Here we go again, with Chapter 12! Yeah, I am on a roll! Anywhoo…I don't own Inu Yasha (duh!) Enjoy ^_^
Shadows
Chapter 12: Like Mother(s), Like Daughter?
Kagome felt as though she was floating. Floating through memories of her youth, her life, her family.
As the memories continued to pass by, she felt as if she was beginning to not remember some. 'Who is that?...Oh yeah, my father. He died when I was 10…funny, I don't remember his name…'
Kanna grimaced as her power continued to flow out of her and into the girl. She was taking a lot of strength out of her to make her loose her memories. Suddenly she hit a wall around a deeply hidden part of her subconscious. "What…is that?"
She stopped the spell and looked at Kagome, who was unconscious. "Master Naraku" she called out, "Something is wrong! I can't break through her mind!"
Naraku materialized beside her and looked at the girl, "What do you mean?"
Kanna shook her head, "I don't know. I just hit a massive wall that I can't break through."
"Weakling" Naraku mumbled and began the same spell that Kanna had used. Almost immediately he reached the same wall. 'What is that? Usually nothing can block out my power…' Probing deeper into the wall, he found that it was a binding spell that had been placed on Kagome's mind.
"Clever. Someone has placed a spell around this part of her mind. But why would someone do this, unless…" A though popped into his head.
"Unless what, Master Naraku?"
"Quiet. I am going to break the spell. We'll see what happens then."
Reaching inside himself for more power, Naraku pushed against the spell and found the weakest point. As he did, the spell broke and a flash of light broke off his spell and sent Kanna and him back, onto the ground.
"That- That light! What is it?" Naraku yelled as he shielded his eyes.
The light was coming from Kagome, who seemed to be glowing with it.
The memories playing through Kagome's mind came to a halt as a vivid, clear memory sprung up. Her and her brother, playing with her father in the yard of the shrine. They were laughing and sitting on the ground. As she looked up at her father, a feeling of happiness washed over her. He sat there, laughing with them, while the wind blew through his long bluish-black hair while on top his head his dog ears twitched-
'Wait a second...' Part of Kagome's mind said to her, 'Since when did Dad have dog ears?!?'
Her mind played through more memories as she recalled her mother and grandfather talking about some spell to bind memories and another to hide things form others' eyes. At the time she hadn't known what they were talking about. But now, as she recalled the memories which had become crystal clear, she finally understood.
'Oh my God! My dad's a youkai!'
'No wait!' another part of her screamed, as images played of her father, with them at a carnival one full-moon night, with human ears and human features.
'Oh my God, then he's a hanyou!'
As soon as she though this, everything became clearer. Why she never remembered it, why she never found herself really frightened of demons. Sure, some of them scared her, but most didn't bother her at all. Even when Inu Yasha had at first attacked her, she wasn't afraid of his actions, more angry and his words. It all began to make perfect sense to her.
Naraku could've laughed. He now understood. As he watched, the girls hair grew to past her lower back, and her nails turned into claws. He waited to see if any ears would appear, which they didn't. 'Oh well, that doesn't mean anything. I can smell it all over her. She's part demon!'
*~*~*
"Come on Souta, let's go out and play!" Shippo called to him, running out the door of Kaede's hut.
"Okay!" Souta yelled back, and began to follow him when he abruptly stopped.
"Souta? Are ye alright?" Kaede asked him, stepping forward.
"Uh…I feel kinda funny…" Souta mumbled and fell to the ground.
"Souta!" Shippo yelled, and he and Kaede rushed towards him, but stopped when they saw a light engulf him.
"What's going on?!" Shippo asked Kaede, scared.
"I do not know. Look at what's happening!" Kaede said in amazement, pointing at the boy.
Souta's nails had grown to claws and dog ears popped out the top of his head.
"Hey! He looks just like Inu Yasha!" Shippo exclaimed loudly, surprised at finding his friend now partly demon.
The light disappeared and Souta grabbed for his new ears, which had become a source of pain, "AHH!!! MAKE THE NOISES STOP!!"
*~*~*
Having now broken through the last, deepest part of Kagome's mind, Naraku ordered Kanna to finish the mind-control spell.
Just as Kagome was beginning to recognize the pictures and memories, they were gone. All that was left in her mind now was darkness, and a voice she hated.
"You must obey Naraku! You must kill Inu Yasha!"
'No! I can't! I love him!'
"You MUSTt obey Naraku! You WILL kill Inu Yasha!"
'No, never! Naraku will not control my heart!'
"Foolish Girl!!" The voice screamed in her head, "You seem to not understand that you have no choice!!" Pain followed, more agonizing than before, then complete nothingness.
"It is done, Master Naraku." Kanna said, turning to him with a bow.
"Very good Kanna. You may leave now. Please go up and deal with your sister now."
"Yes, Master" Kanna bowed again and left to go to Kagura.
"Kagome…open your eyes!" Naraku called out to her.
Slowly, as if forced to, Kagome's eyes opened. Her eyes which were once a warm brown were now replaced by silver-blue ones. They remained unfocused as she slowly looked towards him.
