I finally decided to update this fanfic instead of sitting on my butt all day doing nothing! Well, that makes me sound productive, doesn't it...

Kibethan - I get it! You got the idea for your penname originated from the bell, Kibeth, right?

FieryDemonFox - [sigh] I had forgotten about Shippo, too. While I was writing the previous chapter, I suddenly remembered... Shippo! So I somehow found a way to fit him back into the story. Hopefully it wasn't too obvious that I had forgotten about Shippo... [sigh]

Chibi-Manny - Yup, you guessed the Inuyasha-turns-human thing right and the poison thing too... [sigh] Is my plot that obvious? Hopefully not...

... I do a lot of sighing up there...

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Past Tense

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"It was you," Kagome barely made out, feeling ready to gag. Clenching her fists, she firmly attempted to suppress the memories of grief and pain bubbling inside of her. "You k- took them away." She couldn't bring herself to say the word 'kill,' as it would tempt the many painful memories inside her to come spilling out in waves of tears, and she couldn't afford to do that. Not in front of him. She glared coldly at the tall black-haired man before her, keeping her eyes wide to prevent any tears from coming.

"Yes, I suppose that would be me," Naraku said lightly, the oiliness of his voice making Kagome gag.

Suddenly, Naraku turned around and crouched down in front of Kagome, so that he was at her eye level. He lifted her chin up gently with a clawed finger.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, holding Kagome's chin between his thumb and forefinger to prevent her from escaping. Kagome felt bile rise dangerously in her throat as Naraku's cold breath prickled her skin. "Alike, quite alike," Naraku muttered, surprising Kagome with a spark of something that resembled softness in his eyes.

Kagome took the moment to aim a swift kick at Naraku's stomach, throwing him back.

The man narrowed his eyes at the girl, dusting himself off as he stood. "You would be wise to be more respectful of me," he sneered, encircling her. "After all, I have the life of your worthless friend in my hand." He kicked the motionless Inuyasha carelessly.

"Don't hurt him!" Kagome shouted, giving in to tears as she covered the hanyou's body with her own.

Naraku smirked. "Just as I thought. I do believe you will be quite cooporative, my dear," he said to Kagome, giving her a chilling feeling. Naraku went on, "You see, I have acquired the information that you are in possession of the Shikon no Tama." He watched Kagome's expression carefully. It did not change.

"The what?" she snapped, trying to think of a way to escape with Inuyasha.

Naraku closed his eyes in frustration. "Don't play dumb with me," he said in his oily voice. "I have my sources, and they tell me you do have the Shikon jewel."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but if you don't let me and Inuyasha go right now, I might be forced to do something I won't regret, but you might," Kagome warned.

Unfortunately Naraku just laughed unpleasantly, and bent down once again to look Kagome in the eyes.

She attempted to punch him in the face, but he dodged the blow.

"Quite the feisty one, eh?" Naraku taunted. "You're not like her after all. You're nothing but a cheap copy."

Kagome's brown eyes focused abruptly on Naraku's dark, almost colorless ones. "You mean Kikyo, right?" she demanded.

Naraku suddenly harbored a painful expression on his face, but it quickly faded into cold anger. "You have no right to be alive," he snarled, trailing a thin line of blood on Kagome's throat with his clawed forefinger.

The act came so suddenly, Kagome had no time to defend herself. To her relief, she found that the cut was minor. It stung painfully, though, causing Kagome to brushed a hand tentatively across the wound.

Naraku had stood up to his full height by this time. Pacing furiously, he spared a moment to glare in Kagome's direction.

"Years ago," he announced emotionlessly, "I was king."

Sango unpacked a large boomerang and slung it over her shoulder expertly. The weapon measured almost to her height.

Miroku watched the girl with awe, interest visible in his eyes. "Where did you get that, Sango?" he asked politely.

Sango shot him a wistful look. Her pained gaze met with Miroku's caring one. She found that she suddenly wanted nothing more than to just drown in his deep pools of violet.

