A/N: Thank you to my 4 reviewers! I will try to quit making spelling
mistakes...*sweat drop* I tend to type too fast or my acrylics get in the
way, and I end up pressing wrong keys...anyway, I've finally finished Ch. 28
after working on it for at least a month now...I haven't had the time to work
on this story without the risk of being caught...(my mom doesn't like anime
or manga...she disapproves...so I have to be sneaky and do all my anime/manga
related things when she's not around...which is rare...) But I've started
writing my story in Microsoft Word, and she sees me typing all the time, so
she doesn't suspect anything...so me typing this story isn't new to her...(I
write fan fics...I've got about 3 others...a 4th that I'm writing now, and this
one...so I've got 5 so far...oh wait, 6...I'm co-writing this other one...almost
forgot...) Anyway, this is a pretty long chapter...so I hope you like it! On
with the story!!! Oh and there's some gross parts...(nothing sexual or
anything, but you know, like gore...but not that much I hope...) so if it
disturbs you, you don't have to read it. It takes place between the * *
*'s, so once you pass the second set, you're in the green, and you can read
it again. There's nothing else disturbing after that. Ok, now onto the
story...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter Twenty Eight: Nightmares and Illness
Everyone had gone off on their own by now. Hana and Kaede were tending to Mei Lhi, meanwhile Kagome, Sango, Shippo, and Miroku were bathing in the cool lake nearby. Kirara was running around with the village children while Kyo and Inuyasha sat outside the hut in the grass, damp with dew.
Hana and Kaede exited the hut.
"We're going to deliver herbs to the other villagers. You two keep an eye on Mei Lhi." Hana said.
Inuyasha and Kyo nodded silently.
The two mikos walked away, their footsteps growing fainter each second.
Kyo sighed, and then stared at the sky for a while, watching in peaceful serene silence. All was calm...except for a deafening smack that sounded, followed by a scream of "Hentai!!!"
The silence settled in once again...until it was interrupted by a new sound.
Cough. Cough. Cough.
'What is that sound?' Kyo wondered.
Inuyasha's ears twitched.
Cough. Cough, cough, cough, cough.
There it was again.
Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough.
Kyo quickly realized the source of the sound was coming from inside the hut.
"Inuyasha, did you...?" Kyo began.
Inuyasha nodded.
'Mei Lhi must be awake...' Inuyasha thought.
He stood and walked quickly into the hut, tossing the hanging cloth that took place of the door aside. Kyo followed.
Mei Lhi was indeed awake, coughing and trying to sit up at the same time.
"Mei!" Kyo exclaimed.
"Mei Lhi..." Inuyasha whispered.
"Onii-san..." Mei Lhi said, slowly opening her eyes.
Her eyelids were still very heavy. Dark circles under her eyes made her look tired and much older than she really was.
"It's...so...hot... "
"What?" Inuyasha wondered.
He felt her forehead with the back of his hand. His eyes widened, and only one thought crossed through his mind.
'We have to get help.'
Kyo seemed to notice Inuyasha's reaction.
"What's going on?"
"She's burning up with fever."
"Damn Hakaru...he must have put something else in that flame of his..."
Inuyasha had carefully lifted Mei Lhi into his arms, and was already headed out the door.
"Hey! Inuyasha! Where are you going?!" Kyo cried.
"I've got to get her fever down."
Then the hanyou left.
Kyo ran after him, sensing the hanyou's presence and quickly catching up, now in hearing range of Inuyasha's footsteps.
"Where are you going?!" Kyo repeated, as he matched Inuyasha's speed.
Inuyasha didn't answer.
* * *
Mei Lhi was trapped in a sick, dizzy, unconsciousness. It was so hot. Yet, it felt deathly cold in her chest. Her breathing was drawn in deep, shallow breaths. It was pitch black all around her.
A voice spoke.
"May you have nightmares of such intensity until it drives you to your own death while you still slumber..."
