Chapter eleven has arrived. Now to answer some reviews. All five by YuniX-2 this time it seems. "Ahhhhhhhhh". 'Beats back pink strapless thong bikini clad Jaken using his saxophone case'. "Be gone foul spawn of the underworld! Anyway. Thank you for the encouraging reviews. I think I saw that episode of Buffy too but I'm not entirely sure. Oh and it was the fourth and fifth harry potter book that had mad eye moody. He was the inspiration for my freaky guy. That and the fates from the Disney version of Hercules". Well I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: k I'm not saying it this time. You know what I own and don't own.
"Look" said Kagome pointing down the road, "a village".
"That's good" said Inu-Yasha, "you can get some new cloths so I can have mine back".
Kagome looked at Inu-Yasha, a big grin plastered on her face. "You offered remember?" she said.
"Yes I know" muttered Inu-Yasha, "but still…"
"Cheer up Inu-Yasha" said Miroku smacking him on the back, "you'll be wearing the smelly thing again in no time"
"Gee thanks" muttered Inu-Yasha shrugging Miroku's hand away.
The group got some strange looks from the villagers but they managed to find someone who was willing to part with some extra clothing. Kagome paced around impatiently as the man rummaged through a chest. "Now where did I…" he muttered before saying, "ah here they are" he said standing back up.
Kagome stopped pacing and looked over at the man. "About ti…" she began but stopped dead. The clothing he was holding was black. Kagome got a brief flash of her dreams before saying "do you have anything else?"
The man shook his head. "No this is it miss" he said.
Kagome was hesitant but calmed back down in short order. "Can I see the back?" she asked. The man turned the shirt around. There was nothing there, no design or anything. Kagome let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. Just normal clothing after all, and the sash in her dream had been red. This one was white.
Kagome accepted the clothing and went in the next room to get changed. When she was done she looked at herself. They were okay but as soon as she got home she would get rid of them. That is thought Kagome sadly if I ever can go home. She shook her head refusing to think that way. No she thought, I will find a way to go back again.
Kagome stuffed her ruined clothing in her bag and thanked the man before heading back outside. She walked up to Inu-Yasha and handed him back his haori. "Thank you" she said again.
"Don't mention it," said Inu-Yasha pulling his haori back on. "You know," he said after it was back on, "that clothing kind of suits you Kagome".
Kagome gave a strained chuckle and said, "well don't get used to them. As soon as I go back home I'm getting my old cloths replaced".
"Whatever" said Inu-Yasha, "let's head out"
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Sesshoumaru knelt down and examined the dead lizard demon. "Interesting" he whispered to himself. He used Tokijin to flip the corpse on its back so he could examine the hole in its chest. "Inu-Yasha didn't do this" he said, "the hole is to small for his hand to have done it".
Wrinkling his nose in disgust he sniffed at the hole. "There" he whispered. He had caught the scent of the demon that had done this, definitely a female. In fact I smelled almost like… Sesshoumaru stood up and backed away. "It can't be" he said, "how could it progress so fast, or so far. The transformation shouldn't manifest more then heightened senses and increased strength". He considered this as he made his way back to where the others were waiting. "Unless…" he whispered. Yes that was the only way it could have went this far. It was more dangerous then ever now. If it had fallen into the wrong hands before the ramifications would have been disastrous. But now with the power inherited by someone like her. Not only was her mind not able to handle it if someone strong enough tried to control her, she could change enough that nobody may need to control her. She would do it all on her own, and work for those who wanted power like that willingly. All it would take is one little shove.
He could not allow that to happen. "Were leaving," he said when he reached the spot that he had left the others.
"Yes lord Sesshoumaru" piped up Rin, "come on Aun"
Jaken just mumbled to himself and followed.
He could not allow this power to be misused. Even if he had to kill her to do it. Tensaiga flashed angrily at him but he ignored it. The sword was only a guide this time after all. You didn't have to take a guide's advice.
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"Where are they?" Kagura asked the air. Being the wind sorceress it wouldn't have been too much of a stretch to get an answer out of it but no such luck. She shook her head in frustration and took off again.
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"Inu-Yasha duck" shouted Kagome loosing another arrow. Inu-Yasha did and the arrow whizzed by striking the mantis demon between the eyes. The stupid thing had charged out of the forest at the group expecting easy prey and got a nasty surprise when it did. It stumbled back letting out an unearthly scream.
