Author's note: gomen gomen gomen! My comp is so screwed up it won't even turn on! Thank God for Libraries
Get out your tissue boxes ppl cuz here it comes!
Chapter 18: Follow the Light
Kagome stood, dumbstruck at the glowing light hovering in front of her. What should she do? This was Kikyo after all, the one who caused all the trouble. Wasn't she the one that put the awful curse on Inu Yasha? And wasn't she the one who Kagome inherited the power of the premonitions from?
Kagome clutched her head in confusion, what should she do?
"Come child" Kikyo said with, from what Kagome could hear, was completely calm.
Kagome shrunk back in fear "I've heard of these things" she said nervously "if I come into the light I'll be confirming my own death!"
"Nonsense child" Kikyo said without a hint of remorse "you ARE dead, it is only natural that you come to heaven, consider yourself lucky."
"What's so lucky about it!" Kagome said "I am NOT dead yet, I WON'T die! Not until I save Inu Yasha."
"He is beyond saving" Kikyo said softly.
She stomped her foot in frustration "who are you to tell me what I should and shouldn't believe?"
"Do not raise anger with me" Kikyo said almost warningly "I merely wish to ask you something important and I find that interrogations are much more enjoyable when you can actually look into the eyes of the interrogator."
Kagome's eyes widened in shock "interrogation?" she repeated "why?"
"All in good time child" Kikyo replied "Now step into the light and we will begin."
Meanwhile, Inu Yasha had problems of his own. Each time he tried to attack Naraku, he dodged or got away. How could he defeat him and avenge Kagome's death.
He lunged once again and watched with disgust as Naraku ran to Kagome's corpse "Pathetic human" he said with resentment "giving up her life for you. Didn't help much did it? I'm still going to kill you Inu Yasha, I'll still get the throne."
Inu Yasha scowled at Naraku and turned to gaze at the fallen Kagome. He could still see the crystal tear that seemed frozen upon her cheek. How could this be happening? Why? Why now that he had finally found happiness.
Naraku saw the lost and grieving look on Inu Yasha's face and snickered. He kicked Kagome's body over to Inu Yasha's feet. "You want her?" he said with a smirk "Now you can have her."
Inu Yasha looked at Naraku in pure shock as he bent down to Kagome, he looked in her eyes deeply and remembered, remembered a lot.
Flashbacks
Inu Yasha ran out of the room, down the halls and into Kagome's room to see for himself. Sure enough, he saw the rope of linen and the unconscious Kagome on the ground. "KAGOME!" He called out to her, hoping she would wake up. But when she didn't, he climbed down the rope and ran to her. Cradling her in his arms, he whispered her name softly "Kagome? are you okay?"
Kagome's pain was slowly fading, the premonition's hold on her life was slipping away. Inu Yasha's touch had healed her. The power of the visions could sense he was near and that Kagome would not be trying to leave for awhile so it ceased the pain that kept Kagome from waking up. Slowly, she slightly opened her eyes and looked up at Inu Yasha, who was staring her straight in the eyes with the most sincerest look of concern Kagome had ever seen anyone give her. "Inu…Yasha?" she said weakly.
Inu Yasha put his hand over her lips as he picked her up bridal style and began carrying her back into the castle. Setting her down by the fire he laid her head on his lap, stroking her hair gently. Sango and Miroku stared in wonder at the sight before them, there master had done as they said, he was showing his true feelings and opening his heart. "perhaps there's hope for us after all" Miroku said happily, smiling at the scene in front of him.
"If it's from your monster of a master then I definitely don't want it" Kagome said with a scowl.
"The master's not so bad once you get to know him" Ayumi said "and I think he really likes you. You got him to be nice and sweet for once in his life and believe me that's quite an accomplishment"
"Is it even possible for him to be sweet?" Kagome asked "he always seems so cold and heartless"
"well he's been through a lot in his life" Ayumi said solemnly "He's gone through more pain than we can even begin to imagine."
"he has?" Kagome asked surprised.
"what's so surprising?" Ayumi asked "you didn't think he was always so depressed did you?"
"Depressed? Are you kidding me?" Kagome said "he hasn't acted depressed with me, just mean"
"Yes well, I'm sure he'll come around" Ayumi said "just give him some time, get to know him a little"
"I don't know if I even want to get to know him" Kagome said "And I really don't think he cares about getting to know me either to be completely honest"
"says you" Ayumi chuckled "but I happen to know that if he really didn't care about you, he would have let you die out there"
"you know about that?" Kagome said, clutching her heart.
