Lauren: Hey everybody! Sorry for the wait! I don't know why but it seems every time I get into the final climax kind of stuff in my stories, I just blank and I don't know what to write next. It's like…there's a brick wall in front of me and I don't know how to get through it or around. Then, after a while, I just knock it down. Thankfully, I knocked this one down pretty soon…once it took me months to get the last chapter of a story of mine out ^_^;; but do not fear, that will never happen with this story. Argh, I have finals this coming week so sadly I'm going to be busy with review packets and testing…but…the good thing is I get half days! Which means…more time to write! So hopefully I can get more out sooner. Oh yeah! My mom let me get "Ayashi no Ceres" ".hack//SIGN" and "Fushigi Yuugi- Ei Kou Den"! I can't wait for it to get here! Any ways, thanks for waiting and for all of the wonderful reviews, so here are my replies, as promised.
Raiye- Aw, I love you too! Congratulations on your exams and finals! You're so smart!
MaboroshiTsuki- Haha, oh, believe me, I am a very weird person. ^_^;; Yeah, when I was writing the part about two Inuyasha's I got sort of stumped on how to explain it and Tamahome and Taka came to mind! They made it possible for me to put into words what I needed to say! Now if only Tasuki could come on over…and… 'help' me with a few things! Haha ^_~
Kawaii Bunny- No, I don't know of anyone with that title. Since it wasn't very clear I'll say now that Souta knows that that isn't his sister. When he went up to her, he noticed something different but remember, his mother gave him a stern look and stated the name "Kagome" loudly to tell him to play along and so he did.
Nikkicub- Yeah, I think Kagome's mom has more of a story and personality than they give her. Thanks for the chocolates, they're good! I like the name Tanuki but the cat's Kirara, remember? =P
Nytshad- Sorry, I've never seen the Reboot movie. A few years ago I watched the first series but that's all…I didn't even know they had reincarnation in it! ^^;
HanyouGohan- I saw Two Towers!! It was SO good! I loved it! I can't wait for the next movie! And sure, I'd love to talk to you sometime! Do you have a AOL screen name or an MSN screen name? If so, what is it?
T'laren- Glad to be back! Thanks!
Zel no miko- HA! I updated so you must update right now too!
MikoGoddess- I have no idea where I come up with it. I think my problem is that I think too much!
Demoness Ryoko- Oh my gosh! That song fits SO well! Ever since you told me about it, I downloaded it and play it all the time! It's so sad and so good….!! Everybody, one of the theme songs of this story is going to be "These Days" by Rascal Flatts! Thanks a ton!
Stephanie-chan- Aww…wow…thanks. I feel so special! –glomp- Yeah…see…I wasn't sure how to clarify that Inuyasha was somewhat different than his past self and also…when you think about it, don't you think he'd get tired of hearing Kagome talk about his reincarnation, just like she got tired of hearing about Kikyo? After that thought occurred to me, my keys just stared typing. I'm glad it was clear though, I was worried if it was understandable or not.
Sio-Sami- No, no! That wasn't a ramble! That made a lot of sense and it's something to consider…but I have no idea who'd she choose. That would be so hard to pick one; cause Inuyasha's really similar to his past self in this story…whereas we all know that Kikyo and Kagome are way different. Sadly, I don't think the well is going to open again. I'm not really sure…we'll all just have to wait and see!
Well, that's all for now! I'm very tired and it's late! So enjoy!
~*~ Where Did You Go? ~*~
~By: Lauren~
-Chapter 23-
"Transparent Sunshine: What A Mess"
"DIE!!!!!!!!! YOU MUST DIE!!! JUST TRIP AND DIE!" Kagome screamed, her feet jumping back and forth on a Dance Dance Revolution pad.
The four of them had slept for a while before Kagome was gently roused by Kirara meowing for food. She had gotten up, scrambling to the kitchen in hopes to get the cat to leave her alone. After rummaging through Miroku's shelves she finally found cat food and fed Kirara before she attempted to go back to sleep. Sadly though, Kagome had woken up too much during her 'crusade' and couldn't get back to sleep. Instead, she was happy to merely watch the slight rise and fall of Inuyasha's chest. He looked so innocent- sleeping like a content child. After a bit of watching him, blushing and smiling warmly, Kagome's stomach decided to growl loudly. Afraid she'd wake Inuyasha up, Kagome had left to rummage through the kitchen once again.