A large red shape appeared before her. It seemed so familiar. It got closer. She could see two small, white triangles on top of a head where a long, silver mane flowed. They looked like...ears...dog ears...the figure turned. She could see its face. A boy...with beautiful gold eyes...It all clicked.
"Onii-san!" She cried out.
Inuyasha's gaze moved towards her, and he fell forward on his knees.
"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you...Imouto-san..." He said, reaching a clawed hand out to her, as blood slowly trickled from his mouth.
Then, he collapsed.
"ONII-SAN! NO!"
Kagome came into view, followed by Kikyo and Hana.
Kikyo fitted her arrow into her bow, Kagome and Hana bound to trees by her soul snatchers.
"Now...you die, reincarnation...Inuyasha will be mine forever. You will not interfere anymore." Kikyo said, an evil smirk crossing her face.
She released the arrow, hitting Kagome in the chest.
"Mei-chan...Forgive me..." The young miko girl whispered.
Then Kagome's soul left her body, only to be collected by another soul snatcher and given to Kikyo.
"Ah...at last. My soul is mine again..."
Hana stared angrily at Kikyo.
"How could you kill such an innocent girl?! You really are cold and heartless, aren't you?!" Hana screamed in fury.
Kikyo ignored her, and approached Kagome's dead body, rifling around the neck area of her school uniform, pulling out a completed Shikon no Tama on a chain.
"Heh. This was my task to begin with...the jewel belongs to me...and it shall go to Naraku."
She yanked the chain off Kagome's neck, and stuffed it into her yukata.
"You're helping that selfless bastard?! How could you?! If you truly loved Inuyasha, then surely, you'd give the jewel to him! But to Naraku?! Naraku's tried to kill Inuyasha a numerous amount of times! Are you blind Kikyo?! Where has all of your common sense gone?! What's going on inside your head, Kikyo?! Have you gone mad?!"
"Silence."
Kikyo flicked her hand in the other miko's direction, her soul snatchers relinquishing their hold on their hostage, Kikyo's hand motion causing Hana to be slammed into the tree.
There was a sickening crack as Hana's skull made contact with the hard wood, shattering the back of her head, blood flowing everywhere...
Hana looked at Mei Lhi.
"Run...run away...before it's too late..."
More visions ensued, ranging from Miroku being defeated by a powerful youkai, Sango being murdered by bandits, to Shippo being stoned to death by the children of her village. But the worst of all was when she saw Kyo's death.
Kyo lay at Hakaru's feet, the samurai leader laughing evilly, as he swung his katana, dismembering the boy's body.
"Are you still alive? Why don't you give up and die already?" Hakaru asked, mildly surprised.
"I will...never...give up...not until...I can tell her how I feel...not until...I can wake up with her by my side in the morning...not until...claim her as my own..." Kyo replied, gasping for air.
Hakaru stepped on the boy's heaving chest, making the effort for Kyo to keep breathing much more difficult.
"Nothing more than a foolish child's dream...That girl would never love you. She would let you die. Face it, you may love her, but she will give you absolutely nothing in return. Just bitterness. So just die already...you have nothing left to live for..."
"No! That's...not true! It can't be!"
"It is nothing but the truth, brother."
"No! I can't die...not until Mei Lhi knows that I love her!"
Mei Lhi gasped.
"Give it up! She will never return your love! You are alone, Kyo! Do you hear me?! ALONE!"
"No...she loves me...I know she does...she has to..."
"She doesn't. That hanyou brat cares for no one. Only for the deaths of those she detests. For her comrades, she condemns them to a miserable life- long solitude, to forever be alone, unable to love anything, to care for nothing, forever to wallow in their self-pity and despair. There is nothing for you here in this world. Just let go of it...it's the only way out of this cage she has locked you in."
"Maybe...you're right...perhaps...I will find ofukuro there ...I guess your words are true...Mei Lhi will never love me, and she will neither acknowledge it nor return it..."
"You have chosen well, brother...farewell."
Kyo smiled one last time; Hakaru swung his sword down in one fluid motion, killing the boy instantly.
