Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha but he's free to give himself up to me ^_^
(A/N: For once I can't really think of anything to say... only you'll be slightly surprised in a moment.)
Two Faced:
Kagome's Sacrifice
Inuyasha pressed his fingers to her neck and drew back quickly. No pulse... no breathing... she was dead. "Kagome!"
"What?" Kagome stepped out of the hotel doorway behind him. "You calling me...?"
"Stay with Kikyo." Inuyasha ordered shortly and took off at once.
Kagome gasped when she saw her body double lying on the ground with an arrow in her chest. "Kikyo! Oh god... oh god..."
Sango appeared in the doorway. "What's with all the shouting..."
"Get dad!" Kagome called over her shoulder as she bent down to cradle Kikyo's head. She quickly checked for a pulse but found none, though that could mean anything since Kagome had never been too sure where to check for a pulse.
Sango disappeared for a few minutes while Kagome stroked Kikyo's hair and held her hand. She was growing cold. It wasn't long before Sango was back with Mr Higurashi.
"What happened?" he asked as he crouched on Kikyo's other side.
"I-I don't know!" Kagome stressed. "Inuyasha called me - and then took off! Someone shot her!"
"She's dead..." Mr Higurashi said quietly after finding no pulse.
"No - you have to do something! What about CPR?"
"I don't think that would work..." Mr Higurashi shook his head as Miroku and Hojo quickly found their way to the scene of the crime. Suddenly Sango had an idea.
"Can't you just... heal her or something, Kagome?" Sango asked sceptically. "I mean... with the Shikon?"
There was a beat as everyone considered this. Kagome looked up at her father. "Dad... can I do that...?"
"It's risky... but try it anyway." He nodded.
"What do I-"
"Whatever you feel you should do." He interrupted. "But quickly!"
Kagome swallowed hard past the lump in her throat and grasped the Shikon no Tama for luck.
^_^
Kagura hurriedly pulled a feather from her hair as she ran full out through the trees. She knew Inuyasha was going to give chase after a miss like that, he'd be downright pissed that she'd just killed his little lover. But Kagura wouldn't let that get her down - after all, she'd just saved an entire race from extinction.
She threw the feather down before her and hopped onto it the moment it transformed into a much larger leaf. The moment she had her balance she shot off faster than she had in her entire life... she didn't want to stick around to test the patience of an angry dog demon - hanyou or not.
A flicker of movement off to her right made her snapped her head around in that direction, but she barely had enough time to react as something impacted against her side, sending her flying off her transport and against her tree. The leaf she'd been using skidded off course and slammed into a tree to transform back into a feather with a small puff of smoke.
Black dots danced in front of her vision as she tried to gain her bearings, but she could hear someone storming angrily towards her. The moment he reached her she snapped her fan open and slashed it towards him. Inuyasha leaned back quickly to avoid being sliced and his hand shot forward to knock the fan out of her grip.
"Mutinous dog!" Kagura spat. "How could you betray us for that scum?!"
"You spout a lot of crap for someone who knows nothing!" Inuyasha growled as he scraped Tessaiga out of its scabbard. Kagura leaned back slightly as he moved to hover the blade inches from her throat. She swallowed hard but continued to glare at him.
"This is your own loss..." she hissed quietly. "You could have been a hero... but instead you're a coward and a traitor... you chose to side yourself with death Inuyasha."
"I made the right choice." He snapped angrily. "I won't be a murderer because a bunch of rumours say Kagome will kill us!"
"Kagome..." Kagura smirked. "Awfully familiar with her now, are we? Too bad she's dead."
"No... you shot the wrong girl." Inuyasha growled. "Kikyo's the one who's dead..."
Kagura mentally cursed. Sesshomaru was going to skin her alive for a mistake like this... that was... if his little brother didn't do it first. "What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to execute me?"
"Why waste my time on filth like you?" Inuyasha snorted. "I only caught up with you to tell you that you hit the wrong girl. You'd be in more trouble if I just let you live."
