Heart Broken Arrows Ch. 4
Disclaimer: Not mine; it belongs to Takahashi Rumiko…I don't make a profit from it.
Rating: M for language, gore, adult themes, and the mayo I smeared on the keys writing this chapter.
Warning: implied Non-consensual lemon immediately below. AVERT YOUR EYES!PLEASE REVIEW ME!
Gaichou is the name of the rat demon, not creative I know, but well...
Last time:
"Nice try whore." Naraku grunted. His crimson eyes were filled with fury as he threw the priestess onto the floor. Kikyo tried to scramble backwards, but tangled in the crumpled clothing, she could only rotate sideways before Naraku was upon her, forcing her back towards him.
Soon, the cries of the priestess echoed throughout the fortress.
Present:
Kagome stumbled into camp, shivering. Her mind was clouded, and she couldn't recall how she had found her way back. Making her way to her bed roll, she mentally retraced her steps after she had left Inuyasha. Yet try as she might, Kagome could not recall exactly where she had gone. The last thing she remembered was… Kagome felt a cool panic grip her. She had left her bow near Inuyasha. He would find it on his way back! There was no way he could miss it lying so close to the clearing like that. He would know.
Kagome collapsed upon the bed, pulled the covers up to her ears, and squeezed her eyes shut. A single tear crept out of one corner, cold and bitter. She shouldn't have even come back to camp, and yet, the coldness inside of her insisted that she do so. Who was Inuyasha to drive her away? Who was Kikyou but a failed version of herself? Inuyasha had broken his promises to her countless times, and yet never like this. She never thought she would have seen this kind of betrayal. Inuyasha the betrayer…Kikyou had him pegged right. He thought of nothing but his own desires, his own wants and needs; his capacity to feel for others was about as large as his brain, and everyone knew thinking was not Inuyasha's strong point. He had demanded everything from her and given her nothing in return. Kagome hugged her knees to her chest as another freezing tear dropped from her eye, rolled across the bridge of her nose, and fell onto her ebony hair.
Those things that he had taught her-how to hunt, how to track, how to fight-they were to get rid of her; he didn't even want to stay with her at all, not even as a friend! Kagome choked back a sob. She had done so much and still it would never be enough. Tainted Kikyou would always be better in some inexplicable way. Kagome whimpered as a picture of Kikyou and Inuyasha embracing flashed across her mind. Cold, hard fury filled her.
She hated them both. May Naraku drag them both to hell!
For a moment, Kagome was shocked by the thoughts in her head. Did she really hate Inuyasha? Did she hate Kikyou? Kagome mouthed the phrase with her eyes closed, I hate Inuyasha. The vicious chill that answered her, filling her with the need to hurt someone else, confirmed it. She hated Inuyasha. How long had she been repressing these feelings? Maybe all along she-
"Lady Kagome…?" Miroku's soft entreaty interrupted Kagome's thoughts. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Miroku. Just cold, that's all." Kagome marveled at how calm and normal her voice sounded. Was this what hate could do to you? She had always had trouble lying to Miroku and Sango…to anyone as a matter of fact, but this little lie just rolled of her tongue so easily.
"Do you know where Inuyasha is Kagome?"
Kagome wished Miroku to the seven depths of hell right then and there. 'No, she didn't know where Inuyasha was', she replied to him. 'She had just gotten up for a bit because she thought she had sensed jewel shards'. Kagome laughed bitterly on the inside. It was incredibly easy. She could see the doubt that still lingered in Miroku's lavender eyes, but she knew that he would eventually believe her. She never really lied after all, so why should Miroku doubt her?
Kagome propped herself up and gazed at the monk. He was just like Inuyasha in the end, weak-willed and dishonest. He would smile and listen to Sango, but the moment another woman crossed his path, he would be all over her…like…like flies on honey, or koi on bread crumbs.
"I'm tired Miroku so if you don't mind, I'm going to sleep now."
"My apologizes Kagome, of course." Miroku inclined his head towards her. "I shall keep watch in case there is something indeed out there or at least until Inuyasha returns."
"Sure," Kagome mumbled. Let the monk wait up for the hanyou. She needed rest. Kagome pressed her face down onto her pillow and took several deep breaths. Muscle by muscle, tendon by tendon, her body relaxed, and soon she was asleep.
The next morning dawned bright and clear. Kagome awoke to the sound of Inuyasha and Sango fighting.
"Where were you last night Inuyasha?"
