Lauren: Hey! New chapter! Please enjoy and thank you for all of the wonderful reviews! Jeez, I saw 300+ reviews and I swear I almost went comatose! Thank you all SO SO SO much! I love you all so much and I'd never be able to make it this far without you. Hehe...poor Naraku. He's not getting ANY love except maybe some from Kikyo.
Zel no miko- Please don't do that! Ah! Icky! No!
Jupiter's Light- Hey! I looked at the thing on ebay and I'm totally clueless too. I really don't know about it. It IS the movie. I'm assuming they chopped it up and made it into episodes, as they say, and maybe the bonus was just part of the ending they made into a bonus instead of another episode?
Ryu- Waldenbooks sells anime? Wow...I didn't know that! Cool! If I didn't work at Suncoast then I'd want to work at either Comic's N' Stuff, Borders or a Pet store. I'm so jealous of your plushie. I want to get a plushie SO bad but my mom won't let me because she thinks they're sort of a waste of money. T_T Maybe I can convince one of my friends to get me one for Christmas or my birthday. XD
Asilin- Oh, what's the plan for capturing him? Please tell me and then we can put it into action! It'll be great!
ArtemisMoon- Hmm...maybe! Only if everybody begs nicely. (joking!)
Tori: Ok, now I'm scared. D! No, I haven't seen Moulin Rouge although I want to. If you want to read more Inuyasha though they are online translations of the manga's and episodes all over the web.
the hAPpiLyINsanE angeredfairy- Thank you! Yeah, most of it is homework too. It's so evil though because I finally get home and then I have to work on stupid school homework! Agh!
TheFool- I don't think we'll meet or see Hiten and Manten anymore but we'll probably hear about them later.
Nytshad- Ha! You're good at predictions!
Cold Fire Phoenix- Oh my gosh! You're review was so funny! They always make me laugh, I love them. I don't think I'm Super Woman or an Amazon but I'd like to be! And you did many things for a Klondik bar...I wrestled a polar bear for mine. And thank you for your kind wishes! I'm hoping I'll pass but I need to study this weekend and I've got all this other evil homework I must do too. It never seems to end. I can't wait until Thanksgiving break. It means a lot of free time to be lazy and write!!
Forgotten Sailor- I don't have anything against Sailor Moon, in fact, it was the first anime I ever liked and one of the first fanfics I ever wrote. I just made Naraku like it to be funny because it's something that is so totally opposite from his personality. They're on different ends of the spectrum.
~*~ Where Did You Go? ~*~
~By: Lauren~
-Chapter 13-
"Twisted Realization"
The voice spoke softly, attempting to put into words what it had to say. "In order to allow you to cross through the well...we had to make a deal....a compromise. The deal was that if we let you travel across time until the great evil was destroyed...we had to seal the well off once it was over. We could not allow a time traveling well to exist forever- we HAD to remove it. To prevent great pain for the loss of contact with past lovers and friend-, in the people who used it, namely you and Inuyasha- we had to do something else. We knew if we sealed the well somebody or another would rant on about it and we knew many would not believe tales of a well that allowed one to travel through time."
Kagome snorted at this. "Who would have thought that would have happen..." She mimicked the voice annoyingly.
The voice sighed, ignoring Kagome's rude comments. "We had to erase your memories. We had to get rid of ANY memories that would trace back to the well. Inuyasha does not belong in your time and you don't belong in his. You were only granted travel to rid the world of the evil. You destroyed that evil and so we had to complete our deal. You were a young girl at that time- one who did not deserve to see such bloodshed. In taking you to the past and showing you such evil we caused the loss of your true innocence."
"That's stupid! It made me mature! It helped me grow up! It taught me things!" Kagome replied. She was beginning to hate this voice more and more. "Just keep talking...dig your own grave." She crossed her arms angrily.
The voice growled as it kept speaking, "It made you grow up too soon. We had to seal the well once you returned home. To stop you from feeling heartache over this loss and to stop any word of the well spreading, we erased your memories and that of everyone who knew of the well in your time. We did not realize you still possessed your memories until now though. We thought we had gotten rid of them but there was a glitch- something went wrong and we did not see this error until recently. It's because of that ring!! That ring prevented us from removing your memories! If you take it off we can finish our job. We can erase them and you can return to a normal life at home once again."
