A/N: OMG! Gomen for taking soooo long with this chap! Hai, I am well aware
that it took me forever to update this, but I've just been swamped for the
last couple of weeks. You see, this past week was my last week at school,
and you can imagine how much stuff I had to accomplish. I had like, ten
different term papers to submit! Luckily, I had only one final exam to
worry about (I was exempted from all other subjects, yatta!). But now that
classes are over, I swear that it wouldn't take me as long to update. And
yahoo to all hentai readers - I just updated my other fic, Feverish! I
know, it took me long enough. Would you believe that I actually FORGOT
about it!? Well, believe me - my memory is THAT bad. And it took me three
months to get over the writer's block that I had with that fic. GOMEN
NASAI!!!
Enough with my useless ramblings. On with the fic! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own a car (that I don't totally own - my parents do), a crappy computer, a few pieces of jewelry and some make-up, but I don't own Inuyasha. I own my fic though.
-----/---@
SEVEN WEEKS
Controlled
-----/---@
"What do you mean, "you don't know"? You're supposed to fucking know!"
An angry shout filled the early morning atmosphere. A usual morning with Inuyasha.
The hanyou was seething again, glaring at the faces that he could clearly see through his amulet. Kagome stood a few feet away so as not to be seen by the people he was conversing with, wincing every time a profanity slipped from her lover's lips.
"Inuyasha, I told you... we are only allowed to read a chapter of the sacred scrolls every year!" Miroku tried to explain. "Not even the princess has read the entire thing, and she is all-powerful in this realm! Nobody knows how the prophecy ends."
"Well can't you break a single god damn rule for once?!" Inuyasha yelled yet again. "We've been waiting for news on Naraku since yesterday from Kouga..."
Miroku stilled at his use of 'we', and was about to confront him about it when...
"KOUGA?" Sango suddenly screeched from behind Miroku. "You know Kouga? The ookami prince?"
"Yeah, so what?" Inuyasha snapped. "Anyway, yeah, he went ahead in search for an antidote, and he hasn't even shown his shitty face since then. I wanna know what happened!"
"Inuyasha," Miroku replied carefully. "Even if we had already read the entire book, I don't think that Kouga would have been there. The book of prophecies doesn't tell of the fate of every single being on Crystallia."
"So, you're telling me that you really don't know what would happen to this quest, at all?!"
"That's right," Sango said shyly.
"Shit, you guys are fucking useless!"
"Gomen, Inuyasha," Miroku replied. "Anyway, we have one good news though! We're only a few kilometers from the Hangin Plain right now! We should be there by nightfall."
Kagome let out a smothered sound of delight at that, and Inuyasha was suddenly lost.
"Where the fuck is that hanging plain, and why should it be significant?" Inuyasha asked.
"That's HANGIN Plain, Inuyasha. Anyway," Sango replied with a smile. "Do you remember that plain that you passed right before you got to the hot, grassy valley about two weeks back?"
Inuyasha started to shake his head, but suddenly stopped, confusing the heck out of Miroku and Sango when he suddenly grinned lecherously. He remembered, alright...
--- Flashback ---
"I'm roasting here, Kagome! Why in the seven hells does this land have such sudden weather swings?! Yesterday it was so fucking windy..." he said, but trailed off as an image flashed into his mind. He grinned, looking back at a blushing Kagome, who was smoothing her skirt down self-consciously.
"I know what you're thinking, Inuyasha. That would NEVER happen again, you hear me!" she shouted in indignation. The previous day had been so windy, her already short skirt flew way up while she was bending over her bag in front of Inuyasha, giving the hanyou a full view of her underwear and smooth upper thighs. Her hands got caught in her bag in her panic, and she fought the straps for a few agonizingly embarrassing moments before she was able to pull her skirt back down.
"Keh! It wasn't my fault that you weren't wearing shorts!" he replied with a smirk.
--- End Flashback ---
He glanced over at a blushing Kagome discreetly. 'Keh, it seems the wench remembers that day, too,' he thought. It was a funny thing though - after all they had shared, Kagome was still embarrassed about that incident.
"Yeah, I remember. The windy plain... Is that the Hangin Plain?" Inuyasha asked.
"Yes! We'll be there by nightfall!" Miroku exclaimed happily.
"But it took us two weeks to get there! How did YOU get there in only three days?" Inuyasha demanded angrily.
Miroku once again noticed Inuyasha's use of plural nouns.
