Switching Personalities
Chapter One
The woods they had been calmly walking through minutes before was zooming by as all followed Kagome in pursuit of the jewel shard that she had not long ago sensed."This way!" she exclaimed as she ran ahead of the group. "Over here!"
She lead them to their destination which happened to be outside of the forest. All blinked as the sun's brilliant rays hit the faces of the travelers.
"Well this shouldn't be too hard," Inu-Yasha commented as he surveillanced the area. Opposite to the vegetation that was in the forest they had just exited, all that could be seen was an endless field of green grass that was connecting to the sky. The only disturbance to the scenery was the small but clear river that ran through.
"Which way, Kagome?" Miroko asked referring to the jewel shard.
"Um," Kagome paused to get a lock on the shard. 'That's funny...' she thought. 'It's moving...' No sooner had she said those words, that the shard halted. Kagome scanned the area to make certain that it surely had stopped.
"Kagome?" Shippo said as he climbed to her shoulder. "The shard?"
"Oh, right," she responded turning to Shippo. "I just wanted to make sure." she smiled. "It's right up ahead. It seemed to have been moving but it stopped now."
"I don't smell any demons..." Inu-Yasha said.
"Then come on!" Sango exclaimed as she grabbed a hold to her boomerang, as all ran to the destination.
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"My lord! What is it?" Jaken spoke staring at his master, Sesshomaru who he had bumped into due to his sudden halt.
"Inu-Yasha is nearby," he spoke and then turned his head toward his back. "Jaken. Rin. Let's go." And without waiting for any response, he started walking.
"Ye-Yes! My Lord!" said a jumpy Jaken as he followed his master.
"Yea! Here we go!" Rin exclaimed as she too followed closely behind.
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Deeper in the forest, a certain white figure lurks about. Jumping from tree branch to tree branch, he arrives closer to his destination.
'What luck.' thought the master of the puppet roaming in the jungle. 'There is a jewel shard close by with Inu-Yasha. I will receive two prices today.'
Further into the field, a hunching figure was slowly dragging, supported only by her bow. Her raven colored hair hugging her scarred face, Kikyo trotted forward in search of the souls she needed.
'Damn it,' she cursed in her thoughts. 'That soul eating demon left me almost dry. I need to find more. But...I can't help but wonder...Naraku did not send that demon after me and it was no coincidence that I happened to be in it's path...Who sent it?'
Her train of thoughts was broken when she noticed a familiar white orb floating in the distance, close to the forest. It was accompanied by another and then one more until a whole swarm of them came into view.
"Souls!" Kikyo cried out. "But...how...?There is also a shard in that direction. This is not right...but I can not remain like this any longer. I must risk it!" With that in mind the deceased priestess seemed to trot with more speed.
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"There it is!" Kagome cried as she came to a halt in front of the twinkling purple light.
"Feh, that was easy," Inu-Yasha snickered. His expression was soon changed as an all too familiar sent filled the air, followed by another.
"Inu-Yasha, what is it?" Sango asked noticing his sudden alertness.
"Sesshomaru is nearby...so is Naraku," he spat. Suddenly, his alertness was replaced by surprisement and confusement as he found himself unable to move.
"What the-!" Inu-Yasha spoke.
"Ah! I can't move!" Shippo cried by Inu-Yasha's feet. Everyone had found themselves struggling against an invisible force that didn't allow any movement.
"What is this?" Miroko questioned.
"He! He! He! Now, now. We mustn't rush into things!" said a voice with a high shrill although no being was visible. "Sorry it took me so long to arrive but with a nose like Inu-Yasha's I had to be at a distance or else my plan wouldn't work. You do understand, don't you?"
"What are you talking about?" Miroko said.
"Ah, yes well you shall see soon enough! Oh this is going to be so much fun!" the voice continued.
"Why don't you show yourself, you coward!" Sango demanded.
The voice laughed."Why spoil the fun? The last curtain act will come soon enough. In the meantime enjoy yourself and don't move an inch. Not like you can!" it continued to laugh.
Kagome made a face. "He's annoying..."
"But we still can't move!" Inu-Yasha pointed out the obvious just as Sesshomaru came into view.
"What are you doing?" he asked in his usual mellow-toned voice.
"Ugh, none of your business!" Inu-Yasha spat.
Jaken and Rin soon came to view. "My lord! My lord! You were right Inu-Yasha is here!" Jaken said as he rushed toward the party. He suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Uh...I can't move..." he gasped.
"Jaken? What's wrong with you?" Rin asked as she approached the little green demon only to be caught in the motionless web.
"Lord Sesshomaru! I can't move either!" she screamed.
"Rin!" Sesshomaru spoke, showing a rare expression of slight worry on his face. He approached the girl and demon.
"No wait stop! You'll only get caught in it too!" Kagome warned but only in vain.
"What is this?" Sesshomaru asked as he too found himself unable to move.
Laughter filled the air as the shrill voice returned. "Don't worry! The stage is almost set!" It seemed to leave as quickly as it appeared.
"What is this?" Sesshomaru repeated, staring at his brother.
"Hey, don't look at me. I'm as clueless as you. By the way nice one to just walk right into it," Inu-Yasha answered.
The conversation was interrupted by the white figure in front of the party.
"Naraku!" Inu-Yasha hissed.
"My, my. What have you gotten yourself into this time, Inu-Yasha?" he laughed.
Inu-Yasha snickered. "Enjoy it while you can because by the way things are going, you'll become part of it too."
