But a Desperate Hope We Had
Ch 1. A Grand Deception
I don't own Inuyasha. This is my first fanfic, so please review, be brutally honest.
He looked back over his shoulder as he ran across the forest floor. His breathing was growing shallow and he knew the blood loss would soon knock him unconscious. "Damn it! How could she... how could she do this... after all we've been through..." He was speaking to himself between gasps. His mind grew hazy, and even as he ran, he slipped between awake and unconscious.
He burst into a clearing, and stumbled to he knees in exhaustion. I'm going to die in this very spot. His thoughts had turned from desperation to a strangely calm acceptance of his impending doom. Maybe it's best I die. Life would be empty without...
In a flash of light, a third arrow penetrated his body, this one striking him square in the middle of his back. He let out a sizable moan before he collapsed unconscious in a now growing puddle of his own blood.
"Choose her, will you?" A black haired woman sneered, bow in hand. "Well, now you will have no one... rot in hell." And with that, the priestess Kikyo walked away from the dying body of Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha, where are you?" Kagome called for her travelling companion in a loud, yet unconcerned tone. He hadn't been gone for more than a couple of hours, and he was perfectly capable of handling himself.
"He's most likely off moping and brooding," said the monk Miroku in a very nonchalant manner. He had grown listless and bored since Sango had gone back to her village to repair her boomerang. He missed fooling around with Sango, and his cheek felt odd not having been slapped in over a day.
Kagome shrugged off Inuyasha's absence and proceeded to read a story to the young fox demon Shippo. Both she and her younger brother Sota had outgrown such children's book, but they were still amusing to Shippo (mainly because of the colorful illustrations). Kagome played with and entertained Shippo late into the afternoon, while Miroku lay in the grass; half-asleep in a daydream about a helpless princess with well developed breasts and particularly little clothing.
It was when the sun was nearly set that Kagome grew worried about Inuyasha. I know it's like him to wander off, but not for this long. Kagome called out again for the half demon. When there was no answer, Miroku, Shippo and she set out to find him. When we find him, he'll had some explaining to do, getting me all concerned over nothing, thought Kagome, mainly to calm her mind.
"I've killed him, deep in the woods, alone, and I have left his companions unharmed, and unaware," said Kikyo, dropping several shards of the Shikon jewel at the feet of a man cloak in the fur of a baboon. "The jewel shards made it quite an easy task."
"Good, you have done well."
"Naraku, I could have easily done in the monk Miroku, and that little demon fox Shippo, and it is my only remaining desire to kill Kagome. Why did you bid me not to?"
Naraku laughed in a malicious tone and replied, "You will see in due time, priestess. As for now, all you need to know is that I would like to retrieve the jewel shards in their possession personally." He enjoyed seeing Kikyo's facial expression in response to his comment. Yes, the thief Onigumo still wished to control the priestess so many years after she had cared for him in that cave. "You have not mentioned the demon slayer, Sango. Was she not there?"
"No, she has been absent for a few days. I believe she will return to the group tomorrow."
"A new development but no matter. I will merely wait until tomorrow deploy my messenger, and begin my destruction of the vile companions of Inuyasha"
"But you still will do as you have promised? You will leave the wench Kagome to me?"
"Yes. As I have promised, I won't kill her. I'll only torture, you have my assurances."
Shippo, Miroku, and Kagome arrived back at there camp hours later, failing in their search. They went to sleep resolving to look again in the morning.
Kagome had a troubled sleep, riddled with dreams of Inuyasha's dead body. She unknowingly dreamt of Inuyasha's demise in the woods over and over. She awoke with a shock when the sequence progressed to show Kikyo sneering at the body. What a horrible nightmare! I really have to stop worrying. Inuyasha is fine. Kagome's rationalization didn't stop her worrying.
Miroku also had a very disturbing dream. His was of Sango leaving him forever.
"I will not be just another clueless woman that you sleep with!"
"But Sango wait! You're different from the rest..."
"I'm sick of waiting! I am nothing to you but something to use, and then throw away! Goodbye Miroku!"
"Sango don't leave..."
"Sango don't leave... Sango don't leave..."
"Why would I be leaving, I just got back, you silly monk!"
"An apt question." Miroku said sheepishly. Damn it, I was talking in my sleep. I hope she didn't hear much.
Miroku and Kagome promptly told Sango of Inuyasha's disappearance.
"It's not like him to disappear for that long. He always returns by nightfall." Sango said in concern, but upon seeing Kagome's worried expression, she added, "But I'm sure Inuyasha is fine. Come now, lets find him..."
As Sango spoke a small balding man walked into their camp. He spoke in a small, but confident voice. "Are you the monk called Miroku?"
"Yes," replied Miroku.
"And you the demon slayer Sango?"
"Yes," replied Sango.
"And you the miko Kagome?"
"Yes," replied Kagome.
"I've come on behalf of the priestess Kikyo and Master Inuyasha." He continued despite the surprised look on all three of their faces. "I have been told to inform you that Kikyo posed an ultimatum to Inuyasha. Either he died with her, or she would fade away forever. Inuyasha chose to die."
Kagome didn't hear the rest of what the messenger said. She took off in a sprint towards the west. She kept going for nearly an hour, blinded by her tears. How could he? And without even saying goodbye! She stumbled past Kaede's village and the tree on which she had first met the half demon. She jumped into the well which could take her from the Warring State era to her home in the present. She made sure to leave her shards of jewels behind.
"Master, upon receiving my message the miko took off to the west, and the other two were truly distraught over the news." The messenger spoke without any emotion.
"Good, she flees to her own time. With Inuyasha dead and Kagome gone, the other two shall fall swiftly." Naraku turned to a woman sitting in the shadows. "Kagura, it is time for the third stage of my final plan. You will go now and kill the monk and the demon slayer."
"With pleasure." Kagura rose quickly and was about to leave when Naraku stopped her.
"Remember, do not take the shards Kagome leaves behind."
"Yes, yes, you've told me that several times. I'm not going to forget."
"And remember, let the little fox live."
"Fine." And with that Kagura flew away from Naraku's castle. I'll let it live, but he never said I couldn't beat the shit out of it.
Alright, that's Chapter 1... I'm not sure how many there'll be. Please write comments and critiques... Danke...