"Honey if something's a secret, it's not long before the whole castle knows about it" Ayumi laughed. Kagome laughed weakly as well "just give him a try, you may find u start to like him. Believe me, he needs you more than you think."
"you really think so?' Kagome asked.
"I know so." Ayumi replied.
"Well I could probably get along with him better if I knew why he was always so depressed like you say he is" Kagome said "maybe we could actually connect better if I knew"
Inu Yasha looked away from the mirror and put it down. 'I might as well give up' he thought to himself 'she'll never see me as anything but a monster'
"I told you never to come here!" Inu Yasha yelled angrily at her, fangs bared.
Kagome backed away, frightened "I'm sorry…" she tried to say "I-I didn't know"
"silence!" Inu Yasha interrupted "Get out!"
"With pleasure!" Kagome yelled back, hurt by Inu Yasha's quick judgement "I'd rather die than spend one more minute here with you!"
Inu Yasha seemed taken aback "what?"
"you're a heartless monster!" Kagome yelled "It's no wonder your servants are so frightened of you! It's a wonder they can even put up with you…you…hideous beast!"
Inu Yasha's eyes widened as he tried to process what she was saying. He reached out to grab her wrist "Don't touch me!" Kagome yelled "I hate you!"
With this she ran out of the room. Inu Yasha could only stare in surprise as she left. When he realized what he had done he did something he had never done before, he cried. A single tear, just one, fell right down his cheek, over the purple scar and down the side of his mouth. He covered his face in shame as yet another petal fell.
Suddenly, a flash of white leapt over her, knocking the wolf away. The pain of the premonition disappeared and Kagome slowly gained all her strength again. She sat up to see Inu Yasha fighting the wolves one by one. He fought so fiercely, she grew frightened. What would he do to her after he was done? She had, after all, broken her promise to stay at the castle at all times. And Inu Yasha struck her as someone who didn't like broken promises. Kagome looked at her arms and legs, which were now covered in scratches and winced, finally feeling the pain where the wolves' claws had touched her. Her thoughts were interrupted by a painful shriek. She turned to see where the scream had come from and felt her heart break. The wolves had made a deep gash on Inu Yasha's arm, causing him to yell out in pain. The crimson blood was now trickling down his arm and, for the first time, she saw fear in his eyes, fear and pain. She felt the hot tears sting in her own eyes. She couldn't help feeling bad for him; he did save her after all. She grabbed some nearby rocks and threw them at the wolves through her tears. Wincing as the scars on her own arms throbbed in pain, she did her best to hit each wolf hard enough to scare it off. "Get out of here you good for nothing mongrels!" she yelled, throwing more rocks. The wolves realized she was no longer weak and ran away as fast as they could. "And don't come back!" Kagome yelled out as they ran away. She rubbed her sore arms and ran to Inu Yasha, who had now collapsed, his blood staining the grass around him. "Inu Yasha!" Kagome cried with concern. Tearing off the hem of her dress, she wrapped it tightly around his bleeding arm. She pulled him to his feet and draped his arm over her shoulders. She dragged him back to the castle gates where Sango and Miroku were waiting worriedly.
Kagome felt the tears stream down her face again "I can see things before they happen" she explained "even if I don't want to I do. I saw this all coming, my father getting captured, the trade off, you" She wrapped her arms around him " but lately every time I've even come close to escape, the premonitions stop me, it takes away all my strength, it tries to kill me! That's why I couldn't escape the wolves. And the only reason I even have this power is because of some stupid ancestor!"
"Who?" Inu Yasha asked soothingly "which ancestor?"
"Kikyo!" Kagome cried through her sobs "they say her name was Kikyo and that she was once a village prophet!"
At this Inu Yasha pushed her away from him harshly "you're related to Kikyo?" he roared "her dirty blood runs through your veins?"
"Y-yes?" Kagome said, tears still running down her cheeks "wh-why?"
Inu Yasha's eyes regained their harshness once again as he grabbed Kagome's arm roughly and dragged her to her chambers. Throwing her onto the floor, he slammed the door shut and locked it behind him. Kagome grew frightened as he stepped toward her slowly. "I couldn't kill Kikyo back then" he said as he inched closer and closer, a malicious grin spreading across his face "so I might as well kill you right here and now. Maybe the curse will be broken early" He outstretched his claws and prepared to attack.
