A/N: I love to write. Let me know what you guys think of this one, okay?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manipulation
Chapter One
"That is rather brilliant. It should work on that miko girl quite well. However, there is the problem of its administration..." a cold voice whispered from the shadows. "You shall have to use stealth. Be very careful, and return to me when you have finished. Playing with this human's head shall be entertaining..."
"Yes, Master Naraku..."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inuyasha and company found themselves yet again in the midst of a dark forest. Inuyasha, nose rose to the air, sniffed around for any clues as to their whereabouts. Kagome found herself constantly looking over her shoulder. There was something very foreboding about this place...although she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"Inuyasha..."
"Something isn't right here," Miroku finished for her.
"Shippo could have told me that," Sango growled.
"Hey!"
"Sh!" Inuyasha warned. "There's someone up ahead!"
Kagome could only smile when she saw the stranger that approached. It was a small child, about three or four years of age, skipping along the trail with several small flowers in her hands. Kagome could see the village from whence she came just beyond the trees. "It's just a little girl," she laughed, slapping Inuyasha playfully on the back.
The little girl stopped when she saw Kagome, and handed her the flowers in her hand. Kagome took them, sniffed them, and smiled. "Thanks," she grinned. "You're from the village? You shouldn't go any farther...this forest is dangerous. Come on. We'll escort you back home," Kagome took the small child's hand and led her forward.
"There you go..." Kagome released the child's hand when they had reached the village.
Inuyasha scoffed at her as she again sniffed the flowers the little girl had given her. She had a dreamy sort of look on her face. She glanced back at Inuyasha and the others, and yawned. "Will we be lodging here for a while?" she asked.
"Something doesn't smell right...literally," groaned Inuyasha, screwing up his face in a look of utter disgust.
"It's not the flowers. They smell wonderful," Kagome smirked as he eyeballed the flowers with a look of suspicion on his face.
He frowned. "Lighten up. I was just checking is all..."
"I think we should stay a couple days," commented Shippo from his place on Inuyasha's left shoulder. "We definitely need to get some shut-eye."
After a few seconds, Sango nodded. "This seems like an alright place. We may even find someone who knows about the jewel..." she looked around.
The village itself was rather large. Just on the outskirts there appeared to be fifty people or more. Sango scanned them all, looking from hut to hut. "Hmm..." she thought out loud.
"Yes, we shall stay here," said Miroku, as if his word was law.
"Good. Glad you made up your minds. I don't feel so well..." groaned Kagome, nearly collapsing. Inuyasha caught her before she fell to the ground, and frowned deeply.
"Odd..." he smirked. "How could she just pass out? Kagome? Kagome!" He shook her, trying to wake her up. "What's wrong with you, Kagome?"
"Don't shake her, Inuyasha!" growled Miroku. "She's obviously ill. I am glad we have decided to stop and stay here a couple days. Maybe they have among their ranks a healer who might help Kagome..."
Inuyasha scowled. "I bet it was those damn flowers. Never trusted those things. Where's that stupid little girl? What kind of a child runs off to play in a demon filled forest anyway? It just doesn't happen..."
"Nice of you to think about that now, Inuyasha. Lot of help it'll do." Smirked Shippo, who promptly received a bonk on the head. "What'd you do that for?" he groaned.
"Shut up."
"Inuyasha, be nice to the child..." Miroku scolded.
Sango was busy talking to an elderly couple on the outskirts of the town. She motioned for Inuyasha and the others to join her, which they quickly did. She smiled. "These people have offered to let us stay in their home. The old woman is a medicine woman...." Sango explained. "She says she will try to help Kagome..."
"I wish we knew what was wrong to start with," grumbled Inuyasha. He carefully laid Kagome down on a worn tatami mat. "You'll be all right," he whispered to her.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Good job. I'm surprised the poison took effect so quickly. When will the girl wake?" Naraku hissed.
"I don't know, Master Naraku. We must wait and see. As quick as it took effect, I am certain she must have taken in a large amount..."
"Lovely..." Naraku smiled. "Keep me posted..."