Mei Lhi broke out into uncontrollable sobs, tears pouring from her eyes. All of the other deaths had been so sudden; they had been over before she knew what had happened. She clamped her eyes shut, wishing it all to go away, but it did not end.
There was a crunch and a squelch. Mei Lhi opened her eyes, seeing Hakaru holding Kyo's heart in his hands. Hakaru opened his mouth, sinking his fangs into the flesh, swallowing it whole. Power gathered around Hakaru as he gained Kyo's strength. His youki was much stronger now. He turned to look at the boy at his feet one last time.
"You fool...so easily you gave into my manipulation...you easily believed everything I said...but it was all lies...she really did love you...now you'll never get to see her again..."
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!" Mei Lhi screamed, her tears falling even more heavily than before.
All faded as her vision was surrounded by a crystal blue.
"AUGHHHH!!! NOOOOOO!!!!" She screamed.
* * *
Inuyasha had gone to the lake, diving into the cool water, in an effort to lower Mei Lhi's fever.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed in surprise.
He had hit the water, falling into the icy depths of the lake. Upon resurfacing, he received a smack that stung fiercely. His eye narrowed in anger glaring at the one who had hit him.
"You baka hentai, Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed in frustration.
Kyo leaned nonchalantly against a tree.
"Kagome-sama, you misunderstand Inuyasha's intentions. Mei has broken into a severe fever. He was merely coming here to cool her off. He panicked and didn't know what to do. His first thought was to come here. So please forgive him. I think that he was so much in an unsettled state of mind that he may have forgotten you were here." He said casually.
Kagome's anger melted instantly.
"Gomen Inuyasha! I had no idea!" She said very sympathetically.
"Feh." Inuyasha replied.
"AUGHHHH!!! NOOOOOO!!!!" Mei Lhi screamed.
Inuyasha looked down at the girl in his arms, to find her very awake and very distressed.
Tears streamed from her eyes. She subconsciously buried her face into the chest of the one who was holding her. Opening her eyes again, she saw red. She felt the material. It was a fur. Fire rat fur.
She looked up and saw the face of whose arms she was in. Her gaze met a familiar pair of gold eyes.
"Onii-san!!!" She cried, hugging him, crying even more as she buried her face even more into his red haori. "You're alive!"
'What does she mean I'm alive? What the hell is she talking about?! What the hell was she dreaming while she was asleep?!' Inuyasha thought.
'So...it was all just a dream...just a dream...' Mei Lhi thought in relief.
Finally drying her eyes, she looked around to see she was in the lake, and around her she saw Kagome, Sango, Shippo, Miroku, and Kirara.
'They're all alright!'
She continued looking around until she saw Kyo watching her from the tree he was leaning against.
Releasing her brother, she pushed herself out of his arms, shakily running to the bank where Kyo stood, her dark eyes shining with more tears. She ran into his arms, just to make sure he was real. She released him, stepping away from him. Inuyasha now sat on the shore, his back facing the rest of the group, as he wrung the water out of his clothes.
"Mei, what's wrong? I've never seen you cry so much." Kyo wondered.
Before his question could be answered, Hana and Kaede rushed into the area, both looking tired.
"Oh...good...we've found you..." Hana sighed with relief, panting as she caught her breath.
"Hana-chan!" Mei Lhi exclaimed.
"How'd you get here? Did you run off on your own? You made Kaede-bachan and I worry!"
"Gomen Hana-chan..." Mei Lhi mumbled.
A memory of something Mei Lhi had said to Hana resurfaced.
"'Hana you bitch!'" The words echoed in her head.
"And...I'm sorry for what I said earlier...what I called you...I didn't mean it...please forgive me..." Mei Lhi added, bowing in apology. "If I'm not forgiven, I understand and I will graciously receive my punishment."
Hana nodded simply, smiling.
"All is forgiven. Don't worry about it...all that matters is that you get better...in fact, I think you already are..." She said.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Mei Lhi asked, confused.