"Calm down, Inuyasha," Sango said. "We got there faster because Miroku and I have Kirara, and we travel twenty four hours a day."
"Besides," Miroku interjected. "We haven't gotten attacked nearly as much as you did."
"I can see that," Inuyasha remarked dryly upon noticing the monk's hardly scratched skin. "But anyway, I'm glad you guys would be getting here soon. We'll be waiting for you."
'That is the last WE,' Miroku decided. "Inuyasha, I can't help but notice... what is with all the "we's" and "us's"?" he demanded. 'I will get a confession if it's the last thing I do!'
Inuyasha flinched and turned a shade paler. Miroku noticed that the hanyou had suddenly looked somewhere offscreen, stuttering something under his breath.
-----/---@
'Fucking shit,' he thought, looking at Kagome in apprehension. Kagome, who had been listening, stiffened slightly.
Kagome looked at her lover, undecided. 'Should we tell them? After all, Miroku-sama and Sango-chan will be here in a few days. This disclosure would be inevitable...' She knew how hard keeping her a secret from the crafty Miroku was for Inuyasha, and she had recently realized that lying to them would instantly bring a slightly guilty look to Inuyasha's eyes. They were, after all, his friends. They may not have known each other for long, but still...
Kagome looked solidly back at Inuyasha and spoke very softly - so softly that only Inuyasha's hanyou ears would be able to hear her.
"Tell them that you have a companion, but don't tell them who I am."
Inuyasha's eyes instantly brightened at that. He felt guilty about keeping such a big secret from Miroku and Sango, and this would ease a small burden in his heart somehow. Besides, the monk was smart. It was getting harder and harder to do so.
Inuyasha smirked. "Keh! And I thought you were smart! Haven't you figured it out yet, kouzo?" he taunted as he looked back at the other pair. "I have a companion. She's been with me since my first day in Crystallia. How did you think I got past everything so easily?"
Miroku stuttered and Sango gave a small gasp. Both looked at each other before turning back to him.
"Demo, how? Who...?" Sango asked.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Miroku demanded.
"I'm not exactly immortal and invincible you know. I kinda need some help sometimes, and help is something that you two couldn't give me, stuck to the palace like you were. I didn't tell you because she didn't want me to. And on who she is," Inuyasha smiled slyly over at Kagome before turning back to the shocked pair. "You'll have to get here to find out."
"You mean..." Sango began.
"I won't tell you. You would have to meet her personally."
Miroku suddenly looked disapproving. "Inuyasha, do you realize how risky that decision would have been? You took someone with you on your first day! Did it ever occur to you that she may have been a spy for Naraku, and that she..."
Inuyasha saw red. "SHUT UP! If it weren't for her, I would have DIED on my first day! You have no idea what you are talking about. I assure you, she can be trusted."
"Gomen, Inuyasha. I was just worried that..."
"Well, don't," the hanyou interrupted. "Just trust me, as I trust you both to get here. You can all meet each other then. She's a great girl. I'd bet she'd get along with Sango."
'You have no idea, Inu-chan,' Kagome thought as she heard Miroku say, "Hai, Inuyasha. Sorry."
"Don't sweat it. Do you have any idea when you could possibly catch up?" asked Inuyasha.
"In three to five days, I suppose," Miroku answered slowly, measuring their timeframe.
"Well, hurry up. I only have ten days left in Crystallia. I gotta go. See ya."
"Ja ne, Inuyasha," Miroku said just before Inuyasha closed off his amulet.
Inuyasha put his amulet back in his robes before looking over at Kagome. "Oi, you hear that? They'll be here real soon. I don't really know how good those two are with weapons, but a few extra hands is good, ne?"
Kagome smiled at him sadly, which greatly puzzled Inuyasha. "Hai. It's good. I know they are able fighters. I've seen both of them at work before, and I'm telling you, they're good. Besides, they are palace dwellers, remember? They are well-trained."
"Yeah I remember," Inuyasha said before stepping up to her. He realized just how sad Kagome had looked as he stopped talking to the other pair. "Kagome, what is it?"
"Nanimo," she replied. "I'm just worried about Kouga-kun. He still hasn't returned, and I really think that something bad has happened to him.
Inuyasha put his arms around her and tried to calm her down. Truth be told, he was worried as well. Kouga had headed for trouble when he decided to "visit" Naraku, and like it or not, Naraku was very powerful.
"Don't worry Kago-ko. He'll be alright."
-----/---@
"Well, how is he, Kanna?" Naraku asked as the youkai of nothingness came into view.
