August 10-14 & 17 & 23-25 & September 2-7, 2004
Insperation: 'Breakaway' by Kelly Clarkson (don't own)
No one has threatened or attempted to lynch me yet so I'm happy.
Disclaimer: To own Inu-Yasha is to have money; I don't have any.
A/N: Diana wasn't supposed to to appear in this fic, period.
Scroll 17: Reunion and Parting
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Kagome gripped her knee, shaking. Under her hold her knee was buckling and she could feel herself sliding to ground. A hand gripped her elbow firmly, the other around her waist. She pulled herself out of his grasp and found she couldn't stand by herself. Her knee dipped and made a painful connection to the ground. "Shit," she said, her voice cracking and tears collecting. "Shit!"
Inu-Yasha gently lifted her onto his back, smelling the unshed tears. Kouga furrowed his brow, annoyed that he still didn't know what had happened. From the looks of the others, neither did they. But Inu-Yasha knew. Kouga scowled to himself. This wasn't fair. It's not like as if the whelp cared for in that way. Right?
What he couldn't understand was why she was staying close to Inu-Yasha and Sango. Kagome's scent wafted by him. It was pleasent, calming, but a fearful and a disgusting scent clung to her. The disgusting one smelt somewhat like Naraku's and-
Everything clicked. What had happened to Kagome while she was here, what Naraku's plan was, and why Kagome was so damn scared of the males around her. Instinctively he moved closer to her. It hurt that she didn't trust him enough and, as much as he hated to admit, dog-boy really did seem to care for her.
As he was thinking about what he could do to help her a mist was rolling around their ankles and began to rise. He smelled burning wood and tried to supress the need to gag. He hated that smell mainly because it messed up his sesne of smell and partially because of a burning village he once passed by when he was a pup....
His features twisted into a grimaced and the smell of fear came strongly from Sango. He noticed that her leg muscles had tightened and that the pervert had pulled her into a one-armed hug. No one else seemed to notice the gesture. It didn't look like either one realized what was happening!
They had come to a fork. Everyone stopped and looked dubious. There was no way they could split up into two groups and still be able to keep the other safe.
"What the hell are we supposed to do now?" Inu-Yasha asked, sending an accusing look Kouga's way.
Kouga was about to comment when a snap coming from the right caught his attention. He ran down that side and half-way he came across the weirdest sight. The rest of the hall was covered in roots and petrified vines. There were limbs sticking out between the gaps and the smell of blood and burnt wood was overwhelming. Kouga clamped a hand over his nose. This smelled of demon.
He turned around and ran back to the group to report. "Half of it covered in wood."
"What?" Sango said, perplexed. She had seen halls made of wood so how could this be any different? She noticed that Kouga was holding his nose and his breathing had a slight nasal sound to it.
"It's covered in roots," Kouga clarified. "And there's a demon in there."
Everyone looked at him curiously. This had certainly caught their attention.
"And?" Kagome prompted, now standing on the ground. "What else?"
Kouga swallowed. "It smells like a burning forest."
Sango shivered and gripped the leg of her demon hunting outfit. It was like reliving one of her worst nightmares. She had a thin scar running from her calve to her hip. It burned now and she couldn't understand why. It hadn't hurt since she got it at at a young age eleven.
"What are we waiting for?" Inu-Yasha yelled, his impatience getting the best of him. "Let's go!"
Everyone gave a murmur of agreement and followed both Kouga and the half demon. Everyone was alert and restless, taking in their surroundings. But when they saw the other part of the hall they gaped. It was like someone had pulled up roots from the ground and just dumped them in here and from there the roots just grew.
They were all in awe and didn't notice Kagome had gone ahead until they heard her cry out.
Kagome panted and jogged a few more steps. "Shippou!" she called out breathlessly. The boy in question turned around and his eyes widened. She didn't look very good and reeked of fear but it was shoved aside and replaced with happiness and relief.
When she came close enough she threw her arms around him, crying into his hair. His head reached the bottom of her chin so he couldn't see her face but he could hear the smile on her face as she spoke to him. "Where were you? We all missed you."