As if triggering the event, Inu-Yasha's words seemed to have been magical for the invisible force snaked it's way and caught a hold of Naraku for he too seemed to be struggling and questioning his situation.
Kagome, who was frozen in the uncomfortable position of crouching on her legs had her arm halfway extended in an attempt to pick up the jewel, was gazing at the horizon trying to think of a way out of their current situation when she noticed a familiar figure, walking at an unusually slow pace.
"Kikyo," Inu-Yasha said noticing her too.
She stopped at her current whereabout when she noticed the strange group she saw before her.
"What?" she said. 'I knew something was wrong...'
"Come now child! Don't be shy there is enough seats in the house!" spoke the voice without a source.
To everyone's surprisement Kikyo seemed to have floated off her feet and rushed to the spot where the rest of them were waiting...against their will. Once she arrived it seemed she too was at the mercy of being inactive.
"Aha! The stage is set and all is here!" the voice spoke shattering the confusement that had seemed to sit in the air for some time.
Kikyo unable to accept her situation spoke. "What sort of sorcery is this? I knew you were up to something. Ever since you sent that soul eating demon on me last night. Show yourself and explain!"
"And here I thought the fake souls I set for you here would be the ones throw you off," the voice answered. "As a matter of fact, I almost thought you wouldn't fall for it. I guess when your on the brink of nonexistence you seem to be a little off your regular alertness. But fine I will show myself."
The demon came into view, appearing out of thin air, although remained suspended there. The human-like form revealed it was a female. Wearing blue pants, that hung slightly lose on her legs, they went under her feet, covered her middle toe and then back up connecting to the end of the pants. Her red sleeveless shirt reached to her knees but had slits through the middle, back, left and right side that stopped at her waist. A line of gold cloth outlined the shirt's turtle neck-like collar and went down the middle until it split at the slit's end. Decorating the shirt was a large black dragon that swirled around her waist and the back of her neck until it's head was seen resting above her right breast. Dark blue gloves went up her arms, stopping above her elbows and had the same design on her hands as her pants did on her feet. Her dark green slightly past shoulder length hair outlined the sharp features of her honey colored eyes.
'And here I thought it was a guy!' Kagome thought slightly blushing.
"Hello there, finally glad to see me?" she spoke but no longer in the shrill voice that was used earlier. This time it sounded like a woman's voice and had a very alluring tone in it.
"Now," she continued. "On with the show!"
"Hey, wait a minute!" Inu-Yasha complained. "All you do is talk, talk, talk about some stupid "show" you want to do that somehow involves us. I say it's better to fight than just flap our mouths. What do you say?" he grinned.
The demon brought a hand to her chin as she looked up at the sky, pretending to think. "Hmm..." still looking at the heavens, she brought her right hand away from under her chin and stuck it out. Immediately a red wooden rod appeared in her grip. Facing Inu-Yasha, she floated toward him and stabbing the rod in the ground, sat on it.
"Because that wouldn't be any fun!" She smiled, causing Inu-Yasha to bar his fangs in anger, or at least he tried.
Floating back to her original spot, the demon placed the rod across her laps as she sat criss-crossed in mid-air. "Now, I don't want any interruptions as I speak so..." she said with a wave of her arm. At once the strange group of foes and allies felt their lips pressed shut with any attempt to open them failing.
"Don't worry, you'll still be able to breath," she grinned. "Now then, my name is Mamono Tozoku."
'Mamono Tozoku? But those are just Japanese words, not a name, right?' Kagome thought.
"And, the reason why I brought you all here," she continued. "Is merely for the fact of my entertainment. I have watched all of you...through your smiles, tears, dangers, fears, and battles. Not to mention the ever popular love triangle that seems to always be growing in interest," she said smiling at Inu-Yasha, causing him and Kikyo to scowl and Kagome to blush.
"Continuing, as enticing as your stories are, I decided to add a twist to the show which is yet again why I brought you all here. Yes, everything that lead you here, was my doing. The real jewel shard, the soul eating demon, the fake souls. All so you would walk into my hands." She grinned. "Which reminds me, here Kikyo." A large white orb appeared before Mamono. "Take it." The orb launched itself at Kikyo and entered her body, giving her great relief and strength. "Just some souls I collected for you. It would be a great disappointment if your host were to take your pain while you were someone else.
"You see, I plan to steal your souls. Which is why I call myself Mamono Tozoku. Demon thief. Only I'll be nice about it. You will all keep a soul, or in your case Kikyo, souls -and don't think that makes you an acception to anything- you will not have your own. Any questions? Oh, how rude of me." She waved her arm again, giving the party their privilege to speak again. Immediately the laughter of Naraku was heard.
This bothered Mamono. "And what is the problem?"
"You fool. I am but a demon puppet," Naraku spoke. "You can not get my soul through this."
It was Mamono's laughter that was then heard. "Do not underestimate me."
At the instant, all were blinded by a white light as several white orbs emerged from it. Floating above, they began to displace themselves like shuffling cards as the blinding light below began to die. When all was visible below, the souls speeded themselves to any random body nearby and all was complete.
--------------So, how do you like? I know it's not much action but you gotta set the stage for the show! Ha! Ha!...¬¬ yeah not funny...I am sorry...u.u mainly to the point, just leave me your reviews if you are interested in knowing who ends up in whose body. Oh yeah and just because I can mess with the souls of the Inu-Yasha crew it doesn't mean I owe them...damn...