Disclaimer: I still don't own Inu-Yasha, actually I guess I only own
Konte... hmmm *gets interesting ideas* ... hehehehehehehe ^__^"
On with the story!
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
Kagome waited until she was absolutely sure that Kouga had settled down for the night before she gently pushed the covers off her and stood up. She wavered a little as she got her balance; holding onto the wall for support. She followed it into the next room. It was definitely a cooking area as she had guessed; a small fire pit lay in the middle of the stone floor. To her left was another room, and she had to go past it to get out. Cautiously, Kagome looked around the corner and into the room... No Kouga... walking past the room, She moved on to the end of the cave, and out into the surrounding forest. Glancing around for any site of Kouga once more, when she thought that it was 'all clear' she snuck into the forest.
Kagome caught many spider webs as she crept threw the bushes. She looked back, and in not seeing the house, she started running. She just ran, on and on... the tears were coming now.... Not knowing what she was looking for, not even bothering to keep track of where she was going. She ran on; wishing to die.
************
Kouga watched her 'sneak' out of the cave, looking about anxiously. He was well hidden in the shrubs and was positive that she could not see him. He had known that she would try something like this, now he had to make sure that she didn't do something stupid, or get herself killed... He quickly ran after Kagome in stealth, keeping low to the ground. 'Where is she going?
It seemed to him that she didn't know where she was going either, 'if she keeps pushing herself like this she is going to get hurt!' Kouga thought; worried for her. But finally she did come to a stop, and he watched her from the brush. She caught her breath for a moment and walked slowly into a tight mess of trees. 'Where in the world is that girl going?!'
He was hesitant to get closer, he didn't want her to sense his presents, but, he had to know what she was doing. So he crept up to the thick wall of trees that Kagome slipped threw and peered in. He was shocked to say the least.
Kagome was sitting, knees under her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs. She sat on a rock that was protruding from the most crystalline pond he had ever seen. The slowly rippling water and the clear, bright, starry sky that reflected in it would have entranced him had he not smelt salty tears and heard her slight sobs. He could see Kagome's body rocking with her cry, and his heart longed to comfort her. Kouga knew that he couldn't comfort her; he knew that if he made himself known Kagome would slap him for following her, and cover her tears. He would lose her. So he stayed where he was, and watched her in silent anguish.
************
'Why? How? It can't be... It can't be......' Kagome sobbed, letting all of her pain flow threw her tears.
Flashes of Shippou, his stomach ripped open, and Inu-Yasha's bloody fingers...
Miroku's limp body, lying still against the cracked wall, and blood seeping slowly from behind him...
Sango's anguished screams....
The laughter.....
'What happened? How did I get away?' she shook her head, as if to get rid of the horrid memories. Kagome knew that she was supposed to die, that she wanted to die, but she didn't know why it didn't happen....
She didn't know how long she had sat there in this place. This place of peace and wonder; she could find nothing of beauty. Nothing in life was beautiful to her any more....
Minutes passed, maybe hours, she didn't care.... Finally looking up she decided to wander, praying that a wild youkai would kill her or some like fate that involved her dying....
************
Kouga was getting bored, 'how long is she gonna sit there and mope? C'mon Kagome, work threw this....'
After a long wait on his part, she slid off the rock and walked back into the forest.
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*! *!*!*!*!*
Genku Shinai glared at the guard who was rattling off about how 'sorry' he was, and how much he 'should be punished' and a bunch of other crap.... He'd let the miko escape. They all had... If that didn't put you in a bad mood, he didn't know what would.
It was a good thing that he knew exactly where she was, or else he would have to kill the bumbling idiot who stood in front of him, ah the heck with it, he'd kill him anyway.
He remembered back; it flashed in front of his eyes as a vision does.
*flashback thingie*
The miko lay in a crumpled heap, tears streaming from her eyes. As her last companion, the exterminator, screamed out in anguish, and held her head in pain, the miko blacked out.
Master Shinai watched as the corpses were dragged roughly out of the room. He remembered thinking of how hard it was going to be to get the stains of red from the floor, and also of how much fun he would have with the miko.
He would never admit that he was at one point scared of this girl, a human no less. But looking back at the situation, he found out just how easy it was to break her spirit and crush her heart. He loved every moment of anguish and pain that she felt, every second of sorrow, for it only ensured that she was all that less capable of bringing him down.
If he had only known that the one thing that was stopping Kagome from crushing his head in, or afflicting him with eternal suffering (as she would surely wish upon him) yes, the only thing that stopped her, was that she did not know... What she was really capable of.
The final guard had left the room as Shinai slid slowly from his throne, smirk in place.
The shroud of darkness that seemed to permeate his being followed him as he moved toward the miko.
Inu-Yasha stood stoic in the background, watching with an air of boredom.