"Yes, Master Naraku. The miko girl and Inuyasha are currently resting in a large village near the mountains. And...there is something else you may want to know..."
"Yes?" he asked eagerly.
The woman nodded. "I have discovered, through my own investigation, the time at which Inuyasha becomes human. He is weakest at this point, and can not wield that meddlesome sword of his, so he would be most vulnerable to an attack then..."
"And when is this time?"
"We have a week, Master." She bowed. "And by then, the human shall most certainly have revived."
"This should be very interesting." Naraku laughed a hollow sort of laugh. "I will surely have a lot of fun..."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Kagome...please wake up soon...please..." Inuyasha whined.
From somewhere behind him, Miroku spoke. "I knew you liked her."
"I...do not! How else are we supposed to get the stupid jewel shards?" he countered.
"Sure, Inuyasha...whatever you say...but I heard you. You can't deny it..."
"Do you want to die monk?" growled Inuyasha.
Miroku blushed. "No..."
"Then don't ever repeat what you just saw to anyone..." Inuyasha warned. "Or else..." He made a violent gesture with his hands, and Miroku gulped, and quickly nodded.
It was four days before Kagome finally did wake up. Looking around the strange room, a feeling of panic began to overcome her, until she realized that Inuyasha was sitting cross legged in the corner, sleeping. She smiled, crawled over, and shook him awake.
"Kagome! You're awake!" he smiled.
She looked at him as if he had lost all his senses. "Yeah. That's usually what you do after you go to sleep." She mocked playfully. He wrapped her in a tight hug, which surprised her a great deal. "What's gotten into you, Inuyasha?"
"You've been asleep for nearly a week, Kagome! Are you feeling all right? Do you have a fever?" he felt her forehead. "Ah, I can't tell anyway..." he groaned. "How do you feel?" he repeated.
Asleep for nearly a week? Had she heard him correctly? She scratched her forehead. "I've been asleep that long?" she gasped. "Inuyasha, are you serious? Did I get hit in the head or something?"
"No. You passed out after that little girl gave you those flowers in the forest. I thought they were kind of dodgey, but no...." he smirked.
Kagome blinked several times. "What little girl? What flowers?"
"You...don't remember?" he gasped.
"No..." she shook her head.
Inuyasha frowned uncomfortably, and glanced outside the hut at the reddening sky. He sighed. "Figures you would wake up today. We can't leave tonight..." he groaned impatiently.
"And why not?" demanded Kagome.
It was Inuyasha's turn to look at her as if she were insane. He pointed to the sky. "Gee, I don't know. Maybe because I'd be completely useless if anything were to happen!" he smirked.
"Oh, yeah...that..." Kagome nodded.
"Yes, that." Growled Inuyasha. "Are you sure you're okay...because you're acting like an airhead..."
Kagome reddened in anger. "Inuyasha..."
"No...I didn't mean it..." he whined.
"Sit!" Inuyasha did a face plant into the ground that he had been sitting on. Kagome smiled at him with a look of satisfaction on her face. "Serves you right," she smirked before she got up and left the hut.
Inuyasha was quickly behind her. "Where is Sango?" Kagome demanded.
"They've gone off somewhere. There's another village close to this one. They headed in that direction. I imagine they're probably looking for someone to help you..."
"But I'm fine!"
"They don't know that! You've been unconscious for five days now!" he shot back at her. He rushed back inside as darkness finally enveloped the region. Kagome followed him.
"You know," she smirked, "you don't have to hibernate just because you turned human. It's not like it's something that's terribly shameful..."
"Maybe not for you..."
Kagome jumped. She was certain she had heard something land on the roof. Glancing at Inuyasha and pointing up, she grabbed her bow and arrows, which were sitting in the corner of the room, and headed for the doorway. Inuyasha grabbed his rather useless sword and hesitantly followed her out.
Kagome scanned the roof. Finally, she heard a small thud. Someone had jumped down from the other side. She ran over quickly, aiming her bow, and gasped...for, standing not five feet in front of her was her father.
"Daddy..." whispered Kagome.
