June 28-29, 2004
Nube by Goddess of Anime
Disclaimer: I have been eating Granny Smith apples and am in a sour mood. Do you really think that I could ever own Inu-Yasha?! (Although, when I was 9, I had an idea freakishly close to it)
Insperation: 'A Bit Vindicated', 'No More', 'Echo', 'Hold On', 'She Will Be loved', and 'Feeling This' (don't own any of them).
A/N: The final battle is coming up next chapter! Or probably in the one after that.... But don't worry! Just because the final battle is upon us doesn't mean it'll end after that; not by a long shot. Hope you enjoyed it so far! This chapter has a song ('She Will Be Loved' by Maroon 5).
Scroll 14: Vindicated
Beauty queen of only eighteen
She had some trouble with herself
He was always there to help her
She always belonged to someone else
The stone wall was slick and cold, like that of Kiri's fingers. The metal shackles were placed on so tightly that in several places it was numb, but not particularily the mid-section. For the fourteenth, maybe twentyth, time she flexed her numb fingers. The shackles ground into her skin, biting deeply. They felt rusty and the chains that stretched her legs and arms out gave off raspy rattles. The room was dim, the only light came from the torch-adorned hallway, casting her in a fiery glow and gave the illusion that dark dancing flames were roughly prodding her to join them.
The sweater and wind-breaker lay forgotton on the floor, her shirt torn in several places. The deep cuts on her mid-section were slathered in salt. A half hour spent, willingly shoved into the care of tears: her tears. She could feel the stiff streaks left on her cheeks, a gift from them. Only her imagination could think up what Naraku would do next to her.
Would he let her die slowly, making sure that she suffered for hours on end? Would he control her and have her kill Inu-Yasha, making sure that she never forgot what she did? Or would he... would he rape her?
Shivers rippled down her body in thick sheets. She would rather die a slow and painful than have him touch her in any way. Scenarious drew themselves out in her mind, producing the most horrific horror movie that she had ever seen. At every sound, even her own ragged breathing, caused her to jerk in fear. She cursed herself for letting Naraku have such power over her: being able to cause her to shudder in fright even when his presence wasn't in the same room.
Once again she flexed her fingers, hoping to feel something other than a painful cool. The state of her poor fingers was the same as ever. She felt tears prick at her eyelids and breathed in a shaky breath, releasing it slowly. The tears, though reluctant, were kind and left her alone for once.
Pull yourself together, Kagome, she thought. Inu-Yasha will come. He always does....
Sleep mulled over the thought of whether to swoop in or torture her a bit longer. It settled for the choice of allowing her to slip in put of her dreaming state, recieving several whimpers and wet sobs and screams that came from so deep within her soul that it even they made sleep cringe. But it had mercy on her and let her get it all out.
I drove for miles and miles
And wound up at your door
I've had you so many times but somehow
I want more
Gasping for breath he tried to lift himself from the sticky and warm wood floors. Sweat mingled with his blood and the heel of his hands slipped across it and then he landed on his chest against. This was too much for him. He never felt this pain and, by demon standards, he still a very young child. The whites of his eyes turned into a fire-cracker red, his pupils thin strips of murky violet, and his irises black. His fangs and claws lengenthed.
Forcefully, he came onto Zane, lashing out. Distant memories of a dog demon, demons in control of thunder, spiderheads, and a wolf demon at their worst rushed through his mind and then the strong blood-lust filled his veins. Only the image of a young girl with a motherly touch and gentle voice held him back. He lowered his hand, closing it into a tight fist. He took deep breaths and closed his eyes. Faint words flitted across, calming him.
Clapping filled the silent air. "Bravo, Shippou. Bravo," Zane drawled. "You have learned to control yourself. Maybe soon you'll be ready." A stramge smile spread graced his features and then slipped out of the training room.
The feel of his claws in his hand brought him back. Shippou looked down and saw that the cuts were deep and stung. He let out a sigh and shook his head. Whatever he was being prepared for he was probably going to end up being killed and whatever he said wouldn't make a difference, it might just make it worse.
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved
Everything felt unreal, like a terrible nightmare that you couldn't wake up from. Maybe that girl, Kiri, was right about being able to make their fears come true. Well, it was true for him anyways. The one person that he loves, truly loves, was taken away from him and only God knew what was happening to her.