"Look for yourself. Your reflection."
Mei Lhi looked into the water and saw that her hair had a silver touch to it, her ears were slightly pointed, however, they remained on either side of her head and her ears still looked very human.
"You're starting to change back to your normal form."
"And just in time, I might add...the new moon is upon us once again..." Kyo said.
"Nani?! I thought it was two weeks from now!" Mei Lhi exclaimed.
"Yeah, it was two weeks from now about six days ago..." Kyo replied.
"SIX DAYS?! Is that how long I've been out?! ACK!"
"What? What's wrong?"
"I missed my history exam..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter Twenty Eight: Nightmares and Illness
Everyone had gone off on their own by now. Hana and Kaede were tending to Mei Lhi, meanwhile Kagome, Sango, Shippo, and Miroku were bathing in the cool lake nearby. Kirara was running around with the village children while Kyo and Inuyasha sat outside the hut in the grass, damp with dew.
Hana and Kaede exited the hut.
"We're going to deliver herbs to the other villagers. You two keep an eye on Mei Lhi." Hana said.
Inuyasha and Kyo nodded silently.
The two mikos walked away, their footsteps growing fainter each second.
Kyo sighed, and then stared at the sky for a while, watching in peaceful serene silence. All was calm...except for a deafening smack that sounded, followed by a scream of "Hentai!!!"
The silence settled in once again...until it was interrupted by a new sound.
Cough. Cough. Cough.
'What is that sound?' Kyo wondered.
Inuyasha's ears twitched.
Cough. Cough, cough, cough, cough.
There it was again.
Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough.
Kyo quickly realized the source of the sound was coming from inside the hut.
"Inuyasha, did you...?" Kyo began.
Inuyasha nodded.
'Mei Lhi must be awake...' Inuyasha thought.
He stood and walked quickly into the hut, tossing the hanging cloth that took place of the door aside. Kyo followed.
Mei Lhi was indeed awake, coughing and trying to sit up at the same time.
"Mei!" Kyo exclaimed.
"Mei Lhi..." Inuyasha whispered.
"Onii-san..." Mei Lhi said, slowly opening her eyes.
Her eyelids were still very heavy. Dark circles under her eyes made her look tired and much older than she really was.
"It's...so...hot... "
"What?" Inuyasha wondered.
He felt her forehead with the back of his hand. His eyes widened, and only one thought crossed through his mind.
'We have to get help.'
Kyo seemed to notice Inuyasha's reaction.
"What's going on?"
"She's burning up with fever."
"Damn Hakaru...he must have put something else in that flame of his..."
Inuyasha had carefully lifted Mei Lhi into his arms, and was already headed out the door.
"Hey! Inuyasha! Where are you going?!" Kyo cried.
"I've got to get her fever down."
Then the hanyou left.
Kyo ran after him, sensing the hanyou's presence and quickly catching up, now in hearing range of Inuyasha's footsteps.
"Where are you going?!" Kyo repeated, as he matched Inuyasha's speed.
Inuyasha didn't answer.
* * *
Mei Lhi was trapped in a sick, dizzy, unconsciousness. It was so hot. Yet, it felt deathly cold in her chest. Her breathing was drawn in deep, shallow breaths. It was pitch black all around her.
A voice spoke.
"May you have nightmares of such intensity until it drives you to your own death while you still slumber..."
A large red shape appeared before her. It seemed so familiar. It got closer. She could see two small, white triangles on top of a head where a long, silver mane flowed. They looked like...ears...dog ears...the figure turned. She could see its face. A boy...with beautiful gold eyes...It all clicked.
"Onii-san!" She cried out.
Inuyasha's gaze moved towards her, and he fell forward on his knees.
"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you...Imouto-san..." He said, reaching a clawed hand out to her, as blood slowly trickled from his mouth.
Then, he collapsed.
"ONII-SAN! NO!"
Kagome came into view, followed by Kikyo and Hana.
Kikyo fitted her arrow into her bow, Kagome and Hana bound to trees by her soul snatchers.
