Again, I don't own Inu Yasha. Longer Author note at the end! ^_^

Shadows

Chapter 13: Naraku's Castle, Part One

As the sun began to rise higher into the sky, Inu Yasha jumped down from the tree that had been his bed for the evening and looked at his two traveling companions, who were still fast asleep.

"Hey, GET UP!" He shouted at them, causing them both to come awake quickly, neither very happy at the rude awakening.

"Geez, Inu Yasha, the sun has barely risen! Can't we sleep just a little longer?" Sango whined in a very unlike Sango voice, burying her head back down on her bedroll.

"No, we can NOT! In case you guys have forgotten, we're on a mission here to save Kagome!"

"Be that as it may, Inu Yasha," Miroku slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes, "What good are we going to be in saving her if we're falling asleep while we do it?"

Inu Yasha crossed his arms and looked away with a "feh."

After a long, and pointless argument, Inu Yasha had convinced them (rather forcefully of course) that it would be best to get going.

Leading the way about 10 feet in front of the others, the group headed down the path until they reached a village. Turning North, Inu Yasha waited for the other two to catch up.

"We're heading this direction."

"Inu Yasha, lets stop an rest for a moment. We've been traveling a long time, it is already noon!" Miroku tried to reason with the Hanyou.

"Feh, fine." Inu Yasha grumpily agreed, knowing that they were tired and hungry. If he continued to push them along, they might not be in any shape for the impending battle. He knew that if Naraku had gone to such troubles to kidnap Kagome, he certainly wasn't going to give her up without a fight.

As the group found some food and settled down for lunch, Miroku watched as Inu Yasha continued to nervously glance to the North. "Inu Yasha, what is troubling you so much today? Other than the obvious, of course."

Inu Yasha glared at him for realizing his mind was preoccupied, and looked away again, "It's nothing."

Miroku shared a glance with Sango before speaking, "Surely you don't think that an answer like that will do."

"You've been acting strange all day, what is it?" Sango also questioned, while placing some food on the ground for Kirara.

"Yes, did something happen this morning before we were rudely woken up?" Miroku looked pointedly at the hanyou, who had been the source of the rude awakening.

Inu Yasha really didn't want to tell them about the dream that he had had, but it didn't seem like there was anything he could do to get out of it. "Well, you remember how Kagome said that her mother or whatever came to her while she was sleeping?"

Both nodded. "Yes, she said that she spoke to her in her dreams." Sango said.

"What does that have to do with this?" Miroku questioned.

"Um, well she came to me in my dream last night…" Inu Yasha mumbled and looked away from them.

"She spoke to you?" Sango asked shocked while Miroku just looked at him with round eyes.

"Yeah, is that so hard to believe?" He shot back, angry that they would be so surprised that Kagome's mother would talk to him.

"Well, no…I just thought the only reason she was able to talk to Kagome was because they were related…" Sango murmured.

"Go on Inu Yasha, what did she say?" Miroku asked curiously.

"Well, she said that if we continued in this direction, then headed North at the village, we should reach the place where Kagome is today." He left out the part about how worried her mother had been over her safety. "I do not know exactly, but I fear that her soul has been corrupted by something." Those words had worried him as well, but he would deal with it when the time came.

"Well, then I suppose we should finish eating and get going." Miroku said, and Sango nodded in agreement.

"Why didn't you say something earlier Inu Yasha? If we had known that was the case, we would have been more willing to get up this morning." Sango chastised the hanyou, who just ignored her.

"Feh" he responded and stood up, glancing down at his comrades, "Well, if your done eating, can we get going already?" he asked sarcastically and began to walk away.

*~*~*

"I see that they will very soon be here. Well, I better not be the rude host, hmmm?" Naraku turned to his ally, who looked at him with a cold smile.

"Perhaps you should send them a welcoming party, Onigumo" Kikyo responded, enjoying the anger that flashed across his face when she called him his former name.

Naraku glared at the (un)dead miko, and then turned his attention towards the others standing before him. "Kohaku, why don't you go out and great our guests?"

Kohaku looked up at him and bowed, "Yes Master Naraku" and then left.

Kikyo looked at Naraku, "Why didn't you send the girl?" She glanced in her direction, then back at Naraku.

