Disclaimer: I do not own Rumiko Takahashi's work, Inuyasha.
A/N: Hi everyone! I know it's been a long time since I had updated, but never fret. I have an extra long chapter for you! Just so you all know, I haven't updated because I was blooming with new ideas. First, I've decided to add a new character to the fic from a book I've read. I believe people call them: OFC's. Also, I have three (or two, however you look at it) new fics. One will be my first crossover with Rurouni Kenshin and Inuyasha! And the other is just a fun little thing I wanted to try out, but there are two parts, sequels, trials, or however you want to put it together that deals with weddings.
Okay, enough babbling. On with the fic.
Naraku's Revenge and Kagome's Suffering
Chapter 14: Kagome and the Voice
Kagome was resting in the hospital after the Tetsusaiga was carried away to its owner.
Inuyasha, please be safe. Stay alive…for me. After those thoughts had remained clear and focused in her mind, she felt a sudden jolt of electric energy flow through her. She tried to scream from the pain, but the energy's force made her body become paralyzed.
She didn't hear it at first, but now the laugh from her nightmare became louder and clearer. It was as if the cackling voice was what was paralyzing her.
Kagome knew this voice, knew it too well. Ever since Miroku first mentioned him, and the first time they were face-to-face after coming mysteriously back from the well when she found the Sacred Jewel in the well.
Naraku! Where are you?! Kagome yelled in her head.
No answer, only the screams and worried shouts she could hear from her family in her room.
Dammit! Where is he?!
The cackle returned louder than before. Her ears felt like they could bleed from the booming voice.
She wasn't sure for how long the laughing continued, but it steadily slowed. She began to gain control of her body again!
When she had enough control to move, she turned her head around the room. The first person she could get a glimpse of was--.
"Grandpa?" She had control of her lips and throat too!
"Ah, Kagome! You're holding out well, my dear. There's nothing wrong with you. I threatened the evil demon away," he said holding up some slips of parchment that read, "away demon."
She replied with a weak smile. Her body was still not completely out of paralysis, and was taking a toll on her.
She laid back, relaxed and closed her eyes. Her legs and arms were still reviving from the paralysis. Since, she was letting time take its course, she waited.
While doing so, she caught the sound of her mother's voice. It sounded like she was yelling to someone. Something must be wrong? She thought. Mom hardly ever yells.
Before she could make out what her mom was saying, her Grandpa began chanting.
"Away evil spirit. Away demon. Away evil…"
A short time later she heard footsteps and Sota's voice.
"Mom? What's,"
Then, abruptly her mom's voice joined in. "I'm just angry at the doctors, Sota. Usually, I don't get this way, but how the doctors could just give up on your sister's health is something I can't forgive--."
Her mom continued to speak and her grandpa continued chanting, but what caught her attention now was her sixth sense.
I sense the jewel shards! A demon's nearby! She tried to warn her family, but her body began to become numb again.
No! Not now!
At least her other senses were functional. Not far from her bed, she heard something metal fall to the floor, from where she didn't know. Soon after the sound ceased, a hissing sound was surprisingly loud and clear.
Kagome looked around the best she could under paralysis and quickly noticed her family not hearing either, for her mom and Sota were still talking. She could hear them faintly through the hiss, while her Grandpa was barely above a whisper, still chanting.
Why can't they hear, or at least see, what fell? Kagome thought frustrated at her inconveinence. How could they not hear it?
That was the last thought she could muster for her mind began to reel out of control. She felt as though she were Dorothy inside her house when the tornado continued spinning. During the spinning, her eyes clouded and began to feel sleepy. She tried not to succumb to it, but to no avail.
As she was nearing the deepest sleep she ever had, the same cackling laugh returned as if it were a reoccurring nightmare.
"Sleep, Kagome. Sleep."
Kagome now knew what the evil incarnate wanted from her; the reason was unclear, though.
What do I do?! Kagome screamed to herself. I can't let him get away with this!