"Now...you die, reincarnation...Inuyasha will be mine forever. You will not interfere anymore." Kikyo said, an evil smirk crossing her face.
She released the arrow, hitting Kagome in the chest.
"Mei-chan...Forgive me..." The young miko girl whispered.
Then Kagome's soul left her body, only to be collected by another soul snatcher and given to Kikyo.
"Ah...at last. My soul is mine again..."
Hana stared angrily at Kikyo.
"How could you kill such an innocent girl?! You really are cold and heartless, aren't you?!" Hana screamed in fury.
Kikyo ignored her, and approached Kagome's dead body, rifling around the neck area of her school uniform, pulling out a completed Shikon no Tama on a chain.
"Heh. This was my task to begin with...the jewel belongs to me...and it shall go to Naraku."
She yanked the chain off Kagome's neck, and stuffed it into her yukata.
"You're helping that selfless bastard?! How could you?! If you truly loved Inuyasha, then surely, you'd give the jewel to him! But to Naraku?! Naraku's tried to kill Inuyasha a numerous amount of times! Are you blind Kikyo?! Where has all of your common sense gone?! What's going on inside your head, Kikyo?! Have you gone mad?!"
"Silence."
Kikyo flicked her hand in the other miko's direction, her soul snatchers relinquishing their hold on their hostage, Kikyo's hand motion causing Hana to be slammed into the tree.
There was a sickening crack as Hana's skull made contact with the hard wood, shattering the back of her head, blood flowing everywhere...
Hana looked at Mei Lhi.
"Run...run away...before it's too late..."
More visions ensued, ranging from Miroku being defeated by a powerful youkai, Sango being murdered by bandits, to Shippo being stoned to death by the children of her village. But the worst of all was when she saw Kyo's death.
Kyo lay at Hakaru's feet, the samurai leader laughing evilly, as he swung his katana, dismembering the boy's body.
"Are you still alive? Why don't you give up and die already?" Hakaru asked, mildly surprised.
"I will...never...give up...not until...I can tell her how I feel...not until...I can wake up with her by my side in the morning...not until...claim her as my own..." Kyo replied, gasping for air.
Hakaru stepped on the boy's heaving chest, making the effort for Kyo to keep breathing much more difficult.
"Nothing more than a foolish child's dream...That girl would never love you. She would let you die. Face it, you may love her, but she will give you absolutely nothing in return. Just bitterness. So just die already...you have nothing left to live for..."
"No! That's...not true! It can't be!"
"It is nothing but the truth, brother."
"No! I can't die...not until Mei Lhi knows that I love her!"
Mei Lhi gasped.
"Give it up! She will never return your love! You are alone, Kyo! Do you hear me?! ALONE!"
"No...she loves me...I know she does...she has to..."
"She doesn't. That hanyou brat cares for no one. Only for the deaths of those she detests. For her comrades, she condemns them to a miserable life- long solitude, to forever be alone, unable to love anything, to care for nothing, forever to wallow in their self-pity and despair. There is nothing for you here in this world. Just let go of it...it's the only way out of this cage she has locked you in."
"Maybe...you're right...perhaps...I will find ofukuro there ...I guess your words are true...Mei Lhi will never love me, and she will neither acknowledge it nor return it..."
"You have chosen well, brother...farewell."
Kyo smiled one last time; Hakaru swung his sword down in one fluid motion, killing the boy instantly.
Mei Lhi broke out into uncontrollable sobs, tears pouring from her eyes. All of the other deaths had been so sudden; they had been over before she knew what had happened. She clamped her eyes shut, wishing it all to go away, but it did not end.
There was a crunch and a squelch. Mei Lhi opened her eyes, seeing Hakaru holding Kyo's heart in his hands. Hakaru opened his mouth, sinking his fangs into the flesh, swallowing it whole. Power gathered around Hakaru as he gained Kyo's strength. His youki was much stronger now. He turned to look at the boy at his feet one last time.