Naraku smirked, "Oh, I have a much more fun job in store for her."

*~*~*

The group had been walking for most of the afternoon, intent on reaching Naraku's castle. After stopping for a brief rest near a river to wash up and eat a quick dinner, the four continued on the path.

They had been walking for a few hours when Inu Yasha froze before them and growled, "We have company!"

Just as he said that, a group of demons appeared in the road ahead of them. They all seemed to be not very strong, but there were a lot of them. They slowly separated and from behind them walked out a boy that they all knew.

"Kohaku!" Sango yelled and Inu Yasha and Miroku took fighting stances.

"Hello sister. Master Naraku has sent me to welcome you and your friends to his home!" Kohaku said and smiled coldly at them, raising his weapon over his head. Launching it at them, they all scattered as the battle now began. The other demons that accompanied Kohaku leapt forward at them.

"Kirara!" Sango yelled out, and the fire cat transformed into her larger form to help them in their fight.

Inu Yasha slashed apart a few of the demons with his claws before pulling the tetsuiga from it's sheath. "Enough of this crap!" He shouted and began to slice apart the demons around him.

Miroku knocked down a couple that approached him with his staff, then began to undo the beads around his hand. As if sensing it was the right time, Naraku's bees emerged from the woods surrounding them. "Dammit! I can't use my wind tunnel!"

Sango raised her weapon above her and ran towards her brother, knocking demons down on her way, "Kohaku!"

Moving away from his approaching sister, Kohaku through his blade at her, narrowly missing her. Leaping at him, Sango brought her weapon down on him, sending him to the ground. Not wanting to seriously injure him even if he was under Naraku's control, Sango knelt by him. "Kohaku! Kohaku! You have to wake up! Fight Naraku's mind control!" She yelled at him.

Being a little shook from the knock to the ground, Kohaku glared up at his sister, "Die Sango!" He yelled and quickly brought his weapon towards her chest.

Knowing that this might happen, Miroku had kept closer to Sango during the battle, and at hearing these words, raced to her and pulled her away from Kohaku before he could seriously injure her. In the act, Kohaku's blade managed to hit his arm, leaving a long but not deep cut on his arm. Jumping to his feet, Kohaku summoned the remaining demons that survived from the battle and looked at them. "Naraku is waiting for you. This was just a warning. Go forward more if you dare!" Kohaku smirked at them and then in a flash, was gone with the other demons.

"Kohaku!" Sango screamed, upset at the meeting.

"That's it! That bastard is just toying with us! Now I'm really pissed!" Inu Yasha stormed and sheathed the tetsuiga. "Come on, were going!"

After tending to Miroku's small wound, Sango quickly changed into her demon exterminator fighting clothes. Kirara remained in her larger form as they continued down the road. Soon, a castle roof appeared over the trees ahead of them, as they approached Naraku's home.

Inu Yasha could hardly keep from dashing ahead without the others. He had to go and save Kagome and quickly. He couldn't stand to be without for this long. He had know idea when exactly it had happened, but he had come to depend on her inner strength in him. He knew that he loved her, hell he had already told her he did. But there was more to it then just love. She was his strength to go on fighting, if it hadn't been for her he would have given up long ago.

"How are we going to go about this Inu Yasha?" Miroku asked quietly, coming up behind him.

Inu Yasha scowled, "Hey, you were the ones that insisted we needed a plan. So, did you come up with one yet?"

Sango looked away, "Um…not really…"

Miroku looked away also, "Not exactly"

"Well then, we're gonna do things my way then!" Inu Yasha barked at them, and continued towards the castle. They quickly reached a barrier of miasma, blocking off further travel.

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Miroku questioned the hanyou. Before he could respond though, a voice came from around them.

"Welcome Inu Yasha…Miroku…Sango. Come inside, won't you?" Before they had a chance to respond, a bubble of miasma formed around them and they found themselves transported inside of the castle, in what looked like a grand hall.

Naraku sat in a chair in front of them, smiling coldly at them, "Welcome…to your death Inu Yasha!"

"Feh, like you could hurt me Naraku!" Inu Yasha spat back, and began to grow angry again, "Where is Kagome!"

Naraku smirk became larger, "Oh, you want to see Kagome, do you? Well, that is easy enough." Raising a hand, he called out her name.