Then she came up with a risky plan. Before she could decipher it all, she blacked out momentarily.
When she came to, she felt reborn with the feeling of intense power, almost demon-like. Her hearing, sight, smell, and strength tripled. And she relished every bit of it.
Her ears soon picked up a hissing sound, but it wasn't coming from the metal object on the floor; that had stopped. This was coming from above. She knew who it was. Exactly who it was.
It's time to put his plan into motion, Kagome said to herself.
She heard the poisonous mist form of Marimu descend form the ventilation system above her. He came a little closer before saying, "I'll have my reward yet."
Kagome wanted to wrinkle her nose in disgust. This demon doesn't know that he was merely a decoy to his employer, her master.
Arrogant fool, she replied to herself as she thrusted her hand out with her newfound strength and speed, and began clasping her delicate, yet strong fingers over his skull, crushing it little by little. Her advantage was not only his unsuspecting part in this job, but her ability to determine where his head was among the misty form. Usually a hand would become bitten and filled with poison, but her powers were far greater than his, to his terms.
Her eyes finally opened after the numbness caused them to close during the overflow of power, which now focused on the three jewel shards in her victim's forehead.
Kagome wanted that power, needed that power. With her miko abilities still in tact, she began summoning the strength within to put this now worthless trash out of his misery.
She continued crushing his skull, though, to retrieve the jewel shards and give them better access to her body.
This would be a good time to tell that worthless demon how so worthless he is to our employer.
"There is no reward. Your job was to distract the half demon," Kagome smirked along with her monotone voice. Let that sink in, demon.
"Thank you for making this body numb with sleep. Now he is in control."
Kagome continued crushing the demon's skull. She could feel all the miko energy that she needed to finish him off.
She was about to when Marimu gasped out, "Who's 'he?'"
The smirk on the girl's face became wider then laughed at him. She loved every minute of his demise. "Master Naraku has no need for you anymore."
The girl finally had enough of the poisonous demon and used the miko energy she had gathered to suck him and the jewel shards inside. With this new power, he'll disintegrate inside me, Kagome smirked again.
The evil grin blossomed into a large smile, for the jewel shards began taking effect. Using them and her miko powers, she destroyed the surrounding machinery attached to her, and leaped off the bed.
When she landed on her feet, she saw a sleeping old man on the ground. For some reason she continued staring at him.
Why can't I keep my eyes off of him? She asked herself.
She quickly turned her head, diverting her eyes, but then she saw a woman's head facing her, sleeping too.
Mom?
Kagome began recalling the young woman from her distant memories.
"No! I don't know her! She's not important!"
Kagome held her head, nearly tearing the black strands of her hair out.
"No! My power!" she continued to fight the memories and a strange being trying to surface, or was it resurfacing?!
"My head!"
Her sensitive hearing was still fresh as she tried to escape the people around the room. On the other side of the door, heavy footsteps were approaching.
"I've got…to…get away!"
Kagome continued clutching her head, but backing into a window. It was solid, but knew it was her only way out, away from the intruders.
With her strength still in tact, she easily picked up a chair and began banging the thick glass.
By now, the people, she must have heard, came in with white coats on. The voice inside her began screaming for help to the visitors, but Kagome wouldn't allow it.
"No! I've got to get out of here!" With that she clutched her head once more to somehow contain the voice inside as she jumped towards the cracked window.
The men in white coats tried to help her. The doctor who had helped Kagome and had talked to her mother moments ago couldn't believe what he was seeing.
When he came into the room, the Higurashi family was on the floor while the fifteen-year-old girl was walking around holding her head, not to mention the damaged equipment that was recording her heart rate, blood pressure, and other important documented activities scattered in pieces all around the room.
Good thing nobody else occupied this room, the doctor thought.
After glancing around the carnage, he then looked up to see her and hear her yell of escape while running to the window. Before he was a foot away, Kagome was already falling to her suspected doom.
