A/N: * dances around her laptop with joy * I have reviews!! Lots of reviews!! Ahh, sooo happy. So, some replies to all you lovely people from last chappie…

Pride of place goes to my so-far top reviewer, Paws – a review for each chapter! Can't wait to see what you make of this one ; )

Darkkitty: wow, what a compliment! * authoress' mouth hangs open in shock * Ta muchly!

Anoac: yup, I thought the conversation thing was a good idea…it worked, too!

Starkookie: Aah! No, dear reviewer, don't die! * Types madly * I'm updating, I'm updating!

Crimson-snow: well, the suspense is everything! How else do I get you guys back to read more?!

Now then, as for the mysterious attacker – is it Sesshy or Naraku? Or someone else?? All will be revealed today, I promise. And the voting for 'who' was pretty even, in case you were wondering. Ok, 'nuff talking, more writing!


Disclaimer: Not again!!!Noooo! Oh, all right…I don't own Inuyasha (you mean people).

And once more, "for talking, 'for thinking, italics for dreams, flashbacks, etc. Gottit? Good.

Choice and Consequence

Chapter 6: Capture and Ransom

"Do you understand?"

A wall of fire blocked her vision – but she didn't feel any heat from the flames.

She raised her hand, her fingertips trailing incandescent streams of fire. Power flowed through her, power like she had never felt. She felt…invincible. As strong as many mikos at once…

A blast of furious energy roared out from her towards her opponent. An anguished cry broke into her thoughts.

"KAGOME!!!"

"Mmpfh," the girl groaned. She struggled to get up, only to find that that was a somewhat pointless exercise, as her hands were tied. Her head spun, and she fell back to the hard ground in defeat. What on earth had happened to her this time?

And why the hell was she dreaming again?? It was different, too – a little like a continuation of her last one… Those flat-sounding words – "Do you understand?"

The point was, she didn't understand a thing. It was all quite beyond her – was it a premonition, a message, a clue, what? And most importantly:

Why was it Kikyou talking to her in that tone of voice? And where was Inuyasha this time? What did it mean?

Dizziness engulfed her mind, sending her reeling back into oblivion.

A little distance away, eyes regarded the sleeping miko warily. The capture had been easy enough, and the girl was clearly injured – but the future was still unclear. Best not to take any chances. Hands reached towards her…a glowing light surrounded the girl, binding her fast to unconsciousness.


Inuyasha was mad. Well, no, that's not quite right. He was livid…

"How COULD she?"

He raced back towards the camp, desperately hunting for any sense of the fleeing human. She must have come this way; she wouldn't just leave without saying goodbye to the others…would she? His ears flattened at the thought – no, not possible. He HAD to catch her before she could get away.

But then he wasn't sure of exactly how much of a lead she had.

"Damn you, Kikyou! Go to hell and stay there!"

He burst in on the clearing, eyes darting wildly for any sign of Kagome. He was rather put out to find that absolutely nobody was there. "Bouzu!! Sango!! Get out here now!" he yelled. A familiar sound reached his sensitive ears, making him growl in annoyance. 'Stop taking so long…'

"I swear, houshi-sama, get one step closer and you'll see stars for a week!"

"But Sango, I was just making sure – "

"My towel was fine right where it was! Honestly, you pick the worst times…"

"You mean there would be a better one?" Hopeful.

Silence.

CRACK! "Hentai!"

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP AND GET OUT HERE?!" roared a very fed-up hanyou. A startled "Wha-?" signaled to him that his demand had finally been heard. From the direction of the springs came a sound of crackling leaves and twigs snapping underfoot. Finally, his companions emerged. A very angry, red-faced demon exterminator, a houshi who looked slightly dizzy, and a kitsune who looked…faintly disgusted. "Geez, Miroku, would you grow up? Or haven't you been hit enough yet?"

No Kagome. Dammit.

"Have you seen Kagome?" Nothing like coming right to the point. In his experience, things got done a lot quicker that way. Humans 'ummed' and 'ahhed' too much for his liking.