"He is doing fine, I believe. He is a fine addition, Naraku-sama," she replied, looking over her shoulder at a bloody man who stood panting behind her.
Chunks of blood clung to the man's long, dark hair. His claws were full of the same dark substance, and his clothes were also caked by the liquid.
But the fact remained that it was not his own blood that covered him.
Naraku grinned widely as he took in the sight. "Ku ku ku. Beautiful... simply beautiful," he said as he rose from his place on the floor. He swept past both people who were in his room with him to look at the scene outside the garnet tower.
He had called forth a hundred of mid-level youkai and set them against his new minion, trying to see how well he would do. His wide grin turned into a full-blown smirk as he took in the sight of the slain youkai, most of which were badly mutilated. His new "ally" had taken them all single handedly.
He turned back and regarded Kanna and the newbie, crossing his arms over his chest. "Go now, both of you. I believe he is ready to get rid of Inuyasha. But remember, bring the princess back to me, alive and unharmed. Get it?"
Kanna nodded as she turned and headed out of the room, followed by the bloody man. Naraku stopped them before they were out the door.
"And remember to bring Inuyasha's head to me. I want his head. Do you understand me," he grinned, "Kouga? And do take a bath before you head out."
Kouga raised dull blue eyes to his master, before he nodded and left the room.
-----/---@
Kagura smirked when she heard what Naraku had told Kanna and the ookami. 'Inuyasha no atama? Gods, that's disgusting!'
She turned away from the door as she saw the pair emerge from it. She looked down at Kanna and asked evenly, "Are you leaving now?"
Kanna nodded solemnly as she tried to brush past Kagura, but the wind youkai held her by the shoulder and halted her steps. Kanna turned her mirror to Kouga, who looked momentarily at her before sauntering off, heading for the water hole.
"Nani, Kagura? What do you want?" the childlike youkai inquired, her face as expressionless as ever.
"You are controlling the ookami's soul, aren't you?"
"Hai. I am. Now let me go," Kanna replied before trying to break free of her sister's hold. Kagura would not budge. "I told you what you wanted to know. Let me go now."
"That's not all I wanted to know!" Kagura said evenly. "I wanna know if Naraku has any control over the Shikon no Tama yet. How do you intend to defeat Inuyasha and Kagome?"
Kanna looked puzzled for a moment before she answered. "Kouga will take care of Inuyasha. Once he has killed the hanyou, it will be easy for me to control the hime's soul."
Kagura was confused. "How could you even think that? You have failed to control Kagome before, remember?"
"I just know I can do it without the hanyou. Don't you remember... I had her in my power before he came over. Only then was she able to break the curse. Without him, her will is weaker, and I can conquer her," Kanna replied softly.
Kagura jerked her hand back. "Are you saying that she will be easier to handle without Inuyasha?"
"Exactly."
"Demo, why is that?"
"Those two... they give each other strength. I have to admit that Kagome is powerful all on her own, but she grows more so with him around," Kanna explained. "It won't be easy to control her, but at least, with the hanyou out of the way, it would be possible."
Kagura understood just what she meant, was something was bothering her. "How? How do they give each other such strength?"
Kanna raised her mirror enough to show Kagura what she had shown Naraku earlier. Kagura outwardly gasped.
"You see?" she asked as Kagura's eyes widened. "They are in love. The other is their other half. Without that other, they would be broken... and only then can we truly defeat them."
-----/---@
Inuyasha sniffed the air in annoyance. Something was bothering him to no end, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was. There were no strange scents in the air, the temperature was normal (for Crystallia), and there were no strange happenings whatsoever. So why was he so agitated?
Kagome obviously noticed his distress. "Inuyasha? Nani o?"
Inuyasha shrugged and stared off, trying to see beyond the late afternoon horizon. "Nothing, wench."
"Oh, that was romantic." Kagome replied dryly as she continued to walk beside the hanyou.
He didn't even notice that she had spoken, and that worried Kagome. "Inuyasha, please, tell me what's bothering you?"
Inuyasha looked back at his koi before sighing. "Something's off, Kago-ko. I just can't tell what it is," he said, a thoughtful look on his face. "And I can't even put my finger on WHY I think there's something wrong."
"A gut feeling?" Kagome asked softly. "I'm having one too. But I can't describe it."
"There's nothing to describe. I don't even sense anything wrong. I just get this feeling that... That something bad is about to happen," he said, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.
"I don't..." she began when Inuyasha suddenly started. "Inuyasha? What is it?"