The voice inside Kagome continued to yell and scream and seemed to overpower her.
"No! I'm not going to lose my strength now!" She struggled with the being inside her without realizing she had hit the concrete below after the several-stories-high fall.
The voice inside Kagome began to get stronger. This realization came to her in a flash when she began to feel the excruciating pain of the cuts all over her body from the window, which was in pieces around her. This being inside me must be weak, she thought. With my newfound strength, I know I can be healed easily, but if this voice doesn't stop yelling and trying to control me, I'll die for sure!
Kagome slowly rose to her feet, hearing several bones crack through her sensitive ears. She screamed from the pain. Yes, whoever is trying to control me is definitely weak.
She took a few moments to control herself by remain standing. If she were to sit, she would break more bones and would probably have a hard time getting up again.
During these few moments many passersby had cautiously walked up to her. Would you walk up to someone who had just fallen from several stories up and still be alive?
"Miss?" one young man in his twenties asked the crippled Kagome. "I think…you need to…go back inside…the hospital," he stammered in his speech. He was nervous, especially on his first day of valet attendant at the very hospital Kagome was registered in. This is definitely something they don't teach you to be prepared for in the orientation, the man thought to himself.
Kagome ignored him and began to gain control of her body, plus return her demon strength. It was a slow process, but when more people started walking toward her, she had had enough. She pushed them aside and began walking to her destination.
With each step, the pain became less and less. Of course, many people tried to stop her from moving and return her to the hospital, but Kagome pushed them roughly aside; her strength returning little by little.
Weak creature! Kagome snickered. With all the blood loss and from the fall, it's losing control. With my demon strength, I'll heal soon enough, though.
Even with her emmence strength returning, she still had difficulty walking. Kagome glanced down at her legs, an overflow of blood and some joints pointing in the wrong directions. No wonder this body was in pain, she thought.
In the corner of her eye, she witnessed many people staring at her, but never coming close in proxemity. Heh! I can smell their fear! She grinned inwardly.
Also, in this range of vision was a trail of blood from the very spot she fell from. Well, at least he won't have a hard time finding me. The master will finally receive his reward in this plan of his.
Kagome continued walking to her destination. When the shrine steps came into view, she became more and more excited with each, rather painful step.
She struggled up the steps, losing her balance every other time. Getting fed up with the dizzy spells that included the imbalancing act, she looked up slowly to see how much further she had to go. I'm not even half way up yet! I hope Marimu's gas doesn't wear off before I get up these damn stairs!
After a grueling ten minutes, she succeeded at the top, but this was only the beginning for what Kagome's master had in store.
Regaining her posture and overcoming the dizziness, she headed for the house to her room. As she opened the front door, she groaned in remembrance that the room was on the second floor, which meant more steps.
Once Kagome made it to her door, she opened it, and breathing heavily from the climb, trudged to her bed. Kneeling beside it, she bent down and searched with her keen eyes the weapon she used against other demons in the Sengoku Jidai era.
Revealing the quiver and bow from the darkness under the bed, she placed it on top of the mattress.
Glaring at the weapon, she complained to herself why she could just leave it out in the open, so there wouldn't be more stressing movements from her body. Unfortunately, she knew the answer. Kagome didn't want Sota getting his hands on it and hurting himself.
Sota…
"No! Not again! Those people aren't important! I've got a job to do! And dammit, I'm going to FULFILL IT!!" With that last outburst, the battle inside between her and the inner creature trying to control her body began again.
In the process of regaining herself, she dug her tender nails into her face, adding more bleeding trails from those of the hospital window.
This lasted two minutes before scratching herself. When it was complete, she was exhausted to the point of fainting. Her eyes felt like they were glazed over. I won't succumb to that! The being inside me might gain control again and I can't allow that to happen. Not now!
Just as she accepted that promise, her keen ears picked up the swift sounds of footsteps. At first, she thought she had imagined it, but changed her mind when she smelled him.