Shippou ordered himself not to cry in front of her. He had missed her, too. When he made his choice it was liking losing his mom all over again. Shippou hugged her tightly and sniffled. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.
Kagome pulled back, her expression puzzled. "What for?"
"I had to leave and-and I didn't have a choice! It was either I help them or you killed."
"Who is 'them'?"
"I can't tell you, Kagome."
Kagome nodded in understanding and brushed his hair our of his face and cradled his cheek in her palm. Her touch was warm, safe; like a mom's. He embraced her tightly again, pressing his face against her neck. He couldn't help himself. After spending time with Zane and that bitch Virisa Kagome's gentle gesture made him crave protection that only a mother could provide.
"You're so tall...." Kagome whispered, running her fingers through his ponytail, pushing past tangles and snarls. "Your tail's longer, too, Shippou."
He nodded, his throat tightening on itself. Shippou was aware of the many eyes on them but he couldn't care less. He sensed Inu-Yasha's anger and Shippou couldn't blame the demon. Shippou had betrayed them, left them. But he had a reason and if anything had happened to Kagome and it was becuase of him he couldn't -not wouldn't- forgive himself.
"Shippou," a voice called out to him. Shippou flinched and pulled away from Kagome. Kagome held his hand briefly and then let it slide back out of reach. The act didn't go unnoticed by him and it made it harder for him to control his tears.
The others looked dead ahead to see who had spoken. Hisses of rage passed through many of them and Inu-Yasha and Kouga stood protectively in front of Kagome. Before them stood a tall elf with an ashamed Shippou by his side. The elf ignored them and turned to Shippou, giving him a cold glare.
"You disobeyed me," he stated simply. Shippou kept his eyes on the ground, suddenly interested in his feet. The elf grabbed Shippou's chin and forced the boy to look into his eyes. The child locked his teeth together and curled his hands into fists. He knew what was coming. Shippou's head snapped back and blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth and down his chin. He felt like screaming but he wouldn't give Zane the satisfaction.
"Have you had enough, Fox?" Zane asked, lacking any emotion. He studied Shippou's face and found no trace of pain. "I guess you need another lesson." He pulled his hand back and struck Shippou's face on the oppisate side of his face. Yet, even after that, Shippou's face remained pain-ridden like as if he was immune to it.
Kagome gasped sharply, the tears rolling down silently. She pressed her hands over her mouth and her shoulders trembled. She looked on with a fear in her eyes. Her body had cringed with every blow and when the third one was gived she felt her body scream in pain when Shippou's body hit the ground. A whimper slipped past her lips and she cursed her tears. The scene had been played before her and she saw everything with clarity. Everything inside her told her to go to Shippou and help him.
She looked at Inu-Yasha and lowered her hands from her mouth. "Inu-Yasha?" she whispered. "Will you-"
"No," he replied. He smelled more tears and saw, in his perepheral vison, that she had covered covered her face completely. The pain and disgust was evident and he felt bad but Shippou had decided abandon from them and now the boy had to face the consequences.
Shippou had stood up already and wiped the blood off his chin with the back of his hand. The underside of his jaw throbbed terribly but felt like nothing compared to the guilt that resided within him. "F-Fuck you," he said to Zane.
Everyone held their breath, awaiting the elf's reaction. Zane parted his lips as if to speak but a creak and a crash made them turn their attention to the other side of the hall.
Sango gasped and felt her chest tighten. The smell was overpowering. Memories of a village burning down. The first time she was on an assignment it had burned. Along with it went her friend....
She shook her head and pursed her lips, forcing the memory out of her head. She focused her attention to the disruption in the wall. As the dust thinned the image became clearer. Sango's breath caught. It looked so much like it. It looked like the demon that had burned the village down.
Sorry! I didn't mean to leave you guys with a very crappy and very short chapter which ended in a cliffie. I just wanted to give you guys something to read before I start school (tomorrow on sep. 8). My brother's birthday is that day too. He starts school then. [grins] Happy birthday, darlin'. And who else liked that scene between Kagome and Shippou? I know I did. And I hate Zane very much. Bye y'all! Till next time....