"I'll be back again! And I'll get you and you're little bitch!" Kagura growled.
"Really? You couldn't hit a tortoise with an arrow if it was dead, lying on its back and with a bulls-eye painted on its stomach." Inuyasha smirked. "No need to kill you... I'd just be sinking to your level."
He pulled his blade back and sheathed it.
"You'll regret it." Kagura smiled cruelly. "And so will she..."
Inuyasha shrugged and started to walk back to the hotel. Kagura reached for her fan and silently spread it wide and raised it as if to strike. After a moment of hesitation, she lowered it and growled at herself. "Asshole..."
^_^
"Kikyo... Kikyo, can you hear me?" Kagome called, brushing the back of her hand against her own forehead to wipe away the cold sweat. She felt sick again... but at least she'd done something good with the Shikon this time.
Kikyo's eyes fluttered open and she blearily focused on the people gathered around her. "What... what just happened?"
"You got shot." Miroku told her.
"Kagome saved you." Sango nodded.
Kikyo looked down at herself and lifted a hand to finger the ripped hole in her shirt from where an arrow had pierced her... but underneath the skin was smooth and undamaged.
"You saved me?" Kikyo frowned at Kagome as she sat up.
"Yeah... do you feel ok?" Kagome asked, squeezing her fists by her sides to stop from trembling with fatigue.
"Fine..." Kikyo stood up and wondered back inside.
Sango huffed and balled her hands against her hips. "She could have at least said thank you!"
"Leave her, Sango..." Kagome sighed, momentarily closing her eyes to rub them, but she had trouble forcing them open again. "Can we just... go to bed now?"
The rest of the group looked up suddenly as they heard someone approaching and saw Inuyasha coming towards them out of the trees. "Where's Kikyo?" he asked, wondering if they'd cremated her already.
"She's inside, she's ok..." Miroku said, glancing back at a very ill looking Kagome.
Inuyasha took another step towards them and was suddenly blown over by a wave of dizziness. "Whoa..." he breathed as he stumbled back a bit. Everyone glanced up as he staggered, frowning in question.
It was because of Kagome... as he got closer to her the weaker he felt... like his energy was being sucked from him. He had to keep his distance from her, otherwise he'd end up falling unconscious on them. Then what would the others think?
But they didn't pay much more attention to him when Kagome swooned suddenly and fell back against Sango. The other girl held her carefully. "Kagome...?"
"Just need... to rest..." she whispered.
Miroku glanced at Inuyasha. "You better take her inside and put her to bed."
Inuyasha didn't move.
"Well?" Sango scowled at him. "Are you gonna take her or not?"
"I... I hurt my hand..." Inuyasha held up his burnt and blistered hand. "I can't carry her."
Even Kagome's father knew that was just an excuse. Inuyasha was capable of carrying Kagome with burns covering his entire body... he just didn't want to carry her.
"I'll take her then." Miroku said, hefting Kagome up bridal style and carefully carrying her away. Inuyasha had to stop himself from moving forward and snatching her off the other boy... but he caught himself and stayed put. It wasn't like Miroku was trying to seduce her or anything, he needed to stop being so paranoid.
"Inuyasha?"
He glanced up as Kagome's father started towards him. Inuyasha tensed up, not knowing what to expect from the older man.
"Did you see the Shikon just now?" he asked.
"Uh... no." Inuyasha answered truthfully.
Mr Higurashi sighed and looked towards the inn doorway where the rest of the group were making their way inside. "It's stained..."
"Tainted?" Inuyasha guessed.
Kagome's father nodded. "I would have thought saving the life of an innocent would help to purify it... it should have absorbed some of Kikyo's essence and been purified slightly."