"I'd never want to lose the memories of my friends! Never in a thousand years!" Kagome snarled, scrunching herself up into a tight ball. Why wouldn't the voice leave her alone? These words- the truth- it wasn't making her feel any better. In fact, it was making her feel worse. All these years of hell she went through...all of them were because of a 'glitch'. Not only that but the voice had tried to erase her beautiful memories!! She could never forget about Inuyasha and the rest of her friends! How could they have sealed the well also? It was just too much for Kagome. If the voice had a shape, she would have punched it right then and there.
It grew softer as the voice sensed her anger. "Kagome- in the past we did not remove the memories of you from the people in the feudal era. Back then...a time traveling well wasn't so far-fetched, especially since so many saw and met you and experienced your kindness. After you left, Miroku and Sango produced children and Shippo grew up into a fine young demon. He too married and had children. I'm sorry to say Inuyasha...he did not get over his loss. I believe he never did. The stupid hanyou rarely left the wells side. He only left if it was unavoidable. He spent years in heartache, removed from society and his friends. Gradually...they grew old and passed on. Inuyasha stayed alive, much like the trees that are always around. Nobody is truly sure how...but somehow...he died eventually. He was a hanyou and it was hard for him to die...but he was not immortal. Because of the great deeds you and all of them did...they were all granted reincarnation. Even the evil ones were given a second chance. They all were born in your time and have been living much-less painful lives although...strangely, they have many similar situations as in the past. We are not sure how this is but we want you to try to find out. We don't know how you all ended up in the same place at the same time and we know it was not a coincidence. Because you still possess all of your memories we want you to find out." The voice finished, letting out a deep breath.
"You really don't know much for being considered 'gods' or whatever." Kagome crossed her arms. "And why should I help you out? You're the ones who screwed up my life."
It seemed to be pleading with her now. "Yes, we are higher than mortals but we are not 'all-powerful' beings. We cannot control or know every situation in the entire world. We are only there for emergencies and helping out if needed. We are here to keep balance. If you help us out and succeed...we can help you."
"Explain." Kagome rose her eyebrows with a bit of interest.
"If you find whoever is altering all of your fates and stop them, we will grant your friends all of their memories back. Inuyasha is slowly remembering things of the past at this very moment because of his ring. He can help you. If you destroy whatever it is...we'll help him remember everything along with Sango, Miroku and Shippo. If you want anyone else to remember...I can grant that also."
"If he has his ring, why is he remembering only now? And how did he get the ring in the first place?" Kagome questioned.
"That ring stayed inside of him just like the Shikon no Tama stayed inside of you. He was born with it. One day, as an infant, he began to choke and he coughed up the ring. His mother felt some strange power emitting from it and protected it until her death, in which she gave it back to him. She knew it was of great importance. I was ready to strike you down with lightening when you didn't destroy or purify the Shikon no Tama so long ago. I was even more angered when you split it into two pieces and smelted it with gold into those damned rings but now...my anger is lessened. The Shikon no Tama- those two rings- may help you defeat this...person. This...thing. The rings may be the reason you found Inuyasha to begin with but it does not explain why the others are all in the same spot, together with the same situations. Also...the rings could be WHY this person is messing with fate."
"Do you know anything about this 'person'?" Kagome sat back. The deal was looking pretty promising so far...but there had to be some kind of catch, right? She tried to sort out the information in her mind. It was true that after she was unable to purity the Shikon no Tama, Inuyasha had sliced it in half and placed part of it in his engagement ring and part of it in hers. So the Shikon no Tama had protected her from the voices, preventing her memories from being erased because she had no desire to lose them and even now, it was protecting her. Since the Shikon no Tama half that Inuyasha possessed stayed with him when he was reborn, it must have also been protecting his memories. Since he was reincarnated then the memories had always been within him, just subconsciously there. He didn't remember anything of his past life for he was reborn with the same soul but his mind was like a clean slate. His soul and heart was still carrying around his past memories but he never realized that they were there. The Shikon no Tama protected them, allowing them to never be erased and until he met Kagome, they had been undisturbed. Meanwhile, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and everybody else was reborn with none of their memories for there was no Shikon no Tama to protect them. So Inuyasha went through his life until he met Kagome and with her tales of his past, she trigged his memories and now they were slowly returning. Because of her, he had gained a yearning to rediscover his memories and that was why the Shikon no Tama was allowing him to see them once again.
The voice interrupted Kagome's thought process. "All we know about the enemy is that it is not human. We also know that it is the same...thing, same demon, that killed your grandfather and attacked you. Most likely after your half of the ring."
