AN- thanks for the reviews! They make me uber happy (ok, I promise never to use the word 'uber' again) I'm devastated that school is coming back…it was so nice. Half way thru the school year…creepy
Omg, I read a ranma ½ book...and it was really good!!
This entire chapter is a flashback so I guess I won't use italics for some of it.
I've decided to screw the disclaimer this chapter…I know…I'm so bad ass.
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Chapter 12- Salvation
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Mental exhaustion consumed him and his battered insides.
He sat lazily on a park swing. For once, he wasn't darting his head around looking for cops. This would be the end. He stared at two kids only a little younger than him playing on the monkey bars. He frowned, knowing that things could never be the same, and the distance between him and the kids was immeasurable.
He recalled the beginning of the end:
He raced through the hotel parking lot. He didn't stop running.
Finally the rest of his body caught up with his mind. He didn't know where he was, nor did he care. There was a lot of graffiti, and people crapping on the street.
He didn't want to remember, but the more he tried to forget, the more vivid the images became. Flashes of his mom and the policemen broke him down.
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He stared at the crying boy sitting on the curb. Was he? Ah…just a hanyou. He still could prove useful. Might as well…
"It hurts, doesn't it?"
The boy paused, "leave me alone."
"I'm not so sure you really want me to leave."
Inuyasha had had enough, "Go screw yours—"
"I know how to take the pain away."
"You don't even know what I've been through."
"True, and neither do I give a damn. You can walk away and suffer everyday of your life remembering, or…you can come with me and forget. No more pain, happiness isn't so far away as you think."
Inuyasha started walking away. No way was he going to associate himself with this creep.
"You must've done something horrible. Do you really think they'll forgive you? Nobody will ever like you again. I'm offering you paradise."
"Shut up!"
"Think about it." He slowly turned around started walking.
"What's your name?"
He smirked.
"Naraku."
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Wow…this stuff DID work…worked fast.
"What did I tell ya kid?"
But Inuyasha was too busy laughing it down with the trashcan.
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It was the day after. His whole body was sore, and his head ached like hell.
"What the hell did you do to me?!"
"I suppose I DID forget to mention. Don't worry; you'll get use to it eventually. What's a little pain for the greatest salvation?"
Inuyasha glared at Naraku.
"You lied to me."
"You didn't have that attitude last night."
Not having the energy to argue anymore, he flopped back on bed. Sleep would be good.
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It had been a wonderful four days. He eventually got use to the morning hangovers; Naraku bought him lots of Advil.
Inuyasha lazily finished his breakfast and decided to go back to bed.
"Not so fast…I've been giving you a place to stay, and a way to escape reality. Nothing is free."
Horror flashed through Inuyasha's face, "I..I don't have any money."
"Don't worry about it; it's easy really."
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"You want me to do what?!"
"Shh! Quiet, you don't want to disturb the neighbors."
"I can't do it."
"You don't have much of a choice."
Inuyasha snarled; he didn't like being forced into things.
"How do you know that no one's home?"
Naraku smirked, "Friend of mine."
Inuyasha didn't have much time to process the information.
"Go now, no one's looking."
Inuyasha raced past the front yard to the back. There he shattered the glass door.
His mind raced. Quickly he unlocked the front door to an awaiting Naraku.
Naraku told him to grab anything of value. He quickly started unplugging the stereo chords.
This didn't feel right. His mother wouldn't…screw his mom! She left him on this damn'd planet on his own… he helped Naraku load the speakers into the van.
"Check upstairs for any jewelry."
Inuyasha jumped up the stairs and quickly found the master bedroom. Man this family was loaded. He helped himself to the ornate jewelry box.
The box tumbled to the ground. On the head of the king sized bed was a large portrait of a woman, a man, and a girl with long black hair…
"Hurry up! I hear sirens!"
He quickly stuffed the jewelry back in the box and appeared downstairs.
Naraku was already starting the engine. For a split second Inuyasha thought he was going to take off without him..
Naraku eyed the box decorated with pink pearls from the driver's seat, "What are you standing there for? Come on!"
Inuyasha quickly climbed in the back and slammed the door shut.
As Naraku sped off, Inuyasha leaned on the 72" TV that Inuyasha had helped Naraku haul in. He was deep in thought.
He forgot about Kagome. Just the thought of her sweet scent made him fill with true happiness. He didn't realize how much he missed her. She would make everything better, but then he remembered those words.
"You must've done something horrible. Do you really think they'll forgive you? Nobody will ever like you again."
Kagome would never want to see him like this…look at what he had done. No, he could never go back.
But he couldn't stop thinking about her. Screw it! He didn't care how disgusted she would be of him…he was going home.
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"You did good today. Here's something to keep your mind off things."
Inuyasha froze.
He promised that tonight he'd tell Naraku that he was going home.
"Take it." It was more of a command than a request.
He didn't think it would be this hard. Although he knew he had to refuse, his whole body ached for the red package between Naraku's fingers. It felt like a part of him was missing, and he could only be whole with it.
"I don't have time for this." Naraku tossed the envelope to him and averted his attention back to the television.
It was so close. It'd be so easy. No more pain.
He didn't think of anything else as he forced the contents out and carried himself to the other room.
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The days went by the same after the other. In the morning, Naraku took him around town to 'go collecting'. Then there would be about four hours of hanging around the house. Naraku's father owned the shabby one story building. After Naraku turned thirteen, his father took a job in France with yearly visits… if he didn't forget. Sometimes Naraku would bring some friends. Inuyasha met Yura, Kagura, Kanna, and Jurumaru, but he wasn't very interested in meeting new people. At the end of the day Naraku would give him his earnings. His favorite part of the day. And yet, slowly it wasn't as worth it.
He never stopped thinking about Kagome. He missed his old life…but it was impossible.
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Inuyasha lost track of the days. He knew Halloween was coming up because he started to see decorations.
He knew the police were looking for him. Once he saw his picture in the mail on a 'missing child' flier.
"Let's go."
Dutifully, Inuyasha climbed out of the recliner and mechanically climbed into the back of Naraku's van.
"You know what to do."
Inuyasha first checked for unlocked windows, after doing this for a while, he learned the tricks of the trade.
He found one; he ripped through the screen. Opened the door for Naraku. Tv. Stereo. Up to the master bedroom.
As Inuyasha made his way upstairs he sensed movement on his left. He pretended to not notice, then spun around in a roar showing his fangs and claws.
He froze. A little girl trembled in the corner holding on to her matted stuffed animal. Tears streamed from her eyes.
"I..I…I didn't…" He reached to comfort her, but she cringed back in gasp.
He was a monster. A real beast.
All the regret and pain came flooding through his veins. He was disgusted with himself. He couldn't stand his flesh. He couldn't scratch it off. He felt trapped in his body.
"I'm sorry."
He stormed out of the house.
Naraku was struggling with a cd player when he saw Inuyasha racing out the front door.
"Shit."
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The sand felt good between his toes. The sun was starting to set. The two kids started gathering their things and walked away laughing.
A man came up to him.
"You're the kid on the milk carton aren't you?"
Inuyasha didn't show any emotion.
"You're coming with me."
Inuyasha hopped off the swing.
He was going home…or what was left of it..
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AN- ok..i was going to put this whole other part of the story in this chapter, but it seems long enough… one more flashback chapter and then we can FINALLY get to the PRESENT. Promise. And then they'll be a couple of splattered flashbacks.
Review. I'll explain Naraku's age in another chapter.
Lol…joint…hehe joint joint joint..ok, I think I should go to bed now