Inuyasha snorted and was about to correct the man that Kikyo was in no was an innocent. Her essence was stained with more malice and hatred than even Inuyasha was. No doubt saving her had defiled the jewel somewhat. But if he revealed that to Mr Higurashi, Mr Higurashi would then know Kikyo wasn't as good as she made out to be. And if he confronted Kikyo about that, there was no doubt in his mind that she would then reveal Inuyasha's activities to the whole group. Something he didn't need... just yet anyway...
"I don't understand..." Mr Higurashi sighed again. "But I suppose Kikyo has endured a darker past than most... I suppose that would result in tainting the jewel with her own painful experiences."
"Sure." Inuyasha shrugged and was about to beat a hasty retreat when Mr Higurashi's arm snapped out, blocking his way. Inuyasha glanced at him quickly.
Kagome's father fixed him with a penetrating look. "I've heard things from the younger cadets about you and Kagome..."
Oh dear... Inuyasha had to stop himself from panicking and running away. Protective fathers were worse than demons any day.
"And after shunning her just now-"
"It wasn't personal - my hand really hurts, that's all." Inuyasha said quickly. How was he supposed to tell the dad that he'd just been messing around when he'd pretended to have sex with Kagome. The guy would probably like that even less.
"Even so... if I hear you are not doing your duty protecting her... or are letting your emotions control your actions..." he let the warning hang. "Besides... it is Miroku she wants, not you."
Inuyasha froze and Mr Higurashi walked away to go back inside.
Ok... maybe that little spark of possessive, paranoid jealousy hadn't been irrational after all. She liked Miroku? Had she just been stringing him along? If so then...
No. He was probably being stupid. Kagome's father had probably just got his signals crossed or something. There was absolutely no way that Kagome would even go for Miroku's type... she didn't ever treat him that way... unless she was holding herself back for Sango's sake.
Slowly he found his way inside and closed the door behind him, still slightly on the edge and on the look out for snipers and ninjas... though it was unlikely his old cell would strike twice in the same night.
"Hey." Kikyo suddenly appeared in one of the bedroom doorways as he made his way back to his own bed.
"What?" he paused briefly.
"Thank you for flying off to avenge my death." She said evenly.
His deadpan expression cracked into a smirk. "I didn't kill that bitch... you're not worth avenging, Kikyo. Don't get your hopes up."
He walked away before he could see her reaction to that statement and headed towards Kagome's doorway. The door was open so he stopped outside and looked in, already he could feel the heat Kagome was emitting, although none of the others could feel it. Sango, Miroku and Mr Higurashi were gathered around her.
"She's got a fever." Sango announced quietly that had Inuyasha straining to hear what was being said from such a distance. But he didn't dare come any closer.
"The day of darkness is approaching." Mr Higurashi nodded. "At this rate... I don't think she can stop the prophesy."
"I won't... do it..." Kagome writhed uncomfortably on the bare sheets of her bed.
"I don't think you have much choice in the matter, Kagome..." Mr Higurashi told her quietly before glancing up at the other two beside him. "Could I have a moment alone with her?"
They swapped uncertain looks before nodding and meekly exiting the room, moving past Inuyasha and closing the door behind them. Inuyasha stayed where he was as Miroku and Sango moved off to their own bedrooms.
"Kagome... there's something about the prophesy you should know, princess." He said softly.
Inuyasha pressed his head against the door, laying an ear flat against it. The heat had gone down considerably with the door in the way.
"Let me take a wild guess... would it be... that I kill demons?" Kagome panted.
"No..."
"The day will be dark?"
"No..."
"That's about all I know." Kagome sighed. "Go on..."
"The prophesy says... it says that the grey one will be wiped from the earth along with all the black..."
"W-what does..." Inuyasha heard Kagome stutter into quiet before finding her voice again. "Am I... supposed to die...?"
There was no answer other than a choked sob coming from Kagome. Mr Higurashi must have just nodded... and Kagome's reaction confirmed it for Inuyasha...
So Kagome was going to die...?
