Forever and a Day
Disclaimer: Inuyasha is mine, all mine. (Lawyer's come in) Just kidding! Just kidding! Can't y'all take a joke? Anyway, the only one I own is Seryth. He is mine. Mine, mine, MINE! Got it?
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Life Without FreedomKagome awoke with a start, her throat hurting and her body stiff. At first she wondered why her throat was sore but then it came back to her in a wave of reality that crashed upon her mind. Naraku had her. That bastard had tried to strangle her and then he kidnapped her. Her eyes snapped open and she tried to struggle to her feet, but stopped when she realized her arms were bound to a stone wall by a chain and her feet by a rope. She tried to shout for help and then realized her mouth was gagged.
"Awake are we?" came a voice from the corner. Kagome looked around and found herself face to face with the wind sorceress Kagura. Just perfect, Kagome thought bitterly, all I need is Kagura throwing it in my face. But to Kagome's great surprise what Kagura did was so far from what she expected that Kagome almost fell into a coma.
"Are you ok enough to walk? Naraku wanted to see you when you were awake." The genuine concern on Kagura's face deeply touched Kagome and at the same time confirmed her suspicions about Kagura resisting against Naraku.
Since Kagome couldn't speak for obvious reasons she just nodded. Kagura quickly sliced the bonds around Kagome's feet and led her down a hall to Naraku's chambers. When they got there Kagura bowed deeply to the shoji screen and urged Kagome to do the same.
"The girl has awakened, Master Naraku." Kagura said formally.
"Send her in alone," came Naraku's voice from beyond the shoji screen. Kagura bowed once again and then opened the shoji for Kagome since Kagome was… a little tied up at the moment. Right before the wind sorceress was about to close the screen behind Kagome, Kagome could have sworn she heard Kagura say 'Good Luck'. Probably my imagination, she thought uneasily. Even uneasy thoughts were some distraction to what fate held in store for her.
Kagome turned around to face the darkest corner of the room, where she knew Naraku waited for her. "On your knees wench." came the sinister voice of Naraku. Kagome fell quickly to her knees, an invisible force pushing her. Naraku came into sight and Kagome felt a surge of hatred towards him.
"What do you think of my castle?" he asked, the laughter in his voice making Kagome want to hurl, "I hope you liked your room, although you didn't get the chance to see it I suppose. Well, I wouldn't worry too much; you'll soon become so familiar with the walls in your room that you'll be begging to leave it."
Since Kagome couldn't speak she just stared defiantly into Naraku's eyes. Why did he want her? She hoped it wasn't to lure Inuyasha to him. Inuyasha wouldn't care if she was the bait. All he would care about is Kikyou, she was just a copy. Naraku bent down so they were face-to-face and smirked at her. As if he had read her thoughts he said,
"Don't worry, my little miko. I could care less if Inuyasha came for you. What I want is for you to go to him and to kill him for me. Imagine how heartbroken he'll be when the woman he loves will be the one to kill him." He stood back up and turned is back on her. "Kagura," he called to the demoness who was still waiting outside the shoji screen, "I want to take our guest to Seryth to begin her lessons. Make sure she is given better fighting clothes. What she is wearing now is hardly decent." He glanced at Kagome from over his shoulder and added, "And tell Seryth that he is to is to make sure that she knows the consequences of disobeying.
Kagome heard the shoji screen behind her slide open and Kagura helped her to her feet. "Follow me," she said, already on her way out. Kagome followed and as soon as they were out of earshot Kagura stopped and untied her.
"Are you alright Kagome?" Once again the concern on her face shocked Kagome. Kagome nodded and Kagura motioned for Kagome to follow her once again.
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They were in the middle of a clearing. The sun filtered through the leaves creating towers of light in which you could see specks of dust lazily floating towards the ground. Above the canopy of trees the sky was a cloudless blue that seemed to increase the splendour of the sun. It was a good day, one that should have brought good feelings, but instead everyone was in a gloomy mood.
"Inuyasha, aren't you hungry?" Miroku was surprised when the hanyou did not accept his offer of ramen. Inuyasha shook his head and growled slightly. Miroku shrugged and attacked the ramen on his own. Good food shouldn't go to waste.