Yellow eyes peered at the girl, threw the blackness. Such a weak being, defeating HIM? He couldn't believe that.....
Genku Shinai knelt down and reached a clawed hand out to her.
When within inches of her body, a blue force of electricity, which burned as the hottest fires to his hand, raced around her still frame. He growled out in disgust.
He tried once more, just a bit more cautious then the first, to touch her. And once more he was scolded, and his hand blackened. He stood and watched the last traces of blue lightning evaporate from around her.
'This will not do, no, not at all.....' he thought with malice.
As quickly as the bolts had faded, a new fire grew about her, and she was raised off of the ground; her eyes fluttering open. They were glazed over and wide, as if in a trance. In a moment she had vanished. And he could sense her presents no longer in this place....
*end of the flashback, vision... thing*
"Enough!" He shouted at the guard, who jumped back a ways. "Get General Tamari in here, NOW"
"Y-yes Master!" The toad like guard scurried out of the room.
'Pathetic.....' The Master sighed irritably.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
Kagome wandered until the sun struck the eastern horizon. She had noooo clue where she was, and she didn't really care.
Some ways off and a little to the right, a youkai watched her walk in silence, he could tell that this girl was weak, and would be an easy breakfast.... He was waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Kagome sauntered on in dreary slowness, not bothering to care about the things occurring around her. Though not much of it was to note. ('cept maybe that hungry youkai about to eat her....)
************************
Kouga had followed Kagome, and was now quite bored of walking so far. His arms crossed, and his head bowed he kept moving.
Sniffing the air casually he caught the fresh scent of a bear youkai, and his senses were quickly on alert to any form of distress.
Kagome's scream echoed around him suddenly. Bouncing from tree to tree the sound hit him hard.
Kouga was there with her in a heart beat, and stopped short as he saw the youkai standing over her. In a quick movement his claws went threw the bears flesh with ease and ripped threw his body, letting it fall limply to the side.
Kouga smirked at his kill, before quickly checking to see if Kagome was all right.
He carried the unconscious girl back to his home.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kagome didn't eat for the next 4 days, and barely drank. Kouga finally had to force her to drink and eat, for she had gotten ghostly pale, and sickly.
He had to stop her from killing herself multiple times, but she never glared and never fussed, all she did was stare, monotone, emotionless, moving on to the next eventless happening. He knew that she was dying inside.
Every night she would visit that pond, it was her escape, the one place where she could be lost, without thought, or feeling; a place where she could just be.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Goodbye... Kouga" Kagome whispered to herself as she walked slowly away from the rippling water's edge.
That place had been her sanctuary, and her place of healing. She had found compassion in Kouga and a good friend. But she felt it, whether somewhere in her soul, or just a whisper of the wind, it was there, telling her to get out. To get away a soon as possible.
So she left that place. He understood, and she was relieved. There was nothing more. Feeling empty and hopeless, wandering around with no where to go. No where fit. Because they were gone.
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
It seemed odd to her, for she knew that nothing looked familiar, yet, she seemed to know exactly where she was going, and that confused her. Though it interested her too...
Kagome walked on for hours it had seemed, until she came to the place that she had been subconsciously searching for.
A large towering mansion loomed before her in the distance, rising above the thick growth of trees. Kagome could hear the shouting of orders and a lot of clatter.
She snuck to the edge of the thicket and gasped at what she saw.
Youkai... lots of youkai.... he had gathered his army and he was going to take this land.
Worst of all, was that there was nothing she could do about it. The past would be lost, along with the future. That is what he had planned, and he was going to win.
At the strict yell of a very strong youkai, a general Kagome guessed, the rest fell in line. With one more they all started marching; there must have been over ten thousand youkai; as far as the eye could see they marched.
She watched until the last had vanished into the surrounding wood.
There was nothing she could do, and she figured, why bother? Turning, Kagome again, walked away.
Before long, the forest opened up to a large, steep hill that overlooked a small town surrounded by beautiful green woods. Sitting to rest she glanced despairingly over the endless cloudy sky. She could hear faint cries in the distant village, and a glow was appearing all around. Fire. She closed her ears and eyes to them, as well as her thoughts.
.................................
"Well now, if it isn't Kagome..." Some one voiced behind her. Kagome's eyes shot open and stayed looking forward, out over the now vast flames.
Inu-Yasha smirked, "this is it! I finally will have my revenge!" with that he shot forward in an instant, claws extended.
And in slow motion Kagome's head turned, looking from his face, full of hate, to his extended hand.
Her wide eyes closed, waiting for the impact..... and it hit her with force, causing her to black out once more...
************************************************************************
Author's note: I just wanted to say that I am sorry for the choppiness, especially around Kouga... I figured, you know what happened basically, and I just want to move on in the chapter, so, I hope you don't mind ^ ^ Only one more chapter! Yay!