It seemed likely seeing as Kagome had trouble even now handling her own powers... they were practically burning her up inside out...
He didn't want to hear anymore, so he got up and left. He had less than a week until he would be purified and killed by Kagome's power... along with his brother, his cell and every other demon on the planet. Not only that... but the force of Kagome's own power would obliterate her too...
There had to be some way out of this mess...
But right then, he couldn't think of any possible way to prevent the inevitable happening...
^_^
Yura had come back from her spying mission after Kagura's failure and confirmed the worst. Kagome was indeed still alive and was progressing onto the final stages of the prophesy. And even worse... the boss wasn't happy and had summoned Sesshomaru to his domain to have a few words.
It wasn't exactly that far when one could transform into a giant dog and travel fifty miles an hour at least. Once he found the cave entrance where the leader of their rebellion hid out he transformed back into his humanoid form and entered with only the slightest hesitation.
For all appearances it looked just like your average cave... but at the far back of the cave was a narrow crack in the rock. Sesshomaru squeezed himself through and soon found himself into a whole new part of the cave... which seemed more like a cavern than anything else. In the middle was a lake of ice cold water and water dripped down the walls and the stalagmites into the large pool. But Sesshomaru's main focus of attention was on the figure cloaked in the encompassing white baboon pelt who stood before the pool, still as a statue.
"You wanted to see me, lord?" Sesshomaru stated calmly, brushing a bit of dirt from his sleeve.
Naraku lifted his head slightly, only enough to reveal his jaw line under the baboon mask. "She's not dead..."
"I hadn't noticed."
"Do not try to be smart with me." Naraku said evenly. "I could easily have you replaced as the leader of cell 24."
Sesshomaru said nothing, but just regarded him icily.
"And I see... the little one betrayed you too." Naraku shook his head. "Hasn't been a good week for you, has it Sesshomaru?"
"Did you summon me to tell me off and slap my hand with a cane?"
"Maybe later. I have something for you."
Sesshomaru tensed as Naraku slipped a hand out from under his wrap and presented the other demon with a vial of thick red liquid, so dark it could almost have been black.
"What is that?"
"Demon essence... my essence." Naraku held it up further. "Take it, it doesn't have a mouth to bite you with."
Sesshomaru took it with deliberate ease. "And what am I supposed to do with this?"
"Be grateful. I sacrificed part of myself to create that..." Naraku told him. "Dip it in an arrow and shoot the girl with it... or do what you must to make the essence touch her skin."
"Poison?" Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow. "That's rather cliché, don't you think."
"Absolutely not." Naraku replied with the same calmness. "Besides... it is no ordinary poison. Once that essence touches mortal flesh it will change the essence of that mortal... to that of a demon."
"You plan to transform her into a demon?" he narrowed his eyes at Naraku. "How would that work?"
"Not a demon as such... but her natural human balance would be turned to that of a demon." Naraku shook his head at his own sheer brilliance. "Quite ingenious actually. You can poison her with that and no one would ever know. It won't change her physically or emotionally... only those who can read auras will sense the change."
"But what would be the point in this?"
"Her powers destroy demons... if she's a demon herself... she would be less inclined to act upon the prophesy. Since you seem incapable of killing her you shall use this on her. She will not complete the prophesy unless she wishes to die herself. Is she suicidal?"
"Not at all."
"Then it should work." Naraku hunkered down to sit on a rock by the cavern lake. "She will not sacrifice herself. She's too childish to be noble."
"I agree." Sesshomaru tucked the vial into his shirt pocket. "I'll be going then."
"You do that." Naraku watched him leave and got back on to his daily activity... watching the stalagmites and stalactites grow...
(A/N: Better make this clear: Naraku and co don't know that Kagome can't stop the prophesy even if she wanted to. They also don't know that Kagome will die anyway since they've only seen the edited version of the prophecy. So what they plan to do is pretty pointless... but it will have a point later. Anyway, next chapter - 'In the Blood' ^_^)
(A/N: For once I can't really think of anything to say... only you'll be slightly surprised in a moment.)
