Chapter 3: Balka?
Falling… falling… Kagome's eyes were wide open and yet, she saw nothing. A haze rested on her eyes blocking everything but allowing colors to be seen, but barely. She was plunging down into an emptiness blue. Her body was numb and she couldn't feel anything; her senses seemed to disappear along with the ability to move. 'I feel like a child locked up in my own body hiding. From what, I wonder.' At least her ability to think was still intact but it was weak and getting weaker as they went further into the water. They? 'Inu-Yasha, is that you?' she thought as she saw a red and white object in front of her. 'He wouldn't follow me… or would he?'
Kagome then noticed something yellow on her stomach- it burned. She was helpless, though, as helpless as a small child. 'But why, why am I always so helpless. Sango, Miroku, Kaede, and… Kikyou they are humans and they are strong. Inu-Yasha is part human and also very strong. They all protect me, well with the exception of Kikyou, because I am so weak. They'd be better without me… I just get in the way!' She tried to cry; the tears were about to fall when she remembered something or should I say someone. Her father.
Well he had been dead for years now but she remembered the way he was always so brave and they way he looked, the look of fearlessness. Then she thought of her mom after his death- frightened not for herself but for her children. Would they make it? Sango then flashed in her mind. Her whole family was dead because of Naroku, and how Miroku would die if he didn't kill the demon that put a curse on his grandfather- he had no family either. Inu-Yasha had family, though, a half-brother that always wanted to kill him for his the sword, Tetsusaiga and also Kikyou's life had been tragic. Tricked into believing her lover had betrayed her she now roamed the world on hatred for them and lived only on girls' souls. All this had happened to them and they still were strong.
'Am I destined to be weak forever? And what happens when I am alone, who will protect me then?'
'I will.'
'Who… what was that?' It was clearly a woman's voice that had echoed through the vast darkness of Kagome's mind.
'I will help you,' it paused, 'for now.'
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Sango, during all of this, laid on her back unconscious, but her mind was working over time.
Sango's Dream Part 1It started to rain outside as Inu-Yasha and Sango sat at opposite ends of the cottage, as Kagome called it. Miroku had left not too long ago for some logs so they could feed the fire that was quickly fading away.
The hanyou looked different as he lay down on the floor. His regular red kimono was now almost a pink and white color- it looked fancy, she mused. But then as he drifted into sleep she also noticed that instead of the prayer beads he usually wore around his neck there was a beautiful black string that made him look strong and wise. And that's when she again noticed something changed- her.
A lovely blue pantsuit, like the black one she wore when in battle, fit her snuggly as she felt her long hair pulled back and tied in a white string. Where was this place? And why did it feel like home?
The rain had lightened up when Sango leaned inside the doorway, and after a while when she was about to go back inside something called her from beyond the trees. She went unaware of Kagome and Miroku behind her.
End of Sango's Dream Part 1~*~*~*~*~********~*~*~*~*~
A yellow hunched over figure came bursting out of the soil in the middle of the hot spring leaving a gigantic hole in the ground. Miroku had sensed him well before he had appeared and stood guard over Sango. It looked at him and cocked its head to the side.
"You fight me and lose. I fight you later." Its raspy voice made Miroku grip his staff even tighter.
"I will fight you now!" the monk said as he plunged forward ready to make a critical blow. The creature was faster and blocked the attack.
"You no listen!" The monster's right arm extended out, grabbed Miroku, and held him in the air. "Balko fight you later!" Something then wrapped itself around the monk as he was dropped to the ground. Balko then disappeared into the bushes.
He struggled with the invisible force until his body weakened dramatically and was at the point of death when he saw something amazing.
Inu-Yasha came flying out of the hole, that Balko had left in the spring, with Kagome in his arms; blood stained his clothes- Kagome's blood.
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Kagome was still alive as he set her down gently on the grass. Three great gashes on her stomach gushed blood while tiny scrapes covered her back and legs. When they had hit bottom her 'tiny top' had split and come off leaving bare skin exposed. He quickly wrapped her up in his kimono.
That's when he saw the Miroku laying besides him; his whole body was still as he wasn't breathing.
"Not again!" cried Inu-Yasha as he rolled the monk over on his back. "Ahh!" yelped the half-demon as his skin was burned by something that was wrapped around Miroku's entire body. He stretched his claws out and ripped off the constricting thing.
"Ugh!" sputtered Miroku as he began to breath; color came back into his face as he shakily got up.
"Thanks." He muttered and then caught sight of Kagome, "Is she alright?"
"She will be if we get her back to Kaede's. She's banged up pretty bad."
He nodded and went over to Sango, scooped her up, and all four of them sped through the forest to Kaede's.
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Shippou and Kirara sat next to the old woman with the eye patch, as they stretched out into the last of the sun's warmth.
"Lady Kaede we are in need of your service." Was all the monk said before disappearing into the hut with Sango, who still had on the black and white bikini.
"KAGOME?!" shrieked Shippou. "What did you do Inu-Yasha?" He ignored this remark.
"Shippou go to the hot spring next to the river and get Sango's clothes, and Kagome's pack. Take Kirara with you." Mystified by the seriousness in his voice the kitsune agreed and ran off with the transformed Kirara.
For the next half hour Kaede bandaged up Sango's head, Kagome's body, and washed a burn left by the constricting thing on Miroku's back. During this Inu-Yasha told them of what happened under water and then Miroku told of what happened above water.
"This Balko creature is unknown to my knowledge, but he seems to be powerful." She said as she led the two out of the hut. Inu-Yasha was reluctant to go and fought the old woman as he was being pushed. "Aye do not worry Inu-Yasha they will be alright. You may come back in after I am done applying herbs to Kagome's sores. If you have not noticed they are also on her stomach and chest. She would never approve of me letting you watch." She turned around and went back inside.
Inu-Yasha wiped away a blush when Miroku spoke, "Inu-Yasha… this Balko is strong just as Kaede said but I don't think he should be our main worry." He stopped seeing Inu-Yasha paying attention. "I think we should focus on what happened to Kagome before you and her went into the water. Did you realize that if you spoke true about Kagome hitting the ground at such a fast speed then… I wonder how it didn't kill her. It would have killed me…" he said as he was lost in thought.
Inu-Yasha looked at the sky; he had wondered the same thing.
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The next chapter is going to blow you away!