"He's close. I must prepare myself."
Kagome quickly walked over to her bedding and fetched one arrow from her quiver and the bow, and walked cautiously downstairs to the battlefield that was soon to become reality.
"Almost time, master. Almost time."
She walked again carefully outside to face the half demon. When she found him he was clenching his stomach and sweating. Heh! Marimu's gases do have great effects. Too bad I had to kill him.
The next thing she knew was the halfling rising from his posture and looking at her as if he weren't ill at all. Or maybe it was a good thing I killed that poisonous twit.
Kagome walked a little closer hearing her own bones crack some more, but she showed no pain. I'll heal soon enough. No point in showing any weakness now to the stupid half demon. In doing so, she kept her eyes to the ground and relying on her ears to guide her towards her target.
She nearly forgot about her sense of smell when she heard the fire cat's arrival. And from the smell of it, the other companions of the half-breed dog as well.
Kagome heard the new arrivals gasp in shock.
"Oh, Great Buddha!" was the young female companion's shock spoken through words.
All Kagome could do was hide the grin with her bangs. She enjoyed their expressions, but now was ecstacic. They haven't seen anything yet!
She heard the monk speak to the silver-haired half breed, but the target interrupted him , looking straight at her, "Kagome, where is Marimu? How did you escape from him? How were you able to survive the fall?"
Kagome could smell the half demon's concern, which shocked her a little. Why would he have this emotion towards me, she thought. It doesn't make sense. Doesn't he know I'm the enemy?
She stopped walking, having difficulty doing so and thinking at the same time. No! I can't give in! That creature inside me might take over again, and I can't show any emotions towards the target.
Kagome slumped over a tad feeling the strength within her and the bow and arrow in her grasp. I have a job to do.
Before she could contemplate a second thought, her target ran to her and lightly grabbed her shoulders, shaking them. He's not hurting me! She thought, He is a fool!
Kagome also smelled guilt, but it was strong around the demon exterminator. She heard the material of her skin-tight black outfit move as she glanced, in the corner of her eye, to see the demon exterminator fall slowly to her knees.
Once she stopped falling, Kagome could smell salty liquid coming from the female companion. She hid her smirk for that. Kagome loved to see hopelessness and helplessness in people. Just wait, she thought, the worst is yet to come.
She didn't realize until it was too late that she had made a big mistake. They saw her face.
"Inuyasha!" Miroku called out.
When the half demon turned his head, she saw her only opportunity. Kagome leaped with her newfound strength and agility far enough to achieve her master's goal.
"Inuyasha! Kagome is possessed!"
She loaded the arrow to the bow and let go of the string with a twang. Kagome kept her gaze on her target. The half-breed had shock painted over his face as he looked down slowly at the arrow in his chest and his eyes then looked up towards her.
For a split second, he looked as though he was looking straight through her.
What came next shocked her the most, she could smell and see the concern for her in his eyes again.
No! He's supposed to be angry at me. Why isn't he? I don't understand!
As Kagome's victim slipped into unconsciousness, she instantly felt a bolt of energy consume her. The keen sense of hearing, smell, eyesight were fading.
"No! My powers!"
The creature inside Kagome tried to gain control again, and this time was succeeding!
As the amount of her demon strength, agility, and senses were fading, her body's wounds were screaming in pain. She began to feel her bones cracking little by little. Although Kagome didn't see it, she could feel her blood flow increasing. Her eyesight began to get fuzzy and feeling dizzy too as she passed out.
A/N: Okay, how was that? Believe it or not this chapter was going to be longer, but due to the amount of time that I had to update before I left for vacation, I thought this was good enough. Just so everyone knows, the crossover fic will not be submitted until this fic is finished. Mostly because the OFC that I mentioned in the beginning will start it off. It is a great possibility that I'll start it right after she's introduced, but nothing is set in stone. Anyway, please R & R! And I'll see you all when school starts…cause that's when I'll return. Bye for now.