Two Faced:
Kagome's Sacrifice
Inuyasha pressed his fingers to her neck and drew back quickly. No pulse... no breathing... she was dead. "Kagome!"
"What?" Kagome stepped out of the hotel doorway behind him. "You calling me...?"
"Stay with Kikyo." Inuyasha ordered shortly and took off at once.
Kagome gasped when she saw her body double lying on the ground with an arrow in her chest. "Kikyo! Oh god... oh god..."
Sango appeared in the doorway. "What's with all the shouting..."
"Get dad!" Kagome called over her shoulder as she bent down to cradle Kikyo's head. She quickly checked for a pulse but found none, though that could mean anything since Kagome had never been too sure where to check for a pulse.
Sango disappeared for a few minutes while Kagome stroked Kikyo's hair and held her hand. She was growing cold. It wasn't long before Sango was back with Mr Higurashi.
"What happened?" he asked as he crouched on Kikyo's other side.
"I-I don't know!" Kagome stressed. "Inuyasha called me - and then took off! Someone shot her!"
"She's dead..." Mr Higurashi said quietly after finding no pulse.
"No - you have to do something! What about CPR?"
"I don't think that would work..." Mr Higurashi shook his head as Miroku and Hojo quickly found their way to the scene of the crime. Suddenly Sango had an idea.
"Can't you just... heal her or something, Kagome?" Sango asked sceptically. "I mean... with the Shikon?"
There was a beat as everyone considered this. Kagome looked up at her father. "Dad... can I do that...?"
"It's risky... but try it anyway." He nodded.
"What do I-"
"Whatever you feel you should do." He interrupted. "But quickly!"
Kagome swallowed hard past the lump in her throat and grasped the Shikon no Tama for luck.
^_^
Kagura hurriedly pulled a feather from her hair as she ran full out through the trees. She knew Inuyasha was going to give chase after a miss like that, he'd be downright pissed that she'd just killed his little lover. But Kagura wouldn't let that get her down - after all, she'd just saved an entire race from extinction.
She threw the feather down before her and hopped onto it the moment it transformed into a much larger leaf. The moment she had her balance she shot off faster than she had in her entire life... she didn't want to stick around to test the patience of an angry dog demon - hanyou or not.
A flicker of movement off to her right made her snapped her head around in that direction, but she barely had enough time to react as something impacted against her side, sending her flying off her transport and against her tree. The leaf she'd been using skidded off course and slammed into a tree to transform back into a feather with a small puff of smoke.
Black dots danced in front of her vision as she tried to gain her bearings, but she could hear someone storming angrily towards her. The moment he reached her she snapped her fan open and slashed it towards him. Inuyasha leaned back quickly to avoid being sliced and his hand shot forward to knock the fan out of her grip.
"Mutinous dog!" Kagura spat. "How could you betray us for that scum?!"
"You spout a lot of crap for someone who knows nothing!" Inuyasha growled as he scraped Tessaiga out of its scabbard. Kagura leaned back slightly as he moved to hover the blade inches from her throat. She swallowed hard but continued to glare at him.
"This is your own loss..." she hissed quietly. "You could have been a hero... but instead you're a coward and a traitor... you chose to side yourself with death Inuyasha."
"I made the right choice." He snapped angrily. "I won't be a murderer because a bunch of rumours say Kagome will kill us!"
"Kagome..." Kagura smirked. "Awfully familiar with her now, are we? Too bad she's dead."
"No... you shot the wrong girl." Inuyasha growled. "Kikyo's the one who's dead..."
Kagura mentally cursed. Sesshomaru was going to skin her alive for a mistake like this... that was... if his little brother didn't do it first. "What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to execute me?"
"Why waste my time on filth like you?" Inuyasha snorted. "I only caught up with you to tell you that you hit the wrong girl. You'd be in more trouble if I just let you live."