Inu-Yasha leapt into the air and brought tessaiga down neatly bisecting the giant insect. "One more thing to bury" grumbled Inu-Yasha as he stuffed his sword back into the sheath.
Miroku walked up and put a seal on the demon. "We wouldn't want its power to linger would we?" asked Miroku making a sign of warding with his hand.
"I suppose so," admitted Inu-Yasha grudgingly as he began to dig a hole a few meters away from the road.
While this was going on Kagome and Sango were also having a conversation. "Are you feeling alright Kagome," asked Sango.
Kagome gave Sango a what do you think look but instead said, "what do you mean?"
"It just seemed like it took longer to use your bow is all" explained Sango.
"You noticed huh," said Kagome looking down at her hand's, more specifically at her claws. "It's these claws" she said, "they're making it hard to use my bow. If I'm not careful I could ruin it by cutting the string".
Sango nodded. "I see what you mean" she said, "I can't imagine what it must be like but…"
An uncomfortable silence descended as both girl's looked down at the ground. At length Kagome looked up and forced a smile onto her face. "Thank you Sango" she said.
"No problem" replied Sango.
"Hey you two hurry up" shouted Inu-Yasha, "were leaving".
"Coming" chorused Kagome and Sango.
888
"Which way did they go?" Kagura demanded holding the man Kagome had gotten her new clothing from by the collar of his shirt.
"Down that road" he stammered indicating one of the roads leading from the village, "please. Don't hurt me".
Kagura dropped the man. "You're not worth my time" she said, "but if your lying about where they went I'll be back".
"I assure you," said the man, "I would not lie"
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Inu-Yasha sniffed at the air when the wind shifted carrying Kagome's scent to him. She smelled more like a demon then ever now. What kind he was still unsure of but there was a slightly feline air about it. He also noticed Kagome was absolutely fascinated by everything and dropped back to talk to her. "What's so fascinating about a bunch of trees?" he asked startling Kagome out of her daydream.
"It's not the trees," she said.
"Then what?" asked Inu-Yasha again.
"It's just that… I can see like its daytime" she said, "It's very strange. I was never able to see this good at night before".
Inu-Yasha snorted trying not to laugh. "Welcome to my world" he said, "you think that's interesting wait till you can smell everything". Inu-Yasha wrinkled his nose at the thought. "It's pretty disgusting sometimes".
Kagome raised an eyebrow and looked over at Inu-Yasha. "Disgusting?" she asked.
"Well what would you expect a person who hasn't bathed in a week to smell like?" asked Inu-Yasha, a big grin on his face, "Roses?"
Kagome blinked a couple times then laughed. "I suppose you have a point" she said.
The group stopped to make camp a little while later and, after eating, everyone settled down to go to sleep. Kagome had trouble falling asleep though because she was thinking. That was to be expected though. Someone in her position would have a lot to think about. The visible component of her transformation had stopped for the moment but in no way did that mean it had halted all together. It was strange, the way Kagome moved was changing. It was almost too easy to move. And her mind, that was the scary part, the way she was thinking had changed ever so slightly. It was like her brain automatically took notice of everything that moved and attempted to analyze it without her needing to focus on doing it.
Kagome must have fallen asleep eventually though because she had another strange dream. On another note so did Inu-Yasha as well.
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Kagome's dream
Kagome found herself back at the tree Inu-Yasha had been pinned to. Her double was waiting for her there. "What do you want now?" she asked acidly. Kagome was getting fed up with this thing tormenting her.
"To… talk," said her double.
"I have nothing to say to you," said Kagome turning to leave.
"You're lying to yourself," said Kagome's double.
Kagome froze and turned back around. "What do you mean?" she asked.
Her double walked up and looked her Straight in the eye. "What do you know about what you are turning into" it asked.
"You mean how my body is turning into a demon's?" Said Kagome.
"There is that," said Kagome's double beginning to circle her. Kagome never took her eyes off it, turning so she was always facing her Doppelganger. "But what about your mind" it added, "surely you notice the changes there as well".
"I don't know what you mean" lied Kagome.
Her double stopped and made a disapproving noise. "Come now" it said, "you can't hide anything from me. I am you after all, and that my dear is the point".
Kagome looked confused again but she was also angry. "I am nothing like you" she hissed.
"Oh?" said her double, "tell me then. Why do you dare speak to me in such a manner then? If you had not changed you would not have the courage to speak to me like this now would you?"