"Who is your master Kagome?"
"Naraku….Naraku is my master."
*~*~*
Inu Yasha, Sango, Miroku, and of course Kirara, had continued traveling until night fall. Once it was too dark out to continue, Miroku insisted that Inu Yasha let them stop for the night. After setting up their camp for the night they all sat down ant ate dinner (ramen, of course!).
Sango went off to take a bath in a hot spring they had passed just a little ways back, leaving Inu Yasha and Miroku to discuss the events of the day. Which of course meant that Inu Yasha hopped up to a tree branch to mope about Kikyo and Kagome, leaving the monk alone(Which isn't a good idea when any of the girls go to take a bath!).
After relaxing in the spring for awhile and washing her hair, Sango heard the bushes rustling behind her. Knowing exactly who it was, she lifted her weapon (always placed nearby) and threw it at the peeping-tom. After she heard the definite *thud* of it connecting with the intruder, she jumped out of the hot spring and dressed as quickly as humanly possible.
Emerging from the bushes Miroku stumbled, rubbing a bump on his head and holding Sango's weapon. "You know, a simple 'Get out of here!' or something would probably work just as well as a bump on the head."
Sango 'hmphed' and tried to grab her boomerang back from him, but he stepped back to that she couldn't reach it. "I don't know if I should give this back to you. For someone who's a demon slayer, you sure like to use it on humans quite a bit."
"If you acted more like a decent human than some perverted person, maybe I would! Really Houshii-San, why is it that you always have to be so lecherous?" Sango angrily asked, putting her hands on her hips.
Miroku seriously pondered her question for a second, then smiled, "I don't know…must run in my family blood!"
Sango sighed, "Could you please give me my weapon back?"
Miroku handed it over. Sango began to walk away when she heard him say quietly, as if not really wanting her to hear, "I guess it's my only way to show how I feel…"
Sango stopped dead in her tracks. Turning towards him, she almost dropped her beloved boomerang, "Wh-What did you say?"
Miroku closed his eyes. "I – er, it was nothing. Nothing at all," he walked to her, "I'll walk back to camp with you."
Sango nodded. As the walked back, neither said a word. 'I know he said something…I think I heard him right but….what does that mean? Why would he say something like that?' She glanced over at him and saw that he was looking straightforward, but, as if feeling her gaze on him, glanced at her. Looking away quickly, she felt a blush come to her face. 'Why am I acting like this!? It's just Housh- um, Miroku, after all. I'm just overreacting.'
When they got back to camp, each took a different side of the fire and laid to sleep for the night.
"Good-night, Sango-chan." Miroku quietly said, and rolled over to sleep.
Sango, who had been almost asleep, heard his words and her eye's flew wide open 'Sango…Chan?? I know I heard that right….' She glanced over at Miroku, who's back was turned to her and felt a smile come to her lips. "Good night, Miroku." She whispered across the fire.
*~*~*
Inu Yasha was asleep and dreaming high up in a tree overlooking where Miroku and Sango were sleeping. He was having his usual dream/nightmare of being pinned to a tree by Kikyo…except this time, it turned into Kagome who was sealing him with the sacred arrow.
"Kagome! Don't!"
"Die Inu Yasha!" Kagome in the dream yelled and let the arrow go. As it flew towards him, it seemed to slow down and stopped about a foot from his chest. The world in his dream seemed to fade away, and he found himself sitting in the woods, near Kaede's village.
"What's going on now?" Inu Yasha asked in his dream, confused by the sudden shift in scenery.
"Inu Yasha…I need your help" a womans voice called out to him that was vaguely familiar.
Standing up and looking around, he called out, "Who's there? Who are you?"
A woman materialized in front of him, that looked much like Kagome's mother, but yet was not. Was this the "Aunt" she had told him about from her dreams?
"Yes, I am Akemi, and Yes, before you ask, I CAN read your thoughts, at least, when your dreaming I can. I don't have much time. Please listen carefully Inu Yasha. Kagome is outside of my reach right now. I cannot speak to her at the place she is presently in. But I do know that she has changed…"
"What do you mean has changed?" Inu Yasha questioned her.
Akemi frowned, "I do not know exactly, but I fear that her soul has been corrupted by something. Now I don't have much time, so listen. You are heading in the right direction. If you continue on this path, then at the next village head North, you should reach the place where she is being held. At least, that is where I last able to sense her presence."
Inu Yasha nodded. Akemi continued, "Please Inu Yasha, save my daughter. And remember that however she may appear to you outwardly, know that she has not changed inwardly."
"Hey, wait a second!" He called out, confused by what she meant by that last bit, but Akemi was already gone, and Inu Yasha found himself awake in the tree he had gone to sleep in. The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon.
"Alright, today we will reach the place where Kagome is," Inu Yasha said out loud, but was more a vow to himself, "And I will save her!"
Whoa! Two chapters in one day? I am SO on a roll…..tee hee hee! ^_^ Um….but don't expect this all the time, ok? Or else my muse will curl up and die of exhaustion. But, you should see the little happy dance she makes when people review! So, please make my muse happy! Review review review!!!! ^_~