Abruptly, she tore her eyes from his. "I-i need to go change," Sango said softly, her eyes shimmering slightly from prevented tears. "I can't go out now in my swim suit," she added, trying to keep things light.

Miroku looked carefully at Sango, attemping to comprehend the expression on her face. 'Was it... could it be pain?'

Sango's statement about changing jolted Miroku out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, I guess I should change too," he muttered. He began to pull off his swimming shorts.

"Argh!" Sango protested, blushing heavily as she attempted to shield him from view. "Warn me before you do that!"

"From what I can see of your face, I'd say you don't mind too much," the monk said with a smirk.

Sango muttered a row of curses before marching over to the perverted monk. She gave him a hard slap across the face before leaving the room.

Miroku touched the red mark on his face. He gave in to a small smile.

Kagome was stunned to silence.

Naraku eyed her with a satisfied expression. "Yes, I was, and had been, king for many years," he continued, face darkening in lust as if reliving all the power he had attained in the past. Kagome felt the need to throw up on him. Bile was rising rapidly in her throat.

"I conquered most of the world a mere year after my coronation," Naraku said proudly. Kagome felt sick. All she could think of was how much blood Naraku must have shed. And he was proud of it... it disgusted her to no end.

"And then, twelve years ago," Naraku suddenly snarled. "An insolent general by the name of Inutaisho began a series of revolts against me. The people flew to him, mindless as they were."

Kagome slowly stood up from her sitting position.

Naraku was too busy in reliving his memories to notice. "Anyone with half a brain would support me," he seethed. He flicked his gaze to Kagome, a cruel smirk forming on his colorless lips. "That is why I destroyed your village, your parents included. They made the mistake of supporting Inutaisho. Believe me, though, there were many other villages that received similar treatment from me. And they all deserv-"

Naraku wiped a thin trickle of blood from his lips. Kagome had struck him across the face with all her strength.

"I'm a hanyou," Naraku sneered. "You can't hurt me. I heal." His paper white skin appeared undamaged, and there was no trace of blood left.

Kagome began to feel fear. She cringed with surprise as Naraku struck her with his superior strength. Kagome ended up sprawled on the floor, a couple of meters away.

"I didn't bring you here to have a pleasant talk about my past," Naraku snarled. "You are here to give me the Shikon no Tama."

Kagome wiped blood away from her face. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but whatever this Shikon thing is, I'm not giving it to you. It probably contains magic that you're going to use to become king again, and like hell i'm going to let that happen." She winced as she pulled a small shard of glass out of her elbow.

Naraku broke into cold laughter that chilled Kagome to the bone. "King?" he said scorningly. "That is beneath me. What I want, is ultimate power. And you will give me the key to achieving it." He held out a hand expectantly to Kagome.

"I don't know what the Shikon no Tama is, and I don't have it!" Kagome shouted as loud as she could. "Get that into your head!" She plunged the shard of glass into Naraku's wrist, hoping to render him unconscious from the pain. Naraku looked at the shard distastefully, and plucked it out, leaving his skin unbroken.

Naraku hit Kagome across the face, and kept his hand firmly pressed on top of her mouth. "Don't say any more," he said threateningly. "The only thing that keeps me from killing you is the jewel. You're hiding it somehow. I can't sense it at all. But although I can't kill you, I have no use for your friends."

Kagome bit Naraku's constricting hand with all her strength, although it disgusted her to no end to have to taste his skin.

Naraku released his hold on her, shaking his hand, wincing. He glared one more time at Kagome. "I have the only cure to the saimyoushou's bite that he suffers from, seeing as how I created the insect," Naraku told Kagome, nodding towards Inuyasha. "His time is fading." Naraku smirked cruelly at Kagome. "Believe me, you will give me the Shikon no Tama, dear."

With that, he turned around and left the room.

Kagome hastily checked Inuyasha's pulse. It was slowing dangerously.

Did you like it? I suddenly had an idea for the plot of this story yesterday, and just thought I'd try it out. Review please!