Love beyond the Western Lands

Chapter 12: Miyako's true Motives and Naraku's Rage

Miyako raised her tanto to strike Sesshoumaru. With a strong grip, Kikyou grabbed her wrist, stopping the attack. Miyako gasped with fear. "What do you think you are doing, shoujo?" Kikyou hissed dangerously. When Miyako did not answer, Kikyou gripped her wrist harder, making her drop the tanto on Sesshoumaru.

Kikyou picked up the tanto off of Sesshoumaru's chest and checked for any signs of injury and got up. Miyako walked backwards away from her in fear. Kikyou eyed her baby. "You know," Kikyou said suspiciously, "your child has not made any sounds lately. I have a gut instinct that the baby is not real."

She walked over to the baby. "NO!" Miyako screamed, waking Sesshoumaru up. "What's going on?" he said, looking rather annoyed that he was woken up. "It appears Miss Miyako tried to kill you," Kikyou said.

Kikyou walked towards the baby and picked it up. "I'm sure this baby is not real either: It did not make a single sound." Miyako's face was now stony. Kikyou threw it across the clearing and it smashed against a tree. The remains were just clay.

Miyako turned tail and ran, but Kikyou, now with her renewed youkai power, was too fast for her. Blocking her way, she gripped Miyako by the throat. "Now, Miyako," Kikyou said, "You are going to tell us what is going on… why you are following us… Why you tried to kill Sesshoumaru… who you work for…"

Miyako coughed and choked from lack of air. "Oh-Oh-Okay!" she hacked out. Kikyou released Miyako and hell chains appeared on her and a metal collar appear on her neck with a chain attached to it. She squealed in surprise.

"Now," Kikyou said, flipping the tanto around in her hand. "Let's play a small game of '20 Questions'." The tanto disappeared and a whip was in her hand. The hell chains on Miyako's wrists levitated and attached themselves to two sturdy oak trees. "AIIE!" Miyako screamed, trying to break free. "WHAT'S HAPPENING!"

"These chains are no ordinary chains," Kikyou said. "They are chains given from death, and at my command, I can have them pull you down to the depths of hell. Now, let us begin. Number one: Who do you work for?"

Miyako spat at the ground. "I will take that secret with me to the grave!" Kikyou rolled her eyes. "Very well, but I am practically dead, just brought back to life. So, I may visit you whenever I wish!"

She flicked her whip and it smacked Miyako on the leg. She cried in pain. When she did not answer, Kikyou flicked it even harder on her leg, making her scream again. When she did not answer for the 3rd time, Kikyou flicked her whip again, tearing a part of her pant legs off.

"AAAGH! OK, I'LL TELL YOU!" Miyako yelled when Kikyou raised the whip again. "I will regret this, but Naraku sent me."

Sesshoumaru was asleep again. "So, it WAS Naraku!" Kikyou thought. "Very good," Kikyou said. "Number two: Why did he send you?" Miyako turned her head defiantly. "I will NEVER reveal that to you!" "Oh," Kikyou said. "Then we'll just have to CHUCK it out of you…" A blue bottle appeared in her hand. Walking quietly over to Sesshoumaru, she poured a drop over his head. "That should keep him asleep," she thought. Turning back to Miyako, she raised her whip as Miyako turned her head away. "Are you willing to tell?" Kikyou asked. Miyako kicked her legs, obviously trying to kick Kikyou. "MPF!" she grunted. Kikyou raised her whip and flicked at Miyako, whipping her leg, leaving a bloody mark. Miyako winced, trying not to cry out. Kikyou whipped her other pant legs off. She whipped at Miyako's arms, tearing a sleeve off and putting a small scratch on her forearm. Kikyou raised her whip again, whipping her right cheek twice, having a bloody X on her face. When she raised her whip to strike again, Miyako screamed out, "To kill Sesshoumaru! Naraku wanted me to kill Sesshoumaru!" "Good," Kikyou said. "Now, number three…"

And seeing we have not heard from Inuyasha and the gang from a LONG time…

"Damn…" Inuyasha thought to himself as he sat by the sapphire blue river and pelted stones in. "I still don't know if Sesshoumaru has feelings for Kikyou… I just hope that she didn't fall for him or is traveling with him…"

Flashback

"Inuyasha…" Sesshoumaru snarled angrily. "Sesshoumaru!" the tachi cried. "Where's Kikyou?" Sesshoumaru demanded. "Kikyou?" Inuyasha exclaimed. "KIKYOU? What the hell do you want with her?" "She was here; her scent is cloaked all over you, Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru angrily remarked. "WHERE IS SHE!" "SHE LEFT!" Inuyasha began to draw Tetsusaiga. "Don't TOUCH TETSUSAIGA!" Sesshoumaru roared.