He buried his face in his hands, feeling frustrated and hopeless. They had no idea where Naraku was or even a lead to start searching. All this really was was a gamble: choose a direction and pray like hell. The odds were 1:8 that they would choose the right direction.
"Inu-Yasha. Get out of that tree!" Sango yelled harshly, breaking Inu-Yasha's train of miserable thoughts. "I know you miss Kagome and that you love her and that you feel miserable but come down and have something to eat. I really don't think that it's healthy for you to skip meals."
He didn't reply but instead thought about how she could have found out that he loved Kagome. There was no way in hell that he could've told Miroku (he knew if he did he would have brutally maimed the dear monk for telling someone else).
Sango looked at his confused expression that changed to anger, then to surprise, back to anger, and finally to its origanal emotion. She sighed. The lug was still didn't get it. Even Kirara knew that he loved Kagome. Heck! Even the rock next to her foot could tell! She hobbled away from it, her eyes never leaving Inu-Yasha's face.
"Did you really think that you could hide it?" she asked, bored. "When it comes to lying you make Kagome look like the Queen of Lies. Honestly! You might as well be shouting it to the whole world. Kirara was able to tell," she finished with a sneer. The look on his face was priceless. He looked like she had just told him that Miroku had stopped grabbing womens' asses.
Right, like that would ever happen, she thought bitterly.
"I don't know what in the all the hells you are talking about," he replied slowly, sounding unsure of his answer. He caught the look in her eye and knew that he had lost the battle and the war. Speaking of battles.... There was still the matter of sending Naraku to hell and back again and then back to hell.
Oh, revenge is a bitter-sweet business.
I want to make you feel beautiful
I know I tend to get insecure
It doesn't matter anymore
The door creaked open, making a shar and unbearable screeching noise. Her head lolled tiredly and her body sagged. The shackles that had were around her wrists had dug in and stayed in, ribbons of blood flowing down from beneath them. Fingers and feet had lost all feeling and she was sure that there was more pain to come. She gazed at the wet floor in disinterest, wincing involentarily when a rat ran back and forth beneath her. If it managed to crawl up and bite her hand and she could feel something then she would thank it for bringing some feeling back.
Working her thick tongue she ran it across her dry lips, not helping any. A hand roughly cupped her chin and yanked her head up. Her eyes met Naraku's and they went alight in anger. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice sounding husky and abused. When a cruel smile spread across his visage she felt fearfull and tried to press herself against the wall. She closed her eyes and clamped her mouth shut, locking her teeth together painfully. She felt his lips hover above hers and she in desperation she pressed her legs together.
Naraku licked her lips and tried to pry them apart. Kagome felt tears spring to her eyes but she refused to open them. When she expected the worst she heard him hiss in pain and heard him land bodily on the floor. She opened her eyes and saw that a burn mark was now on his right arm. Hesistantly she looked closely in front of her. A barrier of fire surrounded her, which rolled through-out the room, forcing Naraku to run out. She couldn't smell any smoke and she most certainly couldn't touch it.
A small smile played on her lips as she noticed that her underdeveloped miko powers had come to her rescue once again. Kagome hoped that it would last enough... until Inu-Yasha came with Sango and Miroku.
It's compromise that moves us along
My heart is full and my door's always open
You can come anytime you want
The bandage around his arm was tight, but he needed it like that. Blood had kept on seeping from underneath it and if he lost any more he would pass out and die. With one hand on the wall he made his to the palour, silently gasping for breath when he made it in.
"Zane. What are you and Virisa trainging me for?" he demanded. Zane cast him a bored look and took another sip of tea. Slowly, he set down the cup and took his time to stand up.
"Fox, can't you see? It was your own goal all along. We also need you to do something else for us but first we need to get rid of Naraku," he explained, his expression indifferent. "You don't need to think, just do. You are our puppet. That is all you. Nothing more."
No you aren't, a voice reassured Shippou. It sounded soothing and after a moment he recognized it, feeling guilty for forgetting her voice already. He ground his teeth together, his jaw hurting. Quietly, he spoke up, "I am not something to be manipulated."
Zane cocked an eyebrow and glared coldly at Shippou. "What is that you said?" he asked icily.
