AN-*yawns* now people, I think we need to clear something up…well, I have to clear it up. Kikyo did not kill Shippo, it was Naraku. However, she did steal his soul, so in a way, she did kill him, but not directly. Anywho, this chapter might not contain the Kikyo ass-whopping that you all want, because I didn't want the storyline to go in the direction jus yet, although it looks as if it may. But we're not there yet.
Michelle- you've read all my stories?!?!*swoons* I feel so special.
And to the rest of you, thankyouthankyouthankyou. This story's gotten more reviews in a shorter time than my other two combined…seems ppl read Inuyasha fics more than DBZ. Meh.
DISCLAIMER-seems that I've been neglecting this, although I did say that in the first chapter, that disclaimer would apply for the whole fic. But again, I DON'T OWN INUYASHA. ICH NICHT HABE INUYASHA. YO NO POSEER INUYASHA. JE NE PAS PROPRE INUYASHA.
How many more languages do you want me to say it in?? although I'm not sure if any of those are correct, especially the Spanish. So I live in Miami and can't speak Spanish. So sue me, I take Latin.
AGO NON HABE INUYASHA!!!
That enough for you all?? Some one correct them please…BWAHAHAHAAA!! Escaflowne names're fuuuuuuuuuuuun(if you don't get that, then there really is no hope…)
Dance of Curse
He could feel it everywhere. Sadness. Longing. Pitiful crying. Then nothing. An emptiness that stretched on and on. Then abruptly he was slammed up against what felt like rock. The crashing of wailing spirits echoed all around him, and his paws went up to protect his ears. But he had no ears. Or paws. He had no body at all. But that meant…he was dead.
Shippou's shriek of fear echoed through his prison, mingling with those of the trapped women and girls whose souls made up the glue that kept Kikyo alive. He was in an undead hell, with no foreseeable way out. His frantic shriek wailed out again, sounding more desperate than it ever had in his short life time.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The stench of death was everywhere, dripping in tangible droplets off every leaf and bough. Kagome's skin prickled, and even Sesshoumaru was disturbed. Kagome's nose had lead her to the one place that she could never find with Inuyasha.
Naraku's castle.
She had to wonder at that, that if she could find it as a hanyou of one month, where Inuyasha couldn't find it with senses he'd had since birth, then did that mean that she was more powerful than he? Or was it just blind luck? She dismissed those thoughts from her head, locking them in a compartment of her mind, to be mulled over at a more…convenient time.
Rolls of miasma drifted around the castle, coiling around her legs, tangling in Sesshoumaru's pelt. She tilted her head back, studying the rock face in front of her. The castle sat atop it, a huge mausoleum for the undead, Kikyo and Naraku's refuge no longer. Kagome started for the cliff face, only to be jerked back by Sesshoumaru.
"What do you want?" Kagome's snarl froze on the tips of her fangs when she saw the strange look on his face. Where he usually showed no feeling, be it disgust or aggravation, he wasn't taking that normal route anymore. Blind hatred had twisted his fine features-Kagome squashed that thought before it could go any further-into a rage filled mask, terrifying and bewitching to behold. Again, Kagome asked, her voice much softer this time. "Sesshoumaru? Is something the ma…"
He cuffed before she could finish. Hard. Rocks dug into her face, and then scrapped across her cheeks as Sesshoumaru kicked her in the ribs and sent her hurtling into the cliff, to lie crumpled at its base, a hard spike digging into her back. The world spun grey as Kagome raised her head, blood trickling down her forehead, only to have Sesshoumaru's hand wrap around her throat and drag her up to his eye level. His golden eyes blazed as he hauled her body up, until her toes dangled above the ground, and her hands frantically scrabbled at his wrists as he ever so slowly cut off her air supply. Choking, her vision swimming, Kagome saw a white haze move out of the corner of her eyes before Sesshoumaru slammed her head against the nearest rock, and her mind went dead.