Kagome was at a total loss for words. This thing was right, Kagome had changed in more ways then one. She had done a good job of hiding it but her thoughts were changing slightly along with her appearance. So far though they had not changed for the worse. "So what if I've changed a bit?" said Kagome narrowing her eyes, "I'm still me"
"Quite true" said her double, "just as I am you. In time I will not exist because I am you. You will be as I am now".
"That will never happen," said Kagome stubbornly. The dream was beginning to fade.
"Don't be so sure" where her doubles only parting words.
Inu-Yasha's dream
"What's going on here" said Inu-Yasha. He was in the middle of a battleground. Hundreds of dead men littered the ground, and all of these men had one thing in common. They had all been slain by the same demon. But which one Inu-Yasha couldn't tell.
Inu-Yasha covered his nose to ward against the smell of death and started to examine the bodies. Whatever had done this had torn these men to shreds. Not even their families would be able to recognize them now.
"I've been waiting for you Inu-Yasha," said a familiar voice. Inu-Yasha looked up to see someone standing a few meters away with their back to him.
"Who are you?" asked Inu-Yasha standing up and taking a few steps toward the person.
"Oh I think you know," said the person. From the voice it was clear that it was a woman. The wind picked up then and blew her hair away from her back revealing a stylized design on her back. It was the Kanji meaning demon.
"I don't know anyone who would do this," said Inu-Yasha, "except maybe Naraku. But you're obviously not him".
"Obviously" said the woman turning around to face Inu-Yasha.
"Its not possible" stammered Inu-Yasha stumbling a step back. "Kagome…you did this?"
Kagome's eyes flashed red and she laughed a deep piercing laugh that cut right into Inu-Yasha's soul. "Of course I did Inu-Yasha. Why else would I be standing here?"
"But why?" said Inu-Yasha, "why would you do such a thing?"
"They got in my way" said Kagome shrugging, "and besides. It was amusing".
"Amusing?" said Inu-Yasha incredulously, "You slaughter an entire army and say its amusing to you?"
Kagome yawned looking bored. "This conversation is getting tiring" she said, "where's the old you Inu-Yasha?"
Inu-Yasha scowled and said, "what do you mean?"
"You were nothing like this when I met you Inu-Yasha" purred Kagome, "You've gone soft".
"Soft?" scoffed Inu-Yasha, "I'm way stronger now then I ever was".
"I don't mean your skill Inu-Yasha," said Kagome smirking at Inu-Yasha, "I am talking about you. I realized a long time ago that the feeble ideals I clung to made me weak. And you Inu-Yasha, I was foolish enough back then to encourage the development of such things in you". Kagome took a menacing step toward Inu-Yasha then and said, "how foolish both of us where".
Inu-Yasha took another step back and grasped the hilt of his sword. "What happened to you" he snarled, "whatever it is it can't be good. Its clear that your heart has turned to stone".
"Your point is?" asked Kagome, "I told you. I have cast aside the foolish ideals that ruled me. If a heart of stone is needed for that so be it". Kagome held out her hand just like she had done in the dream Inu-Yasha had had before. "Come Inu-Yasha" she said, "join me".
The landscape began to swirl and blur around them until only black nothing was left. "Never" snarled Inu-Yasha drawing the tessaiga.
"Then die". At that Kagome lunged for Inu-Yasha. just before she reached him though she faded away to and Inu-Yasha fell.
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The real world
Inu-Yasha jerked out of a dead sleep to find Kagome staring into the fire. "Kagome?" he said sleepily ignoring his dream. It was just a dream after all. "What are you doing up?" he asked when she looked at him.
"Bad dreams" she said poking at the fire with a stick, "I'm not tired anyway".
Inu-Yasha hauled himself up and walked over to her. "Not surprised" he said, "you won't need much sleep anymore. I usually just dose most nights".
"Must get boring," said Kagome.
"Sometimes" admitted Inu-Yasha.
He was about to sit back down when he heard a voice that jarred the others awake as well. "There you are" it said, "I've been looking for you".
Inu-Yasha and Kagome spun around to see who it was. "What do you want this time Kagura" snarled Inu-Yasha grasping the hilt of the tessaiga.
"Her" she said pointing at Kagome.
Author's notes
Well chapter eleven is down. Next up an epic battle with Kagura! Either that or she gets her ass kicked really fast. I'm not saying which one though so you'll have to wait and see. Oh and Sesshoumaru should meet up with the group in the next chapter or the one after that. Ciao!