"I'll be back again! And I'll get you and you're little bitch!" Kagura growled.
"Really? You couldn't hit a tortoise with an arrow if it was dead, lying on its back and with a bulls-eye painted on its stomach." Inuyasha smirked. "No need to kill you... I'd just be sinking to your level."
He pulled his blade back and sheathed it.
"You'll regret it." Kagura smiled cruelly. "And so will she..."
Inuyasha shrugged and started to walk back to the hotel. Kagura reached for her fan and silently spread it wide and raised it as if to strike. After a moment of hesitation, she lowered it and growled at herself. "Asshole..."
^_^
"Kikyo... Kikyo, can you hear me?" Kagome called, brushing the back of her hand against her own forehead to wipe away the cold sweat. She felt sick again... but at least she'd done something good with the Shikon this time.
Kikyo's eyes fluttered open and she blearily focused on the people gathered around her. "What... what just happened?"
"You got shot." Miroku told her.
"Kagome saved you." Sango nodded.
Kikyo looked down at herself and lifted a hand to finger the ripped hole in her shirt from where an arrow had pierced her... but underneath the skin was smooth and undamaged.
"You saved me?" Kikyo frowned at Kagome as she sat up.
"Yeah... do you feel ok?" Kagome asked, squeezing her fists by her sides to stop from trembling with fatigue.
"Fine..." Kikyo stood up and wondered back inside.
Sango huffed and balled her hands against her hips. "She could have at least said thank you!"
"Leave her, Sango..." Kagome sighed, momentarily closing her eyes to rub them, but she had trouble forcing them open again. "Can we just... go to bed now?"
The rest of the group looked up suddenly as they heard someone approaching and saw Inuyasha coming towards them out of the trees. "Where's Kikyo?" he asked, wondering if they'd cremated her already.
"She's inside, she's ok..." Miroku said, glancing back at a very ill looking Kagome.
Inuyasha took another step towards them and was suddenly blown over by a wave of dizziness. "Whoa..." he breathed as he stumbled back a bit. Everyone glanced up as he staggered, frowning in question.
It was because of Kagome... as he got closer to her the weaker he felt... like his energy was being sucked from him. He had to keep his distance from her, otherwise he'd end up falling unconscious on them. Then what would the others think?
But they didn't pay much more attention to him when Kagome swooned suddenly and fell back against Sango. The other girl held her carefully. "Kagome...?"
"Just need... to rest..." she whispered.
Miroku glanced at Inuyasha. "You better take her inside and put her to bed."
Inuyasha didn't move.
"Well?" Sango scowled at him. "Are you gonna take her or not?"
"I... I hurt my hand..." Inuyasha held up his burnt and blistered hand. "I can't carry her."
Even Kagome's father knew that was just an excuse. Inuyasha was capable of carrying Kagome with burns covering his entire body... he just didn't want to carry her.
"I'll take her then." Miroku said, hefting Kagome up bridal style and carefully carrying her away. Inuyasha had to stop himself from moving forward and snatching her off the other boy... but he caught himself and stayed put. It wasn't like Miroku was trying to seduce her or anything, he needed to stop being so paranoid.
"Inuyasha?"
He glanced up as Kagome's father started towards him. Inuyasha tensed up, not knowing what to expect from the older man.
"Did you see the Shikon just now?" he asked.
"Uh... no." Inuyasha answered truthfully.
Mr Higurashi sighed and looked towards the inn doorway where the rest of the group were making their way inside. "It's stained..."
"Tainted?" Inuyasha guessed.
Kagome's father nodded. "I would have thought saving the life of an innocent would help to purify it... it should have absorbed some of Kikyo's essence and been purified slightly."