"Umm…"

"Aahh…"

"Nope." Well, he had his answer at least. Shippo ducked behind Sango at the look on Inuyasha's face. He was intent on something that had caught his attention. 'That scent – '

"Kagome!" he exclaimed in disbelief. He could smell it, she had been here! The key question was…why couldn't he smell her now? There was no way she could have gotten far enough away in that short while that he couldn't find her easily…well, best to start at the source. He followed his nose to where the scent was strongest. Her pack?

As the other three looked on in amazement, the hanyou began sniffing around the big yellow bag. "Er, Inuyasha, why are you doing this? Kagome would still be with Kouga…"

Sango broke off when Inuyasha snarled at the wolf-youkai's name, waving her hands hastily. "No, no, forget I said that!" She and the houshi traded confused glances. As if this week hadn't been enough already –

Inuyasha darted forwards, making his friends jump. In his clawed hands he held a pen. His eyes were (to them) unaccountably haunted. "Today."

Huh?

"She used this today! Tonight, to be exact." He rounded on them in a rage. "She was here! And where were you? Up to your usual tricks! Kagome was here, writing…well, something with this pen, and now she's gone, and you're out there feeling up Sango! I could kill you!" This was directed to a now ashen-faced houshi who seemed to think his life was indeed on the line here.

All right, so he was supposed to be on guard duty. But he had guarded Sango (er, yes, and Shippo!) while they were vulnerable...and there was nothing of value in the camp, just food and stuff. He doubted he could explain this to a homicidal hanyou with any conviction, though. Only one thing to do.

He stepped towards the once-more preoccupied hanyou and cracked him on the head with his shakujou.

Now, Inuyasha would never admit it, but that REALLY did sting. The world spun a little…

"So, would you mind explaining why Kagome-sama would come back here and leave again straight away?" The reaction to his words was, to say the least, uncharacteristic. However, considering the circumstances, not entirely unexpected. Miroku had picked up the all-too-familiar aura some ways off from the campsite.

"What happened with Kikyou, Inuyasha?" This would ordinarily gain him a snarl, some growling, a swipe with his claws, maybe, but not – shame? He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I think you'd better tell –"

"I only talked to her because I thought she was Kagome, okay? It's not my fault!" A bad sign – he wouldn't look them straight in the eye. Uh-oh.

Sango, sensing the need for a little 'encouragement', moved towards Hiraikotsu. "Inuyasha…" she said warningly. He seemed to cringe away from her, not wanting to talk about the events of that night, but knowing he had to. His mind, meanwhile, was protesting the delay. 'She could be anywhere by now!'

"I…Kikyou came out of nowhere…asked me why I hadn't come to her…why Kagome was still in this time…with me…and I told her I loved her." Oops. Not exactly what he was trying to say.

CRACK!

"HIRAIKOTSU!"

"Dog-breath, how could you do that? She's dead, you idiot!" The kitsune transformed and started chewing on the hanyou's head angrily.

Ouch. Three-sided attack. Shaking his head to clear his now foggy vision, Inuyasha scrambled away.

"No, no, NO! Not her! Kagome! I told her I loved Kagome!!" This came out more like a scream than a shout. The silence was deafening.

"About time, too." Sango crossed her arms and looked at him. "So, what does Kagome's being here have to do with that? I mean, it's great news, long overdue, but…she's not here. So what's going on?"

He winced. This part he REALLY didn't want to talk about. He reconsidered when the shakujou and Hiraikotsu twitched in their owners' hands. 'Okay, okay, I get the message.'

"Kikyou kissed me. And no," he warned them, "I did not kiss her, right? The thing is…erm –" he stopped. Oh, this was going to hurt…

"Kagome was there. She would have seen it. And – this was on the ground nearby." He flung the remains of the necklace at them, then opened his palm to show the shards glistening in the firelight. Yup, here goes…

CRACK!

"HIRAIKOTSU!"

"No wonder she left, you moron!"

"Hey, I already said I didn't mean it! But she saw it, left these for me to find, and…now she's gone. We've wasted so much time, now I don't know how soon I'll be able to find her!" He glared meaningfully at the other three, accusing them with his gaze. Sango opened her mouth to speak again, then jumped backwards. A rushing figure had just missed knocking her into the ground from the air.

The figure gave itself a shake, then smiled mirthlessly at the shard hunters. "Well, this is interesting."

Inuyasha ripped Tetsusaiga out of its sheath before anyone had time to blink.