But sometime during her search for food Miroku had woken up. The two then shared a quiet breakfast of Fruit Loops while waiting for Sango and Inuyasha to get up. That didn't happen for a while and the two had sat on the couch with boredom. That was when Kagome had noticed two dance pads sticking out from under a pile of junk near Miroku's television. After begging and pleading with Miroku, he finally let her pull them out and set up his game of "Dance Dance Revolution Max". Kagome hadn't played the game since she fell through the well and Miroku was a bit rusty but they decided to turn the volume down and try to play.
And so here they were now, neither of them caring about being quiet anymore.
"YOU TRIP CAUSE I AIN'T!" Miroku hollered back at Kagome, jumping from left to right then forward.
"Like hell I'm going to let you win!" Kagome retorted between gasps, ignoring the sweat trickling down her brow.
"Bring it on!" Miroku hissed before he let out a strangled scream. His left foot had fallen off the side of his pad, causing him to lose his balance. He quickly toppled over towards Kagome, crashing into her legs and causing her to collapse down on top of him.
"WHY YOU!!" Kagome cried, trying to get untangled from Miroku's limbs. Her jaw dropped in shock as she felt a hand rub her rear end. A smacking noise echoed through the house, causing Inuyasha and Sango to jolt awake.
"Sorry." Miroku winced at the red hand mark on his cheek, helping Kagome stand up while he tried to steady himself. "Hey look- I won!" He exclaimed, pointing to the T.V. screen.
"YOU CHEATED!" Kagome pointed her finger accusingly at him, glaring daggers. "You knocked me over so I wouldn't beat you!!!"
"No I didn't! I fell!!" Miroku innocently snapped.
"Liar." Kagome muttered, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes.
"What the hell are you two doing?" Inuyasha yawned as he entered the room, stretching his arms above his head while his hair was ruffled and his clothes wrinkly, giving him a messy appearance.
"Just playing DDR." Miroku smirked, "And I won."
Kagome's jaw dropped once again, "You so did not!!" She growled threateningly.
"I so did!" Miroku said.
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"SHUT UP!!" Sango screamed, brushing past the two arguing people. "God…I swear you two are worse than little kids….worse than arguing siblings." She rubbed her temples, fighting back a pounding headache.
Miroku and Kagome could only blink, staring at Sango, a bit frightened as they nodded and grew silent.
"Good…stay quiet…" Sango disappeared into the kitchen while Inuyasha flopped down on the couch.
"Did not." Miroku whispered.
"I HEARD THAT!" Sango's loud voice called out from the kitchen.
Miroku made a face in her direction.
"I SAW THAT TOO!" Her voice yelled.
Miroku froze, "What, do you have eyes and ears everywhere!?"
"Maybe…" Sango giggled, walking back into the room with a glass of orange juice.
Kagome smiled, dropping down on the couch between Miroku and Inuyasha. It was nice to be back…the only person they were missing was Shippo but he was only a child. He didn't deserve to be involved with this any more- he had suffered a great loss already- probably more than the others had. Leaning against Inuyasha, she closed her eyes, letting his warmth surround her.
"So anybody have any idea about what we do now?" Sango said, sitting on a chair next to the couch while her eyes stared at Inuyasha's dog-ears curiously.
Inuyasha shrugged, "I guess…just wait for Daemon to come to us. I mean, it's not like we can just follow him or go to a certain place to find him."
"But we need a tactic…" Miroku replied, his face growing grave and serious.
Vaguely, Kagome could hear the others talking but the words began to mix and soon they were only a faded murmur in her mind. She drifted off into dreamland, finding herself in the familiar void of nothingness.
"Any ideas?" Inuyasha wrapped his arm around Kagome, bringing her close against him protectively. "We need to be careful. I mean…he could just attack us any time."
"Not necessarily." Miroku smirked triumphantly.