~*~*~*~*~*
From the far reaches of his mind, Sesshoumaru watched his body move against his will. It was the weirdest feeling, watching his body move without really feeling the movements. His mental wince as Kagome skidded up against the cliff was instantly forgotten as the insane chuckling started, again, and once more he strove to take control of his body, again. He couldn't give a toss what was happening to Kagome, she could take care of herself for what he cared, what was really bothering him was the lack of control he had. For someone who had had control of everything all his life, having someone else take a hold of his body and use it to bash up a traveling companion was disconcerting, to say the least. The chuckling quieted into a dull burble, and then the hated voice came.
'It's strange isn't it Sesshoumaru…to have someone else here in your head along with you'
'Naraku' The thought rang through his head and the chuckling rose a little before subsiding again.
'I thought you were quicker than this Sesshoumaru. Really, you are a disappointment. So tell me, how will Jakken cope with Rin all by himself, without you there to play the referee? I dare say he'll tear her apart from frustration before long. And your precious protégé. What are you doing to her? I thought you would be more careful with a creature of your own creation.' Sesshoumaru's mind-form stiffened and his next words were clipped and tense.
'How do you know all this?' The laughter burst through his mind, an ache along with it.
'How do I know?!' The ache spread further. 'My dear boy,' he sniggered, placing a world of scorn in the one word, 'I am in your mind. I know all, I see all. I know how Kagome came to be hanyou. I know why you saved her. I know why you keep Rin with you as much as possible. I know how your mother died. I know why you carry her pelt with you. I know why you can't, or should I say won't, kill Inuyasha. I know why yo…'
'ENOUGH!' Sesshoumaru roared, the ache in his head nearly blinding. Gods knew how Naraku had gotten into his head, Sesshoumaru just wanted him out, so he could tear him apart, slowly, and watch the terror grow in his eyes, to feast on it, to laugh as he choked on his own blood.
'My, my, aren't we our mother's bloodthirsty little boy? Not that it really makes a difference, I'm not through with you yet. But I think I'll try a different target, you bore me. Do you think Kagome's ever been mind raped?' With that last, horrifying thought, Naraku's presence vanished form his mind, and Sesshoumaru dropped to the ground, drained of all his energy in an instant. Straining, he pushed himself up on his forearms and looked for Kagome. She lay not ten yards from him, crumpled against a huge rock. She was safe.
He sighed, relieved.
She twitched. (*twitches*look mum, I can twitch too!!)
A black aura began to grow around her, the tendrils of miasma coiling around her, lifting her into the air as her face contorted. Pain ripped across her features and she opened her mind in a silent scream, her back arching till Sesshoumaru thought it would break. Her fingers scratched at an unseen thing wrapped around her throat. She gasped, and her lips began to turn an unhealthy shade of blue.
'She can't breathe…she can't breathe…' Sesshoumaru rolled himself onto his stomach and jerked himself to his knees, letting out a grunt of pain, his head still tender, his hands torn where Kagome had tried to free herself. Trembling, he got to his feet and let loose a howl of rage.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was everywhere. She shrieked as it brushed around her legs, coiling around them like a cat. Frantically, she swung a hand at it, trying to brush it off. But her hand passed through nothing, and it continued to coil, sinuously winding up her legs, her hips, pinning her arms tightly at her side, until the thing's 'head' was level with hers. The amorphous worm rippled, then all of a sudden, his golden gaze was locked with hers.
"Inuyasha…"
His face sneered, then pressed in close to hers. ~"You failed. Shippou's dead. All because you couldn't save him. Now he'll never find his parents again."~
"Noooo…" Kagome shook her head desperately, denying what she felt, what he somehow knew was in her heart.
~"Yes. You failed me too. You're with my brother, my greatest enemy," his sneer disappeared and his face became sad, "why didn't you come back to me? Why do you continue to stay away? How am I supposed to find the shards if I don't have you?"