On with the story!
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
Kagome waited until she was absolutely sure that Kouga had settled down for the night before she gently pushed the covers off her and stood up. She wavered a little as she got her balance; holding onto the wall for support. She followed it into the next room. It was definitely a cooking area as she had guessed; a small fire pit lay in the middle of the stone floor. To her left was another room, and she had to go past it to get out. Cautiously, Kagome looked around the corner and into the room... No Kouga... walking past the room, She moved on to the end of the cave, and out into the surrounding forest. Glancing around for any site of Kouga once more, when she thought that it was 'all clear' she snuck into the forest.
Kagome caught many spider webs as she crept threw the bushes. She looked back, and in not seeing the house, she started running. She just ran, on and on... the tears were coming now.... Not knowing what she was looking for, not even bothering to keep track of where she was going. She ran on; wishing to die.
************
Kouga watched her 'sneak' out of the cave, looking about anxiously. He was well hidden in the shrubs and was positive that she could not see him. He had known that she would try something like this, now he had to make sure that she didn't do something stupid, or get herself killed... He quickly ran after Kagome in stealth, keeping low to the ground. 'Where is she going?
It seemed to him that she didn't know where she was going either, 'if she keeps pushing herself like this she is going to get hurt!' Kouga thought; worried for her. But finally she did come to a stop, and he watched her from the brush. She caught her breath for a moment and walked slowly into a tight mess of trees. 'Where in the world is that girl going?!'
He was hesitant to get closer, he didn't want her to sense his presents, but, he had to know what she was doing. So he crept up to the thick wall of trees that Kagome slipped threw and peered in. He was shocked to say the least.
Kagome was sitting, knees under her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs. She sat on a rock that was protruding from the most crystalline pond he had ever seen. The slowly rippling water and the clear, bright, starry sky that reflected in it would have entranced him had he not smelt salty tears and heard her slight sobs. He could see Kagome's body rocking with her cry, and his heart longed to comfort her. Kouga knew that he couldn't comfort her; he knew that if he made himself known Kagome would slap him for following her, and cover her tears. He would lose her. So he stayed where he was, and watched her in silent anguish.
************
'Why? How? It can't be... It can't be......' Kagome sobbed, letting all of her pain flow threw her tears.
Flashes of Shippou, his stomach ripped open, and Inu-Yasha's bloody fingers...
Miroku's limp body, lying still against the cracked wall, and blood seeping slowly from behind him...
Sango's anguished screams....
The laughter.....
'What happened? How did I get away?' she shook her head, as if to get rid of the horrid memories. Kagome knew that she was supposed to die, that she wanted to die, but she didn't know why it didn't happen....
She didn't know how long she had sat there in this place. This place of peace and wonder; she could find nothing of beauty. Nothing in life was beautiful to her any more....
Minutes passed, maybe hours, she didn't care.... Finally looking up she decided to wander, praying that a wild youkai would kill her or some like fate that involved her dying....
************
Kouga was getting bored, 'how long is she gonna sit there and mope? C'mon Kagome, work threw this....'
After a long wait on his part, she slid off the rock and walked back into the forest.
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*! *!*!*!*!*
Genku Shinai glared at the guard who was rattling off about how 'sorry' he was, and how much he 'should be punished' and a bunch of other crap.... He'd let the miko escape. They all had... If that didn't put you in a bad mood, he didn't know what would.
It was a good thing that he knew exactly where she was, or else he would have to kill the bumbling idiot who stood in front of him, ah the heck with it, he'd kill him anyway.
He remembered back; it flashed in front of his eyes as a vision does.
*flashback thingie*
The miko lay in a crumpled heap, tears streaming from her eyes. As her last companion, the exterminator, screamed out in anguish, and held her head in pain, the miko blacked out.
Master Shinai watched as the corpses were dragged roughly out of the room. He remembered thinking of how hard it was going to be to get the stains of red from the floor, and also of how much fun he would have with the miko.
He would never admit that he was at one point scared of this girl, a human no less. But looking back at the situation, he found out just how easy it was to break her spirit and crush her heart. He loved every moment of anguish and pain that she felt, every second of sorrow, for it only ensured that she was all that less capable of bringing him down.
If he had only known that the one thing that was stopping Kagome from crushing his head in, or afflicting him with eternal suffering (as she would surely wish upon him) yes, the only thing that stopped her, was that she did not know... What she was really capable of.
The final guard had left the room as Shinai slid slowly from his throne, smirk in place.
The shroud of darkness that seemed to permeate his being followed him as he moved toward the miko.
Inu-Yasha stood stoic in the background, watching with an air of boredom.
Yellow eyes peered at the girl, threw the blackness. Such a weak being, defeating HIM? He couldn't believe that.....