"What do you mean?" Sango and Inuyasha both said at the same time.
"Last night I remembered something…I think it was from my past life. It was some kind of spell…" He trailed off and that was when Inuyasha noticed something strange by the door. It was a strip of paper with funny squiggly lines that had been pasted on the edge of the door, to the doorframe. If the door were pulled open, the paper would rip in half. There were a few others pasted to windows.
What was the point of that? Was it supposed to lock them inside or keep things away from the outside? If so…that was pretty useless…cause they'd just be trapped inside and Inuyasha was sure that Daemon was strong enough to rip the paper apart. Was it an ofuda spell? Frankly, he wasn't quite sure.
"It basically has created a bubble over us. It's like a bulletproof bubble except…demon proof. No demons or shadow creatures can enter once it's put into effect, which it is. If we leave this house…then Daemon can get to us…but if we stay inside, as far as I understand, he can't get to us." Miroku explained, pointing to the papers.
Sango and Inuyasha both nodded in relief.
"At least that'll give us some security and time to think." Sango pointed out, sipping her drink.
"Yeah…for now…" Inuyasha trailed off before he spoke again, "Except it's sort of like he's got us cornered…in a way…"
Miroku bobbed his head in agreement, "I understand…but it's still better than to be totally vulnerable."
Raising an eyebrow in concern, Inuyasha looked down at Kagome. Her sleeping face had paled and her entire body was shaking roughly. He frowned as he held onto her tighter, watching her face contort in pain as a single tear dribbled from the corner of her eye.
~*~
She knew the voice was there. "What do you want now?" Kagome crossed her arms, sitting down cross-legged also. "Is it something that can help?"
A hand seemed to run down Kagome's back, causing her to shiver before a voice spoke softly. "We have something you can use as a weapon." It was the familiar voice from before.
"And what is it?" Kagome shivered again. For some odd reason she couldn't get the haunting thought that something bad was going to happen out of her head.
"Inuyasha calls his car Tetsusaiga…" The voice ran its hands down her arms.
Kagome had to stifle back laughter. Inuyasha had named his car Tetsusaiga! She found that to be rather amusing.
"If you can get it to…the moment he touches it, it'll turn into his old sword Tetsusaiga." The voice paused, "But you must hurry…before…"
The raven-haired girl gasped, clutching at her heart as she doubled over in pain. Her body jolted as she felt a sharp pain course through her body for a second time. Kagome's vision swam as the black void erupted with splatters of crimson colored blood.
The voice seemed to be struggling as it choked out the words, "before…it is…too l-late…"
Kagome took in shallow breaths, trying to calm her heart and stop the sharp pains.
Blood. Crimson blood was everywhere. She looked down at her hands and it was there too, dripping down slowly to the floor. Her tears mingled with the scarlet, diluting it, changing it. Everywhere she looked, there was blood. She could feel it seeping through her clothing, drenching her own skin. It passed through her shirt she had worn…it was no longer a soft blue but a dark, heavy black. Her pants were decorated with her own blood and that of those she cherished. Her fingers trembled as she looked down. Everywhere. It was everywhere on her. There was no more black void- only crimson. It was the blood of those she loved- of every human being. Kagome had never seen so much blood in her entire life. It was everywhere, soaking around her feet as more poured in, causing her feet to disappear in the giant puddle of crimson. She gagged at the strong smell, her eyes widened in horror.
A rusty, metallic taste was in her mouth. Dimly, Kagome swallowed it, vanishing it down her throat, coating it, being replaced. She spit, trying to get it away, away from her mouth, her throat, but there was only more, coming in a river that sprang from a never-ending source she could not find. She tried to shake her head, she tried to remove it and blackness would leap over her eyes, reminding her of its presence and the fact that it would not leave. The blood felt so warm, yet even as it trickled off of her body and towards the floor, she could feel it cooling. The hot life it once was fading. She could feel it making paths towards the floor from her face, mixing with the tears that had appeared there. It felt slick against her hands, forcing her to look again at her fingers. The floor and her hands were blanketed in it. She reached a hand to her face, touching it lightly, noticing her fingers slipping as she did so on her already bloody face. She heard a teasing voice whisper to her.