Inuyasha snorted and was about to correct the man that Kikyo was in no was an innocent. Her essence was stained with more malice and hatred than even Inuyasha was. No doubt saving her had defiled the jewel somewhat. But if he revealed that to Mr Higurashi, Mr Higurashi would then know Kikyo wasn't as good as she made out to be. And if he confronted Kikyo about that, there was no doubt in his mind that she would then reveal Inuyasha's activities to the whole group. Something he didn't need... just yet anyway...
"I don't understand..." Mr Higurashi sighed again. "But I suppose Kikyo has endured a darker past than most... I suppose that would result in tainting the jewel with her own painful experiences."
"Sure." Inuyasha shrugged and was about to beat a hasty retreat when Mr Higurashi's arm snapped out, blocking his way. Inuyasha glanced at him quickly.
Kagome's father fixed him with a penetrating look. "I've heard things from the younger cadets about you and Kagome..."
Oh dear... Inuyasha had to stop himself from panicking and running away. Protective fathers were worse than demons any day.
"And after shunning her just now-"
"It wasn't personal - my hand really hurts, that's all." Inuyasha said quickly. How was he supposed to tell the dad that he'd just been messing around when he'd pretended to have sex with Kagome. The guy would probably like that even less.
"Even so... if I hear you are not doing your duty protecting her... or are letting your emotions control your actions..." he let the warning hang. "Besides... it is Miroku she wants, not you."
Inuyasha froze and Mr Higurashi walked away to go back inside.
Ok... maybe that little spark of possessive, paranoid jealousy hadn't been irrational after all. She liked Miroku? Had she just been stringing him along? If so then...
No. He was probably being stupid. Kagome's father had probably just got his signals crossed or something. There was absolutely no way that Kagome would even go for Miroku's type... she didn't ever treat him that way... unless she was holding herself back for Sango's sake.
Slowly he found his way inside and closed the door behind him, still slightly on the edge and on the look out for snipers and ninjas... though it was unlikely his old cell would strike twice in the same night.
"Hey." Kikyo suddenly appeared in one of the bedroom doorways as he made his way back to his own bed.
"What?" he paused briefly.
"Thank you for flying off to avenge my death." She said evenly.
His deadpan expression cracked into a smirk. "I didn't kill that bitch... you're not worth avenging, Kikyo. Don't get your hopes up."
He walked away before he could see her reaction to that statement and headed towards Kagome's doorway. The door was open so he stopped outside and looked in, already he could feel the heat Kagome was emitting, although none of the others could feel it. Sango, Miroku and Mr Higurashi were gathered around her.
"She's got a fever." Sango announced quietly that had Inuyasha straining to hear what was being said from such a distance. But he didn't dare come any closer.
"The day of darkness is approaching." Mr Higurashi nodded. "At this rate... I don't think she can stop the prophesy."
"I won't... do it..." Kagome writhed uncomfortably on the bare sheets of her bed.
"I don't think you have much choice in the matter, Kagome..." Mr Higurashi told her quietly before glancing up at the other two beside him. "Could I have a moment alone with her?"
They swapped uncertain looks before nodding and meekly exiting the room, moving past Inuyasha and closing the door behind them. Inuyasha stayed where he was as Miroku and Sango moved off to their own bedrooms.
"Kagome... there's something about the prophesy you should know, princess." He said softly.
Inuyasha pressed his head against the door, laying an ear flat against it. The heat had gone down considerably with the door in the way.
"Let me take a wild guess... would it be... that I kill demons?" Kagome panted.
"No..."
"The day will be dark?"
"No..."
"That's about all I know." Kagome sighed. "Go on..."
"The prophesy says... it says that the grey one will be wiped from the earth along with all the black..."
"W-what does..." Inuyasha heard Kagome stutter into quiet before finding her voice again. "Am I... supposed to die...?"
There was no answer other than a choked sob coming from Kagome. Mr Higurashi must have just nodded... and Kagome's reaction confirmed it for Inuyasha...
So Kagome was going to die...?
It seemed likely seeing as Kagome had trouble even now handling her own powers... they were practically burning her up inside out...