"I am not some brainless puppet for you to control."
"Don't question your superiours."
"Is that because you fear me?" Shippou asked mirthlessly, taking long strides towards the elf. Zane was radiating fear, which was a lot like a white flag waving back in forth. The only way that Shippou could even consider having control over him was for Zane to back downa and he wasn't about to do that. In a last attempt to show his place as a superiour Zane probed Shippou's mind, groping around in it roughly.
He found a memory that was heavily protected, something that the young fox obviously cherished. Zane quickly peeled off the baracades and dived into it. It wasn't just one memory, it was a whole room full of them. They all contained images of a young miko acting like a mother to Shippou. Most of them were good memories, the bad memories sloppily and faintly erased.
Being twisted he took some of the bad memories and pieced them together -toying cuelly with the theme and setting- for Shippou to view and evaluate.
As expected Shippou had a horrified expression plastered to his face as he was forced to watch everything.
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved
She pressed herself up against the wet boulder behind her, tears mixing with pounding rain. A rabid demon was three feet away from her, his thick silver hair now flat and a light shade of grey. He advanced upon her, his eyes filled with blood-lust.
Inu-Yasha, she whispered, whimpering. More tears came down as he showed no sign of recognizing her. Suddenly he lashed out, tearing the skin on her soft belly. She doubled over in pain but took a small step towards him. Inu-Yasha....
Her hand was lightly touching his arm, her eyes pleading. He looked hesitant and looked like he was struggling with himself. She relaxed and looped her arms around his neck. He placed his arms around her waist and then he sliced her exposed back.
A small cry slipped past her lips and her face was twisted in a look of horror. She crumpled on the ground as she said quietly, I love you.
A puddle of ink-tinted-crimson spread from beneath her and lightning cracked open the sky, revealing two other bodies. The bodies belonged to her other two friends, Sango and Miroku. Slowly, moaning in pain, Kagome prodded herself up on her elbows. Please, listen.... she cried out, looking like the angel of life herself as lightning illuminated every spot of the forest.
The deranged demon wouldn't listen, instead he leapt from tree to tree and left her to die.
Alone in your car
Know all of the things that make you who you are
I know that goodbye means nothing at all
Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls
Hap-hazardly she tore off the pants at the ankles and shoved the scraps of cloth into her hand-made pack. She needed to leave this place. Ever since she ran off she told herself to not get close to anyone that she would miss. It was a rule that she lived by and now she had broken it. With a sniff she slung the pack over her shoulder and silently slipped out of the room.
Without creating any noise she scurried to the front door and as she reached out to grab it she heard her name called. Breathing heavily she turned her upper body toward the voice. A sticky lump stuck in her throat as she saw who it was.
"Leaving so soon?" he asked.
Not trusting her voice she gulped and nodded. She whipped back to the door and yanked it open but before she could step out an arm encircled her waist. Gasping she looked up and saw Sesshou-maru's face inches from hers. The light of the served him well. His hair shimmered and his face pale, looking like a god.
He didn't seem real.
To reassure herself she reached out, her fingers brushing his cheek. For some reason or other she felt shocked when she felt how warm his skin felt. Feeling a little braver she lightly dragged a finger across his jaw line and up behind his ear. Gently, she rubbed the skin behind his ear. The demon lord closed his eyes. She shivered when he nuzzled her palm, urging her to continue.
The thought flitted across her mind but she pushed it away and reluctantly withdrew her hand. "No," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I must leave. I know where my traveling partner is and now I must leave."
"You are lying," he whispered back.
"I'm sorry," she repeated, more quietly this time. She tried to pull away but found herself not able to due to Sesshou-maru's arm. She turned to face him again and opened her mouth to say something but found her lips silenced by his.
Oh, Gods, I love him! she thought in panic.
A tear rolled down her cheek and then another. Sesshou-maru pulled away and studied her tear-clad cheeks. "Butterfly...." he whispered and removed his arm from around her. Butterfly pulled away as soon as he removed his arm and dashed off into the night, scaling the wall and ran far enough so that he couldn't smell her anymore. He probably shouldn't care whether or not she left. She was part elf and that was enough reason to hate her.
Then why did he feel like he was shattered?
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