A/N- Hey all you fan fiction readers! So sorry this update took so long, and I don't want to bore you with excuses so I'll just skip right to the important stuff. This chapter is dedicated to Iram for their helpful insight in their review. It was just the boost I needed to get this chapter out. Oh, and Lilserenity, I am definitely a girl. Happy Reading Everyone!

Disclaimer- Nope, Rumiko owns all these great characters. Oh, I own the kotsonu.

The Colors of Emotions

Chapter 19

Early Awakening

            Kagome's mind was filled with a calming blackness. She was warm and comfortable but felt weak. Suddenly, her state of peacefulness was interrupted.

"Hello dear miko."

Kagome looked around her. She was surrounded by white mist. She couldn't make out anything. "Where am I?"

"In a dream state. You are not conscious. Your body is sleeping and regaining strength as we speak."

"Who are you?" Kagome could not tell where the voice was coming from. But she vaguely recognized it.

"It doesn't matter. I know who you are, and I am also aware of your newly acquired power. If I am not mistaken, it is immensely powerful if used as an attack. Is it not some sort of build up of energy?"

"I've heard your voice before."

"Would you like to join me? Your power would be an asset to my reaching the ultimate goal."

"And that would be?"

"What everybody truly wants; complete power."

"Naraku!"

"Congratulations. You aren't as clueless as I thought you were."

"Leave me alone! Get out of my head!"

"Let me show you what will happen if you do not join me…."

Kagome found herself in a beautiful field. The sky was gloomy and a cool wind blew her hair. Suddenly she saw Inuyasha appear at the edge of the field.

"Inuyasha!"

But he ignored her. He began walking away from her.

"Inuyasha! Wait!" She ran after the hanyou. At the edge of the field she found herself at the top of a hill looking down at Inuyasha. He was embracing and kissing Kikyo. "No." Kagome murmured to herself. She didn't believe what she saw in front of her. Inuyasha backed away slightly from Kikyo. He turned towards Kagome with a smirk.

"Kikyo can find the rest of the shards. You're worthless. Go home." Inuyasha lifted up the almost complete Shikon jewel. He handed it to Kikyo.

"B-but, I thought you wanted me by your side."

"I lied wench."

'You're worthless…worthless…worthless.' The harsh words echoed in Kagome's mind. He had voiced one of her biggest fears. She felt betrayed, hurt, angry, vengeful, and other emotions that exposed how deeply she was truly affected by two little words. Kagome felt power surge through her. She looked down to find her hands glowing black.

'Black?'

 Without even realizing what she was doing, Kagome placed her hands in front of her and formed a dark, menacing sphere of energy. She shot the ball at the couple in front of her and watched as they were both destroyed.

            Kagome screamed.

With a start, she found herself back in the white mist.

"He will betray you in the end. And you will kill him." Naraku's voice echoed through the mist.

"No! That isn't what will happen."

"If you join me, you will not have to feel the pain of betrayal. You will not kill Inuyasha with your own hatred."

"That emotion was hate?"

"Correct."

"But I could never hate Inuyasha."

"If you continue to follow him around he will betray you in the end. You will kill him and Kikyo with your hatred and you will have nothing left. Join me, and I will give you everything. In return, I want access to your power."

"I don't believe you."

"You will. Oh yes my little miko, you will be mine."

"Get out of my mind!"

Kagome bolted upright wide-awake. She took in her surroundings and found herself rolled into her sleeping bag. It was nearly dawn and the sun was slowly creeping its way from the horizon. Shippou was sprawled out next to her fast asleep. She lifted the slumbering kit and placed him on her sleeping bag. She turned from Shippou and almost shrieked when she saw two purple eyes boring into hers.

"Miroku, don't scare me like that." Kagome scolded the monk while taking deep breaths to clam her racing heart.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I just woke up and you were in some sort of sleeping fit. You were sweating and mumbling. But besides that, you attacked the kotsonu no more than twelve hours ago. By all of our guesses, you shouldn't be awake yet. Don't tell me you have already regained your energy." Miroku took in Kagome's pale face, ragged breathing, and trembling hands. "I'll take that as a no. So what happened?"

