A.N: You see! It wasn't that long of a wait! Now… ON TO CHAPTER FOUR!
Arrius (I really wish I did… But I don't own Inu-Yasha!)
What I Wouldn't DoChapter 4: Torture
"Honey! You need to get up! School begins in a half an hour!"
"I'm UP!" Kagome hollered from the bathroom door, a towel wrapped about her body and one in her hair. "I'll be right down! Just let me finish getting dressed!" She plucked her face away from the door and snapped it shut.
It has been three days since she came back from the feudal era and for some reason Kagome felt worse then she did when she was back there. Regrets kept chasing themselves around in circles and kept popping up out of no where like mushrooms in spring.
Why did I act like that! That's not me! Why didn't I say good bye to the others! AND SHIPPO! They must hate me now! I can't believe I did that! But still… rrgggg… Inu-Yasha makes me so mad I could… I could…
She tugged the towel from her hair and plugged in her hairdryer. When she flipped the switch Kagome brought the hairdryer to her hair and began to move it back and forth, but no air was coming out. Three times she tried hitting the reset button, and soon after she was banging the hairdryer as hard as she could on the counter, imagining that Inu-Yasha head was the hair dryer. The door creaked open and Mrs. Higurashi's face peered in.
"Um… sweetie… what are you doing?" Kagome looked over at her mom and blushed. "Why don't you towel dry you hair?"
"Okay, mom." Kagome
"HEY! KAGOME!"
Kagome whirled around and was face to face with Hojo, who was breathless and breathing rather hard. "I think it's great that you're back from the hospital so soon! I mean… you grandfather said that you had a terrible case of tuberculosis just four days ago! How are you feeling?"
'Grampa…I am going to hurt you!' "Just fine! It turns out that I just had pneumonia."
"That's great! I brought you some tea from Kyoto, I was there applying for advanced lessons in my juku classes… My parents say that we might be moving there soon." Hojo reached inside his back pack and pulled a small light green box with craned painted on the sides. "I had a monk bless it before I left so that you would stay well. OH! How would you like to go to the festival on New Years with me?"
He pushed the box into her arms and gazed hopefully into her face. 'This might be the perfect chance to forget the feudal era!' Kagome smiled at the naïve boy. "I would love to go! But… New Years isn't for a couple of months!"
"I know! I just wanted to make sure that you would go with me and no one else! Ja mata!" Hojo mounted his bike and pedaled away down the street.
"Oh! Thank god my friends weren't here, they would have had a cow!" Kagome tucked the box inside of her coat pocket and walked off in the opposite direction.
"Lady Sango…"
"Yes Miroku?"
"Do you know where Inu-Yasha is?"
Sango placed down the basket she was using to carry herbs in and looked quizzically over at the monk. "No, I don't… why?"
"He's been gone ever since Kagome left… and … I'm starting to worry. What if he did something stupid or what if he was hurt or –"
"Miroku! Calm down… I'm sure Inu-Yasha can take care of himself. And let's not talk of Kagome, alright?" Sango added shakily as she brushed her hand across her eyes and picked the basket back up.
"As you wish, Lady Sango." Miroku sat down under the awning in Kaede's garden and looked up into the clouds, wherever Inu-Yasha was Miroku felt that he wasn't doing too well. "If he's in trouble though, Lady Sango, tonight is bad… tonight is the new moon…"
"Ha Ha! You pathetic little half-breed! You're the famous Inu-Yasha, correct! Well, I'll enjoy killing you!" A giant spider demon lifted his prey off the ground and brought him closer to his face.
Inu-Yasha stared blankly, his eyes devoid of all emotion and he fell limp as the demon dropped him on the spot. "What! No will to fight! I thought this was going to be fun… Wait! A JEWEL SHARD!"
The demon's long spindle like arm reached inside Inu-Yasha haori and brought out the Shikon shard. "Ooh, a big shard! Won't I love this!" He picked up Inu-Yasha and threw him bodily across the outcrop of rock upon which the unfortunate half-demon stumbled upon him. Inu-Yasha landed with a sickening thud and didn't bother to try and get up. He was bruised and cut all over; he had several cracked ribs and had lost so much blood that he was beginning to feel dizzy.
Just as the demon brought the shard to its mouth, a purple like light cut though him and the jewel soared into the air and landed beside Inu-Yasha. When the dust cleared, Kikyo stood there, bow poised and robes billowing.
"Inu-Yasha" she hollered over to him. "I know you could have killed that pathetic fool yourself, and yet you chose not to. Why is that?"
"Leave me alone Kikyo… I don't want anything to do with you anymore." He sat up and winced, then lay back down, cursing that the dead miko came.
"Were you hoping that it would kill you? Or are you just trying to have fun, Inu-Yasha?"
"Didn't I say that I wanted you to leave me alone?" He reached across his chest and snatched the jewel from where it lay, even even the most cynical person now couldn't comprehend how much he hated everything. Fluid like in motion, Kikyo crossed the outcrop and kneeled beside Inu-Yasha, offering her arm to him. He grabbed it with his other arm and forced her backwards.