"I-Inu Yasha?" Kagome said slowly, crying in fear. She wanted to run through the doors to the balcony and jump. But the premonition's power had once again taken over her and she couldn't move. 'it wants him to kill me' she thought paralyzed with fear 'it wants me to meet my end.'
Inu Yasha came closer still and Kagome used the last vestiges of her strength to crawl away from him…right into a corner. Inu Yasha held up his claw which glinted with the light of the newly lit lamps. Kagome stared up at him, just as she had done with the wolf. Would he really kill her? "You don't have all of Kikyo's powers do you?" Inu Yasha said as he snickered "if you did you would have defended yourself by now. You only have her power of being able to see the future don't you? And even that you can't control can you?"
"Inu Yasha…" Kagome said as she shrank back into the corner and quivered in fear "please…don't hurt me"
Inu Yasha laughed evilly as he prepared to strike "good-bye…Kikyo"
"INU YASHA NOOOO!" Kagome screamed, ducking down and crying.
"I just have this weird feeling that something really bad is going to happen" Kagome said in a dismal tone.
"A premonition?" Inu Yasha asked her.
"Sort of I guess" Kagome replied, taking Inu Yasha's hand in hers.
Inu Yasha seemed surprised at her sudden action but quickly held on to her hand tightly, realizing that she needed someone's to comfort her.
"Inu Yasha will you promise me something?" Kagome said after a short, but surprisingly comfortable silence.
"What is it?" Inu Yasha asked in reply.
"Promise me that no matter what, you won't forget me" Kagome said, looking him straight in the eyes.
"Why would I ever forget you?" Inu Yasha said confused.
"Don't ask me to explain just promise!" Kagome said, starting to cry once more "please!"
Inu Yasha's heart broke "Don't cry anymore!" he yelled "Please! I don't like seeing you sad because of me!"
"Then promise!" Kagome pleaded "If you care about me at all then please, I'm begging you, promise you won't forget me!"
"I promise!" Inu Yasha said, taking both of her hands in his "I will never forget you! No matter what happens to me the last thing I'm ever going to forget is you!"
End of Flashbacks
"Oh God!" he screamed suddenly, falling to his knees to clutch Kagome in his arms. He had been horrible! All he had done was cause her pain! He promised to forget her and he had let himself be taken control of! He had done everything that would normally make someone hate him. But she didn't. She cared for him, helped him, died for him! How could he have let this happen, he shouldn't have! Now it was too late!
"Child there is nothing to fear I promise you!" Kikyo said, a little agitated.
"Hey, you're the one person that's caused me more pain than I could take!" Kagome said "You are the reason I died! You made me want to kill myself! You are the one that hurt Inu Yasha, you're the one that gave me the power of the premonitions! So excuse me if I am a little hesitant to go anywhere you tell me to!"
Kikyo remained silent for a moment, as though contemplating all that Kagome had just said, digesting it until it was pounded into her skull. Finally she said softly "I'm sorry"
"Huh?" Kagome said, dumbstruck.
"You probably wonder if you can trust me at all" Kikyo explained "and I do not blame you, I am a fool and do not deserve to be trusted. But I beg of you please come with me. You MUST do so if you wish to save Inu Yasha.
Kagome looked at the light with bewilderment, and then determination. She bravely stomped into the light with Kikyo.
It was then that she saw Kikyo face to face. To her surprise, Kikyo looked much different from herself. She was pale and unsmiling and always kept a look on her face that blocked anyone from understanding what she was thinking.
Kikyo summoned a small glowing orb. Kagome looked at it and gasped. Inu Yasha, beating his servants relentlessly. Especially an old woman.
"Do you see now?" Kikyo said "Do you see why I placed the curse on Inu Yasha?"
"The Inu Yasha I know is not like this" Kagome said "He would not do this to an old woman I know it!"
"Can you be sure of that?" was all Kikyo said.
"Yes!" Kagome replied without a second thought "I know it! That is why I love him and must save him."
Kikyo suddenly looked angry "YOU FOOL!" she yelled snapping her fingers.
A cage appeared and landed on top of Kagome "YOU WILL NEVER SAVE HIM!" she yelled "I SHALL SEE THAT YOU NEVER LEAVE THIS PLACE!
Like it? I hope so! Sorry for the wait guys! Review, review, review!