"I smell Kouga..."
"That's great!"
"...but he's not alone."
"Eh?"
Inuyasha sniffed the air before growling softly. "Kagome, hide. In that cave, quick!"
Kagome looked confused when Inuyasha tried to push her back. "Matte, Inuyasha! What is it?"
"Kouga's coming... but he's got Naraku with him. I don't know what happened, but I know I don't want you here when he gets here. Something's not right..."
-----/---@
A/N: There's the chap! I know it's kinda short, but it seemed like the best way to end it! ^_^ And I just had to put in another deadly cliffy, ne? Oooh, I hate myself... I can't help ending chapters like that! I hate cliffies, but I just can't help it! GOMEN!!!! :(( But I swear, I'm not trying to kill anyone! And again, gomen for taking so long!
RESPONSES!!!
Yuppers2003: Arigatou! ^_^
InuKag0008: I'm glad you enjoy my work! You'll read the aff.net version too? Ooooh... thanks! Gomen for the long update!
Justmeh: Congratulations! You are my 200th reviewer! I'm glad you like it. Anyway, this would probably reach 25-30 chaps, so there's still a bit more to go!
Kagome-chan1234567890: I'm glad you liked it! ^_^
Litwolf689: I have a twisted obsession with hurting Kouga, don't I? But honestly, I like him. I just like torturing him, lol! I'm glad you liked the chap, and hey, thanks for reading AND reviewing the lemon! I'm glad you liked that too!
DevilWench: I'm glad you liked it! ^_^
Hyperchica11: Don't worry! I promise, everything will work out! I personally dislike sad endings, and I'm gonna make this work out if it's the last thing I do! Actually, I have the end all planned out now, and I promise you won't be disappointed! And I'd like to say that I am honored for being the cause of your babbling... lol! Though honestly, I like long reviews, and I don't mind at all! You could all tell me your life stories and I'd still be ever grateful! Besides, I ramble a lot myself. Anyway, I'm glad you liked it!
Kawaii-anime-lover1: I'm glad I got you hooked. ^_^ Me, write a book? I don't think that would work... I'm not really that good, but thanks for the vote of confidence! Kikyo? Ugh! I hate her guts soooo badly... she won't be in this fic.
Trina: Mahirap mastranded a. I'm glad you liked it!
BlazinRuby: Hehe... I was feeling kinda angsty then, I guess it reflected on my chap! Anyway, it hurts like a total bitch, I agree. I'm sorry that it happened to you too... I wouldn't want something like what's happening to me have to happen to anyone else. But shit happens, ne?
Blubber: Brilliant? Me? Oh, thanks! And believe me, having your boyfriend go hurts millions of times worse than having your dog die. And I know because I just lost my dog a few months ago! SPARKY!!! Why did you have to die?!
LiL-Kagome: I'm glad you like my story so much! One of your favorites? I'm honored, honestly! Thanks! Here's the chap!
Charlene: Hi friend! Glad you liked my tribute chapter! Hey, thanks again.
Sukuri: I do the same thing - copy and paste on word, so I don't use up the internet too much. I have a time limit, lol! Anyway, I wrote the alternate chap for the lemon non-readers. I know the stuff used to irk me too... Hey, are you from Hawaii? Cool! From what I heard, Hawaii has great surfs. I wanna get there someday! Man, I LOVE swimming!
Dragonstar03: Glad you like it. Fictionpress? What's that?
Hanamaru285: I'm glad you liked it! Thanks!
TheWraith1: My fave is You're Still You. Oh, his voice (swoons)! I love Josh Groban! Anyway, my boyfriend isn't breaking up with me. He's just going off to Canada for his education. OUCH! I am sooo gonna miss him. We'd still communicate though, through the phone and the internet. Teletubbies? *shudders* My baby bro watches that crap, and those homosexual freaks give me the creeps. You once asked about Kagura and Kanna, ne? Well, I now know what I want to do to those two as this fic ends. Oh cool, a new IY story! What's it about? Who's rejecting who? AAAH! I'm curious...
Krishna Faye: I'm glad you like my fic! Thanks! ^_^
Jesse The Wolf Demon: Oh, it's not irritating at all! Would you believe I actually like Kagura? And anyway, they'll end up together, and Naraku will die painfully and slowly, that I can assure you! Miroku and Sango will catch up soon, too!