"Back off, now! I told you twice already!"
"I see you have made your choice, but I am warning you now Inu-Yasha, inflicted scars never heal, and torture lives forever. Only the dead have peace. Remember that" She walked past him, her soul catchers floating behind her like a mist on the wind.
He didn't bother to let his eyes follow her as she walked away, instead he placed the shard beck inside his haori and brought out a middle sized pocket knife that Kagome bought for him last "Christmas Time" as she put it.
He placed its shining blade against his upper arm and thrust it down ward, relishing in the fact that he was distracted from Kagome. Blood poured out of his new wound and ran over the slate gray rock. How her laughter rang in his ears before now rang the words she spoke to him.
"Wrong, I LOVED you! …I HATE YOU NOW! I FUCKING HATE YOUR GUTS!"
"Kagome…" his voice failed as he stood up and placed the knife at his lower arm. He jerked it upwards so hard that it snapped and fell to the ground.
I'm sorry for everything…
Dropping the handle, he bared his claws and brought it down as hard as he could along his back.
I never meant to hurt you… Kagome
Blood flowed freely as water by now; Inu-Yasha swayed on the spot and steadied himself. This time he dragged his claws along his wrists, leaving deep gushing wounds in their trails.
Kagome…I hope you can be happy now…
He could no longer hold himself upright and crashed to the ground onto his knees, pain lanced through his body as he cut himself again and again… each time Kagome's image growing fainter and fainter. His silver hair began to fade to black as the new moon rose. Inu-Yasha swayed and fell to the pool of his own blood, staring blankly to the world.
I love you… Kagome…A pair of girlish feet paused before him, then their owner let out a blood chilling scream before running off, but by that time Inu-Yasha was already unconscious.
"LORD SESSHOMARU! LORD SESSHOMARU COME QUICK!"
"What is it Rin, calm down!" Sesshomaru turned around and placed his hand on the little girl's shoulder. "Tell me what's wrong!"
"I was walking over on th-that outcrop over there and I saw r-r-r-red and I thought it was fl-fl-flowers, but I came n-nearer and I saw a human l-l-laying there in blood! Lord S-S-Sesshomaru, that h-human looked like Inu-Yasha… b-b-but with bl-black hair." Rin sobbed as she cupped her hands over her cheeks.
"Inu-Yasha you fool!" Sesshomaru stepped past the crying Rin and followed the scent of blood to where she pointed. There lay Inu-Yasha, a pitiful sight. His hair spread around him like a crown, his arms open wide and his legs tucked under each other. His eyes were closed so delicately that you could have thought of him as just sleeping. Sesshomaru bent down and unsheathed Tensaigua, and sheathed it again. "Stop your crying Rin, he's not dead. And it is Inu-Yasha. Jakken! Clean up this mess after I put Inu-Yasha on Aa-Un."
"Yes, m'lord Sesshomaru." Jakken stepped forward and tapped the two headed staff on the ground as Sesshomaru picked up Inu-Yasha unceremoniously and placed him on the dragon. Fire erupted from the old man's mouth. All that was left was a black patch on the earth.
"Rin, I want you to clean him up a bit. And make sure that he doesn't fall off because if he does I will not pick him up again."
"Y-yes Lord S-Sesshomaru"
"Jakken!"
"Yes, m'lord?"
"Go tell the Oni tribe that I won't be able to make it there tonight."
"Yes, m'lord!" the imp clambered off into the rocks as Sesshomaru led Aa-Un past the mountain side and through the wood.
"Lord Sesshomaru… where are we going?" Rin piped up after a while.
"To a village where my little brother's friends live, they can care for him after this."
"Now, who could that be at this late hour!" Kaede placed down her tea cup and limped over to the door at the sound of a sharp rapping. Sango and Miroku looked over at each other wondering who could it be. Sesshomaru stood before her, glowing majestically in the starlight.
Without pausing to greet of any sort he sauntered over to Rin and lifted Inu-Yasha from his dragon's saddle and walked back inside Kaede's hut. He placed his brother on the tatami mat in the corner and turned to face the wide eyed occupants of the hut.
"I found him in the mountains, he's almost gone from this world and he would be if Rin hadn't of spotted him." He left the hut and led Aa-Un out of the village.
"SANGO! Fetch me some hot water and clean bandages! MIROKU! Take off Inu-Yasha's clothes! NOW! BOTH OF YOU!"
"My god Kaede, what happened to him?" Sango wiped a cold cloth over the hanyou's brow. Tears fought past her unwillingness and dripped down her cheeks in courses. "Who could have done this to him? I mean, the sun's been up for ages and he still hasn't healed… what's going on? First Kagome… well… and now this!"