"You fool...so easily you gave into my manipulation...you easily believed everything I said...but it was all lies...she really did love you...now you'll never get to see her again..."
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!" Mei Lhi screamed, her tears falling even more heavily than before.
All faded as her vision was surrounded by a crystal blue.
"AUGHHHH!!! NOOOOOO!!!!" She screamed.
* * *
Inuyasha had gone to the lake, diving into the cool water, in an effort to lower Mei Lhi's fever.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed in surprise.
He had hit the water, falling into the icy depths of the lake. Upon resurfacing, he received a smack that stung fiercely. His eye narrowed in anger glaring at the one who had hit him.
"You baka hentai, Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed in frustration.
Kyo leaned nonchalantly against a tree.
"Kagome-sama, you misunderstand Inuyasha's intentions. Mei has broken into a severe fever. He was merely coming here to cool her off. He panicked and didn't know what to do. His first thought was to come here. So please forgive him. I think that he was so much in an unsettled state of mind that he may have forgotten you were here." He said casually.
Kagome's anger melted instantly.
"Gomen Inuyasha! I had no idea!" She said very sympathetically.
"Feh." Inuyasha replied.
"AUGHHHH!!! NOOOOOO!!!!" Mei Lhi screamed.
Inuyasha looked down at the girl in his arms, to find her very awake and very distressed.
Tears streamed from her eyes. She subconsciously buried her face into the chest of the one who was holding her. Opening her eyes again, she saw red. She felt the material. It was a fur. Fire rat fur.
She looked up and saw the face of whose arms she was in. Her gaze met a familiar pair of gold eyes.
"Onii-san!!!" She cried, hugging him, crying even more as she buried her face even more into his red haori. "You're alive!"
'What does she mean I'm alive? What the hell is she talking about?! What the hell was she dreaming while she was asleep?!' Inuyasha thought.
'So...it was all just a dream...just a dream...' Mei Lhi thought in relief.
Finally drying her eyes, she looked around to see she was in the lake, and around her she saw Kagome, Sango, Shippo, Miroku, and Kirara.
'They're all alright!'
She continued looking around until she saw Kyo watching her from the tree he was leaning against.
Releasing her brother, she pushed herself out of his arms, shakily running to the bank where Kyo stood, her dark eyes shining with more tears. She ran into his arms, just to make sure he was real. She released him, stepping away from him. Inuyasha now sat on the shore, his back facing the rest of the group, as he wrung the water out of his clothes.
"Mei, what's wrong? I've never seen you cry so much." Kyo wondered.
Before his question could be answered, Hana and Kaede rushed into the area, both looking tired.
"Oh...good...we've found you..." Hana sighed with relief, panting as she caught her breath.
"Hana-chan!" Mei Lhi exclaimed.
"How'd you get here? Did you run off on your own? You made Kaede-bachan and I worry!"
"Gomen Hana-chan..." Mei Lhi mumbled.
A memory of something Mei Lhi had said to Hana resurfaced.
"'Hana you bitch!'" The words echoed in her head.
"And...I'm sorry for what I said earlier...what I called you...I didn't mean it...please forgive me..." Mei Lhi added, bowing in apology. "If I'm not forgiven, I understand and I will graciously receive my punishment."
Hana nodded simply, smiling.
"All is forgiven. Don't worry about it...all that matters is that you get better...in fact, I think you already are..." She said.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Mei Lhi asked, confused.
"Look for yourself. Your reflection."
Mei Lhi looked into the water and saw that her hair had a silver touch to it, her ears were slightly pointed, however, they remained on either side of her head and her ears still looked very human.
"You're starting to change back to your normal form."
"And just in time, I might add...the new moon is upon us once again..." Kyo said.
"Nani?! I thought it was two weeks from now!" Mei Lhi exclaimed.
"Yeah, it was two weeks from now about six days ago..." Kyo replied.
"SIX DAYS?! Is that how long I've been out?! ACK!"
"What? What's wrong?"
"I missed my history exam..."