry you out of here.' The sorceress said, while Kagome was still contemplating her voice inside her head, while wincing once again at the idea of being moved about.
'Maybe I'm insane...' She wondered, while another part of her threw in 'Gods, this is gonna hurt so much!'
Amaya frowned and turned toward her. 'You are not insane, I have the ability to speak into anyone's mind whom I wish to, and see the thoughts of the more open of them.'
'And I am more than capable of carrying you about, ningen. I have managed with both your monk friends and your hanyou and little kitsune and neko. You doubt that I could find transportation suitable for your current state?'
Kagome blinked at the sudden onslaught of conversation and then shook her head, which, of course, hurt, sending bolts of pain racing one another through her skull, and she immediately ceased the action.
'That's not what I meant, I'm just in a lot of pain, and I didn't know you could speak back to me in my mind.' She sighed as her headache began to swell and looked at the ceiling that suddenly seemed to think spinning around in circles was a very good idea indeed. It did not help that the rest of the room had decided to go spinning off in the opposite direction either. 'Shit. I could use some Tylonel right now.' She said, not caring that she was swearing. She had given up long ago on "proper" language, and had adopted a slang more similar to Inuyasha's. Somehow it made it easier to deal with being down here because it reminded her so much of him.
Amaya cocked an eyebrow at her. 'Tylonel? What is this Tylonel you speak of? Some sort of medication?'
'I guess you could say that.' Kagome rasped out, the words scraping against her dry throat as she watched Amaya move about the cell, gathering up her grimy and torn textbooks and other things. 'It's for things like headaches and minor injuries.'
'You're injuries are far from minor.' Amaya said offhandedly. 'This Tylonel of your would do you no good. You have at least one broken rib, and I'd say your shoulder may be dislocated as well. And I have yet to examine the rest of your body.'
Kagome sighed and shut her eyes against the spinning room, but that didn't help because, while she could no longer see the motion, she could still feel it and somehow that was worse.
'Maybe I should consider morphine then.' She muttered, not actually realising she had said it out loud until Amaya's voice reached her again.
'Another "medicine" of yours? Does it have the power to heal broken bones?' Kagome mentally shook her head, wondering if the sorceress could detect mental "body-language."
'It's not a medicine. Not really anyway. It's a drug-- it takes away the pain for a little while, but it's really dangerous cause you can get hooked on it.'
'"Hooked?"' The sorceress inquired, and Kagome opened her eyes to focus on her again.
She was crouching down in the darkest and dingiest corner of the cell (which wasn't saying much) and muttering some sort of spell under her breath.
'Yeah... like addicted. You're body starts to crave it, and you have to get more of it to feed the addiction, but it gets bigger and bigger each time, and the drug has less and less results. It's not a pretty scenario.'
Amaya didn't really respond to that, but her hands started to emit a blue light out in front of them, that slowly began to change itself into a sort of vapour, and then a gas-like substance, before finally seeming to solidify and begin to take shape.
Kagome watched in amazement as the light slowly began to materialize into a human body, before adding colours to itself and coming out... to look exactly like her.
'What the fuck?' Kagome demanded loudly, causing both Amaya and the figure to look over at her.
The new "Kagome" was breathing in the same shallow manner that she was, and there were cuts and grime all over her face.
Amaya smirked.
'Kagome, meet your clone.'
Kagome looked at her in astonishment. She had a clone!
'She's not really a clone-- more a mirage of sorts, but more solid than that. She'll be playing you while we're gone.' Amaya's voice said in her head, and Kagome stared wide-eyed between the two figures for a moment.
'She... looks just like me...' she said in astonishment, and Amaya inclined her head. 'For the most part, yes, but she does have one defining trait.' That said, she reached toward the hem of the clone's tattered shirt and pulled it up slightly revealing...
Kagome frowned and squinted at the figure, but could not see what Amaya was trying to show her. After a moment she turned a confused gaze upon Amaya. 'What exactly are we looking at here?' She asked, and Amaya cocked an eyebrow.
'You don't know?' She demanded, and, at Kagome's thought of negation, she sighed. 'The mirage has no navel!' She exclaimed, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, and Kagome was a complete baka for not noticing it.
Kagome frowned at looked back at the mirage. Indeed, now that it had been pointed out to her, she could see that there was no belly-button present where one should have been.
'And that's supposed to be a defining trait?' She thought in disbelief. No one would ever notice that!
Amaya snorted. 'That is sort of the point, ningen. No one is supposed to notice it. Now' The sorceress stood up and slowly approached her. 'Come on, lets get you up. Sango's waiting out there for you, and I have no idea how long it will be before someone discovers her.'
Kagome's eyes widened as the sorceress moved toward her.
'But... won't this hurt? I mean, shouldn't we reset my shoulder or something first?'
Amaya cocked an eyebrow. 'No, that'll hurt more. Besides, I have herbs to dull the pain and quicken the healing for you that will save you a lot of pain, but I don't have them with me. Besides... this shouldn't even hurt you a bit.' She said. Kagome frowned at her in disbelief, but the next second she felt something surround her and lift her into the air.
She gasped slightly in surprise, expecting to be hurt by the sudden movement, but, in all truth, the gasp itself hurt more than the moving.
Amaya smirked at her.
'Just don't wiggle around, or you'll fall.' She told her, before draping a silvery-black cloak across her form and promptly walking away toward the stairs, Kagome "following" behind her at a gentle pace, but, for all she could tell, she could have been wooshing around faster than the speed of light and it wouldn't have hurt.
This actually felt better than lying still on the ground, or even in her own bed. Literally like she was lying on air.
And, as Amaya had said, as she had felt certain wasn't true, it didn't hurt at all.
Which was quite a change from all her past days spent down here.
Quite a change indeed, and a very welcome one at that.
Glossary
Ningen - Human
Hanyou - Half-Demon
Kitsune - Fox
Neko - Cat
Baka - Fool, idiot, moron...
A/N: Hey everyone, sorry if this escape seems really simple thus far. I didn't exactly say though that it would be complicated... just that, once Naraku found out, it would be dangerous. And, at the moment, I am much too tired to think of anything more complicated. I know, I know, it's probably really crappy of me, but there's nothing for it... If I came up with anything more complicated, it would likely take me chapters just to get Kagome out of there... And I still don't know if it's going to yet!
Anyway, I seriously should get going before people start biting my head off, so I guess I'll wrap this up now.
SPECIAL THANKS AND LOTS OF TREATS TO: Punk Rock Miko2, Kitsama, Box Queen, Black Betty, lunerfox, Almandine-Azaleea, Sexy Kat, wolfygirl13 (good luck with the insanity in the chocolate factory! ), Wish-full thinker (thanks again for your advice-- always appreciated, if not always used ), RamblingPhilosopher, Inume-Blue, Wings of Fayth, Clouds of the Sky, Lord Makura and Kuroi (have the pins and needles left you alone now?)
--You guys are really great! Thanks so much for all your support! --
CMoC - We're not gonna take it - Twisted Sister, Dance Dance - Fall out boy, Once in a While - Dishwalla, Fly - Hilary Duff (Even if it does pain me to admit it), Fukai Mori - Do as Infinity, In the land of twilight, under the moon - See-Saw(?), Fade - Staind, Everywhere - Michelle Branch, Montreal Calling - (Can't remember), Trip - Hedley, wherever you will go - The Calling, and Savin' me - Nickelback