He didn't want to hear anymore, so he got up and left. He had less than a week until he would be purified and killed by Kagome's power... along with his brother, his cell and every other demon on the planet. Not only that... but the force of Kagome's own power would obliterate her too...
There had to be some way out of this mess...
But right then, he couldn't think of any possible way to prevent the inevitable happening...
^_^
Yura had come back from her spying mission after Kagura's failure and confirmed the worst. Kagome was indeed still alive and was progressing onto the final stages of the prophesy. And even worse... the boss wasn't happy and had summoned Sesshomaru to his domain to have a few words.
It wasn't exactly that far when one could transform into a giant dog and travel fifty miles an hour at least. Once he found the cave entrance where the leader of their rebellion hid out he transformed back into his humanoid form and entered with only the slightest hesitation.
For all appearances it looked just like your average cave... but at the far back of the cave was a narrow crack in the rock. Sesshomaru squeezed himself through and soon found himself into a whole new part of the cave... which seemed more like a cavern than anything else. In the middle was a lake of ice cold water and water dripped down the walls and the stalagmites into the large pool. But Sesshomaru's main focus of attention was on the figure cloaked in the encompassing white baboon pelt who stood before the pool, still as a statue.
"You wanted to see me, lord?" Sesshomaru stated calmly, brushing a bit of dirt from his sleeve.
Naraku lifted his head slightly, only enough to reveal his jaw line under the baboon mask. "She's not dead..."
"I hadn't noticed."
"Do not try to be smart with me." Naraku said evenly. "I could easily have you replaced as the leader of cell 24."
Sesshomaru said nothing, but just regarded him icily.
"And I see... the little one betrayed you too." Naraku shook his head. "Hasn't been a good week for you, has it Sesshomaru?"
"Did you summon me to tell me off and slap my hand with a cane?"
"Maybe later. I have something for you."
Sesshomaru tensed as Naraku slipped a hand out from under his wrap and presented the other demon with a vial of thick red liquid, so dark it could almost have been black.
"What is that?"
"Demon essence... my essence." Naraku held it up further. "Take it, it doesn't have a mouth to bite you with."
Sesshomaru took it with deliberate ease. "And what am I supposed to do with this?"
"Be grateful. I sacrificed part of myself to create that..." Naraku told him. "Dip it in an arrow and shoot the girl with it... or do what you must to make the essence touch her skin."
"Poison?" Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow. "That's rather cliché, don't you think."
"Absolutely not." Naraku replied with the same calmness. "Besides... it is no ordinary poison. Once that essence touches mortal flesh it will change the essence of that mortal... to that of a demon."
"You plan to transform her into a demon?" he narrowed his eyes at Naraku. "How would that work?"
"Not a demon as such... but her natural human balance would be turned to that of a demon." Naraku shook his head at his own sheer brilliance. "Quite ingenious actually. You can poison her with that and no one would ever know. It won't change her physically or emotionally... only those who can read auras will sense the change."
"But what would be the point in this?"
"Her powers destroy demons... if she's a demon herself... she would be less inclined to act upon the prophesy. Since you seem incapable of killing her you shall use this on her. She will not complete the prophesy unless she wishes to die herself. Is she suicidal?"
"Not at all."
"Then it should work." Naraku hunkered down to sit on a rock by the cavern lake. "She will not sacrifice herself. She's too childish to be noble."
"I agree." Sesshomaru tucked the vial into his shirt pocket. "I'll be going then."
"You do that." Naraku watched him leave and got back on to his daily activity... watching the stalagmites and stalactites grow...
(A/N: Better make this clear: Naraku and co don't know that Kagome can't stop the prophesy even if she wanted to. They also don't know that Kagome will die anyway since they've only seen the edited version of the prophecy. So what they plan to do is pretty pointless... but it will have a point later. Anyway, next chapter - 'In the Blood' ^_^)