"Feh, I just needed to stretch my legs."
"Inuyasha…"Miroku was evidently up as well and engaged in the same argument. "You were gone for quite some time."
Kagome was immediately overcome with the desire to reply to that comment by saying just exactly why and what Inuyasha had done to take such a long time on his 'walk.' She giggled at the image of shock that she imagined on the faces of Sango and Miroku.
"Somethin' funny?" Inuyasha turned his heated gaze towards her. His eyes…they don't burn for me like they do for Kikyou. Kagome rooted around her backpack and pulled out her navy blue sweater before replying.
"No."
Sango and Miroku exchanged glances. Kagome fought a losing battle to keep her emotions down. Did they think she never saw those glances filled with pity for her? She needed no one's pity.
Just then, a fire-haired fox kit bounded onto Kagome's lap.
"Morning Kagome!"
"Morning Shippo," Kagome smiled at him and felt a little warmth return to her heart. Sango and Miroku cared about her that was all. Kagome turned her face upwards and smiled at the tajiya and houshi, who returned her radiant gesture with two of their own.
Inuyasha stared at all four of them smiling stupidly and huffed.
"Well, if nothing is funny, and 'I just needed to stretch my legs last night', can we please get after that rat with the jewel shards!"
Kagome stared at Inuyasha. Her artic blue eyes made him turn away first. She smiled at her little victory. "Lead the way, Inuyasha."
As the companions gathered up their belongings and covered the remains of their campfire, Sango pulled Kagome off to the side.
"I have something for you Kagome." Sango motioned for Kirara to join them, and then she reached into a pack of the neko's back, and pulled out Kagome's bow, muddied but otherwise intact.
"Where did you go last night Kagome? Miroku said-"
Kagome gently pulled the bow from Sango's grasp. "Where did you find this Sango?"
Kagome knew that she hadn't brought it back with her. She had no memory of returning with it. Kagome mentally chided herself; you have no memory of returning to camp at all. MaybeI had brought it back with me...Suddenly, Kagome decided that the pieces must come in to place. She had brought it back with her, but because she was so tired, she simply did not remember her return trip.
Sango paused a moment, noticing her friend lost in thought, but then replied, "Over by Inuyasha's tree."
Kagome glanced at the hanyou, who hadn't seemed to be behaving all that differently to her. He had always been defensive when Miroku or Sango called him on a meeting with Kikyou. Just how much did he know she saw, and how much did he guess?
"Maybe you're getting sick Kagome," said Shippo matter-of-factly, placing a small paw on her forehead. "You feel really cold."
"It's nothing Shippo." She ruffled the kit's hair with one hand, bent down low, and said in a serious tone, "you on the other hand, have a serious case of tail-itis."
"What's that," asked Shippo his eyes going wide in horror, and his grip on the wire frame of the bicycle getting tighter.
"Well," Kagome bent even closer to the kit, "it means that-"She quickly pulled on his tail. "Your tail's gonna fall off." This elicited a squeal from Shippo, who then collapsed back into the basket giggling.
"Can you two be quiet?" Inuyasha was bent down low to the ground, sniffing at the various tracks that criss-crossed in the road.
Shippo looked up at Kagome. "Does Inuyasha have tail-it is?"
"He must certainly does," stated Kagome, arching one eyebrow.That, and a serious case of asshole…
In the mirror of Kanna, Naraku watched as Inuyasha's wench played with the small fox kit. He chuckled as the miko used her love of the kit to combat the spell Kikyou had placed upon her. Kikyou sat on the ground next to him; her head bent. He yanked viciously on her long strands of hair.
"Your spell is failing Kikyou." He growled into her ear. "If it should fail completely, I will have Kanna steals the souls in your body one by one." Releasing his hold, Naraku moved closer to the polished oval. He traced his fingers over the shimmering image. The miko was incredibly powerful, but those with the greatest strength would always be the enjoyable to destroy.
"Let us see if Gaichou meets with better success."
Kagome stopped pedaling her bicycle. There was something tickling the back of her mind. It almost felt as if someone a great distance away was calling her name.
"What is it Kagome?" asked Sango who swung back around on Kirara and came to rest beside her.
"I don't know." Kagome squinted in the glare of the sun. The countryside seemed to be tinged with a violet haze. "It feels like…"
Without warning, a whistling cry filled the afternoon air. From the nooks and crannies of the hills around them, hundreds of rodents began pouring out of any and every tiny crevice.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried. "Where the hell is it!"
