A/N- Sorry this took so long! Special thanks to StarHawke for the great review she left for the last chapter. This chapter is dedicated to you! Come on everyone! I want more than one review for each chapter! Not to be greedy, but I wanna know how I'm doing. This is my first story after all. Happy Reading!
The Colors of Emotions
Chapter 15
Persuasion
Kagome awoke in a very uncomfortable position. She was slung over the shoulder of something that was running very fast over bumpy terrain. She felt her stomach crash into the creature's shoulder roughly every time it landed hard against the earth. She had no idea what was going on. Her head throbbed, and she wanted to gladly return back to being unconscious. But a nagging at the back of her mind warned her to stay awake.
'Shikon shard''That's right! I sensed a Shikon shard from whatever grabbed me. Was I kidnapped? Who is carrying me? My stomach is killing me!'
Kagome quickly decided her course of action. She needed to at least see the face of her kidnapper. She could judge what to do from there.
The young girl slammed her knee into the chest of her carrier. She heard a growl and her body was thrown. Her form made contact roughly with the ground, and rocks scratched her pale skin. She angrily glared up at the thing that had thrown her. But she recognized the cold, blood red glare and recoiled in fear.
"Your that kotsonu aren't you?" Kagome whispered.
A malicious laugh escaped the creature's lips and he snarled, "What a good memory you have wench. Now I wouldn't recommend trying to harm me again. Or I will be forced to kill you right now."
"Why did you kidnap me?"
"I would simply like to take back what is rightfully mine."
"What?" Kagome frantically thought of what she could possibly have that belonged to the demon.
"You have my magic, and I would like it back. I can never reach my full power if you have some of it now can I? You see, I cannot absorb the power of the Shikon no Tama pieces I have acquired without my power. And my power just happens to reside in you."
Kagome noticed the large Shikon shard, that was rightfully hers, that hung around the demon's neck. "B-but, you can't!" Kagome slowly grew less and less afraid. She stood up weakly. She asked boldly, "So what are you planning to do with me huh? You can't exactly absorb your magic back. You remember what happened last time?"
The kotsonu stepped forward and hit her hard in the face. "Listen miko, I can kill you if I want to. Don't give me that cocky attitude."
"But my miko and your magic mixed." Kagome murmured from where she had fallen once again to the ground from the blow. "If you drew it from me, you would be getting miko power along with your own. Do you want that?"
The demon snickered. "I am a kotsonu you stupid little girl. I have spells and magical answers for whatever I need. I will simply separate our magics."
"So what are you going to do?" Kagome asked again.
"You're asking too many questions." The kotsonu growled.
"Well I want to know what you're planning to do! Can't I at least know my fate?"
This time claws raked across Kagome torso. She cried out in pain and rolled herself into a ball.
"What did I tell you about getting too cocky?!"
Kagome lay silent.
"I am going to need you to drink this." The kotsonu pointed to a small bottle that hung around his neck on a chain beside the Shikon shard.
"And you expect me to do this because…?"
"Do you want to get hit again? The potion will not kill you. It merely separates your soul. Our magics in you will each join one side. So I will remove one half of your soul, the one that my magic resides in." The kotsonu nonchalantly stated.
Kagome looked at him quizzically. "You wouldn't tell me a thing before, and now you've said your whole plan?" She stood on her knees.
"Your soul has to be willing to split. The potion cannot force it."
Kagome almost laughed. "And why do you expect me to agree to this? You haven't done anything to make me want to help you ya know. Why would I help you regain your power?"
"You're pushing your luck miko." The kotsonu backhanded her and Kagome slumped onto the ground. "I have been watching you, and I already know the troubles that you now face because of your magic. Didn't you attack your little hanyou friend? You won't have to worry about that if I remove my magic."
Kagome almost immediately agreed. 'I can get rid of this power! I'll no longer be a threat.
But if I am the only thing holding this demon back from reaching full power, then I-I can't do it. This demon is powerful enough. He is only keeping me alive to help him get his power back. If he did reach his full potential, with the jewel shards and his magic combined, then he will undoubtedly just kill me anyway, and then he'll just kill everyone else.' Tears ran down her face. But with those tears came a determination that flooded through Kagome. "I won't do it!" She yelled at the demon. "Go ahead and hit me, or kill me, or whatever you want!" 'But no way is he going to hurt Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Shippou, or…Inuyasha.'
"Maybe I should just go kill your hanyou then. Would that persuade you to be a little more agreeing? You seemed rather fond of him last night."
"What! You-you worthless excuse for a demon! You were spying on us?! Then you waited until I was alone didn't you?! You needed to get me alone and off guard? You wouldn't be able to kill him anyway if you're too scared to face him. You're bluffing!"
"I think you've talked too much miko. But there might be something easier to do that would persuade you to drink this potion." The kotsonu gestured towards a small stream not too far away. A rustling was heard, and a little girl about the age of five stepped out next to the stream from a nearby bush. She was followed by a small toad-like demon that Kagome immediately recognized as Jaken, Sesshoumaru's servant. The small child and toad demon did not see Kagome or the kotsonu, who were concealed by the bushes and trees in the dense forest.
"Rin, Sesshoumaru is not patient. Wash up quickly and then we must return." Jaken lectured the young girl. The girl named Rin seemed to ignore him and stuck her bare feet in the cool water. She was careful not to get her tattered kimono wet and she held it in her little hands above her knees.
The kotsonu whispered menacingly into Kagome's ear, "It would be a shame if she died wouldn't it? Her cries of pain when I rip her apart bit by bit will hopefully persuade you miko." The demon called to her.
Kagome's eyes widened with shock at the cruelness of the words.
"Run!" Kagome yelled. But the little girl named Rin didn't seem to hear her. Kagome realized that she found herself surrounded by some sort of barrier. Images appeared in front of her of her younger self, when she was first getting the training wheels removed from her bike. "What is going on!?" Kagome asked confused. The kotsonu ignored her, and he walked casually through the image.
The image turned into Kagome and her younger brother, Souta, having a pillow fight. Kagome smiled at the memory. But her smile was quickly removed when she remembered what was going on outside the barrier.
She ignored the images and squinted her eyes to see the shape of the kotsonu not too far outside the barrier. He was walking slowly in the direction of the little girl.
Please review everyone! Tell me what you like and what can be improved about my story!
Lots of Love
Vold