Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.
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Inuyasha froze as he stepped into the clearing. He watched soundlessly as she traced the lines of the bark with her fingertips, stopping when she reached the opening where the point of the arrow had sealed him for fifty years was hidden. He took a single step forwards, opening his mouth to call to her. His mouth snapped shut immediately when she whirled, an arrow tip pointed to his chest.
His eyes widened, moving first up the arrow shaft to the bow that she held ready. His view switched to her face, confused when she did not lower her weapon, even though he knew that she was watching him. He watched her carefully as she stared at him. Her eyes were narrowed as she traced his form. Her eyes locked with his and he sucked in his breath and stumbled backwards. There was none of the kindness and warmth that was always in Kagome's eyes. All there was, was confusion and not a hint of recognition.
***
Kagome watched him, eyes slowly taking in all his features, as he stood motionless in front of her. Something inside her objected violently to shooting this boy, even though he was clearly a youkai, her eyes flicking from his ears to look him straight in the eye. She lowered her bow, relaxing the string as it as she let the arrow drop to the ground. Her head pounded fiercely and she raised her hand to her temples, trying to push away the ache.
"Who are you?" she whispered. The image of the golden eyes appearing before her once again, this time, fading into the widening ones of the one she was watching.
Inuyasha's ears twitched as he caught the soft question, his eyes widened, shock and hurt coloring his face. "Kagome?" he asked, struggling against the urge to run up to her and shake her into remembering.
"Kagome?" curiosity filled her voice, "Is that my name?"
Inuyasha struggled to think of a reasonable excuse for this strange behavior but he was saved from having to respond as Kirara finally landed. Kagome jumped when she caught, from the corner of her eye, another coming towards her.
"Kagome-chan?" Sango picked up her pet as she shrunk back to her tiny form, "What's wrong?"
Kagome turned to her, tilting her head to regard the older girl and monk, a painful sort of hope filling her eyes. "Do you . . . know me?" she asked. Her voice was soft and layered with hesitation.
"Kagome-chan . . ." Sango stepped forwards but Miroku grabbed her shoulder, shaking his head when she glanced back at her. There was something he didn't trust about the weapon in her hand. It was almost as if the darkness he felt in it was trying to consume them, dark tentacles reaching for them.
Inuyasha hadn't moved from where he had been standing. His arms crossed over his chest as he watched the girl in front of him with a painful sort of curiosity. He inhaled sharply as a breeze blew towards him, it was Kagome all right. Her scent confirmed it, though there was a slight smell of Naraku that clung to her robes.
Kagome had taken a step backwards and there was fear in her gaze. Miroku stepped up, "You have nothing to fear from us Kagome-sama. We are your friends."
"Who are you?" There was something about them that made her want to believe them but she couldn't. A stubborn part of her mind wouldn't let her.
"Come back to the hut with us and we will explain to you," Miroku made his voice as neutral as he could, adding, "We will not hurt you," when he saw the uncertainty in her eyes.
Kagome seemed to think this over for a bit before nodding. She didn't know why, but she trusted these people. Inuyasha reached out to pick her up but froze when she recoiled from him. The hurt in his eyes was evident and Kagome could feel her chest clench at the sight.
***
They were all seated in the hut by the side of the Inuyasha Forest. It was silent as Kagome processed the information that she had just been given. It almost didn't seem real to her.
Inuyasha hadn't said a word through the whole explanation, just seated perfectly still, his eyes burning into Kagome's face, almost as if he was trying to will her into remembering. They didn't ask her for the information about what had happened to her, instead, trusting her to tell them when she was ready.
Kagome sat, the Shikon shards balanced on her open palm, the memories were all there, she knew but her mind didn't want to cooperate with her. As if it was trying to keep her from remembering.
She closed her eyes, deep in thought. She knew though, somewhere inside her, that they were telling the truth. Even now, she could feel the thrum of the Shikon shards in her palm. She closed her fingers over them, bringing her fist to her chest and feeling the jolt of familiarity shoot through her heart.
A sudden realization had her snapping her eyes open.
'Naraku . . .' she thought, the distrust for the baboon clothed person becoming obvious to her now, 'That was Naraku. . .'
Kagome stiffened, a strange blank look taking over her eyes.
"Oi. Kagome," Inuyasha reached slowly out, shaking her shoulder gently in an attempt to snap her out of the trance that she had seemed to fade into.
She shook herself out of it, blinking rapidly. "Gomen ne, Inuyasha," she said when she saw the worry in his eyes.