Sango and Shippou were out on Kirara, making sure that they were on the right path, and had left him alone with only the grumbling hanyou for company. He would much rather be with Sango, stroking her lovely—
"Is something funny monk?" Inuyasha's voice ripped him away from his pleasant thoughts. He hadn't noticed he had been grinning like a fool. "Oh nothing Inuyasha. I wish you wouldn't be so tense." Miroku sighed when he saw the furious look on the hanyou's face. Three…two…one…
"Well I don't see how you can be so cheerful. Kagome could be dead for all we know and you sit here grinning about god knows what. And if that isn't enough Sango expects me to wait here with you while she goes looking when I could be done searching in half the time it's taking her." He cut off, gasping for breath. Meanwhile, Miroku's thoughts had drifted back to Sango and things that would be much more fun than sitting here with Inuyasha…
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Kagome looked down uncertainly at the kimono that Kagura had given her to wear. It was a deep blue with silver vines intricately embroidered on the sleeves and the neck. Otherwise it was plain and very comfortable, although she wasn't sure if she would be able to fight in it. When she mentioned that to Kagura—she was actually starting to really like the demoness and she seemed to like her back—she merely said she should stop worrying about her clothes and think about other things.
Then Kagura led her to a connecting chamber. Inside there was a man standing there, apparently waiting for them. He was tall, with tanned skin and short black hair. His eyes burned a bright, intense green and his ears were pointed. He wore baggy black pants that were the exact same style as Inuyasha's and his shirt was an even deeper black—if that was possible—that fit fairly well around the body but had wide sleeves.
"Kagura, you're late." his voice was similar to Inuyasha's but slightly deeper with a strange musical quality to it that she had never heard from Inuyasha or any man for that matter. "You were supposed to bring the girl ten minutes ago."
"Naraku told me to get her better clothes. If you want to complain than take it up with Naraku. I don't have time, Seryth." Kagura growled through clenched teeth. "What do you have to do so badly that you can't spend time to talk to me?" Seryth asked with mock hurt.
"I have business to take care of." Kagome couldn't help but notice the not-so-subtle glance Kagura sent her way, and then she turned and left, leaving Kagome alone with Seryth. I wonder if Inuyasha will come and get me if Kagura tells him I'm here…
"Well aren't we a pretty thing." Kagome gave a start as Seryth grabbed her chin and examined her, moving her face this way and that—she hadn't even noticed he had moved. "You're hardly the type I would expect to run around with a half-breed, but then one should never expect things I suppose." He let go of her, his face getting a little more serious. "Can you use any weapons?"
"A bow and arrow, but nothing else." she answered uncertainly.
"Not much to work with but it's a start." he said, going to a corner of the room that was filled with weapons of all sorts. He picked out a bow that was a little shorter than she was used to and a quiver filled with arrows. He thrust them into her hands and walked a little bit away from her and spread his arms wide. "Hit me." he told her.
For a moment she simply stared between the weapons in her hands and Seryth, still standing in front of her. Then an idea hit her. She fit an arrow into her bow and aimed. The arrow sped towards Seryth, not gaining its flaring pink aura around it. She had done that purposely. The arrow landed in front of his feet, she had done that purposely too. While he bent down to pick up the arrow she quickly let another one loose. This time a flaring pink aura of miko energy did surround the arrow, and she was absolutely sure it would hit.
The arrow flew towards Seryth but at the last moment Seryth held up his hand, stopping the arrow an inch from his face. He stood up slowly, the arrow following his hand upwards. "Nice try Kagome, but I am no fool. I knew you knew more than you were letting on. Now you have to learn the consequences of lying to me."
"But I didn't lie!" Kagome protested desperately. She really hadn't lied.
"Oh no, my little miko. I this palace not revealing the whole truth is considered a lie. And personally, I don't really much like lying." The aura that still swirled around the aura suddenly turned jet black and flared even bigger. Then the arrow turned and sped towards Kagome.
At first she stared at the arrow in a daze-like state but she eventually jerked to her senses. Instinctively she dropped the weapons in her hands and threw the up to protect her face. After a couple of moments, she wondered why she had not yet felt the painful impact of the arrow to her flesh. She cracked on eye open and then dropped her hands in astonishment.
Before her the arrow lay on the ground in two pieces and all around her was a shimmering barrier of pink light. Had she created this? She had seen both Kikyou and Kaede make barrier with their miko powers before but had never done it herself. This barrier had been instinctive and she could not remember how she had done it if her life was on the line—which it probably was in her current predicament—but still, she had made it.
She could not she Seryth through the barrier and she knew holding it much longer would make her problem even worse. Reluctantly she let the shield drop, bracing herself for whatever pain Seryth was waiting to unleash upon her. Remarkably though, he did not look angry at all. He was…smiling.
"Well our miko is a strong one, to be able to resist my power. Do you remember what you did?" Kagome shook her head uneasily. She did not know what to make of Seryth. Was he like Kagura, forced to serve under Naraku? Or did he do it of his own free will?
He sighed. "Then I will have to show you. You will not make a good fighter if you do not know how to defend yourself. Especially against that half-breed." He walked over and stood beside her. "Watch." Suddenly a black barrier stood where her pink one had once been.