So, there. That was the chap. Gomen again for taking ages. I swear, the next update won't take as long as this because my classes are finally over. I have a whole month free! And besides, I just turned 18 last October 1. I am now a legal adult, and I feel soooo inspired to write stuff, I'm gonna keep typing til all my fingers are sore!
Anyway, til next time, minna! Thanks to all those who reviewed my previous chapters, and PLEASE, read and review this chap! I wanna know what you all think of this!
Arigatou! Ja ne!
ScarletRaven1001
Enough with my useless ramblings. On with the fic! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own a car (that I don't totally own - my parents do), a crappy computer, a few pieces of jewelry and some make-up, but I don't own Inuyasha. I own my fic though.
-----/---@
SEVEN WEEKS
Controlled
-----/---@
"What do you mean, "you don't know"? You're supposed to fucking know!"
An angry shout filled the early morning atmosphere. A usual morning with Inuyasha.
The hanyou was seething again, glaring at the faces that he could clearly see through his amulet. Kagome stood a few feet away so as not to be seen by the people he was conversing with, wincing every time a profanity slipped from her lover's lips.
"Inuyasha, I told you... we are only allowed to read a chapter of the sacred scrolls every year!" Miroku tried to explain. "Not even the princess has read the entire thing, and she is all-powerful in this realm! Nobody knows how the prophecy ends."
"Well can't you break a single god damn rule for once?!" Inuyasha yelled yet again. "We've been waiting for news on Naraku since yesterday from Kouga..."
Miroku stilled at his use of 'we', and was about to confront him about it when...
"KOUGA?" Sango suddenly screeched from behind Miroku. "You know Kouga? The ookami prince?"
"Yeah, so what?" Inuyasha snapped. "Anyway, yeah, he went ahead in search for an antidote, and he hasn't even shown his shitty face since then. I wanna know what happened!"
"Inuyasha," Miroku replied carefully. "Even if we had already read the entire book, I don't think that Kouga would have been there. The book of prophecies doesn't tell of the fate of every single being on Crystallia."
"So, you're telling me that you really don't know what would happen to this quest, at all?!"
"That's right," Sango said shyly.
"Shit, you guys are fucking useless!"
"Gomen, Inuyasha," Miroku replied. "Anyway, we have one good news though! We're only a few kilometers from the Hangin Plain right now! We should be there by nightfall."
Kagome let out a smothered sound of delight at that, and Inuyasha was suddenly lost.
"Where the fuck is that hanging plain, and why should it be significant?" Inuyasha asked.
"That's HANGIN Plain, Inuyasha. Anyway," Sango replied with a smile. "Do you remember that plain that you passed right before you got to the hot, grassy valley about two weeks back?"
Inuyasha started to shake his head, but suddenly stopped, confusing the heck out of Miroku and Sango when he suddenly grinned lecherously. He remembered, alright...
--- Flashback ---
"I'm roasting here, Kagome! Why in the seven hells does this land have such sudden weather swings?! Yesterday it was so fucking windy..." he said, but trailed off as an image flashed into his mind. He grinned, looking back at a blushing Kagome, who was smoothing her skirt down self-consciously.
"I know what you're thinking, Inuyasha. That would NEVER happen again, you hear me!" she shouted in indignation. The previous day had been so windy, her already short skirt flew way up while she was bending over her bag in front of Inuyasha, giving the hanyou a full view of her underwear and smooth upper thighs. Her hands got caught in her bag in her panic, and she fought the straps for a few agonizingly embarrassing moments before she was able to pull her skirt back down.
"Keh! It wasn't my fault that you weren't wearing shorts!" he replied with a smirk.
--- End Flashback ---
He glanced over at a blushing Kagome discreetly. 'Keh, it seems the wench remembers that day, too,' he thought. It was a funny thing though - after all they had shared, Kagome was still embarrassed about that incident.
"Yeah, I remember. The windy plain... Is that the Hangin Plain?" Inuyasha asked.
"Yes! We'll be there by nightfall!" Miroku exclaimed happily.
"But it took us two weeks to get there! How did YOU get there in only three days?" Inuyasha demanded angrily.
Miroku once again noticed Inuyasha's use of plural nouns.
"Calm down, Inuyasha," Sango said. "We got there faster because Miroku and I have Kirara, and we travel twenty four hours a day."
"Besides," Miroku interjected. "We haven't gotten attacked nearly as much as you did."
"I can see that," Inuyasha remarked dryly upon noticing the monk's hardly scratched skin. "But anyway, I'm glad you guys would be getting here soon. We'll be waiting for you."