"WHERE DID KIKYOU GO?" Sesshoumaru screamed. "She went that way," Inuyasha pointed. Sesshoumaru ran past Inuyasha, slashing him as he did so. Inuyasha screamed from the pain. "THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR WASTING SO MUCH TIME WHEN KIKYOU COULD BE IN TROUBLE!" Sesshoumaru growled.

End Flashback

He threw a larger rock into the river. "What am I thinking? She still thinks I killed her 50 years ago…" "Inuyasha?" said a timid voice. "Hmm?" He turned around and saw Kagome.

"Oh, konichiwa, Kagome." "Konichiwa (Don't remember if I told you what this meant, but it means hi/hello)." "Daijoubu desu ka (Are you ok?)?" Kagome asked. "Daijoubu desu (I'm fine)." "Well, why don't you come back to camp?" Kagome asked. "It's ok. I need to think about stuff anyway…" "Ok…" Kagome got up and went back to camp.

Inuyasha picked up a bigger stone and threw it in the river, wincing as the stone landed with a big SPLASH. "Damn it," Inuyasha mumbled to himself, rubbing his chest. "The wound did not heal yet… Guess I should head back to camp..."

And at Naraku's place…

Naraku watched his crystal ball. Kayorei was asleep in front of the ball. Suddenly, Naraku saw something that made him quite unhappy: Miyako chained on two trees, getting whipped. Kikyou's lips were moving, as if speaking. And when Miyako was silent, she would whip her until she spoke.

His hand curled into fists and slammed it down with anger. "Damn you, Miyako." Naraku thought. "How could you let her get to you like that? Well, I can't afford you to tell her anything more..."

He stretched out his hand and something looked like something was growing out of his wrist… It was a heart… Miyako's heart. "You will be punished for being so soft…" As the heart grew larger and larger, it landed in his palm. He squeezed it hard.

In the crystal ball, he saw Miyako's chained body, now wincing and yelling in pain. Not from the whipping, but from the pain of her heart getting crushed. "I expected better of you…" he muttered, enraged.

He walked over to a table, retrieving a sheet of parchment, brush and ink. Writing quickly, he left a note for Kayorei and jetted out the door.

With Miyako's heart still in hand, he crushed it with his fingers as he flew to where Miyako was getting tormented.

"Weakling…" he thought, distressed as he crushed the heart again. "I thought you would be stronger, but now that you're spilling the beans, I'll just have to kill you… But if I get over there first, I can kill the 3 of them…"

...

"Number 20: Where is Naraku?" Kikyou asked. Miyako's clothes were now in rags. "I will reveal that to you!"

"Strange," Kikyou thought. "How come previously, she screamed when I did not whip her sometimes?" Suddenly, Miyako screamed loudly. "LORD NARAKU!" She screamed, her eyes brimming with tears now. "LORD NARAKU, I AM SORRY! I'M SORRY! I BEG OF YOUR MERCY!" "Naraku?" Kikyou thought.

Kikyou grabbed the chain that was attached to the metal collar and pulled it down, making Miyako's head bow, and the tree branches creak. "Miyako, why are you screaming so?" Kikyou asked. "U-U-Ugh!" Miyako groaned. Sweat was now beading her forehead as she shut her eyes and winced.

"Speak," Kikyou said. Miyako took a few gasps of air before continuing. "Naraku," Miyako said. "He physically holds my heart." "I see. So, I suppose you can tell me where Naraku is?" "I-I can't," Miyako said, her voice breaking. "Why not?" "Be-because he'll kill me if I do…"

"Foolish girl," said the deep, drawling voice. "I'll kill you anyway, now that you told her everything."

Kikyou spun around, wielding the Ni Hon now. Sesshoumaru woke abruptly as if somebody yelled in his ear. He jetted right next to Kikyou. Right in front of her was Naraku. "It's about time you showed your coward self," Kikyou said, tightening her grip on the katana. "Get back, Sesshoumaru."

Miyako was weeping uncontrollably. "N-Naraku," she sobbed. "P-please forgive me! I could not bear it… the pain…" "Silence!" Naraku said. "You gave me your oath not to speak!" "But it…" "QUIET! I'll deal with you later!" He gave a sharp wave with his hand. A white crescent flew out, making her pass out.

"Now," Naraku said. "Kikyou, give me your shards." "You'll have to kill me to get them!" Kikyou said, holding her katana higher. "Very well then…" Naraku said. "KAGURA! KANNA!"

Kagura and Kanna appeared from behind the bushes. "Do not fail," Naraku said dangerously. Kagura charged towards Sesshoumaru waving her fan about. Kanna walked cautiously towards Kikyou. Suddenly, Kanna began to make strange movements with her hands. "What…?" Kikyou thought. Suddenly, ghostly vines that once bind Kagura now bind Kikyou and lifted her into the air. She dropped the katana and screamed. "AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Kikyou!" Sesshoumaru screamed. He punched Kagura in the face, knocking her out cold and ran towards Kikyou.