All her fault. She should have prevented this from occurring. She could have. Everyone would know that it was her fault.
There was no emotion. No pain, anger or surprise. Just death. What did death feel like? Kagome didn't know but she could sense it there. They were gone and the blood murmured that it was her fault. Everything. She could hear it laughing. A life that was beating within the shells of those humans had been destroyed so easily. The pain that was searing through her was taking over her senses so quickly. She was given over to the pain that would never leave, the one that would remain embedded on the heart forever and could not recede, could not fade.
Somewhere, dimly in her mind, she registered a screaming. It took her a long time, as she stared blankly at the blood, to realize that the loud noise was her own voice, calling for escape and redemption. Crying out for help, vengeance- a way to be free of the pain. No one answered her desperate cries. Soon…her broken shouts turned into a rough sobbing, pierced only by her voice rising in anguish, as she would see the blood again.
"You can prevent this blood…you can prevent these deaths…" A quiet, demonic voice whispered to her quietly.
"H-how…?" Kagome choked, trying not to inhale the disgusting scent of the blood.
"Give it to me. Give me the rest of the Shikon no Tama…" It mocked Kagome, sending her images of twisted, broken bodies. Bodies of her friends.
"I…but…I…" Kagome searched for words. She couldn't hand over the other half…they needed it. If she handed it over…all would be loss.
"I have him." The sneering voice said, "I have him…and I'm ready to kill him first unless you bring it to me. Only you can save him."
An image of Shippo's smiling face flashed before Kagome. No…he couldn't have Shippo…he couldn't!! Kagome wanted to spare Shippo- she wanted to save him from the pain and suffering but now…now the demons…the shadows had him…
"Your world…is shattered…"
Kagome's mind broke, halting the thoughts that had danced within. There was nothing left. All she could see was the blood and the broken bodies that lay twisted just beyond her blackening vision. She could feel her own body giving up, falling towards the floor. There were no arms there to catch her- no ready assistance for the torn and lost child. Kagome could still hear the laughter of the scarlet sea just before her face hit the floor, splashing blood into the air, drenching her in it further.
"If you want to save him…if you want to save the future of your friends…bring the Shikon no Tama to me…and bring the hanyou to me also…" The voice smirked at her. "But do not tell him of this…do not warn him or prepare…do not utter a word of this…or else…Shippo will no longer exist. You will know…where to find me…"
Then the bloody rain spilled over her, vainly trying to remove some of the evidence of the afflictions she had suffered through, but only managing to soak her shaking body. She was made of the blood. The red that painted everything- stealing her very life away with it. The last thing Kagome saw was the blood racing away in little rivulets, to disappear as if it had never been. Then the blackness descended down on her mind, stopping any further thought or sight. Kagome waited for the satisfaction to come, she waited for the joy to bubble up inside her at hearing the words, 'save the future of your friends' but it didn't come because as always there was a catch with Daemon- with these shadows. It wasn't that easy….it WAS that bad and it could only get worse. Kagome gave into the darkness easily, thanking it for the release from the horrible agony of this world.
She awoke with a start, jumping up from the couch as her body violently shook. She felt two strong hands grab her arms, pulling her back down onto a warm lap. Kagome gulped as hot tears dripped down her face while Inuyasha's arms wrapped around her waist, holding her gently against him. He nuzzled her neck softly and whispered, "Shh…it's okay."
Kagome tried to hide her fear and pain as she forced herself to calm down. Before she said anything of her vision like dream to the others…she wanted to think about her options. She didn't want Shippo to be hurt…or worse, killed. Apparently the seals Miroku had put up didn't block out Daemon from her head…
"What's wrong? Did something happen…?" Inuyasha muttered after a few minutes, allowing Kagome to gain her composure. Sango and Miroku were both watching her intently. "Did you find out something from the voices?"
"No…" Kagome trembled, muttering the word as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath before opening them again. "I didn't find out anything…it was…j-just a bad dream…" She trailed off, inwardly screaming at herself for lying but…it was too late for her to turn back now.