'That is the last WE,' Miroku decided. "Inuyasha, I can't help but notice... what is with all the "we's" and "us's"?" he demanded. 'I will get a confession if it's the last thing I do!'
Inuyasha flinched and turned a shade paler. Miroku noticed that the hanyou had suddenly looked somewhere offscreen, stuttering something under his breath.
-----/---@
'Fucking shit,' he thought, looking at Kagome in apprehension. Kagome, who had been listening, stiffened slightly.
Kagome looked at her lover, undecided. 'Should we tell them? After all, Miroku-sama and Sango-chan will be here in a few days. This disclosure would be inevitable...' She knew how hard keeping her a secret from the crafty Miroku was for Inuyasha, and she had recently realized that lying to them would instantly bring a slightly guilty look to Inuyasha's eyes. They were, after all, his friends. They may not have known each other for long, but still...
Kagome looked solidly back at Inuyasha and spoke very softly - so softly that only Inuyasha's hanyou ears would be able to hear her.
"Tell them that you have a companion, but don't tell them who I am."
Inuyasha's eyes instantly brightened at that. He felt guilty about keeping such a big secret from Miroku and Sango, and this would ease a small burden in his heart somehow. Besides, the monk was smart. It was getting harder and harder to do so.
Inuyasha smirked. "Keh! And I thought you were smart! Haven't you figured it out yet, kouzo?" he taunted as he looked back at the other pair. "I have a companion. She's been with me since my first day in Crystallia. How did you think I got past everything so easily?"
Miroku stuttered and Sango gave a small gasp. Both looked at each other before turning back to him.
"Demo, how? Who...?" Sango asked.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Miroku demanded.
"I'm not exactly immortal and invincible you know. I kinda need some help sometimes, and help is something that you two couldn't give me, stuck to the palace like you were. I didn't tell you because she didn't want me to. And on who she is," Inuyasha smiled slyly over at Kagome before turning back to the shocked pair. "You'll have to get here to find out."
"You mean..." Sango began.
"I won't tell you. You would have to meet her personally."
Miroku suddenly looked disapproving. "Inuyasha, do you realize how risky that decision would have been? You took someone with you on your first day! Did it ever occur to you that she may have been a spy for Naraku, and that she..."
Inuyasha saw red. "SHUT UP! If it weren't for her, I would have DIED on my first day! You have no idea what you are talking about. I assure you, she can be trusted."
"Gomen, Inuyasha. I was just worried that..."
"Well, don't," the hanyou interrupted. "Just trust me, as I trust you both to get here. You can all meet each other then. She's a great girl. I'd bet she'd get along with Sango."
'You have no idea, Inu-chan,' Kagome thought as she heard Miroku say, "Hai, Inuyasha. Sorry."
"Don't sweat it. Do you have any idea when you could possibly catch up?" asked Inuyasha.
"In three to five days, I suppose," Miroku answered slowly, measuring their timeframe.
"Well, hurry up. I only have ten days left in Crystallia. I gotta go. See ya."
"Ja ne, Inuyasha," Miroku said just before Inuyasha closed off his amulet.
Inuyasha put his amulet back in his robes before looking over at Kagome. "Oi, you hear that? They'll be here real soon. I don't really know how good those two are with weapons, but a few extra hands is good, ne?"
Kagome smiled at him sadly, which greatly puzzled Inuyasha. "Hai. It's good. I know they are able fighters. I've seen both of them at work before, and I'm telling you, they're good. Besides, they are palace dwellers, remember? They are well-trained."
"Yeah I remember," Inuyasha said before stepping up to her. He realized just how sad Kagome had looked as he stopped talking to the other pair. "Kagome, what is it?"
"Nanimo," she replied. "I'm just worried about Kouga-kun. He still hasn't returned, and I really think that something bad has happened to him.
Inuyasha put his arms around her and tried to calm her down. Truth be told, he was worried as well. Kouga had headed for trouble when he decided to "visit" Naraku, and like it or not, Naraku was very powerful.
"Don't worry Kago-ko. He'll be alright."
-----/---@
"Well, how is he, Kanna?" Naraku asked as the youkai of nothingness came into view.
"He is doing fine, I believe. He is a fine addition, Naraku-sama," she replied, looking over her shoulder at a bloody man who stood panting behind her.
Chunks of blood clung to the man's long, dark hair. His claws were full of the same dark substance, and his clothes were also caked by the liquid.
But the fact remained that it was not his own blood that covered him.