"I...he's not your enemy Inuyasha! He saved me!" her cry was frantic. "You have Kikyo to help you find the shards. You don't need me, you said so yourself. You love her anyway, why do I matter."
His face frowned, then burst out in malicious laughter. ~"You're absolutely right!! Thank you for pointing out my mistake. I do have Kikyo. Thank the gods for that, she more than makes up for your incompetence and stupidity. She'd never have gotten herself into the mess that you're in, and if she somehow had, she'd have gotten herself out of it!! You'll never be as good as her!"~
Tears tracked their lonely way down Kagome's face as the mockery of Inuyasha bobbed in front of her, reveling in her despair. "You…you're wrong…you're not Inuyasha.."
The face laughed. ~"Oh, I may not be him in the flesh, but you know that this is how he feels. Deep in your heart, you know I'm right."~
The worm slid down Kagome's body, cackling as it went. Kagome cupped her face in her hands and dropped to the apparently non-existent ground. Broken and shattered, she sat, rocking herself, her empty denials echoing in the never-ending darkness.
'Kagome…' She jerked her head up.
'Sango?!' A spot in the inky blackness swam, and out of it came a spot of silvery light, which floated up to caress Kagome's cheek.
'Yes my friend. I am sorry…'
'Wha...what happened to you?'
the glistening orb quivered a moment, then stilled. 'Kagome-san, you must wake up. You cannot let Naraku take you like this…"
'But…'
'WAKE UP' The blot of silver spread until it was all that Kagome could see, then exploded in a myriad of stars.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Thunderous growls echoed in Kagome's ears, and she reached an aching hand up to cover them. Silky fur tickled her nose, and something huge leapt over her, the breeze it created ruffling her hair. Surprised, her eyes burst open.
The massive demon before her snarled its fury at the baboon before it, and leapt again. Silvery fur twisted like spun silk in the wind, and scarlet mad eyes tracked the baboon skin, murderous and deadly claws flexed, gouging furrows in the earth as it moved. Awed by its grace, she followed it as it bounded after the taunting hanyou that always somehow managed to avoid its claws. Naraku slid around the dog's feet and headed for her. It howled, and dove for her as well, and, startled by their speed, she started to scream. The dog reached her first and it twisted the instant it landed, roaring a warning at Naraku. The hanyou cackled, his belittling torment piercing Kagome's ears, making her whimper in renewed fear and despair. The huge dog before her howled and sliced at the mad hanyou, finally cutting through the skin and wooden doll underneath.
Not missing a beat, the gigantic dog spun around, and before she could move a muscle, it had scooped her up in its jaws and galloped horse-like away from the castle. Petrified to stupefaction, Kagome didn't even begin to wonder why the things razor teeth were being so gentle, why the thing was taking her away from Naraku, and why it seemed so damn familiar.
Only when it was a good distance from the castle, all scent of miasma gone, did the dog stop, and carefully let Kagome roll from its jaws. She collapsed to her knees, and stared up at the creature that had saved her. Emerald eyes, the rage red bleeding from them, stared back at her, intelligent. She had seen that…"Sesshoumaru?"
The great dog before her bowed its magnificent head, and Kagome let out a breath she had not known she had been holding. "Thank you….that's your demon form then?"
He nodded, watching her warily. "Why, then, do you go around looking like such a priss when you could look so cool?"
He huffed and turned his head from her. Her next question froze him. "Did...did you see Sango or Miroku, at all?"
Kagome watched him twist his head over his shoulder and work something loose. With a clatter, Hiraikotsu and Miroku's beads and staff dropped before her.
Kagome's world shattered.
AN-I told you we wouldn't get any butt whooping in here. It will come, be patient. *waggles a finger* I was going to have Naraku throw their heads at her feet, but I didn't think that ya'll would appreciate it. That seemed pretty gross, even for me….. :-P Kikyo torture to come, I promise.
Silver