Chapter 21: Damaged Goods

Kagome's head snapped up from its position on Inuyasha's shoulder like the springing of a trap, her eyes wide and alert, ears fully raised and twitching madly. She had felt something… something extremely… dark… in the air all of a sudden. It had woken her from her slumber with her mate so quickly, that she lost her balance and rolled to his side from sleeping on his chest. She groaned, but still listened, all senses tuned to the once felt presence, but it did not return. "What in Kami's name was that!" she whispered, her eyes wide with confusion and concern. She could have sworn she had felt Hojo's aura... then it seemed to... phase into something else... something bad... but she shook her head, "That never happened to Hojo before... but we'd better check on him." She whispered under her breath as she got up slowly, but was hampered by Inuyasha's arm on her shoulder, keeping her down.

She turned quickly, reaching down to violently shake Inuyasha's shoulder, feeling urgent now. "Inuyasha! Inuyasha, wake up!" she whispered urgently, shaking until a large clawed hand grabbed her wrist, and the brilliant golden eyes, so much like rich honey pots, full to the brim with freshly harvested honey, gazing up at her, taking in the situation and her scent of genuine worry.

"Kagome, what is it, what's wrong?" he whispered, his eyes mirroring her concern as their amber gazes locked.

The confused female gave a sigh, then lifted him to his feet, "There isn't time for chit chat! Something's up! Get dressed and wake the others!" she growled as she quickly slipped into her navy blue, sakura blossom patterned kimono, growling still. That aura was familiar… but where did she recognize it? It was eluding her for some reason, she didn't know why.

He growled as he quickly picked up his kimono, which had been cast aside from last night's mating, a very satisfying experience indeed in his opinion, and stepped into his hairoi and hamaka grumpily. "Kagome, this better not be because you smelled a rabbit or something…"

Kagome gave him a sour look, her eyes narrowing, "can it, Yash, now wake the others!" she ordered, her fangs flashing. Inuyasha had never expected such a violent reaction from his mate, making his eyes widen in a small amout of fear.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, "Don't you use that tone when you talk to me, Kagome…" he growled threateningly, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Kagome smirked, reaching up and batting one of his ears, "and what if I do?" she snarled, her eyes heated with annoyance as she shook her head, "drop it, Inuyasha, we have to get out there, now! Something is seriously wrong!" she growled, worry seeping into her voice as she said this, looking around as though searching the room for her companions.

Inuyasha growled loudly, getting up and stalking out of the room, his hair sweeping over his red haroi as he passed, "Your so gonna regret hitting my ear, Kagome… tonight is payback." He whispered under his breath as Kagome gave a light cough.

"I heard that, Inuyasha, and if you do, your gonna get "S'd" like there is no tomorrow, got that?" she growled, her eyes alight with something mischevious

Inuyasha gave her a smirk, "alright sweetheart, you're on!" he whispered as he went to rouse the others.

Back In Inuyasha's Forest

Hojo sighed, looking angrily at the ground. He was giving winces of pain at the asides Naraku was making as he sifted through his memories, making them flash temporarily in his mind's eye before slipping back into his mind for later recall.
"Hmm… it seems you know Kagome quite well, your from her world, I would take?" he mused, an image of Naraku seeming to scratch his chin as he pondered flitting past.

Hojo smirked, "Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked himself, making Naraku chuckle, "oh yes, yes I would…" Naraku began to burrow feverishly through his memories, sifting and digging, making Hojo take short gasps as he sometimes missed and nicked other things he wasn't supposed to hit. It felt as though millions of termites were unleashed upon his brain, biting and tearing, trying to dig down till his brain was full of tunnels of explored thoughts.

Naraku smiled, "Hmm… so you fancy Kagome…" he said ominously, making Hojo's eyes widen, "Pity..."

"Don't you do anything to her! Naraku I am warning you, if you do anything I swear to Kami I will not let you live…" He snarled, his eyes making him look like a man deranged as he clutched his head, his spine sending jolts of white hot pain up his body, making his back arch into almost a bow shape, his entire body becoming slowlyracked with pain.

"Just tell me what I want to know, and the pain will stop, Hojo…" the voice purred coolly into his conciousness, as the pain continued to slowly build up in his body.

Hojo cried out as he fell to his knees, "Never! I will not surrender!" he screamed as he collapsed, his eyes beginning to blur as his vision caught two forms, one deep blue and silver, followed by another that was red and silver, dashing out of the surrounding trees and running to him. He could hear Kagome's familiar voice call his name, but this call was mangled with the strain of shock and fear. "K… Kagome…" he whispered, looking up at her as his strength began to wane, feeling arms lifting him up, but then releasing him quickly, his eyes half open as he saw the blue figure backing away, just staring at its hands, and he slipped under.

Hojo caughtthe man'sgaunt face and a well dressed body in his mind's eye. Naraku was looking down at him on the ground, chuckling darkly. "Oh dont be so depressed Hojo... once you have served my purposes, then I shall gladly release your weak body... however, I need you..." he purred, his soulless eyes boring into those of his conciousness.

Hojo was glaring angrily up at him, his "lips" parted in a snarl as he hissed, "damn you, Naraku! Damn you to all seven levels of hell!"

Naraku laughed loudly, the cold laughter echoing inHojo's mind, even after his body had gone from him.

Hojo was loosing feeling of his body, he felt as though he was now trapped in his mind with this... this demon... this demon who had no regard for human life and held no room for sympathy within its heart.