Inuyasha cocked his head sideways. "Kagome...I don't see anyone. And isn't your father...err...dead...?"
Kagome shook her head. Inuyasha was right. Her father had died. He had died over a year ago now...but then...why was he here. "Who is that, Inuyasha? It looks like my father..." Kagome's voice was doubtful.
"I told you! I don't see anyone Kagome! What are you talking about?" he demanded.
Kagome blinked again, and the mysterious man disappeared. She lowered her bow. "Where did he go?" Glancing around, she could see no one but Inuyasha and several confused villagers. Turning her head right, she saw Inuyasha. "I thought...I thought you were over there, Inuyasha," she whispered to him.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha waved his arms furiously. "I am over here! For crying out loud! What the heck are you looking at?" he demanded. Apparently, Kagome did not hear him. She was fixated on the other Inuyasha. He had started to talk to her now.
"Come on, Kagome. Sango and Miroku are in the forest. They've found a jewel shard. They need you to purify it..." said the Inuyasha.
"But I thought you said we shouldn't go into the forest when you are weak...?" Kagome frowned, very unsure of herself.
Inuyasha was now in a full panic mode. "I did say that! Kagome! Kagome...where are you going?" Inuyasha tried to push her back, but it was as if she couldn't see him. Something was propelling her into the forest. "Kagome!" he screamed again.
"It's just ahead, Kagome..." smiled the other Inuyasha. Kagome had now made her way into the forest. Inuyasha was close behind.
"Kagome! Damn it!" he screamed. He jumped in front of her, grabbed hold of her arms, and shook her rather violently. "Fight it! Whatever it is, you're strong! Fight it!"
Kagome gasped, in a panic. "Inuyasha! Help! Naraku me!" she cried.
"Wha..." gasped Inuyasha. This, he could tell, was not going to end well.
"Don't let that demon devour you, Kagome! We have to get his jewel shards! I know you can do it! Use the Miko's arrow!" the other Inuyasha encouraged her.
Inuyasha took several cautious steps back. Kagome was reaching behind her back. She had the arrow in her hand now. She was aiming the bow right at him. He paled, in an utter panic. To be hit with one of the Miko's arrows right now would surely kill him. After all, he was only human...
"That's it, Kagome..."
"Kagome..." Inuyasha whimpered. "Don't do it..."
Kagome, however, was waging her own war inside her head. What she saw was not Inuyasha, but Naraku...the archenemy of her and her friends. He had her in a vice grip. He had caught her arrow between his fingertips and snapped it in two as if it were a twig. And now, it was he who was aiming it at her. He was stronger. He was winning. She was going to fail. He was going to kill her with her own arrow.
"No!" she screamed, dropping to her knees.
Inuyasha boldly opened his eyes, discovering that he was still alive. Kagome, however, lay bleeding on the ground. "Kagome! What the hell happened? Why did you do that?"
Kagome blinked. She could see Inuyasha now. He was standing in front of her, fear in his eyes. She felt as if her insides were on fire. Looking down, she realized her hands were covered in blood. One of her arrows rested in her stomach. Had she done this to herself? The last thing she saw before sliding into darkness was Inuyasha dropping to the ground. She saw his bright amber eyes just before she closed her brown ones.
From somewhere in the trees, Naraku laughed wildly. Inuyasha jumped up. "'Tis the poison, Inuyasha. She just lost her battle. I have struck you a heavy blow...and I didn't even have to kill you." He paused, laughed some more, and continued. "However, by the time I'm through with you, you will wish for death..."
"That's what you think..." It was not Inuyasha, but Sango, who had appeared from the shadows with Miroku and Shippo. "Inuyasha! Take Kagome back to her time! She will die if she remains here!" she commanded.
Inuyasha rather hesitantly picked Kagome up and rushed off into the forest. He could hear what was going on with Naraku for only a short while, and then his hearing failed him. He ran as fast as he could. It would be morning soon, but it would be a long while before he reached the well....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Cliffie! Bwa ha ha! Please review, and I will probably update soon!