When Kagome heard those words, she already decided what her answer would be in her heart. Catch or no catch, she was going to get revenge on the monster that had murdered her grandfather. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'll do it."
Her eyes opened slowly as her hazy world slowly came into view. Kagome's eyelids felt heavy, as if she hadn't slept at all. Her cell was dimmer than usual so she shrugged, guessing it was dusk or nighttime. Her heart began to beat wildly as she leapt out of her bed, the words of the voice repeating in her mind. She had to get to Inuyasha. She had to talk to Inuyasha right NOW! She ran to the metal door and promptly began to pound on it, her entire body trembling.
"INUYASHA!! INUYASHA, ARE YOU THERE?!" Kagome yelled while she tried to peer through the tiny glass window in the door. "Inu...yasha...?" She murmured as her eyes scanned the empty, deserted hallway. She sighed, falling back down to the flats of her feet. A look of determination appeared on her face. "INUYASHA!!! INUYASHA!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, the door swung open but it was not Inuyasha who stood in the vacant space. It was Kouga.
"Would you just SHUT UP ALREADY!!" He angrily snapped at her, shutting the door behind him as he stepped into the room. "You're making a real racket!"
"Where's Inuyasha?! I need to talk to Inuyasha!" Kagome begged the man, stepped up defiantly in front of him. "Please!"
Kouga smirked. "Sorry cutie but I can't allow Inuyasha in here anymore. Direct orders from the boss."
Kagome glared at him. "Don't call me cutie. And why isn't he allowed down here?" Worry caused her heart to beat faster.
"He was taken off your case." Kouga grinned, reaching forward to touch Kagome's cheek. "I never realized you were so good-looking. You're feisty. I like that in a woman, even if you're insane."
Kagome slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me." She hissed. "Either get me Inuyasha or leave."
"Shut up." Kouga grabbed her wrist roughly, pulling her towards him. He smirked as he stared into her eyes, his lips merely centimeters from hers. "I don't know why you like that stupid doctor. You should just give up on it any ways. He's never going to see you again. Even if he wants to, he won't risk the boss's wrath, not for a single stupid girl like you."
Kagome trembled as Kouga pushed her backwards, causing her to fall on her backside. He laughed smugly as he sauntered out of the room and locked the door behind him. Her raven hair fell in her face as Kagome backed up into one of the walls and pulled her legs up against her chest. "He'll come...he has too..." She muttered, trying to reassure herself yet deep down, fear gripped her heart tightly.
Never give up hope my child. When the darkness comes and despair seizes your heart...never stray. Hope's light will see you through.
Kagome fought to control her rapid breathing as her mother's words echoed throughout her mind. Never give up hope. In the end, hope was what you had left- it was the light- it was the way to keep on going. But as Kagome began to shake she felt all of her hope slipping away.
As she rocked back and forth as she began to sing her familiar song.
As we live on, We lose a little bit more. Shrouded in falsehoods and lies, We stand frozen to the spot, unable to cry out The days pass by and change, We live our lives Wandering to the ends of the earth. Closing off the way back,
We walk on for eternity.
~*~
Inuyasha stomped down the hallway as he dug his fingernails into his hands for he had them clenched in a tight fist. "Naraku...you're going to pay for this!!" He whispered to himself as he turned, punching his fist into the wall. Plaster crumbled and fell to the ground. Blinking in surprise, Inuyasha turned and hurried away from the dent as he attempted to appear innocent. He had to keep his cool. He had to calm down and figure out a way to help Kagome.
He sighed as his mind raced, trying to figure out some possible way to get Kagome out. To get him back on her case. Something. Anything.
"What's up with you, Mr. Grumpy?" Kikyo teased as she walked towards Inuyasha, stopping in front of him.
"Go to hell Kikyo." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Hey, what are you doing here any ways? Miroku didn't impale his hand on anything again, did he?"
"I've already been there and it's quite lovely, although it's a bit hot. And no, he wasn't impaled on anything." Kikyo replied, chuckling softly. "I'm here because I thought I'd surprise Naraku and bring him dinner." She held up a wicker basket.
Inuyasha shook his head. How this woman put up with Naraku amazed him. Suddenly, the wheels inside his head began to turn. "Hey...Kikyo...my dear...old friend..." He grinned.
"What do you want?" Kikyo crossed her arms and chewed on her lip annoyingly.
"Well you see...I've got this patient..." Inuyasha began, putting his arm around her while he led her away from Naraku's office.