"How did you do that?" Kagome had never seen a man able to do the things a miko could. "Let's just say that I'm a fast learner." he smirked, "I saw you do it and caught onto it immediately, even when you didn't." The black barrier disappeared as suddenly as it had come into existence. "Now you try." he told her.
Focusing, Kagome raised a barrier that was pink in colour instead of black. Seryth gave a small grin which was probably the biggest smile that had ever appeared on his face.
"Good, good. I see you're not completely useless." Kagome didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or and insult so she just let the barrier drop. His grin faded a little but did not vanish entirely.
"Now you must also learn to use the barrier as a form of offence as well as defence. Like this," he raised the black barrier once again but instead of letting it stand he let it fly at her. She barely had enough time to raise her own, and when they connected she fell to her knees, groaning.
The pain of his dark energy meeting hers had been unbearable. He was strong, very strong. The strange thing was, when the barriers had crashed, she had sensed something strange from him. Where her energy was uncorrupted and purified, his had been contaminated and had tried to…taint her power. Odd.
"Let me help you up." His voice startled her for a moment, and she looked up to find him standing over her, offering his hand. She took his hand and he hoisted her up. She swayed and fell into his chest. When she looked up, her eyes met his and she suddenly got a flash of something. Looking in his eyes, she saw Inuyasha and he was…well she didn't know what he was doing but he was there. He suddenly let go of her, almost making her lose her balance.
"Let's try again." He said again and moved back to his previous spot.
"What—" she began, but he had already sent the barrier flying at her. She had no time to raise her barrier and the pain from this made the one from before feel like a gentle caress.
This time it sent her flying towards the wall, making her crash against it. Black specks danced in her vision and the feel of his corrupted power had had a different feel to it this time. Almost…inviting, in a way. But before she could figure out exactly what it was, the full feeling of pain came back. It was like molten fire seeping through her body, through her blood. It felt like the corruption of his power had settled in her very bones and she couldn't make it go away.
She looked up and Seryth was standing over her again, holding out a hand to help her up. She gratefully accepted, not sure if she could stand up by herself. Once she was standing he said,
"I know what I need to know for now. Go inside that chamber and wait for someone to escort you to your rooms." Kagome left silently, not wanting to disobey him.
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Kagome sat weeping in a little corner of her damp cell. She hated it here, all she wanted was to go back to Inuyasha and for everything to go back to normal. She also missed Shippou and Sango and even Miroku, with all of his perverted ways. But most of all she missed Inuyasha. She would give anything to be able to look into his golden eyes right about now. And his voice…
Her weeping stopped immediately as she sensed a large fragment of the jewel coming towards her. It was Naraku, she was sure of it. No one else could have a fragment that large. She saw his silhouette stop outside the door but thankfully he did not come in, just spoke to her outside from out side the door.
"Why are you crying little Kagome? Is it because your little hanyou friend won't come to rescue you?" Kagome felt her hatred towards the demon bastard rise higher than before. How dare he mock her like that? Another thought struck her. What if she pretended she had already gave in? He wouldn't mock her then, he would use her and he would have no idea that she was also using him.
"No my Lord," she thought calling him my Lord was a nice touch, "I was simply weeping because of the tiny rooms I am forced to stay in. I never expected Inuyasha to come for me. I'm just a shard detector to him. Following you will bring me to real power, not the disgusting half-breed."
"You don't care what happens to Inuyasha?" Under that icy tone did she actually sense a little bit of shock? "What about the others? The tiny fox child and the monk? What about them?"
"What about them? The only reason I was with them was because I thought they would win over you, my Lord. But I made a horrible mistake, you are the one who will win." She was very proud of the amount of admiration she managed to get into her voice.
"Well, well you are not at all what I expected." his amused voice was back, the shock completely wiped away. How simple-minded can you get? "I would never have thought you to be in it for the power. You will do well with me. As for your rooms though, I'm afraid these are the best you're going to get." And with that said he glided away.
When she could no longer sense the jewel shard he carried with him, Kagome once again broke into tears. She had just betrayed all of her friends in one minute. What would they all do when they found out? They'll do nothing, she told herself, they'll be happy that I figured out a way to trick Naraku. But somehow she just couldn't stop the tears from coming. That was the price of life without freedom.
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Author's Note: Ok I know the chapters are short and the characters are a little OOC but there's nothing you can do about it. (Sticks out tongue) (Readers start making fists and charging towards the author) Just kidding. Send reviews please!
Review Response:
Liizziioo: LOL…I was beginning to think you'd dropped of the face of the planet. I'm glad you liked and I'll try to update on the other one. By the way…I want a new chappie from you too…
Kagomente: I'm glad you liked it. Um…all I can say is thank you for reviewing and keep reading!