Naraku grinned widely as he took in the sight. "Ku ku ku. Beautiful... simply beautiful," he said as he rose from his place on the floor. He swept past both people who were in his room with him to look at the scene outside the garnet tower.
He had called forth a hundred of mid-level youkai and set them against his new minion, trying to see how well he would do. His wide grin turned into a full-blown smirk as he took in the sight of the slain youkai, most of which were badly mutilated. His new "ally" had taken them all single handedly.
He turned back and regarded Kanna and the newbie, crossing his arms over his chest. "Go now, both of you. I believe he is ready to get rid of Inuyasha. But remember, bring the princess back to me, alive and unharmed. Get it?"
Kanna nodded as she turned and headed out of the room, followed by the bloody man. Naraku stopped them before they were out the door.
"And remember to bring Inuyasha's head to me. I want his head. Do you understand me," he grinned, "Kouga? And do take a bath before you head out."
Kouga raised dull blue eyes to his master, before he nodded and left the room.
-----/---@
Kagura smirked when she heard what Naraku had told Kanna and the ookami. 'Inuyasha no atama? Gods, that's disgusting!'
She turned away from the door as she saw the pair emerge from it. She looked down at Kanna and asked evenly, "Are you leaving now?"
Kanna nodded solemnly as she tried to brush past Kagura, but the wind youkai held her by the shoulder and halted her steps. Kanna turned her mirror to Kouga, who looked momentarily at her before sauntering off, heading for the water hole.
"Nani, Kagura? What do you want?" the childlike youkai inquired, her face as expressionless as ever.
"You are controlling the ookami's soul, aren't you?"
"Hai. I am. Now let me go," Kanna replied before trying to break free of her sister's hold. Kagura would not budge. "I told you what you wanted to know. Let me go now."
"That's not all I wanted to know!" Kagura said evenly. "I wanna know if Naraku has any control over the Shikon no Tama yet. How do you intend to defeat Inuyasha and Kagome?"
Kanna looked puzzled for a moment before she answered. "Kouga will take care of Inuyasha. Once he has killed the hanyou, it will be easy for me to control the hime's soul."
Kagura was confused. "How could you even think that? You have failed to control Kagome before, remember?"
"I just know I can do it without the hanyou. Don't you remember... I had her in my power before he came over. Only then was she able to break the curse. Without him, her will is weaker, and I can conquer her," Kanna replied softly.
Kagura jerked her hand back. "Are you saying that she will be easier to handle without Inuyasha?"
"Exactly."
"Demo, why is that?"
"Those two... they give each other strength. I have to admit that Kagome is powerful all on her own, but she grows more so with him around," Kanna explained. "It won't be easy to control her, but at least, with the hanyou out of the way, it would be possible."
Kagura understood just what she meant, was something was bothering her. "How? How do they give each other such strength?"
Kanna raised her mirror enough to show Kagura what she had shown Naraku earlier. Kagura outwardly gasped.
"You see?" she asked as Kagura's eyes widened. "They are in love. The other is their other half. Without that other, they would be broken... and only then can we truly defeat them."
-----/---@
Inuyasha sniffed the air in annoyance. Something was bothering him to no end, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was. There were no strange scents in the air, the temperature was normal (for Crystallia), and there were no strange happenings whatsoever. So why was he so agitated?
Kagome obviously noticed his distress. "Inuyasha? Nani o?"
Inuyasha shrugged and stared off, trying to see beyond the late afternoon horizon. "Nothing, wench."
"Oh, that was romantic." Kagome replied dryly as she continued to walk beside the hanyou.
He didn't even notice that she had spoken, and that worried Kagome. "Inuyasha, please, tell me what's bothering you?"
Inuyasha looked back at his koi before sighing. "Something's off, Kago-ko. I just can't tell what it is," he said, a thoughtful look on his face. "And I can't even put my finger on WHY I think there's something wrong."
"A gut feeling?" Kagome asked softly. "I'm having one too. But I can't describe it."
"There's nothing to describe. I don't even sense anything wrong. I just get this feeling that... That something bad is about to happen," he said, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.
"I don't..." she began when Inuyasha suddenly started. "Inuyasha? What is it?"
"I smell Kouga..."
"That's great!"
"...but he's not alone."
"Eh?"
Inuyasha sniffed the air before growling softly. "Kagome, hide. In that cave, quick!"
Kagome looked confused when Inuyasha tried to push her back. "Matte, Inuyasha! What is it?"