"Nothing!" Kagome didn't want to talk about this.

"My guess is you forced yourself awake."

"Why is it you seem to know everything?" Kagome grumbled. "I was having a nightmare."

"About?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It had you pretty worked up, and it was obviously enough to force yourself awake before you were ready."

"Thank you Mr. Observant." Kagome mocked. She was hoping to ignore the entire dream and forget about it. She wasn't even sure if Naraku had actually been in her mind, and if he was, then he couldn't have been telling the truth.

"Well?" The monk pressured.

'If I tell them about Naraku then they'll just freak out. I don't even know if it was true. And…and I don't want them to know about my fear of Inuyasha betraying me. I trust him, but there is always a shadow of doubt when it comes to Kikyo. And what if they become afraid of me if they think I'll attack them? No, that wouldn't happen. I would never harm any of them. And I won't join Naraku.' Kagome was caught up in her thoughts. A certain monk snapped her back into reality.

            "Hello? Kagome?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry Miroku. I zoned out there."

"I noticed."

Kagome suddenly was flooded with memories. "The kotsonu! What happened? Is Rin all right? Hey, I'm alive!"

Her last statement took Miroku aback. "'I'm alive?' Did she think she was going to die?" The monk pondered.  "Kagome?"

"What?" Kagome didn't like the suspicious look in Miroku's eyes.

"Did you purposely perform the attack even though you knew you were wounded?"

"Yeah, so what. I'm alive aren't I?"

"We figured you knew what you were doing. But Kagome, you were the closest to death you have ever been."

That hit Kagome like a ton of bricks. "Oops."

Miroku gave her an incredulous look and embraced her in a tight hug. Kagome's breath caught in her throat in surprise, but she patted his back and whispered, "Hey what's up Miroku?"

He backed away and scolded her. "'Oops?' Is that all you can say? You overestimated your own strength! You could have died!"

"Well I'm alive! I couldn't very well let that girl die!"

"What would we have done without you?"

"Get Kikyo to help! Inuyasha would love that!" Kagome blurted without even thinking.

Miroku was shocked. She never mentioned Kikyo if she could avoid it. Then some of the pieces clicked together in his mind. "Does this little outburst have to do with your dream?"

"Shut up."

"I think you should go back to sleep."

"No!"

"Stand up then."

Kagome looked at him confused. She tried to stand but found it was difficult just to move her legs. "What's your point?"

"You body hasn't regained its energy. You are extremely weak Kagome."        

"Where's Inuyasha?"

"He left a while ago."

"Where?"

"He just went off into the forest."

Kagome frowned, and then tried to stand again. She sighed dejectedly and gave up, sitting down. "So what exactly happened? How did you find me? Why was that little girl with Jaken?"

Sango began to move about in her sleep signifying her wakening. Miroku smiled, "I think Sango can tell you all of the answers you need. I for one can get breakfast ready, and you two can go to the hot springs."

"You always know exactly what to do don't you?"

"Sango dear!" Miroku called in his charming voice.

"What houshi?" Sango mumbled groggily.

"Take Kagome to the hot spring on Kirara. You two can take a morning bath and I will make breakfast."

  "Kagome? What are you talking about houshi? She probably won't be awake for a couple of days." Sango then opened her eyes. She gasped at seeing Kagome very much awake and smiling at her.

"Kagome! What are you doing? You almost died! Are you okay?" The exterminator was becoming frantic.

"Sango, calm down. Bring Kagome to the hot spring on Kirara." Miroku repeated.

"No spying pervert." Sango warned.

Miroku put on his best shocked-face, "I am a monk! How could you suggest such a thing?"

Kagome began laughing, and Miroku scooped her up to situate her on the now transformed Kirara's back. The two young women were soon gone.

It was barely twenty minutes later when Inuyasha walked into the clearing. And he was very surprised to find the supposedly unconscious Kagome missing.

That's all folks! Expect the next chapter soon!

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Love,

Vold