"No matter how much I'd rather to not know I would also like answers, Lady Kaede." The monk shifted in his robes, all three haven't slept since Inu-Yasha was "dropped" off. More times than one Inu-Yasha cried out into darkness as if being tortured by some unseen tormentor.
The old miko stood facing the window. Shippo had seen Inu-Yasha not too long before dawn and cried so hard that he gave himself a headache, he was now sitting on the top of a rain barrel staring into its coolness. "I don't want to tell you no more than you want to know, Miroku. However, you and Sango need to know the truth. Come and sit down by me."
"Well, what happened? Do you know?"
"Not entirely but I can say that Inu-Yasha will be scarred forever."
Miroku leaned closer to the old woman, "What are you saying Lady Kaede?"
"I mean that the other wounds that have already healed were made by another demon… you see… When a half demon is hurt by another demon, he is protected by his demon blood, correct. And when the battle is over his demon blood takes over again and heals him."
Both Sango and Miroku nodded and listened intently. "But when a half-demon attacks itself, the demon side of them becomes confused and doesn't do anything to help the human side, and the half demon is killed from their wounds, Inu-Yasha is indebted to Rin and Sesshomaru."
"WHAT! Are you saying that… that… THAT INU-YASHA DID THIS TO HIMSELF? HOW COULD HE? ALL THESE HORRIBLE THINGS! HE NEARLY DIED BECAUSE OF THEM!" Sango stood over the sleeping hanyou and desperately longed to kill him herself.
"But you must understand Sango, remember what Inu-Yasha told us that day Kagome was attacked by Kagura not too long ago?" Kaede looked over to her.
"No I don't remember."
Miroku stepped forward, "Lady Sango, you left the room right after Shippo woke up and then Inu-Yasha told us this…
FLASHBACK: THREE WEEKS PRIORMiroku came hurdling out of the forest, Kagome sagging motionlessly in his arms. The wind whistled in his ears and a torrent caught him by his heels.
"INU-YASHA!"
Before Miroku could finish his name, a red and silver blur darted past him and into the heart of the winds. Moments later the air became still and Tetsuaigua was pressed against the incarnation's throat.
"Kagura," Inu-Yasha growled "Next time you touch Kagome, I will personally make sure that you burn in hell." Without warning he thrust her away and sheathed his weapon.
"Watch yourself half breed" replied Kagura, "Or I will kill her next time." She plucked a feather from her hair and lifted off, showering dust on the three she left behind.
"Inu-Yasha, I found Lady Kagome coming out of the well just as Kagura showed up. I'm not sure what to make of her attacking Lady Kagome." Miroku fretted his eyes out. The half-demon paid no heed to the rambling monk. He slowly took Kagome from Miroku's arms and made sure that she wasn't bleeding badly. "When I got there Lady Kagome was in the middle of Kagura's Dance of the Dragon, she fell and hit her head on the well. And—"
"Miroku…"
"Yes Inu-Yasha?"
"You said that she hit her head? How hard?"
"I'm afraid that is what caused her to go unconscious."
"Kaede will know what to do." Inu-Yasha set off at a fast pace, leaving Miroku to stare off after him, sometimes Inu-Yasha could surprise us all.
"INU-YASHA! SIT DOWN!" Kaede barked, startling him so that he nearly tripped over his feet to obey. An hour before he had shown up with Kagome in his arms and nobody had bothered to tell him how she was doing.
"Well old woman… is she going to be alright?"
"Of course, she'll have a right of a headache when she wakes up but she'll be right as rain."
"When will she wake up?"
"Inu-Yasha?" Sango peered over Shippo's sleeping head to him, "Why are you so worried, it's not like Kagura took the jewel."
"Is that what you think that I care about? The jewel?" Inu-Yasha glanced over at the demon-slayer then hung his head.
"Sango…" Shippo rolled over onto his side. "I'm thirsty!"
"Well then we'll just have to fix that!" She picked up the small kitsune and strolled out of the hut, happy to escape the tense atmosphere.
"Miroku… is that what all of you think?"
"That is how you make it seem, Inu-Yasha."
"You're wrong then… sometimes it kills me to think of what Kagome goes through. Every time she's hurt I worry myself to death… She's the one thing that keeps me from running off to hell with Kikyo… A lot of the time I wonder if one day she'll just stop coming back here and forget about us. What happens when the jewel is complete? I just can't bare to lose her… What am I telling you this for… it's not like you understand." Inu-Yasha stood up and walked huffily over to the door.
"Inu-Yasha…" Miroku started after him.
"Forget it Miroku… just forget it."
END FLASHBACK
"Really? He said that?'
"I've known for quite some time that Inu-Yasha had feelings for Kagome, and from that time I've been trying to nudge him and Kagome along. He loves her." Kaede shook her head knowingly, "but unfortunately things were never really over between my sister and Inu-Yasha"
"What do we do now, Kaede?" Sango leaned forward to the old woman.
"We wait…"
A.N: I hope you like my new longer chapters! Next time
Chapter 5: Festival Day and Sesshomaru's Advice