"Kouga's coming... but he's got Naraku with him. I don't know what happened, but I know I don't want you here when he gets here. Something's not right..."
-----/---@
A/N: There's the chap! I know it's kinda short, but it seemed like the best way to end it! ^_^ And I just had to put in another deadly cliffy, ne? Oooh, I hate myself... I can't help ending chapters like that! I hate cliffies, but I just can't help it! GOMEN!!!! :(( But I swear, I'm not trying to kill anyone! And again, gomen for taking so long!
RESPONSES!!!
Yuppers2003: Arigatou! ^_^
InuKag0008: I'm glad you enjoy my work! You'll read the aff.net version too? Ooooh... thanks! Gomen for the long update!
Justmeh: Congratulations! You are my 200th reviewer! I'm glad you like it. Anyway, this would probably reach 25-30 chaps, so there's still a bit more to go!
Kagome-chan1234567890: I'm glad you liked it! ^_^
Litwolf689: I have a twisted obsession with hurting Kouga, don't I? But honestly, I like him. I just like torturing him, lol! I'm glad you liked the chap, and hey, thanks for reading AND reviewing the lemon! I'm glad you liked that too!
DevilWench: I'm glad you liked it! ^_^
Hyperchica11: Don't worry! I promise, everything will work out! I personally dislike sad endings, and I'm gonna make this work out if it's the last thing I do! Actually, I have the end all planned out now, and I promise you won't be disappointed! And I'd like to say that I am honored for being the cause of your babbling... lol! Though honestly, I like long reviews, and I don't mind at all! You could all tell me your life stories and I'd still be ever grateful! Besides, I ramble a lot myself. Anyway, I'm glad you liked it!
Kawaii-anime-lover1: I'm glad I got you hooked. ^_^ Me, write a book? I don't think that would work... I'm not really that good, but thanks for the vote of confidence! Kikyo? Ugh! I hate her guts soooo badly... she won't be in this fic.
Trina: Mahirap mastranded a. I'm glad you liked it!
BlazinRuby: Hehe... I was feeling kinda angsty then, I guess it reflected on my chap! Anyway, it hurts like a total bitch, I agree. I'm sorry that it happened to you too... I wouldn't want something like what's happening to me have to happen to anyone else. But shit happens, ne?
Blubber: Brilliant? Me? Oh, thanks! And believe me, having your boyfriend go hurts millions of times worse than having your dog die. And I know because I just lost my dog a few months ago! SPARKY!!! Why did you have to die?!
LiL-Kagome: I'm glad you like my story so much! One of your favorites? I'm honored, honestly! Thanks! Here's the chap!
Charlene: Hi friend! Glad you liked my tribute chapter! Hey, thanks again.
Sukuri: I do the same thing - copy and paste on word, so I don't use up the internet too much. I have a time limit, lol! Anyway, I wrote the alternate chap for the lemon non-readers. I know the stuff used to irk me too... Hey, are you from Hawaii? Cool! From what I heard, Hawaii has great surfs. I wanna get there someday! Man, I LOVE swimming!
Dragonstar03: Glad you like it. Fictionpress? What's that?
Hanamaru285: I'm glad you liked it! Thanks!
TheWraith1: My fave is You're Still You. Oh, his voice (swoons)! I love Josh Groban! Anyway, my boyfriend isn't breaking up with me. He's just going off to Canada for his education. OUCH! I am sooo gonna miss him. We'd still communicate though, through the phone and the internet. Teletubbies? *shudders* My baby bro watches that crap, and those homosexual freaks give me the creeps. You once asked about Kagura and Kanna, ne? Well, I now know what I want to do to those two as this fic ends. Oh cool, a new IY story! What's it about? Who's rejecting who? AAAH! I'm curious...
Krishna Faye: I'm glad you like my fic! Thanks! ^_^
Jesse The Wolf Demon: Oh, it's not irritating at all! Would you believe I actually like Kagura? And anyway, they'll end up together, and Naraku will die painfully and slowly, that I can assure you! Miroku and Sango will catch up soon, too!
So, there. That was the chap. Gomen again for taking ages. I swear, the next update won't take as long as this because my classes are finally over. I have a whole month free! And besides, I just turned 18 last October 1. I am now a legal adult, and I feel soooo inspired to write stuff, I'm gonna keep typing til all my fingers are sore!
Anyway, til next time, minna! Thanks to all those who reviewed my previous chapters, and PLEASE, read and review this chap! I wanna know what you all think of this!
Arigatou! Ja ne!
ScarletRaven1001