Suddenly, another whitish vine went into Kikyou's robe pockets and pulled out a small sack. "The jewel shards!" Kikyou thought frantically. A spirit eel appeared, clutching Kikyou's katana. It slashed the vine before it was destroyed it self. The little pouch and the katana began to fall. "GET IT SESSHOUMARU!" Kikyou yelled, fighting her binds.

Sesshoumaru jetted right below Kikyou and caught the little pouch. The katana jabbed into the ground. With Toukijin, he slashed the vines that bind Kikyou and made them disperse.

As Kikyou landed, she felt an arm grasp her waist. It was not Sesshoumaru; he was right in front of her! But whose arm did that belong to?

Suddenly, a katana slithered on Kikyou's neck. She looked around and saw Naraku, clutching her with a smirk on his face. He placed chains on her and held out a hand. "Hand them over," Naraku said. "Give me the Shikon shards." "YOU WISH!" Sesshoumaru yelled. "Give them to me," Naraku said softly, "or dear Kikyou will be sent back to where she belongs…"

"NO!" Sesshoumaru yelled. "NO, YOU WILL NOT KILL HER!" "Give them to me if you don't wish her to die."

Kikyou shook her head. "Don't give them to him," Kikyou mouthed. "Don't!" Suddenly, something snapped in Kikyou's head.

"Oh my gosh," she thought. "I have my dragon youkai power! I'm such a baka." Kikyou shut her eyes and screwed her eyes in concentration. The 6 blue streaks appeared on her face again. The stripes appeared on her face again. With a good strike, she punched Naraku in the stomach. "AUGH!" Naraku groaned.

She leapt back over to Sesshoumaru's side with great difficulty since the chains were so heavy. With a good tug on them, they snapped. Sesshoumaru slipped the small sack back into her pocket. Kagura was awake now. Everyone seemed quite startled. "What happened to you!" Naraku yelled. Kagura looked as if she wanted to vomit. Kanna's eyes were wide with confusion.

Kikyou's hands began to glow and she opened up her fists. Purple spheres began to form. "I don't think you deserve to know!" Kikyou yelled. She held her hands in front of her chest and blasted the spheres out. "Ho!" Naraku yelled, leaping out of his position. Kagura ran towards Kikyou, swinging a tanto wildly. She yanked the Ni Hon out of the ground before she leapt wildly out of the way but Naraku grabbed Kikyou at the last minute.

Kikyou held up two fingers; her index finger slightly overlapped her middle finger. "By the power of the kazejin (I think it means thunder god)," Kikyou chanted, "I bid you to strike!" Thunder boomed. A lightning bolt soared down behind Kikyou's fingers and it hit Naraku on the head. "OOGH!" Naraku groaned, letting go of Kikyou.

Kagura lunged towards Kikyou, waving the tanto. Kikyou moved out of the way quick enough to hit her on the head, making her pass out again. Another katana slash came out of Naraku's blade, making Kikyou leap and fall. She gasped. Kagura leapt on Kikyou, trying to stab her, but with Kikyou's new superior strength gripping her wrist and grabbing her should, Kagura couldn't even make a small nick.

Kikyou suddenly tightened her grip, making Kagura drop the tanto. But before Kikyou could kick her off, Kagura's hands wrapped around Kikyou's neck, choking her. "Ack!" Kikyou choked. She grabbed on to Kagura's wrists, trying to through her off, but she was holding too tight. "DIE, DIE, DIE!" Kagura screamed.

Kikyou punched Kagura in the face, making her nose bleed and having her let go. Kikyou got up and rubbed her neck, breathing heavily.

Sesshoumaru was having trouble attempting to pacify Kanna. No matter what Sesshoumaru tried tot do, nothing really seemed to hurt Kanna. "Oh wow… Sesshoumaru, just do THIS!" Kikyou ran towards Kanna and rammed her hard in the shoulder, making her drop the mirror. The mirror cracked.

"Arigato!" Sesshoumaru breathed. "RAAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!" Naraku roared. "You have meddled with my plans for the last time! I will finish you off NOW!"

Naraku raised his katana and it glowed a demonic red. He aimed it at Sesshoumaru and Kikyou. Suddenly, the glowed released from the blade and turned into a sphere. It blasted off and hit Sesshoumaru and Kikyou.

"I've got them!" Naraku yelled triumphantly. "I FINALLY GOT THEM!" He cackled into the night sky. Little did he know that Kikyou and Sesshoumaru were right behind him. Kikyou raised her leg high, and flung it out; making it hit Naraku on the head. "HAH!" Kikyou yelled triumphantly.

Sesshoumaru ran towards Naraku with his incredible speed and Toukijin in his hand. With a good stroke, he was able to cut the katana Naraku was holding and stabbed him in the stomach. "HOOOOOOOOUGH!" Naraku groaned. He coughed up some blood. Suddenly, he was lifted into the sky with Kagura, Kanna and Miyako on a feather. "You may have triumphed now, but I will return!" Naraku cried.

To be continued…