At hearing her name called, Kagome began to descend the stairs at the back of the hall, where Naraku had told her to wait. Her head felt light, as if she was dreaming. A part of her mind told her to stop listening to him! That he was not her master, and that she shouldn't listen. But the voice that was so quiet, she could hardly hear it at times. A louder, much more powerful voice boomed through her, telling her that she had no other choice. And her body seemed to listen to that voice, not the other quiet once.

As she appeared on the stairs, walking slowly down them, Inu Yasha's mouth dropped. He wasn't expecting to see the sight he did. Miroku and Sango were shocked as well.

She was no longer dressed in her school outfit. She now wore a deep red kimono, with a black and red obi tied around her waist. The bottom of the kimono had a flowers painted on it, in a dark black color. Her hair had grown somehow to reach below her waist and a bow in her hands, with a quiver of arrows strapped to her back. As she looked up at the people in the room, Inu Yasha saw that her once lovely brown eyes had now turned to a light shade of silver-blue. He turned quickly to angrily face Naraku.

"What have you done to her you asshole!"

Naraku chuckled at his anger and waved a hand towards her, motioning her to stand in front of him, "Don't you like the change Inu Yasha? Don't you think that she looks much more graceful and elegant in her knew attire? I thought that surely a demon should be running around in such a disgraceful state."

"Demon? What the hell are you talking about?" Inu Yasha practically fumed as he yelled his question at him.

Sango found her voice finally, "Kagome is not a demon! She is a pure miko!" Miroku nodded in agreement.

Naraku stood up from his spot behind Kagome and laughed again. "Actually there was a spell place upon the girl. I discovered it. It was such a surprise, but it seems to have been a good one." He walked down to stand next to the girl who's eyes seemed pupil-less and unfocused throughout the entire conversation.

"Get away from her!" Inu Yasha yelled at him and made a move to pull out the tetsuiga again.

Naraku chuckled, "No Inu Yasha, it will not be I you fight with…" He looked at Kagome. "Kagome…"

Kagome slowly tilted her head to face him. 'No this isn't right!' the voice in the back of her head yelled again, but once again the louder voice overpowered it. "Yes, Master Naraku?"

Inu Yasha gaped, he must really have her brainwashed to call him master!

"Kagome…" Naraku paused purposefully, and glanced down at the group, "Kill them."

Kagome slightly nodded and faced the group, "Yes, Master Naraku." She walked down the remaining steps towards them.

"Kagome!" Sango called out to her, "What are you doing?"

"It's no use Sango," Miroku spoke, clutching his staff in his hand with a serious expression on his face, "He is controlling her."

Sango glanced at him, then at Kagome. The young Miko had reached the bottom of the steps and placed her hand her chest. A large light blue energy began to form around her, getting larger and larger.

"Kagome! No, it's us your friends!" Inu Yasha called out and new that it was hopeless. Her mind was controlled by Naraku.

The field of energy around Kagome grew even more, before she raised her hand away from her chest and pointed at them. Tears seemed to be brimming within her eyes, as the energy she had built up was released and went hurling towards them. 'No! Inu Yasha….Sango….Miroku! I'm sorry!!!' The voice in her head cried out, loud enough to finally drown out the other.

Finding her voice finally hers, she screamed, "NO!"

That's it! Well, not really….it'll be continued in the next chapter, of course! Review and let me know what you think! ^_^

By the way, to Vegito044, and anyone else who is wondering, the reason why Souta has dog ears and Kagome doesn't is because it's kind of like how humans take after their parents. We all don't receive the traits of just one parent, without any of the other. So Souta inherited his dog ears, while Kagome didn't. But Kagome has the same eyes that her father did and Souta doesn't.

Another thing that I haven't mentioned in the story yet, but will come up is that Kagome didn't get a lot of enhanced strength from the release of her demon part, instead her magical powers have jumped leaps and bounds ^_^. Souta, on the other hand, has. And really quickly, in case anyone is wondering out there, the reason that Souta turned demon too is that he was too young to remember it, so the memories were all sealed in Kagome's mind. When the spell around that was broken, it was broken for Souta as well.

The next chapter should be up soon, cause I'm on a roll again! ^_^