"Kagura! What the hell are you doing here? Think quick, before I lose my patience!" She tutted at him, shaking a finger in mock admonition. "Oh, I think it's too late for that. The losing patience thing, I mean." She smirked. "And I'm too valuable to kill…you are looking for something, aren't you?" She broke off when a hand circled her throat, threatening to choke her. Gasping a little, she chuckled.

"Oh, now, you wouldn't want to do that, would you? After all – "she pried at the hand – "my prize is rather dear to you, is she not?" The hand released her abruptly, letting her fall. Any relief she felt vanished at the sight of Tetsusaiga being held directly in front of her eyes.

"What have you done with Kagome?" She swallowed, unwilling to show fear to this hanyou.

"Take a wild guess," she sneered. "Naraku has always wanted to talk to your little miko." That was enough…job done. She took advantage of their momentary shock and made her escape. "See you soon, hanyou!"

Belatedly Inuyasha swung at the retreating figure. "Kaze no Kizu!" Too far away – no effect.

They looked at each other. 'Now what?' was clearly written on their faces. Inuyasha's expression hardened. "If Naraku has her, we have to get her. Simple." He gulped suddenly, hiding his face. Something stung behind his eyes – something he refused to acknowledge. No. No grieving. Not yet.

"And if he's hurt her, he'll wish he'd never even heard my name. I swear it." He took off into the forest, following in the direction that Kagura had taken. Miroku and Sango sighed – oh, they really needed Kirara now. A hanyou in a temper was way too fast for them. Before they started off after him, they looked around the camp for anything they would need to take. Oh. Kagome's bag.

Shrugging, Miroku lifted the pack and began walking. Briskly.


As Kagura neared the hiding place, a cold pair of eyes looked up to meet her. "Well, is she awake yet?"

"No. I have placed her in a trance. She will wake up only when she is commanded to."

"Ah. That makes things easier. Doesn't this bother you, miko?" Kagura tilted her head curiously.

"Not in the least. There should not be two of me roaming this earth – and she is the weaker of us. Naraku's purpose for her fits my wishes perfectly."

Kikyou turned back to her charge, resting a hand on their captive's brow, and smiled to herself in triumph. "Everything happens for a purpose, in this battle."

Kagura shook her head. "Well, let's get her back. He's definitely waiting by now."


Inuyasha turned, walking away without a backward glance. She faded…

Kikyou's voice…"Do you understand?" 'No…'

Flames – such power! Incredible, sizzling energy – she'd never felt this…

A ripping sensation – a moment of pain.

"KAGOME!"

A blow to her side knocked her out of the dream. She rolled her head to the side to try and get a glimpse of her assailant. Her insides froze.

"Naraku!"

"Where are they?!" he snarled. "You are the guardian – where are they?" A tentacle lashed out, catching her on the back of her head, blinding her for an instant. She would have crashed to the ground if she hadn't been bound to a pillar in the centre of the room they were in. Ropes chafed at her wrists and ankles, sending a burning pain down her arms when she tried to move.

Ugh. She felt like a steamroller had squashed her. She fought the insane urge to giggle – 'Imagine that, a steam-roller in the Sengoku Jidai!'

Naraku's voice pulled her out of her distraction. "Where – are – the – shards!" he hissed.

'Oh-ho! Of course that's it. Well, here goes…' "I don't have them." Whack. A blow to the legs.

"What?!" Head. "That's impossible!" Ribs cracked. "I know you know where they are!" Jaw. Blood trickled down her neck, filling her nose with the sour stench.

'No harm in saying anything – it's not like he can't handle it.' "Inuyasha has them." Her head fell forwards, the pain throbbing through her skull. To her surprise, Naraku smiled. She didn't like that smile.

"Well, if he won't come to get the shards back, he'll come to get his mate, I'm sure."

To his astonishment, she looked at him with wide eyes. Then, inexplicably, a snort of laughter escaped her. And then another. Ignoring her injuries, she laughed at him uncontrollably. He raised his voice to be heard over her hysterics. "And what is so funny about the situation?"

To no avail. She looked at him with tears in her eyes, and laughed even harder.


Ooh – did you guess? What is that Kikyou up to??? Next Chapter: A Moment's Delay. Review!