Inuyasha leaned back, settling against the wall once again. Kagome had not stopped staring at him. Her eyes were intense enough to make him feel uncomfortable. "What?" he asked irritably.
"Why . . . .," she said quietly, her eyes never leaving his face, "Your eyes . . . Why do I remember them and nothing else?"
Inuyasha stared at her, not knowing what to make from this revelation. He had only begun to form a reply but Kagome wasn't finished, "Why are the images of you the only thing I remember?"
"I . . . " Inuyasha struggled to think of an explanation to give her but before he could finish, Kagome sat straight up, her face turning to the door of the hut.
"There's something coming this way. Fast," Kagome stood, picking up her bow and a small quiver of arrows that were against the wall.
Kagome stepped out the door, watching the land carefully. A shape blurred in front of her and she brought her bow up almost mechanically.
'Sesshoumaru . . . ' she thought, anger filling her when she recalled the tall youkai trying to slice her in half earlier.
Kagome fired as Sesshoumaru's form became evident in the blur. He dodged it easily, leaping forwards with his arm extended. Kagome gasped as her back was slammed against a tree trunk and the clawed hand around her throat kept her there.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha ran at his brother, "You bastard! Let Kagome go!"
Sesshoumaru jumped up, taking Kagome with him as he landed, gracefully, on the ground. Kagome struggled for air as the hand around her throat tightened.
Sesshoumaru looked at his brother sharply, "I will not until I am told why this human smells of Naraku."
Inuyasha stopped, his gaze flicking once to Kagome's face then back to glare at Sesshoumaru as he grumbled out, "The bastard kidnapped her."
"Then she knows where he is?" Sesshoumaru asked. Inuyasha didn't know how to answer this.
"I don't know where he is. I saw him once and he disappeared," Kagome told him, gasping.
"That is a pity, human," his hand squeezed.
"What are you doing?" Inuyasha shouted, his hand gripping the Tetsusaiga.
"Isn't it obvious? I can not have someone who reeks of Naraku wandering my lands."
"What?!?!" Inuyasha was literally shaking with rage, partially at himself for not being able to do anything without risking injury to Kagome.
Kagome closed her eyes, fighting off the darkness that was rising in her mind.
"No . . . ." she whispered, loud enough for both brothers to hear and stare at her in surprise, "No . . . ." her voice rose in volume as she opened her eyes slowly. She lifted her arms and pressed them against Sesshoumaru's chest.
"No," she said firmly, turning enough so that she could glare at Sesshoumaru from the corner of her eye.
Kagome's aura flared dangerously as she shoved Sesshoumaru away from her with enough force to make him slide backwards and release her neck.
Her eyes flashed silver, once for a split second of time. She raised her bow slowly, an arrow already building power targeted him.
"I apologize Sesshoumaru, but your purpose is not in this," the words that flowed from her mouth were not hers and her eyes narrowed as she released the arrow. Sesshoumaru didn't have time to move and even if he did, he was unable to. It seemed to him as if his body was frozen and, try as he might, he couldn't do anything to dodge the arrow that sped towards him in a thick beam of silver and pink energy.
Everyone stared in complete shock as the arrow slammed straight into Sesshoumaru's chest, throwing him back with enough force to knock him back into the Goshinboku. Surprisingly though, he didn't go through it like he had the other trees, instead a force seemed to slow him down and settle him against the bark, even as the arrow glowed silver. It went through his chest, disappearing slowly into his skin. With ever inch that went through, an aura pulsed around him, covering him completely and holding him immobile against the tree. The air around him shimmered as the last of the arrow vanished and instead of dropping him to the ground, pinning him there. His eyes closed and his entire form slumped.
"It is not your time . . . . " the voice whispered in the wind, echoing through the clearing as Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku came forward.
Kagome lifted her hand, frowning in confusion as the bow she held began to pulse. She gasped as it began to fade, disappearing with every heartbeat. She looked up slowly, watching as Sesshoumaru's form faded, lifting the bow so she could watch both. Her hand closed over air as both Sesshoumaru and her weapon vanished.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jap. Translations:
-chan: suffix after a person's name to show familiarity -sama: Mr./Mrs. (formal) gomen: sorry, I'm sorry, I apologize, stuff like that Goshinboku: the god tree
Author's Note: Whew . . . that took a while to write. I hope you liked it. I know that Sesshoumaru is a bit out of character but it was the best I could do if I was to stick to the story line. Sorry if I offended any Sess fans.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Inuyasha froze as he stepped into the clearing. He watched soundlessly as she traced the lines of the bark with her fingertips, stopping when she reached the opening where the point of the arrow had sealed him for fifty years was hidden. He took a single step forwards, opening his mouth to call to her. His mouth snapped shut immediately when she whirled, an arrow tip pointed to his chest.