In her stomach, a tiny blossom of fear unfurled. She had been sensing the call of the jewel shards of the rat demon, but it was like an echo of the call. It was bouncing around on all sides of her. Kagome threw her hands up, covering her ears. The call that had seemed quiet, intensified dramatically. It beat at her head, causing her to bend over in pain.
"KAGOME!" roared Inuyasha, swinging Tetsusaiga right and left. "WHERE IS THE DEMON COMING FROM?"
"I DON"T KNOW!" she screamed back. "CAN"T YOU SMELL IT!"
The rodents were attacking the companions, scrabbling across rocks, falling over each other in their haste to devour the flesh of the mortals they saw. Sango had become an island on an outcropping of rock. She had her katanas out, unable to use her Hiraikotsu because of the closeness of the vermin. Miroku was holding his own; the rings on his staff twinkling in the sun. Hopping around next to her was Shippo, throwing out blue foxfire every which way. Pushing the pain back, Kagome snatched an arrow from her quiver and drew her bow, firing a normal arrow at one especially brave rat. Everyone seemed to be slightly concerned by the endless array of adversaries.
The only one who wasn't dismayed by the vast sea of rats surrounding them was of course, Kirara. Flying over the waves of bodies, she appeared to be picking which ones looked the tastiest.
"Kirara!" admonished Sango. "Just get rid of them!" She sent a rodent body skyward, but when she next glanced up, Kirara had several tails sticking out of her mouth.
Trust a cat to be picky even when their life is in danger, thought the taijiya.
The chattering of the rodents grew louder. "Use your wind tunnel Miroku, "yelled Inuyasha with another downward sweep.
Kikyou watched in Kanna's mirror as the group slowly stemmed the tide of the rodents. She glanced up at Naraku as the monk began to unwrap the unholy void in his hand.
"Perhaps you should send out your poisonous insects," she murmured.
Naraku stroked the length of his baboon pelt. "So impatient."
Miroku hastily unwrapped his wind tunnel, but as the first rodent disappeared into his hand, the rat demon burst into view. Inuyasha dashed over to where Kagome was.
"What's wrong with you?" he growled. His silver hair was disheveled, and a piece of grass was dangling from one lock. Inuyasha's eyes flashed impatiently, and he turned in front of Kagome with his sword held in front. The rat youkai appeared even larger than their last encounter. Its hair was matted and stuck to its limbs in various places, but the body itself seemed to be developing a human form. It uttered a high-pitched ululation and gnashed yellow, crooked teeth.
Kagome was sick and tired of this demon's face; they had battled demons more powerful than it and won. She notched another arrow and pulled back. It didn't matter that she couldn't sense exactly where the jewel shards were in its body. Her sacred arrow could end it right now. She straightened her body, calling forth the pink glow of her power.
Yet, what answered her was not what she expected. So surprised was Kagome, that she let go of the arrow before she had finished aiming it. Flying through the air, the sacred arrow began behaving like a drunken hummingbird who had imbibed too much sake. It darted about the countryside, weaving through trees and bushes. Kagome felt her mouth fall open. It certainly wasn't pink anymore. The wood had taken on a green tinge and the arrow tip had taken on the appearance of a worked sapphire. It didn't even make the right sound. Normally, her sacred arrows had a hum to them which she could feel within herself. This arrow whistled and popped, making her jump back when it dived too close for comfort.
It almost sounded like it was…laughing? Kagome turned her head to see the rat demon rolling on the ground in a state of utter hysterics.
Inuyasha lowered his sword in disgust. "Great! It'll just laugh itself to death." Kagome wished the ground would open up and swallow her right then and there. Something was very wrong with her...
Till next time,
Aidyn
Preview of Ch. 5:
The rat demon was definitely dying, but it looked as it something was burning away at its flesh from the inside out. Large blisters had erupted all over its body, some had already burst and those were oozing foul smelling pus. Its eyes had rolled back into its head, and its paws were twisted in agony. All six companions gathered around it, unable for a moment to look away from the awful sight of a creature melting before them from the inside out.
A/N: Please oh please review me. I need confirmation that this is indeed making sense, is halfway interesting and makes people want to read more...Suggestions, edits, alterations, cuts...I'll even take a flame if you feel so inclined. I would print it, tack it to my wall, and kiss it every morning. I promise...
Sends out hypno rays...Review, review, you know you want to do it!
-Aidyn