Genku Shinai knelt down and reached a clawed hand out to her.
When within inches of her body, a blue force of electricity, which burned as the hottest fires to his hand, raced around her still frame. He growled out in disgust.
He tried once more, just a bit more cautious then the first, to touch her. And once more he was scolded, and his hand blackened. He stood and watched the last traces of blue lightning evaporate from around her.
'This will not do, no, not at all.....' he thought with malice.
As quickly as the bolts had faded, a new fire grew about her, and she was raised off of the ground; her eyes fluttering open. They were glazed over and wide, as if in a trance. In a moment she had vanished. And he could sense her presents no longer in this place....
*end of the flashback, vision... thing*
"Enough!" He shouted at the guard, who jumped back a ways. "Get General Tamari in here, NOW"
"Y-yes Master!" The toad like guard scurried out of the room.
'Pathetic.....' The Master sighed irritably.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
Kagome wandered until the sun struck the eastern horizon. She had noooo clue where she was, and she didn't really care.
Some ways off and a little to the right, a youkai watched her walk in silence, he could tell that this girl was weak, and would be an easy breakfast.... He was waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Kagome sauntered on in dreary slowness, not bothering to care about the things occurring around her. Though not much of it was to note. ('cept maybe that hungry youkai about to eat her....)
************************
Kouga had followed Kagome, and was now quite bored of walking so far. His arms crossed, and his head bowed he kept moving.
Sniffing the air casually he caught the fresh scent of a bear youkai, and his senses were quickly on alert to any form of distress.
Kagome's scream echoed around him suddenly. Bouncing from tree to tree the sound hit him hard.
Kouga was there with her in a heart beat, and stopped short as he saw the youkai standing over her. In a quick movement his claws went threw the bears flesh with ease and ripped threw his body, letting it fall limply to the side.
Kouga smirked at his kill, before quickly checking to see if Kagome was all right.
He carried the unconscious girl back to his home.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kagome didn't eat for the next 4 days, and barely drank. Kouga finally had to force her to drink and eat, for she had gotten ghostly pale, and sickly.
He had to stop her from killing herself multiple times, but she never glared and never fussed, all she did was stare, monotone, emotionless, moving on to the next eventless happening. He knew that she was dying inside.
Every night she would visit that pond, it was her escape, the one place where she could be lost, without thought, or feeling; a place where she could just be.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Goodbye... Kouga" Kagome whispered to herself as she walked slowly away from the rippling water's edge.
That place had been her sanctuary, and her place of healing. She had found compassion in Kouga and a good friend. But she felt it, whether somewhere in her soul, or just a whisper of the wind, it was there, telling her to get out. To get away a soon as possible.
So she left that place. He understood, and she was relieved. There was nothing more. Feeling empty and hopeless, wandering around with no where to go. No where fit. Because they were gone.
*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
It seemed odd to her, for she knew that nothing looked familiar, yet, she seemed to know exactly where she was going, and that confused her. Though it interested her too...
Kagome walked on for hours it had seemed, until she came to the place that she had been subconsciously searching for.
A large towering mansion loomed before her in the distance, rising above the thick growth of trees. Kagome could hear the shouting of orders and a lot of clatter.
She snuck to the edge of the thicket and gasped at what she saw.
Youkai... lots of youkai.... he had gathered his army and he was going to take this land.
Worst of all, was that there was nothing she could do about it. The past would be lost, along with the future. That is what he had planned, and he was going to win.
At the strict yell of a very strong youkai, a general Kagome guessed, the rest fell in line. With one more they all started marching; there must have been over ten thousand youkai; as far as the eye could see they marched.
She watched until the last had vanished into the surrounding wood.
There was nothing she could do, and she figured, why bother? Turning, Kagome again, walked away.
Before long, the forest opened up to a large, steep hill that overlooked a small town surrounded by beautiful green woods. Sitting to rest she glanced despairingly over the endless cloudy sky. She could hear faint cries in the distant village, and a glow was appearing all around. Fire. She closed her ears and eyes to them, as well as her thoughts.
.................................
"Well now, if it isn't Kagome..." Some one voiced behind her. Kagome's eyes shot open and stayed looking forward, out over the now vast flames.
Inu-Yasha smirked, "this is it! I finally will have my revenge!" with that he shot forward in an instant, claws extended.
And in slow motion Kagome's head turned, looking from his face, full of hate, to his extended hand.
Her wide eyes closed, waiting for the impact..... and it hit her with force, causing her to black out once more...
************************************************************************
Author's note: I just wanted to say that I am sorry for the choppiness, especially around Kouga... I figured, you know what happened basically, and I just want to move on in the chapter, so, I hope you don't mind ^ ^ Only one more chapter! Yay!