His eyes widened, moving first up the arrow shaft to the bow that she held ready. His view switched to her face, confused when she did not lower her weapon, even though he knew that she was watching him. He watched her carefully as she stared at him. Her eyes were narrowed as she traced his form. Her eyes locked with his and he sucked in his breath and stumbled backwards. There was none of the kindness and warmth that was always in Kagome's eyes. All there was, was confusion and not a hint of recognition.
***
Kagome watched him, eyes slowly taking in all his features, as he stood motionless in front of her. Something inside her objected violently to shooting this boy, even though he was clearly a youkai, her eyes flicking from his ears to look him straight in the eye. She lowered her bow, relaxing the string as it as she let the arrow drop to the ground. Her head pounded fiercely and she raised her hand to her temples, trying to push away the ache.
"Who are you?" she whispered. The image of the golden eyes appearing before her once again, this time, fading into the widening ones of the one she was watching.
Inuyasha's ears twitched as he caught the soft question, his eyes widened, shock and hurt coloring his face. "Kagome?" he asked, struggling against the urge to run up to her and shake her into remembering.
"Kagome?" curiosity filled her voice, "Is that my name?"
Inuyasha struggled to think of a reasonable excuse for this strange behavior but he was saved from having to respond as Kirara finally landed. Kagome jumped when she caught, from the corner of her eye, another coming towards her.
"Kagome-chan?" Sango picked up her pet as she shrunk back to her tiny form, "What's wrong?"
Kagome turned to her, tilting her head to regard the older girl and monk, a painful sort of hope filling her eyes. "Do you . . . know me?" she asked. Her voice was soft and layered with hesitation.
"Kagome-chan . . ." Sango stepped forwards but Miroku grabbed her shoulder, shaking his head when she glanced back at her. There was something he didn't trust about the weapon in her hand. It was almost as if the darkness he felt in it was trying to consume them, dark tentacles reaching for them.
Inuyasha hadn't moved from where he had been standing. His arms crossed over his chest as he watched the girl in front of him with a painful sort of curiosity. He inhaled sharply as a breeze blew towards him, it was Kagome all right. Her scent confirmed it, though there was a slight smell of Naraku that clung to her robes.
Kagome had taken a step backwards and there was fear in her gaze. Miroku stepped up, "You have nothing to fear from us Kagome-sama. We are your friends."
"Who are you?" There was something about them that made her want to believe them but she couldn't. A stubborn part of her mind wouldn't let her.
"Come back to the hut with us and we will explain to you," Miroku made his voice as neutral as he could, adding, "We will not hurt you," when he saw the uncertainty in her eyes.
Kagome seemed to think this over for a bit before nodding. She didn't know why, but she trusted these people. Inuyasha reached out to pick her up but froze when she recoiled from him. The hurt in his eyes was evident and Kagome could feel her chest clench at the sight.
***
They were all seated in the hut by the side of the Inuyasha Forest. It was silent as Kagome processed the information that she had just been given. It almost didn't seem real to her.
Inuyasha hadn't said a word through the whole explanation, just seated perfectly still, his eyes burning into Kagome's face, almost as if he was trying to will her into remembering. They didn't ask her for the information about what had happened to her, instead, trusting her to tell them when she was ready.
Kagome sat, the Shikon shards balanced on her open palm, the memories were all there, she knew but her mind didn't want to cooperate with her. As if it was trying to keep her from remembering.
She closed her eyes, deep in thought. She knew though, somewhere inside her, that they were telling the truth. Even now, she could feel the thrum of the Shikon shards in her palm. She closed her fingers over them, bringing her fist to her chest and feeling the jolt of familiarity shoot through her heart.
A sudden realization had her snapping her eyes open.
'Naraku . . .' she thought, the distrust for the baboon clothed person becoming obvious to her now, 'That was Naraku. . .'
Kagome stiffened, a strange blank look taking over her eyes.
"Oi. Kagome," Inuyasha reached slowly out, shaking her shoulder gently in an attempt to snap her out of the trance that she had seemed to fade into.
She shook herself out of it, blinking rapidly. "Gomen ne, Inuyasha," she said when she saw the worry in his eyes.
Inuyasha leaned back, settling against the wall once again. Kagome had not stopped staring at him. Her eyes were intense enough to make him feel uncomfortable. "What?" he asked irritably.
"Why . . . .," she said quietly, her eyes never leaving his face, "Your eyes . . . Why do I remember them and nothing else?"
Inuyasha stared at her, not knowing what to make from this revelation. He had only begun to form a reply but Kagome wasn't finished, "Why are the images of you the only thing I remember?"
"I . . . " Inuyasha struggled to think of an explanation to give her but before he could finish, Kagome sat straight up, her face turning to the door of the hut.
"There's something coming this way. Fast," Kagome stood, picking up her bow and a small quiver of arrows that were against the wall.
Kagome stepped out the door, watching the land carefully. A shape blurred in front of her and she brought her bow up almost mechanically.
'Sesshoumaru . . . ' she thought, anger filling her when she recalled the tall youkai trying to slice her in half earlier.
Kagome fired as Sesshoumaru's form became evident in the blur. He dodged it easily, leaping forwards with his arm extended. Kagome gasped as her back was slammed against a tree trunk and the clawed hand around her throat kept her there.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha ran at his brother, "You bastard! Let Kagome go!"
Sesshoumaru jumped up, taking Kagome with him as he landed, gracefully, on the ground. Kagome struggled for air as the hand around her throat tightened.
Sesshoumaru looked at his brother sharply, "I will not until I am told why this human smells of Naraku."
Inuyasha stopped, his gaze flicking once to Kagome's face then back to glare at Sesshoumaru as he grumbled out, "The bastard kidnapped her."
"Then she knows where he is?" Sesshoumaru asked. Inuyasha didn't know how to answer this.
"I don't know where he is. I saw him once and he disappeared," Kagome told him, gasping.
"That is a pity, human," his hand squeezed.
"What are you doing?" Inuyasha shouted, his hand gripping the Tetsusaiga.
"Isn't it obvious? I can not have someone who reeks of Naraku wandering my lands."
"What?!?!" Inuyasha was literally shaking with rage, partially at himself for not being able to do anything without risking injury to Kagome.
Kagome closed her eyes, fighting off the darkness that was rising in her mind.
"No . . . ." she whispered, loud enough for both brothers to hear and stare at her in surprise, "No . . . ." her voice rose in volume as she opened her eyes slowly. She lifted her arms and pressed them against Sesshoumaru's chest.
"No," she said firmly, turning enough so that she could glare at Sesshoumaru from the corner of her eye.
Kagome's aura flared dangerously as she shoved Sesshoumaru away from her with enough force to make him slide backwards and release her neck.
Her eyes flashed silver, once for a split second of time. She raised her bow slowly, an arrow already building power targeted him.
"I apologize Sesshoumaru, but your purpose is not in this," the words that flowed from her mouth were not hers and her eyes narrowed as she released the arrow. Sesshoumaru didn't have time to move and even if he did, he was unable to. It seemed to him as if his body was frozen and, try as he might, he couldn't do anything to dodge the arrow that sped towards him in a thick beam of silver and pink energy.
Everyone stared in complete shock as the arrow slammed straight into Sesshoumaru's chest, throwing him back with enough force to knock him back into the Goshinboku. Surprisingly though, he didn't go through it like he had the other trees, instead a force seemed to slow him down and settle him against the bark, even as the arrow glowed silver. It went through his chest, disappearing slowly into his skin. With ever inch that went through, an aura pulsed around him, covering him completely and holding him immobile against the tree. The air around him shimmered as the last of the arrow vanished and instead of dropping him to the ground, pinning him there. His eyes closed and his entire form slumped.
"It is not your time . . . . " the voice whispered in the wind, echoing through the clearing as Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku came forward.
Kagome lifted her hand, frowning in confusion as the bow she held began to pulse. She gasped as it began to fade, disappearing with every heartbeat. She looked up slowly, watching as Sesshoumaru's form faded, lifting the bow so she could watch both. Her hand closed over air as both Sesshoumaru and her weapon vanished.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jap. Translations:
-chan: suffix after a person's name to show familiarity -sama: Mr./Mrs. (formal) gomen: sorry, I'm sorry, I apologize, stuff like that Goshinboku: the god tree
Author's Note: Whew . . . that took a while to write. I hope you liked it. I know that Sesshoumaru is a bit out of character but it was the best I could do if I was to stick to the story line. Sorry if I offended any Sess fans.
